Religion and Ideologies

Buddhism during the Tang Dynasty

        During the Tang Dynasty's time, the major religion people followed was Buddhism. Buddhism was mainly about the afterlife, the future effects of good and bad deeds, and the promise of release from suffering. Afterlife was a way of thinking about what happens to a person or an other living thing after they pass away. "No living thing retains its soul permanently... they become a different being" (Chen). After death a person or animal is still alive through their soul and then becomes another living thing. Another belief in Buddhism is karma. Karma is another way of saying the acts or deeds a person has done. Karma is believed to affect a persons health, intelligence, and many other traits. Good karma is only achieved if a person is kind and has had a good life. This leads to having a better afterlife, "a higher being, such as a human, or even a god" (Chen). Bad karma is from being a mean person and having a bad life. This can lead to a "lower class" of beings such as an animal and ghosts. The main goal for a Buddhist to achieve is called nirvana. Nirvana is the state of being without greed, ignorance, hate and suffering. Anyone can attempt to achieve this goal, but it is considered only realistic for monks and saints. Buddhism was at its highest peak during the Tang Dynasty.

        Buddhism caused a remarkable amount of wealth for the Monasteries in the Tang Dynasty. People were donating land, grain, and precious metals to the empire. The Monasteries were even exempt from paying taxes and soon became tax shelters for landowners. Empress Wu encouraged the growth of Buddhism to weaken her opponents, the aristocracy who favored Taoism. This made Buddhism grow and spread through out the empire during this time period. Buddhism was also the "religion of salvation" because it first started after the Han Dynasty fell during a time of chaos. It was a religion people looked at for solutions to all their problems. "Buddhism encouraged rulers to be kind and understanding to others, and to do good deeds"(Chen). Buddhism made the Tang Dynasty a kind and happy place to be.




 http://acupunctureforall.blogspot.com/2012/04/theory-of-karma.html