Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s7.t16.34

v1.c7.s7.t16.34

**Dissemination and Influence in China** The “Six Teachers” were born in the period around the birth of Buddhism, and they maintain frequent contacts with early missionary monks, and so are frequently mentioned in early Buddhist texts. These texts are brought into China, and many of them are translated into Chinese. Therefore, the Chinese Buddhist circle has been familiar with the “Six Teachers” for long. When refuting or talking about heterodox schools, the “Six Teachers” are often referred as main or typical non-orthodox leaders of the Buddha period. Their lives and teachings are nothing strange to many ancient Chinese.