Beginner’s Mind is a special project collecting insightful essays written by US college students who have attended experiential-learning courses related to Buddhism. Some of the authors identify as Buddhists, for others it is their first encounter with the Buddhadharma. All are sharing reflections and impressions on what they’ve learned, how it has impacted their lives, and how they might continue to engage with the teaching.
Daniel (Jiahe) Zong wrote this essay for his Buddhist Materiality class at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. Daniel is a senior majoring in public policy and law with a concentration in urban policy. An international student from Shanghai, Daniel is minoring in religious studies. He is interested in exploring different religions and hopes to pursue a master’s degree in public policy.
Transformation of an Everyday Object to an Amulet
Before I left my hometown in China to study alone in the US, my mother gifted me a pendant. The phrase “Namo Amitabhaya” is inscribed on the pendant in Chinese in the shape of a running horse; it is intended for blessing and protection, much like an amulet. Its religious significance makes it one of the most important items I carry with me.
To learn more about the culture of amulets, I spoke with a Buddhist monk, Phra Wisudthiwaraphon, deputy director of World Buddhism Television. “If you behave well, you will [receive] good consequences; the amulet and goodness will protect you,” he told me. I used to think in the same way: that amulets are simply items of worship and protection. But the Buddhist Materiality class allowed me to develop a more profound understanding, from both an artistic perspective and a material-turn framework.
In my opinion, there is mutual interaction between an object and a belief. The amulet, for example, is a tangible medium and not merely a passive symbol of beliefs. The amulet, as an agent, also participates in shaping and being shaped by beliefs. The functions of an amulet can vary depending on various roles and perspectives. From the amulet owner and believer’s side, the object can transfer blessings and create a connection with spiritual entities. Thus, from the practitioner’s perspective, the object can be a link between the physical and spiritual realms.
Conversely, beliefs influence how the object is used and understood, creating a continuous loop of interaction and influence between materiality and belief. Moreover, material objects and rituals are deeply rooted in, and reflective of, a culture’s identity, values, and history. For instance, if we don’t understand the significance of some sacred Pali syllables and words inscribed on amulets, and if we don’t understand the law of karma and its influence on Buddhist cosmology at large, then the amulet is no different from a piece of clay. A precise cultural translation is necessary for the object and the belief.
The concepts of material religion are not far removed from daily life, and the methodology for acknowledging non-human agency helps me to interpret many social-economic phenomena. A trendy boba-tea store in China, known as Hey Tea, is a primary example of religion made practical and within reach. The Hey Tea shop prints various indigenous religious figures on their disposable tea cups, including the Buddha, arhats, and bodhisattvas. This innovative marketing approach appears to be a sales pitch, but many customers believe that carrying a cup with a Buddha image can bring them blessings.
This refreshing business technique is an attempt to connect humans and their beliefs, and could potentially attract new customers and therefore generate profit for the business. It’s an attempt to concretize our beliefs. In this case, we could say that the teacup is actually an amulet—a day-to-day item that’s typically not associated with religion, yet re-formatted in a fashion that is special to many in its own way.
An amulet can influence our minds and behaviors. It is not merely a symbol but a participant, an agent, in our personal narratives. Amulets intertwine with materiality, the spiritual world, and the emotional aspects of human experience.
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