遼代僧尼法號、師德號與「學位」稱號考 ── 以石刻文字資料為中心=A Research on the Buddhist Title, Master and Merit Title and Degree Title in the Liao Dynasty: Based on Stone Inscription
Buddhism was extremely popular in the Liao Dynasty, with a large number of disciples converted to Buddhism as monks and nuns. It is recorded in the stone inscription that monks and nuns boasted their Buddhist titles, which could be granted only after they had submitted to all the precepts in Buddhism(they had been called by their secular names before receiving their Buddhist titles); some monks and nuns were conferred their Buddhist courtesy names while granted Buddhist titles; disciples or lay Buddhists who were of the same rank took the same first character in their Buddhist titles. Distinguished monks and nuns in the Liao Dynasty boasted "Master and Merit title", which was awarded by the emperor, only when they excelled at both morality and scholarship. "The Master" and "the Moral Master" with greater honor could be awarded four-character "Master and Merit title" in place of the previous two-character title. With "Master and Merit title", some distinguished monks and nuns could also be"cizi"(賜紫), that is, to be given an "honorable" position in the society, moreover, their disciples and kinfolks could benefit from the honor. There was difference between Master title and Merit title: the former focused on "scholarship", while the latter "administrative capacity". It was a prerequisite that they had been awarded "Merit title", so that they could be granted "Master title" further, that is, "Master title" was superior to "Merit title". Monks and nuns in the Liao Dynasty received "Degree title" on conditon that they had had a good command of the Buddhist scripture. Moreover, "Degree title" was classified. There were two major sorts: one was called "××Master title", the other was to "preach(meditate, murmur, recite and research the Buddhist scripture)××××Buddha(Bhiksu, Bhiksuni)". In the second sort of "Degree title", the title was classified into superior, medium, and junior degrees distinguished by the first character of the title.
