PRABHAKARAMITRA'S LEGACY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO HIS SOCIAL NETWORK IN TANG CHINA

Though he has received little scholarly attention, Prabhakaramitra(sic))(sic)(sic)(sic) (564-633) was in fact one of medieval China's most significant Buddhist figures. He was born into a noble family in central India and was educated at the famous Nalanda monastery. After he arrived in China in 626, he worked with some notable Chinese officials and monks on three critical texts for promoting Mahayana doctrines: the Ratnaketudharani (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)E , the Mahayanasutralamkara (Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic) (sic) )of Maitreyanatha, and the Praj & ntilde;apradipamulamadhyamakavrtti (sic) k(sic)(sic)of Bhavaviveka. Although he translated only these three texts, his legacy could be seen in various local traditions of medieval Chinese Buddhism, such as the Tiantai, Huayan, Vinaya, and Faxiang (Dharma characteristics) traditions. Many Tiantai patriarchs cited his interpretations as vital evidence to support their doctrinal arguments. His doctrinal classifications appeared in the writings of many Huayan masters. His thought on Yogacara inspired Xuanzang to embark on a pilgrimage to South Asia. He also influenced the Chinese Vinaya tradition in dealing with monastic rules and regulations. While tracing these legacies back to his era, this paper aims to analyze the social network centered on Prabhakaramitra's translation team in Chang'an. In this social network, lay and monastic members brought their own political and religious interests but learned from Prabhakaramitra in different ways. Eventually, the team members inherited doctrinal, monastic, or practical aspects of Prabhakaramitra's legacy in their respective traditions.