东渡扶桑的鉴真和上

佛教传至日本后的200年中,一直未出现拥有正式授戒资格的＂三师七证＂共十个僧人齐备的现象。当时的政府担心因逃避租税、课役而私自剃度的僧人增多,会动摇律令国家的基础,故欲确立和管理尼僧的制度。聘请授戒师僧,对于弘扬佛教和维护国家稳定来说,无疑是最好的妙方。为了推动日本佛教的兴隆,鉴真和上于天平十五年（743）十二月,与弟子们一同从大明寺出发,踏上了艰辛困苦的传法旅程。

Monk Jianzhen Voyaging to Japan

In the 200 years since the introduction of Buddhism into Japan,there were never a sufficient number of qualified monks in Japan to perform orthodox ordinations(ten monks were required by strict Vinaya doctrines) until the arrival of Jianzhen(Ganjin) and his disciples.The then Japanese government worried about the increase of the number of monks who conducted tonsure privately in order to evade tax or labour,and,therefore,decided to administer the monks and nuns.Inviting Buddhist masters was the best way to ...