Description
The influence of Buddhism on the Chinese language, on Chinese literature and on Chinese culture in general cannot be overstated, and the language of most Chinese Buddhist texts differs considerably from both Classical and Modern Chinese.
This reader aims to help students develop familiarity with features of Buddhist texts in Chinese, including patterns of organization, grammatical features and specialized vocabulary. It also aims to familiarize students with the use of a range of resources necessary for becoming independent readers of such texts.
Chinese Buddhist Texts is suitable for students who have completed the equivalent of at least one year’s college level study of Modern Chinese and are familiar with roughly one thousand of the commonest Chinese characters. Previous study of Classical Chinese would be an advantage, but is not assumed. It is an ideal textbook for students taking relevant courses in Chinese studies programs and in Buddhist studies programs. However, it is also possible for a student to work through the reader on his or her own.
Further online resources are available at: lockgraham.com
Table of Contents
Unit One: The Heart Sutra (心經) Unit Two: The Agamas (阿含經) Unit Three: The Diamond Sutra (金剛經) Unit Four: The Lotus Sutra (妙法蓮華經) Unit Five: The Sutra on the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action (十善業道經) Unit Six: Biographies of Eminent Monks (高僧傳) Unit Seven: The Essentials for Practicing Calming-and-Insight and Chan Meditation (修習止觀坐禪法要) Unit Eight: The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch (六祖壇經) Unit Nine: The Song of Enlightenment (證道歌) Unit Ten: The Blue Cliff Record (碧巖錄) Unit Eleven: Yuan Liao Fan’s Four Lessons (了凡四訓) Unit Twelve: Zhugui’s Commentary on the Heart Sutra (朱圭: 心經注解)
