The Lay Buddhist Named Vimalakirti is Like Ancient Chinese Literati Bureaucratization：A Profile of the Sinicization of Buddhism with Chinese Characteristics
YANG Ji-hua1,2
1. School of Literature, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming,Yunnan, 650500; 2. Fudan University Postdoctoral Station for Chinese Language and Literature, Shanghai, 200433
Abstract：As a microcosm of the localization of Buddhism in China, the image of Vimalakirti, a Literati bureaucratization, presents the internal logic of the localization of Buddhism in China.His behavior is about self-improvement in the world, optimistic face of worldly suffering, moral self rescue, etc. which has positive influence on the Chinese ancient literati and bureaucrats' attitude towards life, by pursuit of ideal personality model, pursuit of life realm, and artistic creation. From the three aspects of the reconciliation of the conflict between Confucianism and Buddhism, the communication of the spirit of Buddhism and Taoism, and the reform of Buddhism itself, Vimalakirti achieved spiritual liberation through “self-cultivation at home” and “practicing Zen in the desire”. He organically integrated Buddhism's other-salvation and self-salvation into social norms by regulating his moral behavior. This fundamentally eliminates the opposition between monastic practice and secular life, and realizing the mutual connection of “internal transcendence” and “external transcendence” of self-life realm. The result is that the contradiction and conflict between Buddhism and Confucianism on morality and ethics have been well adjusted, and the communication between Buddhism and Taoism on the highest spiritual realm of freedom has broken by the narrow understanding of the secular society on the concept of Buddhism “birth”, thus providing the possibility for the localization of Buddhism in China. This fully demonstrates the characteristics of Chinese Buddhism, which not only fully affirms the significance of people's real life, but also fully pays attention to the way of free oneself from real life. As a result, the Vimalakirti is like Ancient Chinese Literati bureaucratization, he took practical actions to open up a new life mode for ancient Chinese Literati bureaucratization to come out of the world with one mind and enter the world, and also provides guidance for them to elevate the relatively abstract Buddhist and Zen principles into internal transcendence of their own life practice.
杨吉华. 士大夫化的维摩居士：佛教中国化的一个侧影[J]. 《深圳大学学报》（人文社科版）, 2023, 40(3): 24-34.
YANG Ji-hua. The Lay Buddhist Named Vimalakirti is Like Ancient Chinese Literati Bureaucratization：A Profile of the Sinicization of Buddhism with Chinese Characteristics. , 2023, 40(3): 24-34.
2023, Vol. 40 
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