Fangbian

CHINA, Sichuan; Tang dynasty

Fangbian was a monk and sculptor from the Western Shu region (present day Sichuan). According to the Platform Sutra, upon paying homage, Fangbian was asked by Master Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch of the Chan lineage, what his expertise was. He replied by stating that he was good at sculpting. The patriarch then asked Fangbian to sculpt something for him; the resulting statue, of the patriarch himself, was remarkably lifelike and detailed, showing great skill. However, the patriarch responded, “You have mastered the art of sculpting, but you do not understand Buddha nature.” Even so, the patriarch gently rubbed his head, offered him a robe, and said, “May you be a field of merit for both humans and heavenly beings.” The corporeal relic of Master Huineng, decorated with dry lacquer by Fangbian, is kept at Nanhua Temple in Guangdong.