sound
Wind
in the cave;
Movement in stillness.
Power in silence.
In
a cave, all outer sounds are smothered by rock and earth, but this
makes the sounds of one’s own heartbeat and breath audible. In the same
way, contemplative stillness turns us away from everyday clamor but
allows us to hear the subtle in our own lives.
When listening not with
the ear but with the spirit, one can perceive
the subtle sound. By entering into that sound, we enter into supreme
purity. That is why so many religious traditions pray, sing, or chant
as a prelude to silence. They understand that the repetition and
absorption of sound leads to sacredness itself.
The deepest sound is
silence. This may seem paradoxical only if we
regard silence as an absence of life and vibration. But for a
meditator,
silence is sound unified with all of its opposites. It is both sound
and soundlessness, and it is in this confluence that the power of
meditation emerges.
sound
365
Tao
daily
meditations
Deng
Ming-Dao (author)
ISBN
0-06-250223-9
Ordination Scroll of Empress Zhang (detail)
Ming dynasty1,
Hongzhi reign, dated 1493
Handscroll2;
ink, colors, and gold on paper
54.6 x 2,743.2 cm
San Diego Museum of Art;
gift of Mr. and Mrs. John
Jeffers cat. no. 57
Ordination Scroll of Empress Zhang
This scroll documents the ordination of a Ming-dynasty empress as
a Taoist priest. It is one of the most important surviving documents of
the relationship between Taoism and the Ming imperial family. The
complete painting shows the empress Zhang (not seen in this detail),
wife of the Hongzhi emperor, with a group of divine ladies called "jade
maidens," the Taoist priest who ordained her, and a procession of
deities. Each deity can be identified by an accompanying inscription,
making this work an invaluable source for the identification of images
of Taoist gods in the Ming dynasty. The depiction of empress and priest
together with Taoist gods indicates that the human figures have
achieved divine status.
This detail shows a female deity followed by four male deities. All but
one of the gods wears the robes of a Taoist priest and a cap topped
with the symbolic flame of spiritual enlightenment. The fourth figure
from the right wears the robes and cap of a scholar. All carry ivory
tablets3
modeled after those held by officials during meetings with the emperor,
indicating that they are taking part in a similar celestial audience.
The background of clouds suggests that the ceremony is taking place in
the heavens. Five-clawed dragons against a yellow background decorate
the upper and lower borders: in this context, both the dragons and the
color yellow symbolize the emperor.
1
Ming dynasty (1368—1644) the period following the Yuan dynasty in
which native rule was restored. Ming emperors and empresses sponsored
the renovation of Taoist sacred sites and the practice of reformed
Taoist rituals. In the Ming dynasty, the Taoist god Zhenwu became a
national protector. Paintings characterized by great energy and vigor
flourished during this time, and the porcelain industry received major
imperial patronage. Early Ming energy was followed by a powerful
conservative movement, echoed in the efforts to isolate China from the
outside world. Nevertheless, the Portuguese landed in China in 1514. In
the 17th century, trade with the Netherlands began and Jesuit priests
entered southern China. Corruption in the late-Ming imperial court
ultimately led to another foreign occupation.
2 handscroll a painting or piece of calligraphy made
in the form of a horizontal scroll specifically intended for
occasional, intimate viewing. Handscrolls are viewed just as Chinese is
read: a section at a time, from right to left. Handscrolls vary
considerably in length; although some are quite short, others may
extend to over 70 feet in length.n Outer Alchemy, a magical potion that
bestows immortality when swallowed; in Inner Alchemy, the
life-prolonging energy attained through spiritual purification
3 tablet
an ivory or jade ceremonial object
that indicated rank or status by the Tang dynasty. Tablets are usually
flat and bladelike in form, with a flat, rounded, or sometimes pointed
tip. Their surfaces were either plain or incised with characters; the
latter indicated rank.
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