Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism

The book opens with a general introduction to Buddhism as a practical path of wisdom, compassion, discipline, meditation, and liberation. It explains the development of the two major Buddhist traditions, Theravāda and Mahāyāna, and then situates Chinese Buddhism within the Mahāyāna world, emphasizing how Buddhism entered China, adapted to Chinese culture, and developed important schools such as T’ien-t’ai, Hua-yen, Ch’an, and Pure Land. The first main part describes the visible religious world of Chinese Buddhism: the structure of a Chinese monastery, the meaning of Buddhist images, the Chinese Buddhist pantheon, festive days, and the identities and functions of major Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, protectors, and patriarchs. Special attention is given to Kuan Shih Yin P’usa, Amitābha Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Mañjuśrī, Samantabhadra, Kṣitigarbha, Maitreya, Kuan Ti, Wei-To, Bodhidharma, and Vajrayāna figures. The second main part presents essential Buddhist teachings, including the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the twelve links of dependent origination, karma, the six realms of existence, the six pāramitās, refuge in the Triple Gem, and important Chinese Buddhist scriptures such as the Sutra of Forty-Two Sections, the Karma Sutra, the Diamond Sutra, and the Dhammapada.