Two Forests Harmonizing Poems (二林唱和詩)

About 二林唱和詩

Qing · by 彭紹升集

3,698 · about 12 min

The "Poetic Exchanges of Erlin" comes from the collection of writings by the lay practitioner Peng Shaosheng of the Qing Dynasty. Peng Shaosheng, also known as Layman Erlin, was a renowned Buddhist lay practitioner during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. He cultivated both Confucian and Buddhist teachings and devoted himself to promoting the Pure Land tradition. This work includes poetic exchanges between him and his friends, particularly with Master Jixing, primarily expounding the principles of the Pure Land school, expressing insights from practice, and voicing aspirations for liberation from birth and death. These poems are elegantly composed, with profound and far-reaching imagery, reflecting the flourishing of lay Buddhism during the Qing Dynasty and the deep dissemination of Pure Land thought among the literati class. The "Poetic Exchanges of Erlin" is not only an important piece of Buddhist literature from the Qing Dynasty but also a precious document for studying lay Buddhism and the development of the Pure Land school, holding a unique place in Buddhist history.