Daizang

Daizang (大藏, Dàzàng), also romanized as Taizang, is a Chinese term that is commonly used as a shortened form of "Da Zang Jing" (大藏經, Dàzàngjīng), which translates to "Great Treasury of Scriptures." More broadly, it refers to the complete collection of Buddhist scriptures, the Buddhist canon, in Chinese. This canon includes sutras (discourses of the Buddha), vinaya (monastic rules), shastras (treatises and commentaries), and other related texts.

The term can also refer to specific editions of the Chinese Buddhist canon. Throughout history, various versions of the Daizangjing have been compiled and printed, each representing a significant undertaking of Buddhist scholarship and patronage. Notable examples include the Kaibao Canon (開寶藏, Kāibǎo Zàng), the Liao Canon (遼藏, Liáo Zàng), the Jin Canon (金藏, Jīn Zàng), and the Zhaocheng Canon (趙城藏, Zhàochéng Zàng), also known as the Golden Wheel Canon. Modern editions such as the Taishō Tripiṭaka (大正新脩大藏經, Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō) continue to be studied and utilized by scholars and practitioners.

The Daizangjing serves as the authoritative source for Buddhist teachings in the Chinese cultural sphere, including East Asia, and its contents have been profoundly influential in shaping Buddhist philosophy, practice, and art across the region. Its creation and preservation represent a vital aspect of the transmission and development of Buddhism in Asia.