玄奘法师与弥勒信仰

Master Xuan Zang and the Faith of Maitreya

玄奘法师是中国古今闻名的一代高僧,弥勒信仰是玄奘思想和行为中比较重要的一面。玄奘本人的宗教热情、弥勒信仰为众生决疑的特点、弥勒在瑜伽行派中的地位以及玄奘本人的精英意识决定了玄奘对弥勒信仰的倾心,当然这也是玄奘西行求法的间接因素。玄奘的弥勒信仰也体现出中国佛教信仰精英与大众的分野以及背后的佛教中国化还是中国佛教化的大问题。

As an eminent monk in Chinese history, Master Xuanzang holds Maitreya faith firmly in his thinking and behaviors, which comes from his devotion to religions and his elite-consciousness to the characteristics of Maitreya belief and its status in the school of yoga. Of course, this is also an indirect factor contributed to his journey to the west. His Maitreya faith reflects not only the distinction of Buddhist beliefs between elite and the general public in China, but also the big problem of whether it is Buddhist Chi- nesization or Chinese Buddhism.