(3) Under the Tang Dynasty did exist a long period of time when a vast multitude of Buddhists did devote themselves to the drive aimed at perfecting and systematizing Buddhist theology. Consequences of a drive that is aimed at perfecting Buddhist theology ought to manifest themselves in the practical improvement of social morality and in the widening of the scope, among the mass of the population, of salvation effected by Buddhists. Some flashing episodes connected with some renowned individual Buddhists or some prominent Buddhist monasteries—episodes such as the appointment of some abbot by a certain emperor as his imperial court’s senior councilor, or a tremendous amount of gifts or donation offered by an imperial court to a certain Buddhist monastery—should not be regarded as indications of historic achievements performed by Chinese Buddhism. Otherwise ostentations or publicity stunts demonstrated in those episodes would lead us astray. That the audience granted by Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty to Bodhidharma ended in a disagreement between the monarch and Bodhidharma is a well-known historical fact . And the disagreement originated with Bodhidharma’s stark opposition to the monarch’s preference for an ostentatious way of upholding Buddhism. Buddhism advocates a long-term, large-scale, down-to-earth, and unostentatious campaign of edification and is against any rash drive to do brainwashing in a violent manner. Both perfecting Buddhist theology and propagating Buddhism are two separate tasks. They are interrelated, but neither can supersede the other.