Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.56

v1.c7.56

By the end of the Yuan Dynasty, Indian Buddhism had entered its final decline and it did not have any influence. Buddhist and cultural exchanges between India and China were basically interrupted. There were, however, some scattered Indian monks who came to the Han region of China to transmit the teaching. They practiced the secret doctrine of union of male and female and they were opposed by Chinese traditional ethics. For instance, western monk during the Yuan, Hamo (Hama), transmitted the yantie’er (In Chinese: Great happiness, *mahāsukha*) way at the court. “The Emperor then gave the instruction to make the western monk, Situ (Minister).” In the end, he was strictly forbidden to enter the court. Indian monk Zhikong stayed for a long time in the area of Yan. “The Emperor was astonished and presented him a black robe with golden motifs. He sent him back but the next year he called him back. He ordered him to build an altar to pray for rain. He immediately agreed. He was given the name Jizhao Yuanming (Quiet and shining bright light). He was given the task to aid the hungry and the weary and he was ordered to head the Haiyin Chan Temple… From the prime minister down to the soldiers and brave warriors, there was none who did not seek refuge with him.”