Ancient China is home to some of the most diverse and fascinating people, traditions and faiths that the world has ever known. It has given to birth to some of the most intriguing faiths, including Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism that still impact the Chinese people all over the world today.
Like with many other great civilizations, religion has had a deep impact in the peoples everyday lives; it is as much cultural as well as political. The Buddhist religion was introduced into China around the 1st century BCE and quickly became the dominant faith; by the Sung Dynasty (960 – 1279 CE) Buddhist associations affiliated with monasteries flourished throughout China. During the Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368 CE) some of these groups became independent sects with their own forms of leadership, organization, and texts.
The White Cloud Sect is one of the most recognised Buddhist sects to emerge from this period. The school was founded by a monk named Ch'ing-chueh (1043 – 1121 CE) in around 1108 CE. Unlike the White Lotus Sect, the White Cloud school remained true to their Buddhist origins and practised within a framework of Confucian ethics alongside their Buddhist ideas. Taoism was only mentioned in passing and then only to mention the concern of Taoist philosophy with spiritual stillness and the rejection of desires.
The school was first active in Chekiang (Zhejiang Province) and stayed very much related to its monasteries and retreats there. Unlike that of the White Lotus, White Cloud members were not allowed to marry, at least not at the very beginning of its history.
The White Cloud sect was named after a retreat in Hangchow where Ch'ing-chueh had lived, where he began a long quest for enlightenment. He was able to gather several disciples who became the nucleus of a new school.
During the early reign of the Yuan Dynasty, the White Cloud enjoyed a long period of imperial favour and due to this it became dependant on the official sanction and political support. Although they started a new step in the assimilation of Buddhism with Chinese society, the White Cloud was considered to be more conservative when compared to the practices of other schools at the time. The sect was seen as a kind of halfway house between monasticism and autonomous well-liked sectarianism. As such it was at odds with the authorities without creating an adequately strong compensatory foundation in the general population.
Ch'ing-chueh’s writings clearly show the themes of salvation through Amitabha leading to rebirth after death as well as the T'ien-t'ai, the understanding of the interrelationship of all levels of reality in the ‘absolute mind’. Ch'ing-chueh was sought after for his accounts of the Hua-yen (Avatamsaka) sutra. In his Ch'u-hsueh chi (A Record of Buddhist Teachings for those Beginning Their Studies), he refers to the interrelationship between principle and event several times. Despite this, there was little philosophical discussion in Ch'ing-chueh’s writings. For Ch'ing-chueh, he intended to provide an explanation of advancements in religious life in an easy, step-by-step manner.
However, Ch'ing-chueh was accused to officials due to his criticism of contemporary Buddhism and exiled to the south. Not long after, some of his disciples went to the capitol and requested a pardon for him. The request was granted but Ch'ing-chueh died the following year aged 79.
Like with many independent groups, the White Cloud sect was repeatedly banned throughout its history, and although it did enjoy imperial approval for a time, it was firmly proscribed in 1320 CE in response to the hostile actions of its leader. By the early 14th century, the White Cloud died out without a trace.
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