CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS - University of Oregon

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from oneself. But to attain to such a high state of perfection, one
must abandon the family and the world". — The emperor: "But
who shall succeed me?" — The patriarch: "1 do not know" (1).
The emperor, says the Buddhist chronicler,
still remained unen-
lightened, and Bodhidharma not being- satisfied with the result of
the interview, resolved to cross the Yangtze, and proceed to the
Wei ^ kingdom, then occupying the greater part of Northern
China (2).
Later on, the emperor had a conversation with the Buddhist
monk Fu, Fu-ta-shi ffi ^ -j^, and begged him to instruct him how
to escape from the endless wheel of metempsychosis. "The best
means, replied the monk, is by following the advice of Bodhidharma".
Wu-ti ]j^ ^ now regretted having allowed the great ascetic proceed
to the kingdom of Wei fj|, and forthwith sent a messenger after
him inviting him to return. When the officer reached the brink of
the Yangtze, he beheld the Indian monk crossing the swollen waters
on a bamboo twig or a reed (3).
The messenger returned, and informed the emperor
of the
failure of his endeavours. Wu-ti "^ ^ felt sorrowful, and repented,
but too late, of having lost the services of such a Great Sage.
In A.D. 529, the kingdom witnessed the remarkable spectacle
of the voluntary withdrawal of Wu-ti jj£ ^ from his palace, and
the direction of public affairs, to spend his days
as a common monk
in a Buddhist monastery (4). Here, he put off his royal apparel,
(1) Edkins. Chinese Buddhism p. 101 (Bodhidharma at Nanking).
(2) Giles. Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. G. — Hackmann. Buddhism
as a Religion, p. 80. — Edkins Chinese Buddhism, p. 102.
(3) This passing of
subject
the Patriarch across the Yangtze is a favourite
in Buddhist art. Giles. Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 7. —
Chinese Superstitions. Vol. VII. Illustration n° 95 (Tah-mo crossing the
Yangtze).
(4) The attitude of the Chinese emperors
towards Buddhism varied
considerably. One of its most considerable promoters was ~\V»-fi fjfc ffr, of
the Juicing %fe dynasty. Three times he took the monastic vows (for a certain
period), and earnestly studied the sacred writings. Hackmann. Buddhism
as a Religion, p. 81. — Edkins. Chinese Buddhism, p 107 (Wu-ti a monk).
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