Body Flashcards
How do objects become embodied? How are they relics of the Buddha?
They contain the essence of the Buddha, through ritualistic vivification they become augmented, and embodied.
They acquire memory, personal importance, history and meaning.
They are the preservation of a trace of something once living, for example, it was so important to be near the Buddha temporally and physically that The Age of Degeneration occurred because we were too far from him. Imagine the power an object would have if it contained a piece of his body. Not a sign or symbol, the actual Buddha.
They even have autonomy- the ability to multiply at will, to heal and to disappear if they dislike their owner.
How does a religion survive after a Leader’s death (Give evidence)
Pivitol moment for a religion: can make or break it.
The corporeal relics of the Buddha’s body were key to the survival of Buddhism, along with his disciples.
For example; the inner organs and viscera of the Buddha were replicated in silk and sewn together with an almost medical accuracy.
Who was Bunchi?
A devout Nun, and daughter of Eporer Gomizumo, she was fascinated by body relics like her father. She used the fingernail clippings from when her father was still alive to write the Pureland Bhuddist chant: Namu Amida Butsu in Japanese script. Carved into brush strokes, this act would have immense karmic value for herself and her father. The frame of her artwork is important- as a relic and in context.
