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Stele on Preserving the Dharma
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Stele on Preserving the Dharma
CHINA; Tang dynasty (618–907), dated 634; By Jingwan; Regular script; Rubbing; Lushun Museum, Dalian, Liaoning, China
This inscription was written by monk Jingwan at Yunju Temple in Youzhou (present day Beijing). The original stone stele was broken into two sections, with the right section containing nine lines, and the second containing seven. Due to the prosecutions of Buddhism by Emperor Taiwu (reigned 423-452) of Northern Wei dynasty and Emperor Wu (reigned 560-578) of Northern Zhou dynasty, Jingwan was concerned about the loss of the Buddha's teachings. He was determinedly committed to realize the aspiration of his teacher, Master Nanyue Huisi, which was to inscribe the Dharma onto stone, a material that would not be consumed by fire. This led to the historical creation of the Fangshan Stone Tablets, which took eras to complete. Jingwan elaborated in this stele on his desire that the tablets may serve as a preserved form of the sutras and withstand any future prosecutions as demonstrated by his words, should there still be sutras in the secular world |
