Guang Xing

Qisong said in the preface to his Xiaolun (Treatise on Filial Piety) “Filial piety is venerated in all [Chinese] religions, but it is especially venerated in Buddhism although the latter’s teaching [of filial piety] is not well known to the world. This is because we [Buddhists] did not make it explicit [to the world] and I am always ashamed of this.” Therefore Qisong told Chan Master Xiaoyue 曉月禪師 that “I have recently written Xiaolun in twelve chapters by imitating the Confucian Xiaojing(Classic of Filial Piety) in order to illuminate the Buddhist teaching (on filial piety).” Thus, Qisong promoted the understanding of Buddhist teaching of filial piety by composing the Treatise on Filial Piety, which synthesizes the teaching of filial piety in Chinese Buddhism and further developed it with his own theory of the concept and practice, referencing both Buddhist and Confucian scriptures. He asserted that the greater filial piety was found in Buddhism, as the Buddhist concept and practice of it were wider and deeper than that of Confucianism. First, the Buddhist practice was not only towards one’s present parents, but also included the previous seven generations. Secondly, filial piety practiced in Buddhism not only concerned human beings but also included animals. Thirdly, Qisong asserted that the five precepts are in fact components of Buddhist filial piety; thus filial piety was actually the antecedent practice to the five precepts. At the end of the Xiaolun, Qisong also discussed Buddhist monks’ practice of filial piety in the context of funerals and mourning (ie mourning in heart without mourning garments). This comprised an important example of the practice of filial piety not only the lay Buddhists with families but also the Buddhist monks and nuns without families. After its publication, Qisong’s Xiaolunwon the admiration from many and influenced not only Buddhists but also Confucian scholars.