唐代将士与佛教

Officers and men in the Tang Dynasty and Buddhism

佛教在唐代的长足发展,使唐代社会各阶层各领域都受到佛教的感染,唐代军营中也概莫能外。在唐代军队中,上自将帅下至士卒都存在崇佛礼佛的情况。戎马倥偬的军旅生活,使得将士们极少有时间研习佛教经典教义,大多数人仅停留在认知和一般性了解的阶段。他们奉佛的主要目的在于寻求心理安慰、精神寄托和解决现世之苦。

Buddhism developed greatly in the Tang Dynasty, which affected all walks of life including army. In the army all officers and men believed in Buddhism. Busy military life made officers and men have no leisure time to study Buddhist doctrines. As a result, most of them stayed in superficial understandiing stage. The main purpose of their believing in Buddhism was to seek psychological comfort, spiritual sustenance and to keep away from current pain.