buddhism in china dbq
The collapse of the Han Empire led the way for new religions, such as Buddhism to diffuse into China. While there were Chinese people who were supportive of Buddhism, there were also others who had either neutral or negative opinions about the spread of Buddhism in China. The power struggle between the two religions would later lead to the conflict and disunity within the state. As Buddhism increased in China, followers believed that its teachings appealed and accepted all and that it taught of selflessness and the path to Nirvana. Buddhism spread quickly because the accepting teachings of the religion appealed to all. Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, preaches of The Four Noble and how each truth is a step to stopping sorrow. Buddha preaches The Four Noble Truths as a way to reach spiritual enlightenment and end suffering. Buddha teaches these principles of selflessness because after leaving his palace and life of pleasure he saw the suffering and inequality of. The pain he saw sparked a fire in him to teach others the way to end suffering (Doc #1). There were also Chinese scholars who believed that Buddhism held the answers to things not answered in Confucian writings, these scholars also believed that through Buddha you would find happiness and love.[1] (Doc #3) Zhi Dun a Buddhist Chinese scholar and confidant declared that at the end of one’s life, if they had followed the teaching of Buddhism, they will reach total enlightenment or “Nirvana”. All of these scholars believed that Buddhism held the key to end suffering. In order to support the positive opinions of Buddhism, historians would need the diary of an elite Confucian woman. This would reveal the opinions of a woman that would have more freedoms under Buddhism compared to her submissive relationship under the teachings of Confucianism. The popularity of Buddhism sparked angry responses from the Confucian followers because they believed that Buddhism would destroy the