Multiple Constructions of a Tibetan Pureland: A Focus on Padmasambhava's Copper-Coloured Mountain

• Main Authors: Wu, Pin Ta, 吳品達
• Other Authors: 劉國威
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/4cfd4x

博士 === 國立政治大學 === 宗教研究所 === 105 === The Copper-Coloured Mountain, pronounced as Zangdok Palri (zangs mdog dpal ri) in Tibet, is the Tibetan pureland of Padmasambhava who is the founder of the Nyingma Tradition. The Copper-Coloured Mountain pureland manifests itself in the form of a mountain with the combination of sacred mountain and pureland which can be seen as “a sacred mountainized belief of pureland.” The pureland of Copper-Coloured Mountain is to be distinguished from other purelands of Buddha for two reasons: Firstly, this pureland is not remotely located in a realm of void space apart from our world. It existed in the Jambudvīpa inhabited with all beings instead. Secondly, according to the accounts of Padmasambhava’s biographies, the Copper-Coloured Mountain was originally inhabited by fierce flesh-eating rākṣasas. Padmasambhava transformed the kingdom of Raksas into a pureland of peace and perfection. This origin is founded not only upon a revelation from Guru Rinpoche’s unity of compassion and wisdom of a sacred place of “Revealed Treasures” (terma), but also has the real uniqueness of being a purely Tibetan pureland and an ultimate divine refuge for all tertöns and practitioners in the Nyingma Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The Copper-Coloured Mountain manifests itself in the form of an island and is shaped like an inverted heart. The bottom of the mountain penetrates deeply into the underground of Naga’s realm. On the mountainside, it belongs to the realm of daka and dākinī. On the peak, the mountain reaches the realm of Brahma. The entire mountain is surrounded by a blue sea and the islands of the Rakshasa. In the vast plains of the mountain, Padmasambhava abides in a large three-storied edifice called The Lotus Light Palace. Made out of four gems, it is surrounded and protected by various deities and dharmapāla and also symbolizes the Trikāya of a Buddha, namely dharmakāya, sambhogakāya and nirmānakāya. The dissertation aims to analyze the “space” and “place” in the motif of the Copper-Coloured Mountain Pureland through an investigation into three main Buddhist traditional sources, namely the tertöns’ biographies of Revealed Treasures, the paintings from Bhutan murals and Tibetan thangkas, and my own field research in the ritual practices of the Copper-Coloured Mountain in Hong Kong during the year 2014. It is found, as explained in Chapters Three, Four and Five respectively, that the Copper-Coloured Mountain Pureland is multiply-constructed within the three traditions from six main perspectives: first, in the Buddhist scriptures, delicate symbols are used in interpreting the multi-spaces and places of the Copper-Coloured Mountain; second, in tertöns’ pure visions, the Copper-Coloured Mountain becomes a mixed-space of landscapes and sacred spaces for gaining the mind-treasures from Padmasambhava and his dākinī consorts; third, painting traditions convey the vital elements of its composition, such as the palace of the deities in multiple configurations and different figures in the appearances of Padmasambhava; fourth, in translation studies of the iconography, the paintings of Guru Tsangye (gu ru mtshan brgyad) reveal the varja dances of Padmasambhava with dynamic spaces for dialogues in both traditions; fifth, in Chokgyur Lingpa’s pure visions, both autobiographies and paintings engender differences and similarities in depictions of the journey into the Copper-Coloured mountain; and, finally, field researches of contemporary ritual in Hong Kong record the practices in visualizing a three-dimensional mandala of a three-storied Lotus Light palace that embodies holy and secular places/spaces-making and transformation. The conclusion comprises seven points confirming the understanding of the Copper-Coloured Mountain Pureland as a configuration multiply-constructed by three traditions. Based on the analysis of “place” and “space” in the three distinct traditions, the hypothesis concerning the basic principles of Multiplicity, Interfusion and Creativity is substantiated. The Copper-Coloured Mountain Pureland is not only a configuration built out of three traditions, but remains a sacred place/space coexisting and integrated into a single object of multiple constructions. Furthermore, in the conclusion of my research of the Copper-Coloured Mountain Pureland, I suggest the authentic locations of the Copper-Colored Mountain Pureland and look forward to further investigating Padmasambhava’s pureland and extending the study with comparisons to other Tibetan purelands of Buddhas in future research. Through the three main Tibetan Buddhist traditional sources of its important crafts in the Copper-Colored Mountain Pureland, it is recognized that the traditional belief of Padmasambhava receives the agency of sustainability, continuity and consolidation. Also, the Copper-Coloured Mountain Pureland manifests itself as a multiply-constructed tradition in a sacred form of a Tibetan Buddhist mountainized space of pureland belief. The Copper-Coloured Mountain Pureland reveals a sacred pivot for its tradition where cannot be able to locate in an authentic and specific site. For this undiscoverable reason, the Copper-Colored Mountain Pureland becomes an universally revealed pureland on our earth and the very way of wisdom and compassion from Padmasambhava’s solemnity.