Guodian: A New Window for Understanding the Introduction of Buddhism into China

Abstract

This chapter will argue that the Guodian corpus has a coherent religious philosophy that is best characterized using Prasenjit Duara’s term “dialogical transcendence.” Being dialogical means that transcending does not involve a departure from the human realm, and this is inclusive of all the messiness entailed therein. The model for how Guodian religion functioned is surprisingly analogous to later religious beliefs in China. In particular, it has a striking resemblance to the Buddhist sutra Vimalakirti. Contextualizing Guodian in this large span of religious history is necessary to avoid seeing it as merely a social philosophy. The humanism inherent in both Guodian and Vimalakirti is a hugely significant element of the Chinese religious experience and it has remained so through the present day. The comparative lens employed in this chapter has the ability to clarify both our understanding of Guodian and also later developments in Buddhism. Specifically, Guodian offers new insight into why particular Buddhist sutras became popular in China.