Korea Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

This study aims to make the new way for understanding Chinese Buddhism by examining the Chinese Way of Reception and Development of the Tathāgata-garbha Theory. As a result of this study, it could be confirmed like the following. The Tathāgata-garbha Theory which was transmitted through a Chinese translation, in the early 5th century, of the books of the Tathāgata-garbha caused a great sensation on Chinese Buddhism inside. At the same time, afterwards Chinese Buddhism was developed taking the Tathāgata-garbha Theory as an axis. T'ien-t'ai School, Hua-yen School, Ch'an School as well as Ti-lun School all takes the Tathāgata-garbha Theory as the core of their theory, and the Tathāgata-garbha Theory finally comes to be independent as the ‘Ru-lai-zang-yuan-qi-zong(如來藏緣起宗)'. Complete Enlightenment Sūtra(圓覺經) which was formed from about in the late 7th centurytointheearly8thcenturyshowsthesituationoftheTathāgata-garbha Theory's development, and presents a more radical ideal of that ‘AllbeingsinitselfareBuddha(衆生本來成佛)'.Especiallythisidealis understood more subjectively by Tsung-mi(宗密). It needs to discuss more deeply how the Tathāgata-garbha Theory is received in the tradition of Chinese Hua-yen Theory and Ch'an Buddhism. Hua-yen Theory, however, which is formed through interpretating Hua-yen Sūtra(華嚴經) in the point of view of the Tathāgata-garbha is succeeded to the Complete Enlightenment Sūtra interpretation of Tsung-mi, and he tries to combine this with Ch'an Buddhism. That is to say, the Tathāgata-garbha Theory interpretation of Tsung-mi which is shown in the books for him annotatingComplete Enlightenment Sūtra has the considerable meaning inthatitsucceedstothetraditionofHua-yen Theory,andfurthermore combines this with Ch'an Buddhism.