early buddhism in china: daoist reactions 231
A short excerpt of Wang Yan’s (born ca. 454 AD) Mingxiang ji
(Records of Signs from the Invisible [Realm])^138 says:^139
On another occasion this family suffered a devastating re, in which
everything was totally destroyed; but the [Mahprajñpramit]stra and
[a] relic were found unscathed among the ashes. Wang Daozi of Kuaiji
once visited [Zhou] Gao and asked for permission to make an offering to
[these two objects].^140While this example still may seem not entirely convincing as together
with the sacred scripture some relic is venerated as well—which appar-
ently stands in the tradition of ar ra—, the following one is as clear
as one could wish. In Buddhist biographical writing, in Huijiao’s
(479–554) Gaoseng zhuan (Biographies of Eminent Monks), we
nd in Shi Faxian’s vita the following pericope:^141
There was somebody whose family-name and personal name [I] forgot.
He lived next to the Zhuqiao Gate [of the capital of Nanjing], [his
family] for generations had served the correct transformation (i.e. Bud-
dhism). He himself copied one part [of the Da nihuan jing ,
Skt. Mahparinirvastra], he read it, recited it and sacri ced [to it]. As he
had no separate stra-room, he stored it together with various [ordinary]
books. Later, when wind and re suddenly arose and [even] reached his
house, [his] property and goods were entirely consumed [by it]. Only
the Parinirvastra was miraculously entirely preserved. The reduction
to ashes did not encroach upon [it] nor did the colour of [its] scrolls
change. When in the capital the whole [news] spread, everybody sighed
about the spiritual wonder.These are, however, the only examples of a Chinese Buddhist book
cult in non-normative texts^142 that I have found so far—which stands
in sharp contrast to its importance in Early Mahyna Buddhism in
general. However, note that already the Lotus stra referred to sacri c-
ing to itself:^143
(^138) On the Mingxiang ji, see Campany 1996, pp. 82f.
(^139) Mingxiang ji apud Fayuan zhulin 18. 417b.
(^140) Campany 1991, p. 35. Emphasis added.
(^141) Gaoseng zhuan T.2059.50.338b. Emphasis added. For a French translation that
differs from mine, cf. Shih 1968, p. 115. 142
By “normative texts” I mean stras, texts that pre-scribe the believers’ proper
behaviour—in contrast to, e.g., biographical writings that describe how people were
said to have acted.
(^143) Miaofa lianhua jing (Saddharmapu ar kastra) T.262.9.53a.