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2003, Volume 13, Number 2

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2003, Volume 13, Number 2 Sdkyadhitd I N T E RNATI O N AL AS S O C I AT I O N OF BADDIST WOMEN SUMMER 2OO3 vol-,. 13, NO. Announcing....! The 8th Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women Seoul, Korea June27 to July 4,2004 Sakyadhita, the International Association of Buddhist Women, is pleased to announce that the Sth Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women will be held in Seoul, Korea, from June 27 to Jily 4,2004. Korea is renowned for its rich Buddhist history, hundreds of exquisite monasteries, and a vibrant community of women practitioners, both lay and ordained. The Sakyadhita Conference is an opportunity to learn more about this rich Buddhist tradition. The 8,h Sakyadhita Conference will incorporate panel discussions, small group discussions, cultural performances, meditations, and chanting from different Buddhist traditions. An optional tour of Korean monasteries will follow the conference. In response to suggestions, the 8,h Sakyadhita Conference in Korea will focus on Buddhist practice. We invite your ideas for the conference theme and subtopics. If you have suggestions to contribute to the conference planning, we welcome your ideas. If you would like to serve on the conference planning committee, please let us know how you would like to help. Thank you for sharing news of this event with others! Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti Devi and her Contribution to Tibet by Min Bahadur Shakya The Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti Devi is recognized as a luminary figure in the cultural history of Tibet because of the role she play in introducing Buddhist art, architecture, and religious faith. Her influence in the social and cultural history of Tibet is difficult to overestimate. The Chinese princess Wengchen is also recognized for the role she played in building numer- ous Buddhist temples, palaces, and monuments. Many famous Buddhist monuments in Tibet, such as the Jokhang, the Potala, and other temples, were built by Princess Bhrikuti. The Ramoche temples were con- structed due to the efforts of the Chinese princess. Due to their cultural contributions, according to the Mani Ka bum, the two consorts of the Tibetan king, Srong btsan sGam po, were regarded as emanations of Tara. Bhrikrti Devi was regarded as the emanation of White Tara andthe Chinese princess was regarded as an emanation of Green Tara. Diffusion of Buddhadharma there is no indisputable evidence that Although Although it is unknown whether her father, King Devi married the Tibetan King Srong Princess Bhrikuti Amshuvarma, was a Buddhist, Princess Bhrikuti Devi is sGam po, numerous legends and stories suggests btsan described as an emanation of Tara. A guidebook to the Here I discuss some of the argu- that this must be true. power places of Kathmandu written by a Newar Bud- Princess Bhrikuti Devi her and the ments concerning dhist monk in 1774 mentions that her father, King Od her marriage to the Tibetan king.1 possibility of zer Go Cha, was an emanation of Manjughosa and that he had met Acarya Santikara, an emanation of Vajrasatta Srong btsan sGam po s Military Strength who had obtained the rainbow body' From a Buddhist practice perspective, therefore, it is not unlikely that Some Nepali scholars refute the possibility of King Od zer Go Cha, an emanation of Manjughosa, Bhrikuti s marriage to King Srong btsan sGam po. First, gave his daughter Bhikuti Devi, an emanation of Tara, they believe that since the Tibetan king was a leader of a to the Tibetan king, an emanation of Arya foreign tribe with a different cultural background, the In those days, the Lichchavi kings were Nepalese Kshatriya King would not have given him his Avalokiteshara. in their religious policies and practices, so daughter in marriage. Second, it is argued that the highly liberal possible Bhrikuti was a Buddhist, even if Kshatriya kings were very caste conscious and that it is very that her father was a Saivite or Vaisnavite. marriage to a foreign tribal leader would have been Princess Bhrikuti s father possessed a very sacred below their caste status. Third, the route between Nepal sandalwood images of Akshobhya Buddha and Arya and Tibet was extremely dangerous, plagued by hostile Tara, as well as blessed images of Maitreya and robbers as well as a severe climate. These factors con- Bodhibhadra. He presented these images to the Tibetan tribute to the idea that such a union never happened. as part of his daughter s dowry. When Princess However, there is also evidence to support the theory king Bhrikuti traveled to Tibet, she also took with her a host of a marriage relationship between the Nepalese princess and sculptors who were instrumental in build- Bhrikuti Devi and the Tibetan king, Srong btsan sGam of artists and Potala Palace in Lhasa. Tibetan po. At this time the king was in fulIpower and his ing the Jokhang sources, such as the Mani bka i bum,2 rGyal rabs gsal military strength at a zenith. The Red Amzals describe ba i melong, and rNam thar,3 srtbstantiate the details of Srong bstan sGam po as having captured all of Shanshun Princess Bhrikuti Devi s life. Province. His fame as a wise and sagacious king spread, and he is credited with widely extending and consolidat- king ing Tibet s territorial boundaries. When the Tibetan The Mani bka i bum requested the Nepalese princess as his consort in 633, it the manuscipt Mani bka i was clear that Srong btsan s military strength was no The second section of ofSrong btsan sGam po, match for the Nepalese king, who therefore gave his bum is a biographical account teachings of Buddha daughter in marriage to the Tibetan king for the benefit relating his deeds to the 16 chapters, it recounts the lineage, of the country. Shakyamuni.a In Srong btsan sGam po, as well as Srong btsan sGam po also sought a marriage with conception, and birth of introduction of civil law, Princess Wengchen Konjo, daughter of the Tang em- his youth, consecration, images, his marriages to the peror Tai Song. He was not the only one to see her hand' collection of Buddhist princesses,5 the building of The king of Tu Yu Hun (eastern Tarters), Tho ki ki, who Nepalese and Chinese of Buddhist scriptures, the had captured the tribes of Chiang, Pailan, and Tang temples,6 the translation gter-ma (concealed texts), and other hSiang, also requested marriage with the Chinese concealment of princess. To prevent this union, Srong btsan sGam po topics. of Srong btsan sGam po s marriage to sent troops to fight Tu Yu Hun and defeated him' The Descriptions Nepalese princess Bhrikuti Devi in the rGyal rabs Chinese annals mention that in 634,the Chinese emperor the gsal melong and the rNam thar are substantially the concluded atreaty of friendship with Srong btsan sGam ba i bka i bum gives three names for the po, offering many gifts and lavish presents. Following same. The Mani king Odzer Go cha Ratna Deva, and Sala bri-ho these events, the Tibetan king requested the hand of the , - - rabs gives the name Deba Lha. imperial princess in marriage' When his request was whereas the rGyal Otherwise, descriptions of the construction of the refused, the Tibetan king mustered some 200,000 troops Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, and other temples are and waged war against China for nearly eight years. credited to the Nepalese princess in all three sources' Finally, the Chinese emperor acquiesced to the Tibetan Bhrikuti Devi had already built the nine-storied palace king s demand and Princess Konjo was sent to Tibet in called Sogpo Khar in Red Hill for herself before the 641. From these accounts, it is clear that the marriage did Chinese pii.r..tt began building the Ramoche temples' not come about amiablY. The Story in the rGya bza bal bza i rnam thar The Controversy of thought have arisen concerning Another important source of information is the Two schools Bhdkuti Devi s maniage to Srong btsan sGam biography of the Chinese and Nepalese princesses edited Princess po. Some Tibetologists subscribe to the view that she by Thinly Chodak.T This is a more recent work compiled never existed.8 Other scholars and historians believe that on the basis of Moni bka i bum, rGyal rabs gsi ba i me long, mKhas pai dga ston, and others. According to this she did.e written by Thang chu (618-907) text, King Srong btsan sGam po ascended the throne at The Tang annals speak of the Chinese princess, a daughter of Emperor the age of 13. At the age of sixteen, he procured a who was given in marriage to Srong btsan sandalwood image of Avalokitesvara with eleven faces Tai Song, sGam po. He asks why if these were such important and prayed for the well-being of his subjects. As he did historical events, other inscriptions and historical so, two rays of light issued forth from the heart of the omit any references to Bhrikuti. He con- image in the directions of Nepal and China. He had a documents Bhrikuti s existence was an attempt to vision of Lha geig Khri btsun (Bhrikuti), the daughter of cludes that a mythical element into the historical ac- Odzer Go cha, in Nepal, and Princess Wengchen introduce that a marriage between a Kongjo, the daughter of the Chinese emperor Tai Song counts. He further states - princess from a family that took pride in its illustrious both 16 years ofage. lineage was highly unlikely to enter into a The Tibetan emperor wanted these two princesses as Kshatriya with a ruler from unfamiliar terri- his consorts and ordered his wise ministers, mGar and marriage agreement the Himalayas.
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