Han Yu was a literary giant in the mid-Tang Dynasty. Confucianism "cultivation, harmony, governance, and peace" were his lifelong beliefs, while Taoism and Buddhism were what he strongly opposed.
Perhaps Han Yu's most famous poem is this "Moving from the left to Languan to show his nephew Xiang":
A letter was sent to Jiuzhongtian in the morning, and eight thousand people were demoted to Chaozhou Road in the evening. If you want to eliminate evil things for the holy dynasty, you are willing to cherish your remaining years. Where is Yun Heng's Qinling family? The snow embraces the blue and the horse stops moving forward. I know that you came from afar with some intention, so that you can take me back to the riverside of Gumiasma.
A classic among classics. Where did this poem come from? It is because a few days ago, Han Yu published a memorial, "On the Bone List of Buddha". It’s okay to submit a memorial to oppose the enshrining of Buddha’s bone relics. The key is to curse Tang Xianzong for early death. In the end, Tang Xianzong was magnanimous and just demoted Han Yu from Deputy Minister of Justice (Ministry of Punishment) to Secretary of the Prefectural Committee (Chaozhou Governor). Really It is the virtues accumulated by the ancestors.
As we all know, Han Yu was one of the most famous anti-Buddhists in Chinese history, vowing to drive Buddhism out of China.
However, unfortunately, Han Yu has always read Confucian classics. From beginning to end, he has not been deeply involved in Buddhist classics. He excludes the main works of Buddhism, "On the Bone Table of Buddha" and "Yuan Dao" They are all very superficial and theoretically cannot pose a threat to the entire theoretical system of Buddhism.
But! The monks in ordinary temples, whether at that time or in later generations, hated Han Yu with all their teeth. Some made up stories about how miserable Han Yu was when he went to hell and received retribution after his death. Some people misinterpreted historical data and said that Han Yu died in the end. Convert to Buddhism and become lay disciples - in short, the monks are afraid to mention Han Yu's rejection of Buddhism directly.
Doesn’t that mean that Han Yu doesn’t understand Buddhism very well? What’s there to be afraid of?
In fact, from ancient times to the present, Chinese Buddhism and Buddhism have been divided into two parts: one is Buddhism practiced by ordinary people in folk beliefs, and the other is Buddhism studied and understood by scholar-bureaucrats.
Han Yu devoted his whole life to the cause of rejecting Buddhism (combining respect for Confucianism), and had little impact on the Buddhism studied and studied by upper-class scholar-bureaucrats. What he influenced was mainly the folk beliefs of ordinary people. Buddhism. The latter has a major feature - there are gods that need to be worshiped. The gods need to enjoy the tributes (that is, the "fields of blessings" planted by believers), and these tributes (and the "fields of blessings") eventually fall into the hands of the agents of gods and Buddhas - monks.
So, Han Yu's "exclusion of Buddha" has little to do with "Buddha" and "Bodhisattva", but it will actually cut off the monks' financial path. Therefore, monks, let's ask Are you afraid?
In fact, Ji Xiaolan of the Qing Dynasty had already seen this. He commented on Han Yu's "anti-Buddha" behavior in "Notes of Yuewei Thatched Cottage" (notes added by the author in parentheses):
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I have heard the words of Mingyu, a monk from Wutai, who said: According to the theory of evading Buddhism, the Confucianism in the Song Dynasty is deep but Changli (Han Yu's name is Changli) is shallow. The Confucianism in the Song Dynasty is refined but Changli is coarse. He who fears Changli does not fear the Confucians of the Song Dynasty, and he does not like the title of Changli but not the Confucians of the Song Dynasty. The Buddha proposed by Gai Changli, who made offerings of sandalwood, was spoken by the foolish couple (common people in folk beliefs); the Buddha who understood the mind and nature, proposed by Confucian scholars of the Song Dynasty, was spoken by the scholar-bureaucrats. There are few scholar-bureaucrats in the world and many foolish couples. The monks receive less from the scholar-bureaucrats and more from the foolish couples (you sow the field of blessing and I will reap it). If the preaching of Changli is successful, there will be no smoke in the incense and no land in the garden (if you have no money, you will have to become a true monk). Even if there is a great and good teacher who can lead the crowds of sand in the Ganges, he will sleep in the open and speak the sermon (without enough food). How can I have the energy to chant sutras?)
Of course, there are a lot of intriguing things here, but if you think about it selfishly, the most important thing is that ordinary monks are not afraid of big shots (such as Zhu Xi, who theoretically transformed Buddhism and entered Neo-Confucianism) Let's question Buddhism from its true principles - these ordinary people don't care anyway.
However, if Han Yu wants to cut off the food of the monks, why don't everyone unite and fight against you! ?
Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, many monks in temples have forgotten their original intention of studying Buddhism and practicing enlightenment. Instead, they regard it as a profession that can avoid taxes, make money, and be supported by people all day long. , leisurely and leisurely, so happy! How can ordinary believers (including ordinary monks, of course) delve into the difference between the true Buddhist principles and the secular behavior of the monks in front of them?
Han Yu hit the nail on the head and revealed the ugly behavior of these monks. Can the monks not fight you desperately?
Talking the truth and cutting off people’s financial paths is the key to Han Yu’s rejection of Buddhism. As for teachings and teachings, Han Yu doesn’t understand them very well anyway, and neither do ordinary monks, so who cares? Woolen cloth?
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