BUDDHISM AND THE ARTS

PART TWO: POETRY AND WANG WEI

QUESTION:

Wang Wei, one of China's most famous poets, lived during the T'ang dynasty. He was a government official, a devout Buddhist practitioner and a strong supporter of the Dharma and Sangha. What was Wang Wei's role as an artist and a Buddhist? Can you tell from his poetry if he was a highly attained practitioner? Can we distill anything important from his poetry that is related to the Dharma? Is it correct Buddhadharma?

Looking at the poems themselves, there seems to be two main categories. Some poems deal directly with Buddhist themes. Others speak about nature, yet seem to be inspired by Buddhist themes. Would you comment on a few of his poems?

SHIH-FU: