What is the difference between Buddhism in Thailand and Buddhism in China

1, different schools of thought, different views on things.

Thailand belongs to the South Hinayana Buddhism, for the Buddha early said that the root of the initiation, can only be self-development, can not help other people, the highest fruit for the Arahant, Pai Chi Buddha. China belongs to the Northern Mahayana Buddhism, which is the original intention of Buddha. If you are a self-made man, you can realize the fruit of the Buddha.

2, Thai rituals and Thai Buddha and China are not the same.

Thailand's Buddha etiquette worship posture and we are different, the monks of the "five bodies on the ground" style, elbows, knees, head to the ground, palms open down three times. Men and women kneel in different foot positions, men standing women flat. Kneeling should follow the good-looking, elegant, generous, not too fast or too slow.

3, different Buddhist sects. Thailand is Theravada Buddhism, China is Mahayana Buddhism.

The Hinayana Buddhism is actually the more traditional Buddhism, which is the Buddhism that Sakyamuni Buddha preached when he was preaching. And Chinese Mahayana Buddhism has some rules that are more localized.

In Thai Hinayana Buddhism it is permissible to eat meat, and Sakyamuni Buddha was allowed to eat meat when he was preaching. Because you eat whatever the giver gives to you. And China is not allowed to eat meat.

4. The domestic status is different.

Thailand 95% of the people believe in Buddhism, and thus Buddhism is its national religion. Buddhism in China is only one of the many sects of faith.

Expanded Information:

Sects of Buddhism in China:

1. Sanlun Sect

The name of the school formed by studying and lecturing on the basis of the Zhong Lun, Bai Lun, and Twelve Doors of Buddhism, which were transmitted by Hatamarash (343-413), is "San Lun Sect". Its doctrine is to take the two truths as the general outline, to expose the falsehood and unreality of all the five dharmas and dharmas from the aspect of the rational body of the vacuum, and to completely break the confusion of the three poisons (greed, anger, and dementia), in order to establish the right view of the Middle Way, in which all things are unattainable.

This theory was systematically expounded by Master Jizo at the end of the Sui Dynasty. This school, in fact, is the school of the Indian Zhongguang system, the direct successor of the doctrines of Longshu and Tipu.

2. Yoga Sect

The Yoga Sect, which is based on the Yoga Teachings of Maitreya and the Yoga Teacher's Commentary of Wushu, is called the Yoga Sect. In China, Venerable Xuanzang (600-1664) translated and transmitted this sect, and combined the translation of ten masters to explain Shih Tsang's "Thirty Ode on Vaisnavism" as the "Theory of Cheng Vaisnavism," which is also known as Dharma-phase Vaisnavism, or Ci'en Sect.

His aim was to widely differentiate the nature of all things from consciousness. He also explained the cause and effect of the dharma, and practiced the concept of consciousness-only view in order to turn consciousness into wisdom (transmigration). This sect was founded by Venerable Xuanzang, a direct successor to the doctrines of Wujing and Shihshang in India.

3. Tiantai Sect

The Tiantai Sect is based on Luo Shi's translation of the Dharma Flower Sutra, the Great Wisdom Treatise, and the Treatise on the Middle Kingdom, absorbing the ideas of the schools of thought that came from India and developed in China, and then systematically organizing them into a system of thought, because the founder, Zhiyi, (538~597) lived at Tiantai Mountain in Zhejiang Province, and so it was called the Tiantai Sect. Its doctrines are based on the five times and eight religions as the general outline, and on the central idea of one mind, three views, and the three meanings of enlightenment.

4. Huayan Sect

The Huayan Sect, based on the Avatamsaka Sutra, which has been thoroughly studied and elucidated, is a system of thought developed on the basis of the doctrines of its predecessors (the Sanlun, the Tiantai, the T'ai'en, the T'ien, the T'ai Lun Teachers, the T'ai Lun Te Teachers, and so on). The founder was Khyentse Kokushi (Fa-tsang) at the end of the seventh century, so it is also known as the Khyentse Sect.

The Soto sect, which is based on the Five Teachings, takes the six phases, the ten mysteries, and the three concepts as its central ideas, and focuses on elucidating the truths of dharma karma and the methods of observing and practicing them.

The doctrines of Tiantai and Huayan, though derived from the Fahua and Huayan, are in fact unique to China. Tiantai's doctrine of one mind, three views, and three meanings, and Huayan's doctrine of the origin of the Dharma realm and the unobstructedness of all things have greatly developed the Mahayana thought that came from India, and have demonstrated the spirit of Mahayana, which is uniquely Chinese.

5. Zen Buddhism

There is a new branch of Zen Buddhism in China, the so-called Zen Sect, which is not a sect. Instead of the traditional Zen of the ancient times, this sect practiced the Zen of the masters, which is a direct reference to the nature of the mind.

It is said that the teachings of this sect were transmitted from India by Bodhidharma at the beginning of the fifth century. Although it is said that it is a single transmission of mind and seal, without words, in fact Zen is based on the Lankavatara, Vajrayana, and the Sixth Patriarchal Sutra that appeared later, as well as many "discourses".

In the eighth century, it was further divided into two sects, north and south. The northern school, Shenxiu's school, advocated gradual cultivation and flourished for a time, but soon declined; the southern school, Huineng, advocated enlightenment and was later honored as the Sixth Patriarch, and flourished.

From the Tang to the Song Dynasty, the Southern Zen masters came out, in the three or four hundred years and divided into Weiyang, Linji, Cao Dong, Yunmen, Fayan five sects, under the Linji and divided into Huanglong, Yangqi two schools, together with the first five sects known as the seven sects, have been very prosperous for a while, and then only two schools of Zen Linji, Cao Dong, and the Linji Sect is particularly prosperous.

6. Pure Land Sect

The Pure Land Sect is a sect formed on the basis of the Immeasurable Life Sutra, which advocates the view of the Buddha and the recitation of the Buddha's name for the purpose of being born in the Western Amitabha's Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and is therefore called the Pure Land Sect. Huiyuan in the fifth century was its founder, and Tanluan in the sixth century and Shandao in the seventh century were its important promoters.

The practice of this sect does not necessarily require a thorough understanding of the sutras, extensive study of the teachings, nor does it necessarily require meditation and specialization, as long as the faith and wish are sufficient, the heart says "Namo Amitabha Buddha", and never slackens off, and at the time of the end of his life, he can be reborn in the Pure Land. Because of its simplicity and formality, the Pure Land Sect has become particularly popular in China, as it is able to embrace a wide range of people.

7. Ruling Sect

In the area of precepts, the interpretation of Mahayana teachings based on the Tantric Laws of the Tammanyu Teachings has led to the formation of a "Ruling Sect" school of thought in China. Its important figure is with Xuanzang at the same time, Dao Xuan. As a result of the prevalence of this sect, Chinese monks still emphasize the Theravada precepts of stopping and doing two things in the practice of the three schools of Buddhism.

8. Tantric Buddhism

In the eighth century, the Tantric Buddhism of India was introduced to China by Shan Wufei (637-735), Vajrayogini (669-741), and Bukong (705-774), forming the Tantric Buddhism. This sect established the "Vajradhatu Sutra" and the "Dainichi Sutra" to establish the "Vajradhatu Sutra" and the "Tirthankara Sutra" as the two parts of the Three Tantric Yogas. This sect is called Tantric because of the secret of Tantra, which cannot be practiced or shown to others without initiation and teaching.

These are the eight major sects of Chinese Buddhism. In addition, there are the Kusha Sect, which specializes in Kusha Buddhism, the Chengshi Sect, which specializes in Chengshi Buddhism, and the various sects that specialize in the Regents' Treatise, the Earth Treatise, and the Nirvana Sutra, all of which emerged during the Northern and Southern Dynasties of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and flourished for a time, but soon lost their lineage or were incorporated into other sects.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Buddhism in Thailand

Baidu Encyclopedia - Buddhism in China