Buddhist Literature： Origin of the Guiding Flame Motif

　　ABSTRACT： A magic flame could guide one out of one’s perplexity, help one in one’s desperation, and serve as a good omen for a dynasty to rise. In Buddhism, the flame means sacredness and holiness. This paper tries to trace the motif of the guiding flame in ancient Chinese literature to its very origin in the Chinese version of Buddhist scriptures. This author, after examining quite a number of unusually marvelous Chinese classic tales, points out that the borrowed motif from India, as a matter of fact, achieved diverse developments in China in later times. 

　　KEY WORDS: guiding flame; literary motif; China-India cultural exchanges; Buddhist literature