398 henrik h. sØrensen
written by the Buddhist Chan monk Zujue (1087–1150)^12 during
the Northern Song.
According to the account in the TLZ, Liu met a strange woman as a
young man, who evidently initiated him in the secrets of esoteric Bud-
dhism.^13 This event, whether mythological or not, signals two impor-
tant things: first, that there were female lay practitioners of esoteric
Buddhism in Sichuan during the late ninth century, and second, that
esoteric Buddhist doctrines and practices—normally the province of
ordained monks in Tang China—were also transmitted by Buddhist
laypeople. Incidentally, Liu was also a layperson and remained so his
entire life. Moreover, the tradition he is credited with having begun
upheld a transmission that was lay-based (at least until the second half
of the Southern Song).^14
As far as the data provided by the primary sources allows us to
go, the type of esoteric Buddhism that can be ascribed to Liu Benzun
was at least nominally following the ritual and doctrinal antecedents
as provided by the mature Zhenyan tradition of the Tang. The TLZ
refers to his use of the spells and mantras of the Mahā Mandala (Dalun
), which probably indicates the Dharmadhātu Mandala. In addi-
tion, there is mention of exorcism and healing practices and a strong
element of sustained self-mortification that characterizes the major
events in the account of Liu’s life, or rather around which the TLZ’s
account of his life has been constructed.
Liu Benzun’s rise to prominence took place during the early years
of the Former Shu (907–926) and indicates that a certain relationship
existed between him and the local secular powers. Such a relationship
of course follows a classical model in which Buddhist thaumaturges,
and esoteric Buddhist masters in particular, provided spiritual and
ritual assistance to the ruler and in turn were supported by them.
Indications in the primary sources point to the continued impor-
tance of the cult of Liu Benzun during the Northern and Southern
Song.^15 However, it is not known whether the Shengshou Temple
(^12) Biographical entry in Foguang dazang jing bianxiu weiyuan hui 1988, 5:4243ab.
(^13) Howard’s translation of the TLZ misses this point all together and instead turns
the woman in question into Liu’s mistress Howard 2001, 170. 14
Cf. Chongqing Dazu Shike yishu bowuguan and Dazuxian wenwu baoguan 1999,
208–209. 15
During the first half of the thirteenth century, Mt. Baoding in Dazu was estab-
lished—at least partly—as a Buddhist cult center to commemorate Liu Benzun. Three