Galleries and Translations > Models of Masterpieces > A partial model of Chu Suiliang's "The Emperor’s Preface to the Sacred Teachings" 節臨 褚遂良 雁塔聖教序
A partial model of Chu Suiliang's "The Emperor’s Preface to the Sacred Teachings"
節臨 褚遂良 雁塔聖教序
35 X 137cm
Click to Enlarge. In reserve, not available in Shop.
節臨 褚遂良 雁塔聖教序
35 X 137cm
Click to Enlarge. In reserve, not available in Shop.
A partial model of Chu Suiliang's "The Emperor’s Preface to the Sacred Teachings"
(節臨 褚遂良 雁塔聖教序)
35 X 137cm in Standard Script (楷書)
Historical Information
In 653AD, Tang Dynasty Calligrapher Chu Suiliang (褚遂良 596-658AD) scribed"The Emperor’s Preface to the Sacred Teachings" at the age of 58, five years before his death, at the behest of Emperor Gaozong of Tang (唐高宗, 628-683AD) in celebration of Monk Xuanzang (釋玄奘, 602-664AD) completion of translating Buddhist scriptures from India (1,2,3). There are two parts to the preface: the first is the original personal comments by Emperor Taizong of Tang (唐太宗, 598-649AD) regarding the Monk Xuanzang's translations (大唐三藏聖教序), and the second is the further comments by Emperor Gaozong of Tang (大唐皇帝述三藏聖教記). The entire preface was inscribed by Wan Wenshao (萬文韶, ?-?AD) onto two stone steles(碑), one of which carried the words of Emperor Taizong, and the other conveyed Emperor Gaozong's comments (4). The stone steles were installed inside the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (大雁塔), which is currently located in southern Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China.
The original stone steles can still be observed inside the Pagoda today. This work is considered to be one of Chu Suiliang's masterpieces in standard script style, which had a great and long-lasting impact on subsequent generations of calligraphers. The two stone steles consist of 1463 Chinese characters in total. The modelling presented here is only the first paragraph of the first stone stele.
Text interpretation
蓋聞二儀有像，顯覆載以含生；
Indeed, we have heard that since the Earth and the Sky take physical forms, they can be observed and touched so as to carry and support all life;
四時無形，潛寒暑以化物。
and as the four seasons do not take any physical shape, they cannot be seen and be touched, yet they can germinate all life and objects with their invisible chills and warmth.
是以窺天鑑地，庸愚皆識其端；
Consequently, even an unwise and average person can easily observe and investigate some of the visible elements found in the Earth and the Sky;
明陰洞陽，賢哲罕窮其數。
and those who are extremely wise may not be able to truly understand the underlying workings of the invisible forces of Ying and Yang that drive the Universe.
然而天地苞乎陰陽而易識者，以其有像也；
Yet, although the Earth and the Sky carry and act by the invisible Ying and Yang, they are still recognizable by commoners as the Earth and the Sky take physical forms;
陰陽處乎天地而難窮者，以其無形也。
while the Ying and Yang that reside within the Earth and the Sky remain difficult to be investigated and realized as Ying and Yang take no definite physical shape or form.
故知像顯可徵，雖愚不惑；
Hence, we can then conclude that physical phenomena can be investigated without ambiguity even by those who are not wise ;
形潛莫睹，在智猶迷。
while the hidden underlying mechanisms that are not evident can still be puzzling even for those who are intelligent.
Moreover, the Way of the Buddha emphasizes on the concept of nothingness and rides on the principle of an unobservable force that allows us to transcend and approach Nirvana;
弘濟萬品，典御十方;
it can also relieve and liberate all living beings, as well as overseeing the governing of all matter and the Universe;
舉威靈而無上，抑神力而無下。
there is no ceiling to its infinite might, and there is nothing that can suppress its awesome powers.
大之則彌於宇宙，細之則攝於毫釐。
It encompasses as large as the entire Universe and governs objects as small as a miniscule particle.
無滅無生，歷千劫而不古；
It has no end and no beginning, so it is not lost nor forgotten despite turmoils throughout the ages;
若隱若顯，運百福而長今。
sometimes it appears to be hidden, at other times it appears to be visible; it takes in many forms to deliver its many blessings to all things from past to present.
妙道凝玄，遵之莫知其際；
The Way of the Buddha is so mysteriously ingenious that even those who follow and practice it do not know it’s boundaries;
it transmits and passes on like endless streams of water that are clear and tranquil, so even those who cherish and fond of it cannot pinpoint its exact actual origin.
故知蠢蠢凡愚，區區庸鄙，
Hence, if those who are ordinary and foolish, and those who are juvenile and without talents,
were to encounter the true meaning of the Way of the Buddha, could anyone among them not be puzzled?
投其旨趣，能無疑惑者哉?
(translated by KS Vincent Poon, Feb 5, 2017)
Personal Comments
a. The Impact of Buddhism on Traditional Chinese Culture
Buddhism had a great impact on traditional Chinese culture. Renowned Chinese literary works (such as Dream of the Red Chambers, 紅樓夢), frequently incorporated Buddhist concepts, while masterpieces of art, like the one discussed here, were often created to express great respect for Buddhism.
Many traditional Chinese intellects find Buddhism appealing, for Buddhist philosophies focus on reasoning and is remarkably compatibility with Chinese Taoist philosophies (道家, see part b. Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity below). Further, Buddhist’s Law of Causality, the concept of Karma (因缘/業), and “nothingness (空)" resonated with many traditional Chinese intellects (5)
b. Buddhism, Taoism, and Christianity
Reconciling differences
There are obvious striking differences among Buddhism, Taoism (道家, not Taoist religion 道教) and Christianity. Most prominently is that Christianity is monotheistic, while Buddhism and Taoism reserve judgement regarding the existence of a supreme and omnipotent being that governs all.
There are, however, striking similarities among the three in describing the characteristics of the ultimate "force" behind all things in the Universe:
Buddhism's Law of Causality and Karma (因果/業力觀):The fundamental mechanisms of "cause and effect" that drive all things is invisible, has no origin, has no beginning and no end, and "is independent of being discovered". (See Footnote for more details and discussions)Taoism's concept of Tao/Dao (道): Tao (道), the fundamental originator of all, is invisible, mysterious, and cannot be spoken comprehended with reason (道可道, 非常道; 名可名, 非常名). See Laozi’s Tao Te Ching.Christian God: God is the ultimate power behind all things visible or otherwise; "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end"(Revelation 22:13); "I am who I am"(Exodus 3:14); "one who knows all things, even that which the human mind could never know or finds incomprehensible"(6). God, therefore, has no origin; God's ways are invisible, "divine mysteries", and cannot be completely comprehensible by reasoning of the human mind.
All three schools contend that the the ultimate "force" directing the Universe is invisible, has no origin and no end. Further, this “force” cannot be comprehended nor described completely.
In Emperor's Preface, Emperor Taizong (唐太宗) saw and drew similar parallels between Buddhism and Taoism in realizing that both "the Way of Buddha (佛道)” and the "Ying and Yang" (陰陽, a traditional Taoist concept) are invisible and difficult to understand even for those who are intelligent. His attempt to reconcile Buddhism and Chinese Taoist thoughts was most commendable as, during Emperor Taizong's times, Buddhists and Taoists were constantly at odds with each other (佛道之爭) (7,8). Many other scholars followed this approach of reconciliation, which ultimately resulted in the rapid and natural integration of Buddhism into traditional Chinese culture.
Christians who wish to spread the gospels to Chinese communities should, hence, pay extra attention to reconciling their faith with Chinese culture. This strategy is proven to be the most effective approach in Chinese history.
The Misconceptions
Unfortunately, in comparing different religions and schools of thought, misconceptions frequently arise. Two common examples:
I. The Christian misconception of the Buddhist “nothingness (空)”Many Christians argue that the Buddhist “nothingness (空)” is nonsense, for it rejects the very real existence of the Universe created by God. Such is a result of the incorrect understanding of "nothingness(空)". "Nothingness(空)" merely contends that all things are always in an ever-changing state of flux (無常), and so there is nothing in the conceivable world that is constant and non-changing (常). As such, everything is in a state of "nothingness (空)”. In fact, this concept of “nothingness (空)” is consistent with the Christian concept of "Vanity(虛)" in "Vanity of vanity, all is vanity"(Ecclesiastes 1:2).Traditional Buddhist philosophies do reject a conceivable God that is non-changing (常), but they cannot and do not exclude the possibility of a non-changing God who is inconceivable. Ultimately, Buddhist philosophies do not stress on discussing entities that are beyond human comprehension, for Buddhism does acknowledge human limitation (不可思議).II. The Buddhist misconception of the Chrisitian “Pre-determined Fate”One common criticism posed by many Buddhists to Christians is the notion of “Pre-determined Fate”: since God is all-knowing, God already knows everyone’s destinies. How then can one have free will and determine one’s fate?The flaw in this question arises from the assumption that humans exist in the same “realm” as God. In God’s perspective, our fates are determined; in our perspective, it is not. God’s view and our view is completely different, for we are not God. Hence, in our “realm” of existence, we do have free will, whereas in the “realm” of God's mind, which no one will fully grasp, we do not. This is akin to travelling in a train with a constant velocity with all windows covered: a passenger inside will instinctively believe that the train is at rest, while a person outside the train (in a different frame of reference relative to the passenger) will clearly see the train is moving; both phenomena are not contradictory, according to Laws of Physics regarding frame of references.In our human “realm”, as outlined in Genesis, God granted us free will to choose (God allowed and respected Adam and Eve's decision to eat from the Tree of Knowledge). Free will is absolutely central in Christianity and our salvation ( "God created man a rational being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control his own actions. God willed that man should be 'left in the hand of his own counsel,' so that he might of his own accord seek his Creator and freely attain his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to him."- 9).
c) God's Paradox and the nature of God - a brief analysis
Since we are discussing the characteristics of the ultimate "force" behind the Universe, it is worthwhile to mention the age-old God's Paradox, which is often presented as one question:
"Could God create a stone so heavy that even He could not lift it?"
With the assumption of God being omnipotent, a paradox arises:
1. If God can create such a stone, then God cannot lift it. As such, God is not omnipotent.2. If God cannot create such a stone, then it proves God's ability is limited. As such, God is not omnipotent.
Therefore, some argued, there is no entity that is omnipotent by this reasoning. Other philosophers argued otherwise (10).
However, the question "Could God create a stone so heavy that even He could not lift it?" is fundamentally flawed; to make it valid, one must assume our limited reasoning and words are enough to perfectly describe the limitless God. Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) argued similarly in contending that human semantics have limits in tackling this paradox, and so the question itself demonstrates the limit of human semantics and thus cannot be used to address the existence of God.
KS Vincent Poon Feb. 10, 2017
Footnote
Buddhism's Law of Causality and Karma (因果/業力觀): The Law of Causality and the concept of Karma are fundamental tenets in Buddhism wherein they assert that manifestations of all matters, including personal experiences, are due to chains of causes (因) and circumstances (缘); when causes, including personal will and environmental elements, come together in certain circumstances (缘), they mature into "effects" or "consequences" or the "karmic fruit (果)" that we observe and experience (11). The underlying fundamental force driving the Law of Causality and Karma are invisible, has no origin, has no beginning and no end:
Samyutta Nikaya: "When this exists, that comes to be. With the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be. With the cessation of this, that ceases.... This natural law of this/that causality is independent of being discovered, just like the laws of physics. In particular, the Buddha applied this law of causality to determine the cause of dukkha." (12)