While increasing attention has been paid to the role of Buddhism in Chinese literature and aesthetics, relatively little has been written on the place of the religion in the poetry of Du Fu. This essay examines ways in which the poet deploys Buddhist imagery and themes, particularly in occasional verse. It also argues that “Buddhist poetry” in China is best examined through social praxis (temple-visiting, poetic exchanges with monks, etc.) than through explicit or implicit philosophical discourse. Though Buddhism is by no means a prominent aspect in Du Fu’s work, examination of Buddhist motifs and situations in it gives us a useful guide for its cultural presence in Tang poetry overall.