Fa-hsiang

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Fa-hsiang. A school of Chinese Buddhism, also known as Dharma-character, which continued the teaching of Vijñavāda (Yogācāra), based on the writings of Asaṅga and Vasubandhu. It was founded by Hsüan-tsang (600–64), whose work and translation, Ch'eng wei-shih lun (Vijñaptimātratā-siddhi) expounds the school's teaching. Everything is a projection of mind, and possesses no reality in itself. Consciousness is analysed into eight types, in order to account for the different forms of appearance. The school began to decline in the 9th cent., but continued as a philosophical influence for many centuries.

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