Buddhist surname

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Shi
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese釋
Simplified Chinese释
Vietnamese name
VietnameseThích
Korean name
Hangul석
Japanese name
Hiraganaしゃく
Shinjitai釈

In East Asian Buddhism, monks and nuns usually adopt a Buddhist surname and a Dharma name, which are combined in the surname-first East-Asian naming order. Since the 4th century the standard Buddhist surname has been Shi (Chinese: 釋, Korean: Seok, Vietnamese: Thích,[1] Japanese: Shaku), which is the first syllable of Shijiamoni, the Chinese word for Shakyamuni.[2] This practice was introduced by the Jin dynasty (266–420) monk Dao'an in around 370, when he stayed in Xiangyang,[3] and became general practice in China after 385.[2] Previously Chinese monks and nuns used several other Buddhist surnames, typically designating the ethnonational origin of their foreign preceptors.[2]

The most notable early surname was Zhu (Chinese: 竺; pinyin: Zhú; Wade–Giles: Chu2; Jyutping: Zuk1),[4] which came from Tianzhu (the Chinese word for India).[5] Jingjian (292–361) or Zhu Jingjian was the first nun of China. Daosheng (c. 360–434) or Zhu Daosheng was one of the last influential monks to use Zhu rather than Shi.[2]

Other Buddhist surnames included:

  • Zhi (Chinese: 支) which came from Yuezhi or its successor state, the Kushan Empire.[6] Examples include Zhi Qian and Zhi Dun.
  • An (Chinese: 安) which came from Anxi (the Chinese word for Arsacid). Examples include An Xuan and An Shigao.[7]
  • Yu (Chinese: 于) which came from Yutian (the Chinese word for Khotan).[8]
  • Kang (Chinese: 康) which was a designation for Sogdiana. An example is Kang Senghui.[9]
  • Bo (Chinese: 帛) which came from the Chinese word for the surname of several Kucha kings, Bo (Chinese: 白).[10]

The adoption of a Buddhist surname signifies the ordinand's severance of family bonds and their full devotion to the teachings of the Buddha.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ Buswell & Lopez 2014, p. 905.
  2. ^ a b c d e Buswell & Lopez 2014, p. 802.
  3. ^ Zürcher 2013, p. 113.
  4. ^ Buswell & Lopez 2014, p. 1058.
  5. ^ Buswell & Lopez 2014, p. 913.
  6. ^ Buswell & Lopez 2014, p. 1055.
  7. ^ Buswell & Lopez 2014, p. 37.
  8. ^ Buswell & Lopez 2014, p. 1040.
  9. ^ Buswell & Lopez 2014, p. 414.
  10. ^ Buswell & Lopez 2014, p. 127.
  • Buswell, Robert E., Jr. & Lopez, Donald S., Jr. (2014). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-15786-3.
  • Zürcher, Erik (2013). "Buddhist Influence on Early Daoism: A Survey of Scriptural Evidence". In Silk, Jonathan A. (ed.). Buddhism in China: Collected Papers of Erik Zürcher. Brill. pp. 105–164. ISBN 978-90-04-25093-2.
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