SOAS Research Online

Abstract

In the Hōongikyō法苑義鏡 [Mirror on the Meaning of the Garden of the Dharma], Zenju善珠 (723–797) followed the standpoint of Xuanzang玄奘 (602–664) and his disciples. Zenju possessed a substantial amount of information not only on consciousness-only (Chin. weishi唯識) thoughts but other relevant theories espoused during the Northern and Southern Dynasties in Chinese Buddhism, including the interpretations of the Dilun地論 tradition. Regarding the theory of shinnyo真如 (Skt. tathatā; Chin. zhenru; Thusness), Zenju referenced to it many times, explaining it from various perspectives. The interpretations of shinnyo based on Xuanzang’s translations are undoubtedly mainstreamed in the Hōongikyō. Conversely, although Zenju clearly mentioned the titles of the Da boniepan jing大般涅槃経 [Skt. Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra; Great Nirvana Sūtra] and the Jiujing yisheng baoxing lun究竟一乘寶性論 [Skt. Ratnagotravibhāga; Treatise of the Jewel-nature of Ultimate One], it is highly likely that these had all influenced Zenju when he was explaining the relationship between shinnyo and Buddha nature. This only means that as a famous monk of the Japanese Hossō sect法相宗, Zenju’s understanding of shinnyo is not only limited to Xuanzang’s translations and the commentaries of his disciples.