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CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS - University of Oregon

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— 314 —<br />

ancient "Monastery <strong>of</strong> Copious Incense", Hsiang-tsih-sze ^jf |fr<br />

^p (1), and also a golden statue <strong>of</strong> Buddha, the "World-illuminating<br />

King-", P'u-chao-wang-fuh ^ OJ? J- fiJji- Hindu Annals inform us<br />

that K'ia-lan fjjfl] |£ was one <strong>of</strong> Buddha's disciples, and his name is<br />

frequently mentioned among those who listened to the founder's<br />

teaching.<br />

As Sakyamuni is the Buddha <strong>of</strong> the present kalpa,<br />

times sends K'ia-lan f|/[j j|£ to invite the gods and goddesses<br />

he some-<br />

to come<br />

to the "Temple <strong>of</strong> Thunder", Lei-yin-sze '^f ^ ^jp, and enjoy the<br />

banquet served up in this heavenly mansion.<br />

These tutelary gods, K'ia-lan \j]\\ J£, are represented in a sitting<br />

or standing posture, and with three eyes, one <strong>of</strong> which is in the<br />

middle <strong>of</strong> the forehead (2).<br />

A modern tutelary god — The divine graduate, Shen-siu jjitfl ^f.<br />

The K'ia-lan $f[j j^S, as stated above, are door-keepers and<br />

watchers in Buddhist temples. According to a legend, dating back<br />

to the seventh century <strong>of</strong> the Christian era, Shen-siu iji^ ^, sixth<br />

patriarch <strong>of</strong> Buddhism for Northern China (3), and contemporary <strong>of</strong><br />

Hwei-neng |j| fit. the legitimate successor <strong>of</strong> Bodhidharma, and<br />

sixth patriarch <strong>of</strong> the South, was also appointed by the God <strong>of</strong> War,<br />

(1) Hsiang iff, fragrant, sweet, perfume, incense Tsih f^, to pile up,<br />

to accumulate. Sze ^p, a Buddhist monastery. Williams. Dictionary <strong>of</strong> the<br />

Chinese Language.<br />

(2) See Illustration n° 5G, where this protecting genius is represented<br />

sitting beside Buddha, the "World-illuminating King".<br />

(3) The Northern and Southern Schools <strong>of</strong> Buddhism were at variance<br />

with each other at this period. The Northern was contemplative, and paid<br />

much attention to the heart ; the latter was boldly speculative, with a nihil-<br />

istic tendency, and der.j'ing everything external to the mind. Moth are said,<br />

however,<br />

to hold in common the doctrine that the heart is Buddha. These<br />

tenets, identifying Nature, Buddha, man, the mind, the heart, and all things,<br />

are distinctively Pantheistic. Edkins. Chinese Buddhism, p. 1G2 (Schools <strong>of</strong><br />

Esoteric Buddhism).

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