From the Heartland to a New Epicenter: “Conceiving the Indian Buddhist Patriarchs in China”

http://newlotus.buddhistdoor.com/en/news/d/47197

From the Heartland to a New Epicenter: “Conceiving the Indian Buddhist Patriarchs in China”

Buddhistdoor International Raymond Lam 
2015-07-03

It is not always easy to imagine the intentions of those who write hagiography, which is formally defined as the biography of a saint or religious leader. However, in the case of Chinese treatments of Indian masters, hagiography was not merely a means to inspire Chinese Buddhists with the miracle-making and moral power of their Indian spiritual forebears. It was, at its core, a way to redefine models of Buddhist sanctity and legitimize China as an ideal land for the flourishing of Buddhism.