Dao An’s Faith in Maitreya Pure Land in Chinese Buddhism
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Abstract
This article examines Dao An’s faith in the Maitreya Pure Land in Chinese Buddhism. It has three objectives: (1) to analyze the reasons for Dao An’s faith in the Maitreya Pure Land, (2) to examine his thoughts and writings related to the Maitreya Pure Land, and (3) to assess his influence on the development of Maitreya Pure Land devotion in Chinese Buddhism. The study draws primarily on the Chinese Buddhist canon and supplements these materials with relevant Chinese- and English-language scholarship.
The findings indicate that Dao An’s faith developed from several interrelated factors. These include his desire to resolve doctrinal questions arising from his study of Prajñā literature, his compassionate aspiration to benefit sentient beings in a manner consistent with Maitreya’s future mission, and his wish to pursue Buddhahood together with Maitreya. The social disorder and warfare of his time, together with the growing circulation of Maitreya-related scriptures, also formed an important historical background.
The study further identifies eleven extant prefaces associated with Dao An’s engagement with Maitreya Pure Land thought. These may be grouped into three categories: works related to the Āgamas, works related to Prajñā literature, and works related to meditation. Through these prefaces, Dao An expressed doctrinal concerns, devotional aspirations, and practical orientations toward rebirth in Tuṣita Heaven.
Finally, the study finds that Dao An exercised a foundational influence on the development of Maitreya Pure Land devotion in China. He organized one of the earliest documented communities to make collective vows for rebirth in Tuṣita Heaven and established a model of Maitreya-oriented study and practice that influenced his disciples and later generations. He may therefore be regarded as a pioneer of organized Maitreya Pure Land devotion in Chinese Buddhism.
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