Since Buddhism preached into China, the most important problem was how Buddhism could be accepted in totally different culture environment. All monks and fellow believers at that time were trying their best to solve this problem. Some teachers of classics all made efforts on the publicity and promotion of Buddhism, which made Buddhism deeply immerse into common people’s society. Self-burning of body is one important facet in Buddhism belief since Middle Age. On one hand, it represents sincerity to religion. On the other hand, it symbolizes Mahayana Bodhisattva’s (大乘菩薩) spirit, benefiting others. Until now, we still have some practices such as burning incenses on the head, or burning a scar on the body in Buddhism. From the service, those behaviors might be unreasonable superstitions, self-hurting actions to life. However, the meaning of self-burning of fingers and body has the same meaning as dying for the religious cause. Self-hurting of life is upright moral practice that is hard to put into. This article tries to explore such fierce religious relief as self burning of fingers, arms and body from the Six Dynasty to Sui, Tang Dynasty, to trace its origin, and to figure out its religious meaning.
