Dbq Response Spread of Buddhism in China

Megan Cissell AP World-4 George October 14, 2012 Document Based Question After analyzing the documents I was given, I believe there is both a positive and negative response to the spread of Buddhism in China. Over time the response became more and more negative than positive. People were getting used to the spread of Buddhism because they knew that it wasn’t going away anytime soon. The background information I was given explains that since China was unstable at this time Confucianism was on the decline which made Buddhism easier to rise. Document one does not really state a response to the spread of Buddhism in China.

This document is just three of the four noble truths that the Buddha preached. This document does not go into any grouping that I have because it does not explain anything about the spread of Buddhism. Certain documents had a positive response to the spread. One of the documents was summarizing the fourth noble truth that the Buddha preached, but it also explained the goal of Buddhism (Document 2). Another example of a positive response is the one that explains how Confucius, Laozi, and the Buddha are alike in what they wanted for their respective religions.

They all three wanted the same, but it was the difference in time periods that set them apart (Document 5). The next document I am going to explain is both positive and negative. The answers that are used are more positive than the questions, but still have a negative side to them. This document explains how Confucian classics do not contain everything so they ask why there is suspicion that Buddhism is so bad. The person talks about Buddha as a unicorn compared to other sages as a white deer; however, white deer are rare and unicorns are unreal. This person is saying that the Buddha does not really exist so why should Buddhism.

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The questions in this document are more negative because it talks about how if Buddhism is so great then why didn’t Confucius practice it. The questions also point out that monks do not marry or have families, they only care about goodness and wisdom, which is not part of Chinese culture (Document 3). However to the positives also bring some negatives. Although, one of the documents has a negative response by saying that the Buddha does not conform to the Chinese culture, the scholar took greatly to Buddhism because he knows it will continue to spread until later when China becomes more stable and Confucianism returns.

He is basically saying that why should Buddhism be honored if it has not originated in China. I believe that there is some bias in this excerpt because the person writing it is a Confucian scholar. (Document 4). Document 4 and document 6 tie together because they were written about the same time. This document talks about how Buddhism is an infection to China and is spreading like a vine throughout the country. He also says the country will suffer because people will stop their jobs to follow the Buddha.

Buddhism in his words are like weeds, they don’t stop growing even if you pull them they grow back again and again. This excerpt also states how scared China was of the spread and how it could change the Chinese culture (Document 6). Additional pieces that I could use are the reports and consultations of the general public. These would be helpful to see how it impacted the whole country of China through the eyes of the public not just people that have power in the courts.

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