Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 23. (Budapest, 2004)
Imre HAMAR: Hermeneutical Methods in Chengguan's Commentary to the Avatamsakasütra
IMRE HAMAR HERMENEUTICAL METHODS IN CHENGGUAN ' S COMMENTARY TO THE AVATAMSAKA-SÜTRA* Chengguan ítü (738-839) was the fourth patriarch of the Huayan 08& school and one of the most learned, influential and eminent monks during the Tang dynasty.' His lifespan was long, he is said to have lived 101 years. He studied, commented and lectured upon the Avatamsaka-sütra, called Huayanjing ^§)$cM in Chinese, which is one of the most voluminous Mahäyäna sütras. 2 He authored his opus magnum, a commentary on this scripture 1 on Wutaishan II rill, the sacred mountain of Chinese Buddhism, the abode of Manjusrï Bodhisattva, in the Huayansi #ISHF, which is now called Xiantongsi .^MTF. 4 The monks and the abbot of the monastery asked him fervently to compose his commentary. He hesitated for a while, as the text of the old commentary was rather complicated and its meaning had not been sufficiently elaborated upon. It refers to the Xu huayanjing liieshu kanding ji Sgiéuf!j)£g5 5 , the first commentary on the eighty-fascicle Huayanjing. Fazang iÈH (643-712) started this work, but died before he could complete it. It was finished by Huiyuan H^G (673-743) but he modified his master's teaching in many respects, therefore Chengguan sharply criticised him. 6 Thus the Kandingji could be called the countertext against which Chengguan expounded his teaching. Before he started his work, he had a dream of a golden man or image. This golden image was as high as a mountain, had a face like the full * This study was supported by the Hungarian National Research Found (OTKA Nr. T 047023) and the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation moon and floated in the air. Chengguan held its face in both hands and swallowed it, and then awoke. He rejoiced, as swallowing the light meant verification that his work would be bright everywhere. He thought that this auspicious sign must have been sent by a great Bodhisattva, a possible reference to Manjusrï. He had tasted the Huayan teaching whereby he realised its pure meaning. He worked for three years, completing his Commentary by 787. Before he started to explain the Commentary, he had a dream. In his dream he turned into a dragon: his head was lying on the Southern Terrace of Wutaishan, his tail coiled around the Northern Terrace, his scales and mane were splendid. The dragon transformed into many dragons, and they emanated light, spreading it everywhere. Chengguan regarded this dream as a good sign for the spread of his teaching. His work was a great success. The four classes of Buddhist believers (monks, nuns, laymen and lay women) assembled to listen to this teaching. The crowd asked Chengguan to elaborate further, as it was too obscure for them. Granting their request, he made the Subcommentary 1 with Sengrui Zhikai and others of his disciples. He was invited to the court, giving lectures on Huayan before emperors. He held high clerical ranks, and made intimate friends with high-ranking officials. At their request he composed several short treatises in order to make the kernel of Huayan teaching accessible to literati. Before Chengguan wrote his Commentary, the tradition of writing Buddhist commentary had evolved for centuries in China, reaching its
