II. Statue
of Sakyamuni enshrined in the Jokhang Monastery was the most sacred in Tibetan
Buddhism
The statue of Sakyamuni enshrined in the principal
nave of the Jokhang Monastery was brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng of the
Tang Dynasty. As a life-size statue of twelve-year-old Sakyamuni, it enjoyed a
paramount position among the Tibetan Buddhism believers.
In the late 6th century, Srongtsen Gampo, the 33rd
king of Tubo Tsampo, moved his capital from Nedong along the Yalong Valley to
Lhasa River Valley. History demonstrates that peace-making marriage was often
adopted as a way to seek peace and stability in ancient dynasties, and this is
true to both Eastern or Western countries, for example, peace-oriented marriages
among royal families in England, France and Spain, and Wang Zhaojun's marriage
to Huns in China's Western Han Dynasty. In the 7th century, after unifying all
tribes in Tibet, Srongtsen Gampo first married Bhrikuti, the princess of ancient
Nepal, in quest of peace and stability in south Tubo, and then wedded Princess
Wenchen of the Tang Dynasty.
While the Nepalese princess brought Tubo Buddhism
culture of India and Nepal, Princess Wencheng brought there advanced
agricultural and textile techniques of the Tang Dynasty. To date, the Han
culture has penetrated into the social life of Tibetan ethnic group, such as the
four procedures of diagnosis - observing, smelling, consulting and pulse-taking,
grinding mills across the agricultural areas in Tibet, water-like patterns on
the walls, as well as golden roofs and round arches of monasteries. I noticed
that the waist pad featuring women clothes of the Tang Dynasty was preserved in
two places: Tibet and Japan.
According to the legend,before the parinirvana of
Sakyamuni, his disciples begged for a real image of him to point out the right
way for the future generations. Upon Sakyamuni's approval, his disciples made
three life-size statues of him at the age of eight, twelve, and 30,
respectively. After enchanting the three statues, Sakyamuni passed away under a
tree of Buddha. The Nepalese princess brought the life-size statue of
eight-year-old Sakyamuni to Tubo as her dowry and Princess Wen Cheng brought the
life-size statue of twelve-year-old Sakyamuni. The four statues standing in
front of the principal nave were allegedly those strong men pushing the carriage
for Princess Wen Cheng on her way to Tibet.
When the princess and her party arrived at the Lhasa
River Valley, the cart carrying the life-size statue of twelve-year-old
Sakyamuni sank into sands, and the four strong men were unable to push the cart
forward. Princess Wen Cheng said that it seemed that the Buddha would like to be
worshipped right here. Then she had the statue wrapped up with decorative
hangings. Later, Srongtsen Gampo realized Princess Wen Cheng's wish by
establishing the Ramoche Monastery as the place to worship the statue of
twelve-year-old Sakyamuni. After the completion of the Ramoche Monastery,
Srongtsen Gampo planned to construct the Jokhang Monastery to worship the statue
of eight-year-old Sakyamuni. Princess Wen Cheng practiced Han's divining and
told Srongtsen Gampo that the geography of Tibet was very much like a hag, with
the lake at the heart. Only by constructing monasteries in this place could the
hag be foiled and Tubo be prosperous. According to books on the history of
Tibet, Srongtsen Gampo took Prince Wen Cheng's advice and the lake filled. On
the western wall of the grand hall of the Jokhang Monastery, there was a fresco
depicting how Srongtsen Gampo led people in building the Jokhang Monastery.
Standing in the southern corner of the principal nave
of the Jokhang Monastery was a bluestone urn as tall as half a man. According to
lamas in the monastery, the urn was left in the course of builiding the Jokhang
Monastery. Small pores on the surface of the urn were said to lead to the lake.
If you glued you ears to the urn, you could hear the song of wild ducks, and
even moans of the hag if you were cultivated enough. I glued my ears to these
small pores several times but heard nothing except the hissing sound of air.
After the death of Srongtsen Gampo, the Jokhang
Monastery was looted in war, and the statue of eight-year-old Sakyamuni brought
by the Nepalese princess was ruined. Some eminent monks and devout nobles hid
the statue of twelve-year-old Sakyamuni into a small hall of the Jokhang
Monastery. They blocked off the door of the small hall, smoothed it down with
mud, and drew mural paintings on the outside. After Princess Jin Cheng married
the 36th king of Tubo Tsampo Tshide Zudan, Buddhism culture became popular
again. Upon learning where the statue of twelve-year-old Sakyamuni was hidden,
Princess Jin Cheng had the statue moved out and enshrined in the Jokhang
Monastery.
Of the three Buddha statues, the one of
eight-year-old Sakyamuni was damaged in turmoil, the one of 30-year-old
Sakyamuni sank in Southern Indian Ocean during a war in India, and the statue of
twelve-year-old Sakyamuni was the only one left in the world. So its value is
beyond imagination.
The largest renovation project for the Jokhang
Monastery was completed in the early 15th century under the supervision of
Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Yellow Sect. The monastery was extended to cover
25,000 square meters with five gilt roofs and 108 halls. After the completion of
the project, Tsongkhapa dedicated a pure-gold five-dhyani Buddha brown to the
statue of twelve-year-old Sakyamuni, and held the first Grand Summons Ceremony
of the Gelug Sect (Yellow Sect).
Now, the Jokhang Monastery is a major tourist
attraction for visitors from home and abroad. As a local saying in Lhasa goes,
"You can not say you have ever been to Tibet if you have not been to the Jokhang
Monastery." The greatest wish of Tibetan Buddhism followers from various parts
of Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Gansu provinces was to worship the
statue of Sakyamuni in the Jokhang Monastery. In Tibet, devout pilgrims could be
seen here, there and everywhere. These pilgrims prostrated themselves and
finally could touch the bluestone floor in front of the Jokhang Monastery. When
they worshiped on bended knees in front of the Sakyamuni statue, all the
bitterness they suffered was worthy and rewarding.
Mecca is the center of the Islamic world, with
Macbeth Hall at the core. Likewise, the Jokhang Monastery is the center of the
Tibetan Buddhism world. There were three paths for turning prayer wheels in
Lhasa. The first one was the covered way around the principal nave of the
Jokhang Monastery. It was called "Langkhor" in Tibetan, surrounded by a circle
of bronze prayer wheels. Pilgrims chanted scriptures and turned their prayer
wheels while walking on Langkhor. The second path encircled the whole Jokhang
Monastery, named "Barkhor" in Tibetan. In the 7th century, some pilgrims set up
tents around the Jokhang Monastery after its completion. Later on, more
businessmen came here and built up houses. With the passage of the time, it
evolved into the famous Barkhor Street. The third path was called "Linkhor",
which surrounded the whole of Lhasa City. In the early morning, an endless
stream of worshippers, mostly old ones, could be seen turning prayer wheels.
Looking around from the Jokhang Monastery, you could see reticulate pilgrim
paths stretching out to cover the whole plateau.
Buddhism had a terminology of "enchantment", which
means that common buildings or statues were endowed with the meaning of Buddha
through a sutra chanting ceremony presided over by eminent monks. The statue of
twelve-year-old Sakyamuni in the Jokhang Monastery was made when Sakyamuni was
alive and was enchanted by himself. Therefore, worshipping his stature was like
paying respect to the real Sakyamuni.
The practice of drawing lots from a gold urn by eminent monks to determine the reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen Lama in front of the stature of Sakyamuni implies that the lots-drawing result was decided by Sakyamuni. The procedure also had the meaning of enchantment since it turned a gifted yet ordinary person into a god on the earth. It reminded me of the 17th Karmapa Living Buddha Ogyen Trinley confirmed by the central government two years before, and previous Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas, most of whom were ordained and taught Sramanera Precepts and Monastic Discipline in front of the Sakyamuni statue. Then, it was not difficult to understand the importance of the decision made by Sakyamuni.
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
[11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20]
[21] [22] [23] [24]
