Dbq Essay On Buddhism And Confucianism

Buddhism, initially widely accepted in China over the centuries has been criticized. Rather than having a positive effect, Buddhism has been condemned due to its “barbaric” nature in comparison to Confucianism. Buddhism was a faith that has been deemed as an outcast due to it only being recently adopted in China. Before Buddhism, Confucianism was the religion that dominated from 206-220 BC, originating in China by a Chinese philosopher known as Confucius. Buddhism is a universal religion that originated during the 6th century BC in India and was practiced in various regions, and came to prevail in China due to the fall of the Han Dynasty; China, lacking political structure, turned towards Buddhism. Though both Confucianism and Buddhism are

Buddhism, since it is a foreign religion can never match the true beauty and value of a religion such as Confucianism that is a classic in Chinese culture. An anonymous Chinese scholar once argued about how “If Buddhism is the greatest and most venerable of ways, why did the great sages of the past and Confucius not practice it? In the Confucian Classics no one mentions it” (Doc 3). Not only did the anonymous Chinese scholar consider Buddhism as “outlandish”, but he makes an argument stating that if it was so great, why were the principles of Buddhism not incorporated into Confucianism, a religion that has been around much longer and has had greater influence. Buddhism also did not bode well with the reemergence of the imperial authority as jealousy arose among the elites since Buddhist monasteries were able to evade taxes, but continue to gain funds and riches. There was even more criticism especially from Confucian scholar, Han Yu “to greet the finger bone of Buddha…there will be those in the crowd who will cut off their arms and mutilate their flesh in offering to Buddha” (Doc 4). Yu criticized Buddhism with it being a disgrace to their tradition because before Buddhism, one would never imagine bringing something as unholy as dead body part

For instance, the author of doc 2, was Zhi Dun, a Chinese scholar and confidant of Chinese aristocrats and high officials. Dun wrote the document during a time of warfare and invasion from the central Asian steppe nomads, circa 350 CE. As an aristocrat of high status though, he mostly likely didn't have to endure the suffering and dangers that a commoner endured and during this moment of crisis when Confucianism did not offer comfort, Buddhism seemed enticing with its promise of enlightenment and nirvana. “[those] who recites the Buddhist scripture… will enter Nirvana” (Doc. 2). In addition, another scholar who supported Buddhism was Kumarakijiva, a Central Asian monk and scholar who was kidnapped and brought to the Qin Dynasty. Since Kumarakjiva was captured, he was most likely a follower of Buddhism, thus supporting his reason to emphasize upon the good of following Buddhism. “If there are those who accept, uphold, read, and recite this ultra… they will be received into the hands of a thousand Buddhas…immediately they will proceed to heaven” (Doc 1). Kumarakjiva provides reason and promise of pleasure to persuade people to convert to Buddhism as he is a scholar and Buddhist. On the other hand, Han Yu, a leading Confucian scholar and official at the Tang imperial court in 819 CE opposed Buddhism. Yu criticized Buddhism as a “cult of barbarian people” (Doc 4). Han Yu, as an