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Why is the Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji considered a millennial masterpiece of Buddhism?
Why is the Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji considered a millennial masterpiece of Buddhism?
The Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji is considered a millennial masterpiece of Buddhism primarily based on the following reasons:
High Status of the Author: The author of the Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji is the Tang dynasty master Kuiji, who was the top disciple of Master Xuanzang and respectfully called "Master Ci'en." Master Kuiji inherited Xuanzang's Yogācāra doctrines and greatly expanded upon them, holding an extremely high status in Buddhist history.
Profound and Extensive Content: The Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji is a detailed commentary on the Cheng Weishi Lun. The Cheng Weishi Lun itself is a monumental work that synthesizes the ideological essence of the Ten Great Masters of India, regarded as the fundamental treatise of the Yogācāra School. In the Shuji, Master Kuiji not only explained the content of the Cheng Weishi Lun sentence by sentence but also integrated his own understanding and insights, making this treatise more complete and systematic, and a required classic for later generations studying Yogācāra.
Profound Historical Impact: Since the Tang dynasty, the Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji has been highly valued and studied by Buddhist scholars, exerting a profound influence on the subsequent development of Yogācāra philosophy. Many later Yogācāra works are based on the Shuji, undergoing further explanation and development.
Highly Valued by Master Xuanzang: The translator of the Cheng Weishi Lun, Master Xuanzang—who was also Master Kuiji's teacher—attached great importance to this treatise, considering it the result of "the Master bringing forth his innate brilliance and relying on diligent study and consultation." He regarded it as a "secret key," even stating: "The Master admired and enjoyed it as if gazing upon the holy countenance. Keeping it always in hand, it was no different from the true teachings." Master Xuanzang's praise also elevated the status of the Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji within the Buddhist community.
In conclusion, due to the author's status, the depth of its content, its historical impact, and the endorsement of Master Xuanzang, the Cheng Weishi Lun Shuji is considered a millennial masterpiece of Buddhism and an indispensable classic for the study of Yogācāra.