The famous Sung Dynasty monk Chi-sung (1007-1072 A. D.) devoted all his energies to meditation and writing. He received the dharma of the yun-men lineage and was highly respected by the whole nation.In order to refute the anti-Buddhist arguments of the Confucianists he promoted the theory that Confucianism and Buddhism were in agreement,and worked towards the interfusion of both teachings. On one hand he held traditional views concerning meditative practice and Buddhist doctrine,on the other his ideas displayed obvious Confucian influence. He studied both teachings endeavouring to gain a thorough understanding of their holy founder's spirit in order to express his determination to cultivate in both the Buddhist and the Confucian way,and to attain mastery in the respective systems.
The present paper aims at discussing how Chi-sung lived at a time when Buddhist thought and Confucianist theory fused,and how he expounded the subtle meanings of Confucianism by means of the Buddhist point of view without losing his identity as a Buddhist scholar. It contains the following six chapters: 1. Preface, 2. The Dharma Transmission Lineage, 3. Friends and Acquaintances, 4. The Intellectual Background, 5. Peculiar Features of Chi-sung's Thought,and 6. Conclusion.
Chapter 5 is subdivided into 1. The Corespondence of the Five Precepts with the Five Basic Virtues, 2. Mind, Nature,and Emotions, 3. Praise of the Golden Mean, 4. Praise of the Five Classics, 5. On Filial Piety, 6. The Gentleman and the Mean Person, 7. The Fusion of Buddhism and Confucianism.
Today it is the intellectual exchange between China and the West that is taking place. As to the problem of creating a new Chinese philosophy,We might well draw lessons from the history of Chi-sung who,at a time of intense contacts between Buddhism and Confucianism,was able to master both teachings and harmonize them.