382 klaus sagaster
) that had a very big in uence in Northern China at the begin-
ning of the thirteenth century.^14 It is possible that Haiyun met inggis
Khan once more later on. In 1219, together with his teacher Zhong-
guan , he met two Chinese generals in the Mongolian army that
served under the command of Muqali, one of the closest companions
of inggis Khan. These generals recommended the two monks for the
protection of Muqali. The latter was so impressed by the two monks
that he wanted to send them to inggis Khan. It is not clear whether
they ever reached inggis Khan, but inggis Khan issued an order
that is seen as the start of the of cial recognition of Chinese Buddhism
by the Mongols. In this order, the monks were commanded to pray
to Heaven and to pronounce benedictions (for the well-being of the
ruler, his family and the state). It was further promulgated that the two
should be “put at the head”.^15 This can only mean that inggis Khan
transferred the sovereignty over the Buddhist clergy in China to them,
or, more precisely, to Haiyun.
The Chan master (Chin. chanshi ) Haiyun also enjoyed the highest
esteem from inggis Khan’s successors Ögedei (r. 1229–1241), Güyüg
(r. 1242–1246), and Möngke (r. 1251–1259). Already in the year 1229
Ögedei Khan issued a law by which the Buddhist monks (quvara) as well
as the Daoist monks (bombo) were exempted from all taxes and contribu-
tions. This was a measure of great political importance, since in the last
years of the Jin dynasty, the Buddhists had largely suffered prejudice
to the advantage of the Confucians (Mong. biig-ün suraulitan). Also,
in 1247, Güyüg Khan bestowed Haiyun with the sovereignty over the
Buddhist monks. This appointment was con rmed by Möngke Khan
when the latter assumed power in 1251.^16
Of great importance was Haiyun’s relation to inggis Khan’s
grandson Qubilai. Tradition has it that Qubilai wanted to learn from
Haiyun whether it was possible to pacify the world with the religion of
the Buddha, and that he also asked which one of the three doctrines,
Buddhism, Daoism or Confucianism, would be the most suitable. For
Haiyun, naturally, this was Buddhism, inasmuch as Buddhism also had
rules for worldly order, the “Rule of Kings” (Mong. qaan-u úasa, Chin.
wangfa ). It is most probable that the conversations with Haiyun
(^14) Eichhorn, p. 311.
(^15) oyiúi 1998, p. 128.
(^16) oyiúi 1998, pp. 128–133; Abramowski 1979, p. 19.