Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch
RASHKB and author
Vol. 1 (1961)
ISSN 1991-7295
75
with the worship of the Pole Star and with astrology. These can be found in the Tao Tsang (Two Collections of Taoist Literature). To identify him with the Vaisravana of popular legends was advantageous both to the Buddhists and Taoists.
It has been said that Vaisravana helped the Emperor T'ai Tsung during the war which led to the founding of the T'ang dynasty. But in some Tantric texts, the story is dated in the year A.D. 742 (the 1st year of Tien Pao in the reign of Hsuan Tsung). When the city of An-si (2) was besieged by the troops of five states including Tashkend and Samarkand, Vaisravana appeared above the tower of the city-gate with his celestial soldiers and defeated the invading troops. The sutra reads,
It was in the 1st year of T'ien Pao, the cyclic year being Jên-wu (4), when the city of An-si in Kansu was besieged by the troops of five states, Tashkend, Samarkand ... (five characters missing in the text). On the 11th day of the second month the commander of the city sent a petition for reinforcements. The Emperor told the Monk I-hsing (一行), “An-si is twelve thousand li away from our capital and it would take eight months for our reinforcements to reach there. I am afraid the city will fall." I-hsing said, "Why does Your Majesty not supplicate the celestial soldiers of Vaisravana, the heavenly king of the North, for help?" "How do I get his help?" the Emperor inquired. I-hsing said, "Your Majesty need only summon the foreign priest Amogha and he will do everything." Amogha was summoned and said, "Your Majesty sent for me. Is it not because the city of An-si is besieged by the troops of five states?" The Emperor answered, “Yes.” Amogha said, "Bring your urn and follow me to the place of worship and I will supplicate the celestial soldiers of Vaisravana the heavenly king of the North to rescue the city from danger." Hardly had he finished chanting his spells for the fourteenth time when the Emperor saw celestial soldiers clad in armour standing in front of the hall. "Who are they?" the Emperor asked. "Tu Chien (毘建), the second son of Vaisravana, who is leading the celestial troops to An-si, has come to say farewell." The Emperor gave them food and dispatched them. In the fourth month the commander of An-si reported again, “On the 11th
13 Li Ching's name appears in the Tao-chiao Hsiang-ch'êng Tzu-ti Lu *(道教相承次第録 "Order of Taoist Teaching") in Yün-chi Ch'i-ch'ien (雲笈七籤)(XL). chüan 4. In the Tao Tsang (道藏), Tung-shên Pu (洞神部)(1), Fang-fa Lei (方法類)(5) T'ien-lao Shên-kuang Ching *(天老神光經) is attributed to him.
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch
RASHKB and author
Vol. 1 (1961)
ISSN 1991-7295
75
with the worship of the Pole Star and with astrology. These can be found in the Tao Tsang (Two Collections of Taoist Literature). To identify him with the Vaisravana of popular legends was advantageous both to the Buddhists and Taoists.
It has been said that Vaisravana helped the Emperor T'ai Tsung during the war which led to the founding of the T'ang dynasty. But in some Tantric texts, the story is dated in the year A.D. 742 (the 1st year of Tien Pao in the reign of Hsuan Tsung). When the city of An-si (2) was besieged by the troops of five states including Tashkend and Samarkand, Vaisravana appeared above the tower of the city-gate with his celestial soldiers and defeated the invading troops. The sutra reads,
It was in the 1st year of T'ien Pao, the cyclic year being Jên-wu (4), when the city of An-si in Kansu was besieged by the troops of five states, Tashkend, Samarkand . . . (five characters missing in the text). On the 11th day of the second month the commander of the city sent a petition for reinforcements. The Emperor told the Monk I-hsing (- MI), “An-si is twelve thousand li away from our capital and it would take eight months for our reinforcements to reach there. I am afraid the city will fall." I-hsing said, "Why does Your Majesty not supplicate the celestial soldiers of Vaisravana, the heavenly king of the North, for help?" "How do I get his help?" the Emperor inquired. I-hsing said, "Your Majesty need only summon the foreign priest Amogha and he will do everything." Amogha was summoned and said, "Your Majesty sent for me. Is it not because the city of An-si is besieged by the troops of five states?" The Emperor answered, “Yes.” Amogha said, "Bring your urn and follow me to the place of worship and I will supplicate the celestial soldiers of Vaisravana the heavenly king of the North to rescue the city from danger." Hardly had he finished chanting his spells for the fourteenth time when the Emperor saw celestial soldiers clad in armour standing in front of the hall. "Who are they?" the Emperor asked. "Tu Chien (M), the second son of Vaisravana, who is leading the celestial troops to An-si, has come to say farewell." The Emperor gave them food and dispatched them. In the fourth month the commander of An-si reported again, “On the 11th
13 Li Ching's name appears in the Tao-chiao Hsiang-ch'êng Tzu-ti Lu *#**## "Order of Taoist Teaching") in Yün-chi Ch'i-ch'ien 教相承次第淼
(XL). chüan 4. In the Tao Tsang (), Tung-shên Pu
(1), Fang-fa Lei (5
methods), T'ien-lao Shên-kuang Ching
(*) is attributed to him.
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