Historical Buddhist Cultural Relationship of Sri Lanka and China

An important station on the Silk Route, the Island of Sri Lanka has had cultural links with

many countries in the ancient world. The historical relations between Sri Lanka and China came into being mainly on the foundation of the Buddha Dhamma. Buddhism a great message of peace attracted, among others, the Chinese Buddhist monks to Sri Lanka, the service of whom in this case is unique.

Huen Tsang (Hu An San), Fa Hsien (FA Xian) an I-tsing are famous names in the history of Chinese Buddhism. Fa Hsiens account of his travels and sojourn at the important centers of Buddhism in the ancient and medieval world, especially in Sri Lanka, has been an invaluable source for our study of the state of Buddhism in the Island during her hey-days.

There are many historical records by Chinese historians where reference is made to the cultural relations between Sihaladipa (now Sri Lanka) and China. Sinhala,pali,sunskrit sources are available on this subject.

The great pilgrim – monk of China, Husun-Tsang (596-664 A.C.) have written on Sri Lanka though never visited this country. During this period Bhiksu Vajramati (Vajrobodhi) and his pupil Amoghavajra in Sri Lanka and became a great scholar. Later he took with him to Lo-yang (China) Amoghavajra (or Amoghajnana), his pupil from Sri Lanka. Buddhism was undoubtedly the greatest force which was responsible for the origin and development of the remarkable cultural relations between China and Sri Lanka.

Bhiksu Gunavarman (367-431 A.C.) a famous traveler also comes within the perview of this speech. A member of the Royal family of Kashmir, he became a Buddhist monk at the age of twenty. He soon became an authority on the Tripitaka. He came to Sihaladesa and propagated the dhamma here for some time. Later he set for China and reached the sea-port of canton (Kuang-Chon) and was received with great honour at the capital by the Emperor of China. During this period eight Sinhala Bhikkhunis (Buddhist nuns) are said to have reached China, and admitted Chinese women into the Bhikkhuni order. But the Higher Ordination (Upasampada) could not be conferred on them. In 429 A.C.  three Sinhala Bhikkhunis came to China. Two years later, that is in 431 A.C.  Bhiksu Sanghavarman (c. 390 – 450 A.C.) considered to be a Sinhala monk, also reached China.

Through his guidance and direction the Bhikkhuni order was well established in China. But he died in the meantime. However, he had asked the relevant authorities to get down some more Bhikkhunis from Sri Lanka to establish the Order on a firm basis. Thus in 438 A.C. some more nuns (Bhikkhunis) from Sri Lanka are said to have reached China on board a ship belonging to one Nandi under the leadership of Bhikkhuni Devasara. It is said that in the year 460 A.C. six Sinhala monks reached China via (India) and Tibet. It is further mentioned that two of them were known as Yasaita and Buddhananda.

Around 456 A.C. five Bhikkhus including a monk called Nante (Nanda) are said to have been sent to china by the Sinhala King on an embassy to the Emperor. This monk Nan-te is mentioned to have been a celebrated sculptor. He is said to have reached China with three statues made by him. They were extremely well executed and Emperor was highly pleased with the fine craftsmanship of the monk Nan-te.

 斯里兰卡和中国佛教文化关系的历史

      在历史长河中斯里兰卡岛国一直与古代世界的许多国家有着悠久的文化关联，也是丝绸之路上的一个重要驿站。斯里兰卡和中国之间的历史关系主要来源于佛教。在佛教巨大祥和的佛力感召吸引下，其间中国佛教僧侣慕名来到斯里兰卡，其间，他们对佛教的贡献的是无与伦比的。

Huen Tsang(胡安山），Fa Hsien(法显）和I-tsing三位大和尚是在中国佛教史上著名的僧人。法显大和尚在他经过和逗留过的古代和中世纪的世界佛教的各个重要中心的佛教交流活动，已成为了各个国家，尤其是斯里兰卡国家在她佛教盛世时代的佛教研究的宝贵资源 。

中国历史学家查阅了许多的历史记录考证了Sihaladipa（即现在的斯里兰卡）和中国有着悠久的文化之间的关系 。也为僧伽罗语、巴利语、sunskrit语的来源提供了这方面有价值的考证。

      唐僧（公元596-664年）他虽然从来没有拜访过斯里兰卡，但在斯里兰卡有记载这位中国的伟大朝圣者-大和尚 。在这一时期比丘Vajramati（Vajrobodhi）和他的弟子不空三藏在斯里兰卡已经成为了伟大的学者。后来他带他的弟子不空从斯里兰卡来到罗阳（中国） 。显然佛教无疑是中国和斯里兰卡之间的卓越文化关系的起源与发展的最伟大的动力。

著名的旅行者比丘Gunavarman也曾在他的演讲中简述过，他是喀什米尔皇室的成员，在二十岁时就成了一个佛教僧人，并很快就成为有权威的三藏。他来到斯里兰卡住了一段时间传播佛法。后来他为到中国传教来到了广东（广州）并备受中国皇帝的尊敬。

      在那个时期据说八位僧伽罗比丘尼（尼姑）也来到了中国，并开始承认中国女性作为比丘尼序位的认定。但当时较高的比丘尼序位（upasampada）还不能授予她们。

     在公元429年三位僧伽罗比丘尼也来到了中国。两年后，即在公元431年 ,一个僧伽罗僧Sanghavarman比丘（公元390–450年），也来到了中国。在他的教导和指引下，在中国建立了比丘尼序位制度，而差不多在那个时候他也死了。但是，他在死前已经要求有关权威部门从斯里兰卡得到了一些更多的比丘尼序位制度并在中国建立了基本严格的序位制度。 随后传说在公元438年从斯里兰卡有更多的尼姑（比丘尼）在一位比丘尼devasara领导下乘坐一艘属于Nandi的船来到中国。 据说，在公元460年曾有六位僧伽罗僧途径印度和中国的西藏来到了中国内陆传教。后来他们其中的二位被称为 Yasaita和Buddhananda。

       据记载在公元456年又有五位比丘包括一个大和尚叫南特（Nanda）是作为僧伽罗国王对中国皇帝派遣的特使。这位南特大和尚是斯里兰卡著名的雕塑家。据说他在中国创作了三个雕像。他们是非常优秀的特使，中国皇帝对于南特大和尚的精湛工艺也感到非常的惊喜。