文摘
The paper is an attempt to generalize the results of the previous scholarship concerning the nature and specific features of Sinitic Buddhism in the Tangut Empire. The major claim of the paper is that certain dimensions of Tangut Buddhism are traceable to their Sinitic parental tradition, the Buddhism in the Tangut Empire evolved in a specific manner, which was influenced by the Buddhism of the Liao Empire. This implies that Sinitic Buddhism in Xixia was modeled according to the model 鈥減erfect teaching,鈥?promoted by the Liao Buddhists. Thus, the approach based on the traditional 鈥渟chool鈥?(including 鈥淐han School鈥? paradigm is inappropriate for the study of Tangut Buddhism. In this stead I am suggesting a 鈥減erfect鈥?approach, which allows grouping the available texts on the basis of their position in the scheme of the 鈥減erfect teaching鈥?and explores the contents of these texts from this angle. Thus, the specific nature of the texts traditionally deemed as Chan in the Tangut Buddhist system is seen in their relationship to the ultimate practice of the 鈥渃ontemplation of the Dharma realm.鈥?Finally, the paper introduces some new translations from Tangut. Keywords Tangut Buddhism Liao Buddhism Chan Tibetan Buddhism Perfect teaching