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Fathering Your Father: the Zen of Fabrication in Tang Buddhism, by Alan Cole

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Fathering Your Father: the Zen of Fabrication in Tang Buddhism, by Alan Cole BSRV 26.2 (2009) 249–251 Buddhist Studies Review ISSN (print) 0256-2897 doi: 10.1558/bsrv.v26i2.249 Buddhist Studies Review ISSN (online) 1747-9681 Fathering Your Father: The Zen of Fabrication in Tang Buddhism, by Alan Cole. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2009. 340 + xix pp. Hb. $65.00/£44.95, ISBN-13: 9780520254848; Pb. $27.50/£19.95, ISBN-13: 9780520254855. Chan (襌) ���an� ��� �a�an��� ���n����a��� ��n� ���have�� ��a��a�� ���n���� a popul�����a� �������� j��� �f ��h��a��� a���n���n. R���n� yea�� have ���n����� an �nteresting ���g��n� �ng �f �����ature �n �h� h������ �f Chan B���h��m� �h��h g�a����� ���h �a����� ������� �ncluding f��mative ��x��� �h� ���a����hm�n� �f ��h���� ���h�n �h� ��a��� ���n� �������a� ��an�m�����n an� �������� over �h� nature �f �n��gh��nm�n�.1 A�an C���’� n�� ���k� Fathering Your Father� ��n��n��� h�� ��a�����n �f �����z�ng fam��� �a� ���m� — fa�her, m��her, an� ��n — �� ������� B���h��m. Th�� ����� a����� a ‘H������ �f R���g��n�’ approa�h �n ��� a���m�� �� re-exam�n� �h� h������ �f �a��� Chan B���h��m. B� providing a close (re)rea��ng �f k�� Chan ��x�� �ha� were �����a� �� �h� f��ma���n �f Chan ������ ��������� �n Tang Ch�na� �a������a��� between 600 and 750, it argues that the early Chan writings, or more specifi� �ally, �h� seven�h an� ��gh�h ��n���� g�n�a��g��� �f B��h��ha�ma’� (菩提達磨) ����a���� �����n��n��� were n���h�� ������n f�� B���h��� ��a������ n�� relig���� ���h���x�. Ra�her, �h��� �����ng� were produced ���h�n �h� broa��� ��n��x� �f ������a�� h�������a�� an� �������a� forces ����ng �h� Tang ������. C��� �herefore provocatively ��gg���� �ha� �h� ‘Chan’ we �n�����an� ���a� �� an ‘a�����n�a� cre� a���n� n�� ���n from m�n����h�����h an� �h��� ������ h������an�� ��� �a�h�� a �avering cycle �f �����ng an� rewriting na��atives (fa�h���ng) �ha� h���� �� ��n� ��n��ng�� ��m�n���a�� �h� n�� own���h�� �f �h� f���n��� �f �h� B���h��� ��a��� ���n (fa�h��) �n Ch�na’ (x��). The first chapter begins by scrutinizing the emergence of Chan literature in Tang Ch�na. Th� Chan g�n�a��g��� ��������� �n �h�� ����� were discovered �n a ��aled ��mple �a�h� located �n D�nh�ang (敦煌) a� �h� beg�nn�ng �f �h� twentieth ��n����. C��� ���n�� ��� �ha� previous Chan ������� have fa���� �� recogn�z� �ha� these Chan writings were in fact what he calls ‘selfish’ works created to generate a discourse responsible for three agendas: first, crafting the ‘truth-of-tradition’ into a com�act an� tran�mittable form; secondly, establish�ng ‘convincing formats an� rules’ for controlling �h� private ownership �f �h� ‘truth-of-tradition’� restricting �h� discourse to a �mall group �f m�nks, �hile a� �h� �am� tim� being recogn�zed �� �h� ������ an� a��h������� �� ���a�n �������; an� �hirdly, �����ng �h� a��a� ����� �������a� cla�m� �n a ‘�h������a� f�amework’ �� mak� �h� two ag�n�a� ���m convincing an� acceptable (2). According to Cole, �h� orig�n� �f Chan g�n�alogies �herefore have to be �xam�ned critically �n four �ays: with regard to g�nre, g�nre developm�n�� ��n��n� an� ��������. C��� ��gg���� �ha� Pierre Bourdieu’� rea��ng ���a��g� — a� presen��� �n h�� 1977 ���a� �x�����ng �h� ��m���x ��nam��� �f �h� a�� world2 — �h���� �� a������ �� rea� �h� Chan g�n�a��g���. Th� �ha���� �h�n 1. See, for instance, Steven Heine and Dale S. Wright, eds., Zen Classics: Formative Texts in the His- tory of Zen Buddhism (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2006); Mario Poceski, Ordi- nary Mind as the Way: The Hongzhou School and the Growth of Chan Buddhism (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2007); Wendi L. Adamek, The Mystique of Transmission: On an Early Chan History and Its Contexts (New York: Columbia University Press, 2007); Morten Schlütter, How Zen became Zen: The Dispute over Enlightenment and the Formation of Chan Buddhism in Song- dynasty China (Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2008). 2. ‘La production de la croyance: contribution à une économie des biens symboliques’. Actes de la recherche en sciences sociales, 13 (February): 3–43. English translation: 1980. ‘The Production © Equinox Publishing Ltd 2009, 1 Chelsea Manor Studios, Flood Street, London SW3 5SR. 250 Buddhist Studies Review ���� �h� ��n��x� �f �h�� ����� �� �x��a�n�ng how �m����an� ��n��������� fa������ ���h a� ��na���� ��h�a�a�� �������a� �n��ability, an� Ch�n��� a��h���’ a���m�� �� ‘���a��z�’ B���h��m� gave ���� �� ���h B���h��� �����ature. Cha���� 2 ���k� a� how two Buddhist m�nks, �hiyi (智顗)an� X�nx�ng (信行)� were elevated �� �h� ��atus of ‘quasi-buddhas’ during the Sui period. While the two religious figures are usu� a��� n�� regarded a� precursors �� �a��� Chan B���h��m� C��� �an�� �� ��� �h��� g�n�a��g��� �� ��m�n���a�� how �h� �a����� na��ative ���hn�q��� an� ���a��� gies appeared to have influenced the early Chan writers later in the Tang period. Zhiyi was innovatively transformed into a buddha-like figure, thanks to the writ� �ng� �f h�� �������� G�an��ng (灌頂). �uanding’s creative endeavor was signifi �- cant for two reasons: first, the making of quasi-buddhas in Buddhist genealogies �a� �a�g��� �npreceden��� �n �h� h������ �f Ch�n��� B���h��m; an� ����ndly, �a��� Chan ������� a���a� �� have a������ �h��� ‘f��m’� ‘��n��n�’� an� ‘��������� ��g���’ from G�an��ng’� approa�h (31). X�nx�ng� a ��ntroversia� B���h��� ��ader, �a� a���� �n�� �h� �ha���� a� an �xam��� �� �������a�� �h� mak�ng �f an ‘a���� ���� ma����’ �h� overcam� two ��a�����na� structures �ha� �ha��� �a��� Ch�n��� B���h��m� namely, �h� m�nk��a��� ������ an� �h� In��a�Ch�na ������. Cha����� 3� 4� 5� an� 6 are �����a��� �� �xam�n� f��� �a��� �f relig���� ‘fa���� �a���n’ �hrough �h� �����ng �f Chan g�n�a��g���. Cha���� 3 ������� Fa��’� (法如) ���g�a�h��a� ����� �n Sha���n M�na����� (少林寺) ����n M��n��� S�������ng. Th������ hag��g�a� phy, which is often regarded as the first Chan genealogy, chronicles the monk’s life and offers a brief historical narrative of Buddhism, starting from Śākyamuni B���ha ��gh� �� �� seven�h���n���� Ch�na. In a������n� �� mak�� B��h��ha�ma a pivotal figure, responsible for bridging the divide between two cultures and f�� ���ng�ng �h� ���f��� Chan ��a�����n �� Ch�na. Th�� ��m�na� work ���am� �h� �a��� ��m��a�� f�� �a��� Chan g�n�a��g��� �n Tang Ch�na an� ��n�������� �� �h� crea���n �f an ‘�n�h���� ����ha’ �n Sha���n. S����q��n� a��h��� a������ �h� fa����a��� h�������a� na��ative �n Fa��’� ���g�a�h� an� ���� �� �� reinven� �h��� g�n�a��g���. Cha���� 4 �xam�n�� how D� F�� (杜胐) a������ Fa��’� g�n�a��g� �� ����� Sh�nx��’� (神秀) ���g�a�hy, Record of the Transmission of the Dharma-Jewel (Chuan fabao ji 傳法寶記). C��� ��gg���� �ha� D� F��’� �a��� ag�n�a �a� ��m��a� �� G�an��ng’� an� Sha���n’�: h� �a� ����ng �� ���n �h� presen� �������a� ����a� ���n �n�� relig���� rea������ �ha� ���������� ha� ��ng h�������� �ha� wen� a�� �h� �a� �a�k �� B���ha’� ��m�. D� F��’� �����ng� allowed h�m �� ����a�� Sh�nx��’� ��ate-recogn�z�� ���n���� ����h�m����� �� �n��a�� h�m a� �h� ��a��� �f Ch�n��� B���h��m. In Cha���� 5� C��� ana��z�� ��ngj��’� (淨覺) History of the Masters and Disciples of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra (Lengqie shizi ji 楞伽師資記)� a g�n�a��g� �f h�� ma���� X�anz� (玄賾). ��ngj�� ����� h�� work �n D� F��’� History an� crea��� a ��n�ag� ‘broth��’� X�anz�� f�� Sh�nx��. H� ������ cla�m�� �ha� ���h X�anz� an� Sh�nx�� received �h� �am� ��an�m�����n from H�ngren (弘忍). C���� however, finds many problems both in Jingjue’s extensive borrowing of Du Fei’s writings, an� �n h�� ���h�n��� ��� �f h�������a� sources. Cha���� 6 ��������� Sh�nh��’� (神會)�� a���m�� �� �������rewrite �h������� Chan ��n�ag��� h����������. Sh�nh���� a�g��� �ha� �h� �������� ren� Chan g�n�a��g��� were a�� ���n���f���. Therefore, h� �n������ �ha� �n�� h�� master, H��n�ng (慧能)� ha� received �h� a��h�n��� ��an�m�����n from H�ngren. T� �� ��� Sh�nh�� ��m��� ����� �h� ����� cla�man�� �� ���m�ng �h�m ‘N���h��n’� of Belief: Contribution to an Economy of Symbolic Goods’. Media, Culture and Society, vol. 2/3 (July): 261–293. © Equinox Publishing Ltd 2009 Book Reviews 251 �h��� ���ng �h� ����� ‘S���h��n’ f�� h�m���f an� h�� �nven��� master, H��n�ng. H�n��� �h�� ��g���m�z�� h�� cla�m �� �� �h� ���� �nh������ �f �h� ���f��� ��a�����n. In the final chapter, Cole concludes that the primary aim of early Chan genealo� gies was to allow the respective authors to present their ‘selfish’ ownership of relig���� ����h an� ��a�����n. Th�� were ���h�� ������n �n �a� fa��h or, �n man� �n��an���� were ‘fa��� �a���’ �ha� were ma�� �� �� ������ �h� rea���� an� serve �h��� ag�n�a�. Cole’s rereading of the early Chan literature offers a provocative and gener- ally negative assessment of Chan Buddhism: he regards it as a dishonest self- invention. Or, to put it even more bluntly: he regards Chan Buddhism (and all its Chinese buddhas) as a scam. However, there is one big question worth con- sidering: can we simply rely on these four case studies to conclude that Chan Buddhism is merely a creation of ‘selfish’ liars and plagiarizers? While this study presents a detailed analysis of the production of Chan genealogies, it does not, however, offer further information on the supply side.
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