The Understanding of gotra in Chinese Buddhism before the 7th Century:

On the Pusa dichi jing, the Renwang jing, and the Pusa yingluo benye jing

Abstract

This paper addresses the question of the understanding of the theory of gotra (Chi. zhongxing 種姓/種性) in the Dilun school in the center after the translation of the Pusa dichi jing 菩薩地持経 by Tanwuchen 曇無讖 (385–433).

In Chinese Buddhism, the Pusa yingluo benye jing 菩薩瓔珞本業経 and the Renwang jing 仁王経 are the first scriptures to state the 42 stages of a bodhisattva. The theory of gotra in the Pusa dichi jing, namely the xi zhongxing 習種性 and the xing zhongxing 性種性, corresponded with the stages of a bodhisattva offered by the author of the Pusa yingluo benye jing. From this, if one continues training, not only the xi zhongxing, but also the xing zhongxing can be obtained.

Although the theory of gotra in the Pusa dichi jing was more or less adopted, the author of the Pusa yingluo benye jing equated the xi zhongxing and the xing zhongxing to the stages of a bodhisattva. The xi zhongxing is placed in front of the xing zhongxing. Therefore, the significance of the xing zhongxing is lessened. For this reason, no one lacks the possibility of becoming a Buddha. This differs from the Pusa dichi jing.