Jinglü yixiang 經律異相

Jinglü yixiang 經律異相 "Differences among sutres and vinayas" is a Buddhist encyclopaedic work comprising 50 juan, with an additional book catalogue (Mulu 目錄) of five juan. It was compiled during the Liang period 梁 (502-557) by Baochang 寶唱 and other monks.

In the bibliographical book Kaiyuan shijiao lu 開元釋教錄, the work is attributed solely to Baochang, but the preface of the book mentions that monks such as Senghao 僧豪 and Fasheng 法生 assisted in reviewing and proofreading, indicating that it was not the work of a single author. The text was completed in 516.

After Buddhism was introduced into China, the number of translations of Buddhist scriptures and Chinese Buddhist writings gradually increased. To facilitate reference and reading, encyclopedic compilations organised by categories naturally emerged. Such works first appeared in the late Jin period 晉 (265-420) and became more widespread during the Liang. The Jinglü yixiang is a product of this development.

It extracts and summarises historical facts from the sutras (sermons) and vinayas (monastic rules), arranging them by category. The 50 juan are divided into 13 sections with more sub-sections, covering Heaven and Earth (Tiandi bu 天地部), Buddhas (Fo bu 佛部), Bodhisattvas (Pusa bu 菩薩部), listeners (Shengwen bu 聲聞部), kings of different countries (Guowang bu 國王部), princes (Taizi bu 太子部), elders (Zhangzhe bu 長者部), Upāsakas and Upāsikās (i.e., lay attendants, Youposai Youpoyi bu 優婆塞優婆夷部) saints of other creeds (Waidao xianren bu 外道仙人部), lay followers and commoners (Jushi shuren bu 居士庶人部), ghosts and spirits (Guishen bu 鬼神部), animals (Chusheng bu 畜生部), and hells (Diyu bu 地獄部). The purpose of this arrangement is to illustrate the vast scope of Buddhist realms and the unique excellence of practice and fruition, thereby inspiring respect and faith in Buddhism.

This work is essentially a direct compilation of excerpts from the original sutras and vinayas. The range of texts it cites is quite extensive, including more than 140 texts that are now lost, such as Sansheng mingjiao jing 三乘名教經, Tian di shoujie jing 天帝釋受戒經, Xibili Tianzi zhufo shuo ji jing 悉鞞梨天子諸佛說偈經, Guoqi tanqin ren jing 過去彈琴人經, or Zhefu Luohan jing 折服羅漢經. Its organisation and content established the model for subsequent Buddhist encyclopaedic works. For example, the Tang-period works of Daoshi 道世 (mid-7th cent.), Fayuan zhulin 法苑珠林, and Zhujing yaoji 諸經要集, were compiled based on this model.