Page 586 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

JI E 545

jie

kalpa, aeon (eon)

The character jie =1W was used by early Buddhist translators to represent the
first syllable of the Sanskrit word kalpa and soon entered the Chinese language
as an abbreviation for the word itself. A kalpa is an eon, an impossibly long
period of time. One illustration notes that if a heavenly being were to brush
the hem of his garment across Mount Sumeru every year, a kalpa would have
elapsed once the world mountain was levelled. Beginning in the fourth century,
the term entered Taoist literature. It is commonly found in both *Shangqing
and *Lingbao scriptures.
As in Indian literature, the Taoist kalpa represents not linear but cyclical
time. Linked with indigenous ideas of cosmic cycles of growth and decay
that were already important in early Taoism, the term kalpa came to connote
particularly that point in the cycle when the old and sinful are destroyed and
the Dao renews itself. Previously revealed scripture would be stored in heaven
to await the new age and the "seed-people" (*zhongmin), or elect, would be
saved to populate a new heaven and earth. Taoist texts tell of the fire, flood,
and warfare that would occur at the end of a kalpa. The Shangqing scriptures
added to this a vivid description of the descent of *Li Hong, savior of the
Taoist worthy, while the first section of the Lingbao scriptures (see *Lingbao
jingmu) tell of several ages prior to our own, themselves composed of many
kalpas. These are given fantastic names: Draconic Magnificence (longhan ~
1l), Extended Vigor (yankang g~), Vermilion Brilliance (chiming $ BJI),
Opening Luminary (kaihuang OO~), and Higher Luminary (shanghuang L
~) . The scriptures themselves were said to have gradually taken shape over
this time. In addition, their appearance itself was forwarded as a sign that a
new kalpa had dawned.
The eschatological visions built on these concepts were shared by Taoism
and Buddhism alike. Indigenously composed Buddhist scriptures are, in fact,
quite similar to Taoist texts in this regard. Scriptures foretelling the end time
had a profound political dimension that was exploited by both rebel groups
and emperors. Rebellions fortified with apocalyptic imagery eventually played
a role in the reunification of China after the era of division (221- 581). Sui Wendi
(r. 581- 604), named his the first reign period "Opening Luminary," while the
founder of the Tang, Li Yuan *vm (Gaozu, r. 618- 26), claimed descent from