The Background of the Jingang sanmei jing 金剛三昧経: With a Focus on the Controversy between the Three Vehicle and One Vehicle Theories in the Early Tang Dynasaty

Abstract

The Jingang sanmei jing 金剛三昧経 is known as a Chinese Apocryphal Scripture which was created in the late 7th century. The compilers of this scripture are considered to be related to early Chan Buddism or Wŏnhyo 元暁 and his group.

This study investigates the influence of the controversy between the Three Vehicle and One Vehicle theories in the early Tang dynasaty to the Jingang sanmei jing 金剛三昧経. The One Vehicle ideology in the Jingang sanmei jing 金剛三昧経 can be understood to be influenced by that of the early Chan School, which was based on the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra 楞伽経. I further point out that the key term Zhenru zhongzi (真如種子) used in the Jingang sanmei jing 金剛三昧経 is related to the controversy between the Three Vehicles and One Vehicle theories in the early Tang dynasaty.

From this, I conclude that the Jingang sanmei jing 金剛三昧経 was created by early Chan Buddhists, based on the context of criticizing the Three Vehicle theories.