The Dust Whisk (拂尘 - Fu Chen) Symbol of Authority
Jul 5, 2021 21:35:59 GMT 1
Post by Shi Da Dao on Jul 5, 2021 21:35:59 GMT 1
According to Chinese language historical texts, the ‘Dust Whisk’ originated in India around 2,500 and that the historical Buddha allowed its use to ‘gently’ swish flies and mosquitoes away from siting, meditating or lecturing monastics. There appears to be various Buddhist texts confirming this. However, during the Easter Han Dynasty (25-220 CE) it is known that Confucian scholars sometimes carried the ‘Dust Whisk’ when lecturing to clear flies and mosquitoes from the room, and to clear-away any compiling dust on the books, papers, brushes and books, etc. As a symbol of authority, its meaning also became symbolic of ‘clearing-away’ the ‘dust of ignorance’ from the mind and body of the students.
Although used within Daoism as a symbol of authority and healing, there is also a very effective Daoist martial art that is difficult to learn that features the ‘internal’ use of the ‘Dust Whisk’. As for the Ch’an School of Chinese Buddhism, it seems that the use of the ‘Dusk Whisk’ as a symbol of spiritual purity and authority stems from around the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) - around one hundred years after its lineage had been brought from India to China by Bodhidharma in 520 CE. When Chinese Ch’an was transmitted to Japan as ‘Zen’ - then the habit of Masters carry the ‘Dust Whisk’ also spread.
Although Master Xu Yun (1840-1959), although photographed holding the ‘mala’ or ‘Buddha-Beads’ - he was never photographed holding the ‘Dust Whisk’ despite being recognised as the Head Monk for numerous temples. As he was well over one hundred years old when he died – many different Buddhist Schools recognised Xu Yun as the supreme authority for practicing the Dharma in modern China! Perhaps he felt the ‘Dusk Whisk’ was an unnecessary extravagance and that it is the virtuous nature of the personal character that matters.
