佛教自东汉初年传入中国,经历了近两千年的漫长岁月。它对于中国思想、政治、文化、艺术、科学,及中国土生的宗教——道教以至于社会生活各方面,都产生了重大的影响。它传入东土之始,与玄学结合,逐步形成不少派别的般若学和“涅槃佛性”学说,后来又逐步发展成有中国特色的佛教宗派,如天台宗、法相宗、华严宗和禅宗等。隋唐时期,佛与儒、道三派鼎立,并曾取得一定的支配地位。后来虽然逐步削弱,但禅宗一派在宋及以后思想界和社会上一直具有重大的影响。所以说在中国哲学发展的历史上,佛学占有特殊的重要地位。如果想弄清楚汉魏以来中国哲学发展的脉络,而不懂佛学,那就不大可能得到令人满意的结果。因此佛学思想是汉唐以后中国古代哲学思想不可分割的一部分。 Buddhism was introduced to China in the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty and has experienced a long period of nearly two thousand years. It has had a significant impact on the Chinese ideology, politics, culture, art, science, and the religions of Taoism in China as well as all aspects of social life. It was introduced to the beginning of the East and combined with Metaphysics to gradually form the Prajna and “Nirvana Buddhism” doctrines of many factions. Later it gradually developed into Buddhist sects with Chinese characteristics such as Tiantaizong, Fa Xiangzong, Hua Yanzong and Zen and so on. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism were the most important and achieved certain dominance. Later, though gradually weakened, the Zen Buddhism had a significant influence in the intellectual circles and in the society after Song and later. Therefore, in the history of the development of Chinese philosophy, Buddhism occupies a special important position. If we want to make clear the context of the development of Chinese philosophy since the Han and Wei dynasties and not understand Buddhism, then it is unlikely that we will get satisfactory results. So Buddhism is an integral part of ancient Chinese philosophy after Han and Tang dynasties.