Page 267 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TAOISM A-L

practices where the adept frees himself from all concepts and comes to realize
that there is no underlying reality.
The Benji jing was often cited in Taoist encyclopedias, particularly the *Dao-
jiao yishu (Pivot of Meaning of the Taoist Teaching). In 742, Tang Xuanzong
(r. 712-56) ordered its distribution to all Taoist temples and its recitation in
state rituals. The text became a major focus of attacks in Buddhist polemics,
probably resulting from the popularity it enjoyed at court.
Amy Lynn MILLER

ID Kaltenmark 1979a; Kamata Shigeo 1968, II-80; Kanaoka Sh6k6 1983,
190-96; Ofuchi Ninji 1978-79, I: 128-71 (crit. notes on the Dunhuang mss.)
and 2: 291-353 (reprod. of the Dunhuang mss.); Ozaki Masaharu 1983e, 183-86;
Robinet 1977, 102-3; Sunayama Minoru 1990, 212-45; Wan Yi 1998; Wu Chi-yu
1960; Yamada Takashi 1999

* TAOISM AND CHINESE BUDDHISM

benming

I. natal destiny; 2. birth star

The term benming literally means "natal destiny" or "individual destiny." It is
commonly used, however, to denote the time when a person is born and the
deities governing that time. Consequently, for a person's life and destiny to
be propitious it is thought necessary to know the star deity ruling at the hour
of birth, and to perform rites at times corresponding to the hour of birth ac-
cording to the sexagesimal cycle (*ganzhi).
Although such rites probably originated within folk cults, they were and
still are also performed within Taoism. In the ordination rituals of the Way
of the Celestial Masters (*Tianshi dao), for instance, the bestowal of registers
(*LU) included the statement: 'The natal destiny of (name), born on (month,
day, and hour), comes under the authority of the Lord of the (name) star in
the Northern Dipper (*beidou)" (Sanwu zhengyi mengwei lu ~JiiE - jj{l. Jli:X:~;
CT 1208, l.Ia). Every life thus is governed by one of the stars in the Northern
Dipper, depending on the year of birth. The name of the appropriate star lord
is also recorded on the documents appointing a Taoist ritual master (* daozhang),
whose religious name is chosen according to the ruling calendrical sign.
Taoist priests in present-day Taiwan perform a minor rite designed to dispel
misfortune by venerating the appropriate Lord of the Northern Dipper ac-