Monks,Texts and Sects:A Study of the Dharma-Propagating Activities of the Tiantong School Master Shi Dejie in the Early Qing Dynasty
During the Qing Dynasty,a significant number of Buddhist records emerged,with many monks playing pivotal roles,among whom Shi Dejie stood out.Shi Dejie was a fourth-generation disciple of Miyun Yuanwu from the Tiantong School.He served as the"secretary"of Tiantong Temple and later became the abbot of Erling,Yanfu,and Dongshouchang temples.Seizing the opportunity presented by compiling Gazetteers of Tiantong Temple,he persevered through fifty years of challenges in gathering materials and compiling the book without ever giving up.Consequently,he became its principal contributor.Furthermore,through his own diligent practice,Shi Dejie compiled Gazetteers of Siming Cuishan Zen Temple;additionally serving as a consultant for compilations of Gazetteers of Baoqing Temple and Gazetteers of Tianjing Temple.However,being deeply influenced by his affiliation with the Tiantong School led him to prioritize documenting only their lineage while overshadowing other monks'contributions and achievements within the monastery history.As a result,this compilation inevitably fell into a pattern that favored"one family genealogy,"becoming an important text reflecting disputes between Buddhist schools during that era.
Tiantong SchoolShi Dejiecompilation of gazetteerstext writingsectarian consciousness
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