Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s3.t1.10

v1.c7.s3.t1.10

Mount Wutai is not only a place collecting the essence of Buddhism culture but a historical witness of culture exchange between China and India. There are a large number of names of places which have a close link with the Buddhist holy lands of India and Buddhism celebrities such as Griddhraj Parvat, Narayana, Guanyinping, Samantabhadra Pagoda, Rahu Temple, Luohantai, Jingangku, Dishigong etc. After Tang Dynasty, Mount Wutai cultivated a large group of eminent monks thus making a significant contribution to the prosperity of Buddhism culture in China. In addition, some Indian monks also came to this place to worship Manjusri, disseminate the *dharma* and translate Buddhism scriptures such as Buddhapala from Kawmira (present-day Kashmir) on northern India who, after hearing of Manjusri living in Mount Wutai, crossed the desert, travelled thousands of miles and eventually arrived at Mount Wutai in 676 CE, it is said that he came to Mount Wutai with a tin staff (Khakkhara) in his hand, worshipping and weeping piously. Later, he came to Changan (present-day Xi’an) to translate Buddhism scriptures and it is said that he lived in seclusion at Jingangku of Mount Wutai in his later years. Amoghavajra, an Esoteric Buddhism monk in Tang Dynasty who came from north India, was praised highly by the emperor since he admired Manjusri very much and then sent to Mount Wutai in the summer of 770 CE to preside over a *dharma* event and perform meritorious works for the emperor for three months. During the Southern Song Dynasty, Sudhaśrī, a monk of the Nalanda Monastery, highly admired the *Avatamsaka Sutra* and Mount Qingliang and he, at the age of 85, led seven of his disciples to come to China by sea. During a journey full of hardships and dangers, only one of his disciples survived and eventually accompanied him to Mount Qingliang. Three of his disciples returned and the rest all died. Sudhaśrī passed away in the Lingjiu Peak, east plateau and his *sarira* was taken back to India by his disciples. Master Sahajasri, another Indian monk who arrived at the Mount Wutai in 1369 to pay respect to this world renowned Buddhism holy land. Later, he went to Nanjing to do missionary work and returned to Mount Wutai again before death. Sha-kya ye-shes, an Indian monk, descendant of Sakyamuni, paid a pilgrimage visit to Manjusri at Mount Wutai in 1414. He lived in Xiantong Temple and returned to his own country in 1431. There were also thousands of unknown pilgrims who once visited the Mountain.