Philosophy and Religion in Early Medieval China

9. The Buddharaja Image of Emperor Wu of Liang

265 In 1999, the Taiwanese scholar Yan Shangwen published a book entitled Liang Wudi 梁武帝. Yan’s book is the most detailed study on the “Emperor-Bodhisattva” policy of Emperor Wu (Xiao Yan 蕭 衍, r. 502–549) of the Liang dynasty (502–557). In the conclusion, he says: Emperor Wu of Liang created a new idea or a policy of “EmperorBodhisattva ” (皇帝菩薩), which carries both political and religious significance. As an idea, it consists of the Chinese kingship “emperor” (皇帝) and the Indian ideal kingship of “cakravartin” (轉輪聖王). This kingship of Emperor Wu is a fusion of the Chinese ideal kingship of the “sagely king” and the Indian ideal kingship of “cakravartin.” It can be understood as a syncretism of three teachings in one (三教合一), i.e., a combination of Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism; or a politico-religious policy (政教合一), or even a policy in which he ruled his state with the image of “Emperor-Bodhisattva,” hoping to establish a “Buddhist empire” (佛教帝國), or to unite the North and the South after a long period of disunion.1 Yan’s understanding of Emperor Wu’s kingship of “EmperorBodhisattva ” is evidently influenced by Arthur F. Wright, who also regards the idea of “Emperor-Bodhisattva” as being derived from a fusion of Chinese and Buddhist political ideals. Wright says, 9 The Buddharaja Image of Emperor Wu of Liang Kathy Cheng-Mei Ku Kathy Cheng-Mei Ku 266 He [Emperor Wu of Liang] patterned himself after the new Buddhist model of kingly behavior, and his efforts won him titles which suggest the fusion of Chinese and Buddhist political sanctions. He was called Huang-ti p’u-sa [“Huangdi pusa”] (Emperor Bodhisattva皇帝菩 薩), Chiu-shih p’u-sa [“Jiushi pusa”] (Savior Bodhisattva 救世菩薩), and P’u-sa t’ien-tzu [“Pusa tianzi”] (Bodhisattva Son of Heaven 菩薩天子).2 The idea of “Emperor-Bodhisattva” is “the new Buddhist model of kingly behavior,” which recognizes Emperor Wu as both the “Indian Cakravartin-raja” and the “Mahadanapati.”3 Wright does not say much about Emperor Wu’s “Cakravartin-rajaship”; he simply defines it as “the king who rules well and successfully through devotion to Buddha and his teaching.”4 Yan, on the other hand, has explained Emperor Wu’s cakravartinship in some detail. He notes that it was greatly influenced by King A¡oka (r. third century bce), including the emperor’s act of “giving himself” (sheshen 捨身) to the Buddhist san . gha as a mahadanapati,5 or a great patron of Buddhism (datanyue 大檀越). Further, Emperor Wu’s religious and political policies were similar to those carried out by King A¡oka. While King A¡oka was regarded as a model of cakravartin, Emperor Wu was addressed as the “Golden Cakri cakravartin” (金輪轉輪聖王).6 A Buddhist cakravartin is one who rules his state according to Buddhist beliefs. Most commonly, the kingship is based on the inculcation of the ten wholesome dharmas (十善法 or 十善道) in Buddhism.7 The concept of “cakravartin” recurs in Mahayana texts since the very beginning of the Mahayana Buddhist movement. It is also called “dharmarajika” or “dharmaraja” (法王)8 and is well defined in the Mahasatya-nirgrathaputra-vyakarana-sutra大薩遮尼乾子所說經 as follows: O Great King, you should know that there are four types of kings: (1) the cakravartin, (2) the less important king, (3) the next less important king, and (4) the king who rules at the fringe of the territory. Among cakravartins, there is one type that does not only observe the ritual of showering the head [i.e., the ritual of enthronement], but also rules the four continents of the universe. His cakravartinship is the most supreme and unsurpassed because he is the protector of the dharma, The Buddharaja Image of Emperor Wu of Liang 267 or dharmarajika. A cakravartin is well equipped with seven treasures; they are: (1) the treasure of woman, (2) the treasure of Moni jewel, (3) the treasure of cakri, (4) the treasure of elephant, (5) the treasure of horse, (6) the treasure of the chief minister, and (7) the treasure of the minister in charge of treasures. With these seven treasures, wherever the cakravartin goes in this world, he shall neither encounter any enemy, nor meet with any trouble or sword-fighting. With the right dharma, he treats everyone equally without prejudice and pacifies those who have surrendered. The king says: “O Great Master, why is it that a cakravartin is called the ruler of the four continents of the universe?” “Because he rules over the four continents, he attains perfect...