Bai Juyi and Pure Land Buddhism

Abstract

The Tang poet Bai Juyi's life was closely connected with Buddhism. Research on Bai has concentrated on his relationship with Zen Buddhism, while little attention has been paid to his involvement with the Pure Land Sect. The Zen and Pure Land of his time did not have a consensus as to the notion of ukhavati, or 'Western paradise'. Bai moved easily between the two sects of Zen and Pure Land. When he resided in Jiangzhou and Luoyang, he had more time and energy for religious activities, and this explains why he managed to practise the more time-consuming rituals of Pure Land Buddhism. Another reason may be the sudden death of kin, as in the case of Tao Yuanming.

白居易一生與佛教關係密切，一般研究者集中於與禪宗的關係，至於淨土宗，則較少留意，當時的禪宗與淨土宗於西方極樂世界的理解，並不一致。白居易周旋於禪宗與淨土宗之間，在江州和洛陽居住時，比較清閒，有餘力從事宗教活動，而且淨土宗的儀式，需要較多時間進行，足以解釋爲何可以兼修淨土，另外，期間像陶淵明那樣，因爲親族突然去世，也可能是一個原因。