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How did Xuanzang contribute to the study of Mahayana Buddhism in China?
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Mahayana
Guanyin and attendant bodhisattvas, detail of a painted cave mural, Kansu province, China, early 8th century.
Xuanzang was a pivotal figure in the development of Mahayana Buddhism in China, primarily through his extensive translation work and his role in establishing the Faxiang (or Consciousness Only) school.21
After traveling to India to study at the Nalanda monastery, Xuanzang returned to China in 645 with a vast collection of sacred scriptures. His contributions include:2
- Translation of Scriptures: He translated numerous important Mahayana texts from Sanskrit into Chinese, including works by the Indian teacher Dharmapala.21
- Founding the Faxiang School: Alongside his disciple Kuiji, he founded the Faxiang school, which focused on the Yogachara philosophy. This school taught that the world is a representation of the mind, a doctrine systematically detailed in his influential work, the Chengweishilun.21
- International Influence: His teachings were carried to Japan by the monk Dōshō, where they became the highly influential Hossō school.213
Beyond his philosophical contributions, his travel records, the Datang-Xiyu-Ji, provided invaluable historical and geographical data regarding Central Asia and India.2