Engineering Zongmi's Integration of Confucian Filial Culture

Abstract

Zongmi's thoughts on filial piety are mainly concentrated in his work Commentary on the Ullambana Sutra. The Ullambana Sutra
primarily describes the story of the filial son saving his mother. Zongmi believed that the core idea of this sutra is that both Confucianism
and Buddhism uphold it. It is essentially the way of filial piety, responding to the genuine sincerity of filial children, relieving the suffering
of their parents, and repaying the grace of Heaven. This is precisely the teaching of the Ullambana. Since this sutra discusses filial piety, and
Confucianism has always regarded filial piety as the ethical foundation, there is a common point between Confucianism and Buddhism on this
matter, making integration possible. However, the concept of filial piety in the two schools does have differences. Based on analyzing these
differences, Zongmi identified the common aspects between them and achieved an integration on filial piety.