Continuation of the Discourse on the Original Teaching (續原教論)

About 續原教論

Ming · by 沈士榮著

19,043 · about 63 min

The Continuation of the Original Teaching Treatise is a Buddhist discourse composed by the lay Buddhist Shen Shirong during the Ming Dynasty. Authored against the backdrop of Buddhist revival in the early Ming period, the work aims to protect and propagate the Dharma, systematically elucidating the essential principles of Buddhism in response to prevalent shortcomings within the Buddhist community at that time. Its content integrates the teachings of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, offering profound analysis of core Buddhist doctrines such as the nature of mind and the stages of practice, while refuting misconceptions about Buddhism held by outsiders. This treatise inherits the tradition of lay Buddhism that had developed since the Song Dynasty and occupies a significant position in the intellectual history of Ming Buddhism. It serves as an important document for studying early Ming Buddhist thought and the phenomenon of the integration of the three teachings, exerting a profound influence on the subsequent development of lay Buddhism.