PACIFIC WORLD - The Institute of Buddhist Studies

Willams: Seeing through Images 37
When we move to medieval China, this changes. The Chinese never
had the historical Buddha as part of their living history. They collected and
venerated relics. They produced and venerated Buddha images, often in
astounding numbers, especially by the sixth century CE. Yet, I shall argue,
it was by venerating the Buddha through Buddha visualization that some
Chinese Buddhists felt that they were actually able to perceive the Buddha(s),
both physically and, ultimately, soteriologically.
1. THE TEN STAGES LINEAGES
The basic problem in reconstructing Ten Stages’ religious practice is
that they are generally assumed to have had none. This attitude probably
derives from the views of modern Japanese scholars who have classified
the Ten Stages lineages as a philosophical school, a view that has, at least
until recently, been largely followed by Western Buddhist scholars working
on medieval China. 11 While such a characterization does not deny that
those connected with these lineages engaged in religious practice, it has
effectively deflected scholars’ attention away from the actual practices
associated with these lineages. Among some it has even helped foster the
impression that those connected with this school did not engage in any
significant practice. It is true that there were scholars and exegetes of real
sophistication among those in the Ten Stages lineages. Yet, judging by the
extant biographies of monks associated with these lineages, most, including
the scholars and exegetes, engaged in regimens of religious practice.
Our single most notable exception to this commitment may be Jingying
Huiyuan (, 523–592), monk, scholar and exegete, who has left us
such notable works as the Tacheng yizhang () and the earliest extant
commentary to the Foshuo Guan Wuliangshou fo jing (, the
Guan Wuliangshou jing yishu, ). 12 Yet even a cursory survey
of the biographies of those associated with the Ten Stages lineages indicate
that he is the exception that proves the rule. In order to contextualize our
reconstruction of Ten Stages’ practice it will be useful to provide a thumbnail
sketch of the Ten Stages lineages and their contributions.
Soon After Ratnamati (, d. ca. 513) and Bodhiruci (, fl.
508–535) arrived in Luoyang in 508 CE they were commissioned by imperial
decree to translate into Chinese the *Daśabhūmi[ka]vyākhyāna, or Extended
Commentary on the Ten Stages Scripture (hereafter the Ten Stages Commentary),
attributed to the Indian Buddhist monk Vasubandhu. They were joined in
this commission by Buddhaśānti () whom some have identified
as the meditation master and painter known in our early sources as either
Buddha () or Bhadra () (hereafter Buddha/bhadra; fl. 525–538).
This translation was begun in the first decade of the fourth month of 508