THE BUDDHIST TEACHING OF TOTALITY The Philosophy of Hwa Yen Buddhism

Abstract

During my thirty-five years of association with Buddhism, I have always asked this question: "Of all Buddhist Schools-Hinayana, Mahayana and Tantra alike-which one truly holds the highest teaching of Buddhism?" The answer is now a clear-cut one: it is the Hwa Yen School of China. The Hwa Yen School, or Hwa Yen Tsung, was established in the Tang period, roughly in the 7th and 8th centuries A.D., by outstanding thinkers such as Tu Shun (557-640) and Fa Tsang (643-712). The Chinese word Hwa Yen means "the flowerdecoration" or "garland," which is originally the name of a voluminous Mahayana text: The Garland Sii.tra (The Ga1J4avyuha or Avatamsaka Sii.tra) . Therefore, the teaching of this School is based mainly upon this text and draws inspiration from it.