The PhilosophicaX. lResearch Socie'ayo llnc.

39to Los Feliz Blad.. - Los Angelet, Calif . 90027 - 663-2167

MJTNLY P. HALL @ HENRY L. DRÂKE

President - Founder Vice-President

CONTRIBUTORSI BULLETIN - FEBRUARY 1974

Dear Friends:

t has been said that in the wide world of Chinese art, there has never been
a depiction of anything evil or degenerate. llhen this ar.t reached Japan
via Korea, it stamped itself upon Japanese culture perpetuating the high
idealism of the "middle empire." The earllest monuments to Buddhism Ín Japan
are to be found in or near the ancient city of Nara, and the earliest and
most important structure is the Temple of Horyuji. It was built during the Asuka
Period (4.D. 552-645). At the time of it$ glory, Nara had a population of over a mil-
lion persons. It has been called a great ecclesiastÍcal museum. Horyuji is the oldest
wooden structure in the world and one of the most impressive, although it must be ad-
mitted that it has survived partly due to careful reconstruction as the ancient mater-
ials showed signs of disintegration. In Nara also stands the great Todaiji - the largest
wooden structure in the world, within which is enthroned the huge statue of the Roshana
Buddha, the largest bronze casting ever attempted. 0n the grounds of the Todaiji is
the Shosoin, a huge log cabin, possibly the most extraordinary museum in existence.
Here the treasures of the Imperial family and the utensils of the common people were
stored alvay more than a thousand years âgo. Most of the collection is still intact,
for even though civil wars raged around it, the buildÍng l'ras uninjured. Great collect-
ions of art were preserved in all these structures and most of the paintings, sculptures
and ornamental works are nov', listed as National Treasures.
The Japanese have issued a number of magnificent vo'lumes picturing their classical art.
The l4arch exhibit at PRS features a
collection of pic- tures mostly from
artworks in the Nara Temple. Especi-
ally prominent are the early murals from
the Kondo of Horyuji. The word
rondp means goLden haLL, and is always
the most important buílding in a complex
of religious struc- tures. It is believed
that the Horyuji murals vúere inspired
by the great Buddhist cave paintings
in IndÍa. In fact, they may have been
painted in Japan ìess than a century
after their Indian prototypes. These
Horyuji murals have an interesting and
Horyuji Temple
CONTRIBUTORS! BULLETIN - FEBRUARY T974
Page 2

tragic history. They remained in the dim depths of the ancient Kondo until the begin-
nin! of the MãÍji erä (1868-1912) r,¡hen Japan, inspired þJr its.first contact with l'lestern
manñers, passed-through its "cultural revolution.t' During this drastic era of sociäl
changer-ail native art was depreciated and at best, passed into neglect. .Much was ac-
tualiy-destroyed. Religion piayed a part in this episode because Japan' determined to
becomê thoroughly Westernized, found its elaborate iconography 4istasteful to Western
visitors, espãciälty the missionaries. Even as late as the beginning-of Taisho (1912-
1926) veiy little Buddhist religious art was exhiblted publically or found Ín antique
shops patlonized by foreigners. Buddhism passed through some mild persecuqiq because
the'Imþerial government fãvored Shintoism, which emphasized the heroic traditions cen-
tering'around-fonner rulers, generals and statesmen. Two men contributed_largell to
the pieservatlon of the Horyuji murals. The most prominent of these was Ernest F.
Fenoilosa, who led a small gróup of Japanese artists in a prygram to protect. the class-
ical anti{uities of the couñtry. A yoirnger protegê of Fenollosa, 0kakura--Kakuzo' w!9
bras associated for some time with the Museum of Fine
Arrts in Boston, having re- turned to Japan made an im-
passioned appeal for the Horyuji murals a few days be-
fore his death. Gradually Ít became obvious that l,lestern
persons of distinction were deeply concerned for JaPan-
ese art. This, of course, restored it to pub'lic favor
and a desperate effort was made to save all that had
escaped the misguided enthusiasm obsessing the Public
mind.

Al thou I h Japan is a small country, many of its monasteries

were a I most Ínaccessib I'e and in th ese remote places the
art treasures were comp- arativel v safe. Many Temples
now have their ot,rn museums and publ t c exhibitions of their
treasures are visited by persons of many nations includ-
ing hundreds of thousands of Japanese sch oolchildren each
year. Unfortunately' however, ma ny exceptional pieces
were sold to forei ners
g so that it has been difficult
to restore the ful I gran deur of Japanese Buddhist
art. Things went well for ati Inê r then the great re I igi ous
sanctuaries in Kyoto and Na ra u,ere threatened by World l'lar lI. Th rough the interces sl on of
an American, highly respected f 0r his knowledge of 0riental art' these two great centers
were declared open cities and s tood uninJured throughout the conflict. ManY P ious Japan-
ese believe th at Prince Shotoku t founder of HoryuJi and later regarded as an embod iment of
the Bodhisattva Kannon, guarded his sanctuaries from the invisible worlds. The great muraìs
however, were finally de stroyed by a fire in 1949. A group of restoration artÍsts installed
electric lights and a sh ort circui t resulted in a flre which destroyed all but, one small
fragment of the murals.
The pRS exhibit includes many of the finest examples of the sacred_imagery.of the Asuka
anA H"tan periods. Many stuäents of comparative reJigion are stìl.l_puzzlqd.þy.the ornate
fiãgew. Ãigrouéñ natiie writers emphasized that theie are not idols, and that Buddhists
åïã"ñoi-rorsrrip [t¡em, the fantastic ârrays on the Temple_altars..a¡e incomprehensib]e to
non-believers. inã órinãipte involved ii.very sÍmp'le. .The Buddhists have never been able
of larvs and
ió aãã.pi itre conóãpl oi a'mechanistic unÍverse. îhey_do not like to speakof.existence
iõrð.i-ãno imagei-ãñd principles simply as "things." To them. every.aspect is
coniðious. Ali óreatui"es arä alive in-the higheit sense of the word. The universe is not
ã-¿õ*piãi-toituiioùi ðom¡ination of àtoms or ãlectrons or molecules. The earth, the air,
CONTRIBUTORSI BULLETIN . FEBRUARY 1974
Page 3

the fire, the water, are living thin gs

and while no one knows exactl v what they
look like, the beings respons 'l ble for
natural phenomena are intelligent and
all their purposes are benevolent.
Rather than picture such processes as
creation and redemption as mathematlcal
formulas, or by arbitrary symbols that
convey no Ímplication of ethical and
moral content, the Buddhist portrays
these abstractions through orders of
"selves." All of which are extensions
and manifestations of the one Supreme
BeÍng, The Great llluminator 0f All
That Exists. Actually The Great
Illuminator itself can only be pic-
tured symbolically in a figure which
suggests to the initiated the total
splendor of space itself and all that
inhabits it. The wisdom of The Great
Illuminator is given one form; its
compassion another - and these various
aspectsor attributes are arranged
systematically on the Temple altars to
portray the eternal motions whlch impel
involution and evolution. In this
pattern the worshipped and the worship-
per are bound togethe r by concatenations
of beings symbolizing degrees of con-.
sciousness. The Bud dhist universe is not a kingdom - it is a commonwealth. Every creature
from the highest to the lq¡res't is a citizen wÍth equal rights. There is no tyranny and
growth is a natural response to persuasion bestowed by a sovereignty which inhabits what
it creates and mánifests as a splendld effulgency. The sparks making up the huge nimbus'
this radiant galaxy of tight, shines in the hearts of men and in the cqntral vortices of
elements. All conflicts áre resolved and !{e come to the final realization that all things
rest forever in eternal life. Perfect wisdom is to know this, perfect faith is to accept
it, and perfect love is eternal gratitude for the eternal good.

With these thoughts in mind I think you will especially enjoy the many works of Eastern
religious art in the collection of our Society, and the splendid pictures which represent
so forcibly and dramatically the effort of the inspired artist to capture at least the
shadow of the divine purpose.

May we take the opportunÍty to wish each and all of you a happy and useful New Year. Let
us do everything that we can to release the infinite light in ourselves so that it will
brighten the way of others and help us to discover in our own inner lives those certainties
of consciousness which will be our ever present strength in time of trouble.
Always most sincerely,
 FRIENDS FUI'ID REPORT - SPRING I974

The demand for our publications continues to increase and wíthout the kindly asslstance
of The Friends 0f The Society, many of our most important and useful books could not
be available to those who need them. The largest bookbinding company Ín the area re-
cently suffered a disastrous fire in the course of which several thousands of our books
were destroyed. l^lhile the loss is covered by insurance, the inevitable delays caused
by thís fire makes it difficult for us to fill orders, l'lhich is a real loss we must
face in 1974.
Three of our books, MØt, I\rc Grand SynboL of the Myeteries, The Most HoLy Tninosophía
(St. Germain), and Heating, ?he Díuiræ Art, are novü in the process of being reprinted.
In the next six months, our nrost expensive book, rHE sEcREr rEAcHrNcS of ALL AGEí
will require a new edition and lve must also amange for the new printings of:
Buddhisn and Psy ehotlænapy
Jourmey fn Truth
Wonds To The tliae
fhe lúystieal Christ
Several small pubtications Íncludi ng The lhenapeudie VaLue 0f Musie, The Basic RuLes
for Better Liuing and Mystieism and MentaL HeaLing. are now being republished and
several other booklets are in very short supply. However, listed below are publications
which have not been available for some time, and are now back on our shelves. They
i ncl ude:
Buddha's Sennon on the Motaú
An Introduetion to Dreøn Interpretation
A VítaL Concept of Pqneonal Grouth
WomØt, Ihe Mother of ALL Living
VaLue of Pnayer

More than twenty years ago, the PRS Friends Fund was created by a group of our closest
friends who wïshed to make voluntary annual contríbutions to assist in our publishing
prograrû. llad it not been for the help of our Friends, the remarkable expansion of our
printing program would not have been possible. The international emergency whlch the
world now faces is largely responsible for the unusual sale of our pubìications. Folks
everyvrhere realize that only through deeper insight into the truths of living and the
strengthening of personal character through self-discipline, dedication and cooperation
can vÀ,e prepare ourselves for the years that lie immediately ahead. l,le are doing all
that we can to help those who are confused or discouraged to face the future with a
good hope.

I have always had the deepest regards for our Friends Fund group and its splendid
cooperation with our work, and I'm ever grateful for the dedicated help of these good
people. l,Je hope that you will be able to contribute to this Fund for we are sincerely
convinced that we have been of practical assistance in protêcting basic human values.
appreciate those who have already contributed to our 1974 program and hope that
l,'le
all of you will join in this project. Contributions to the Friends Fund are tax
deductible.