Chapter 302 (1/2)

There are many temples on Haitai Island, ranging in scale. Some look resplendent and some look plain. The Vientiane gate and his party live next to a small temple. The temple is called fahua temple, which is a four way courtyard.

The three of Chen Lu'an have been here for several days, and have been lecturing with master Ming ran and a pair of wandering monks, Xingyi monks, teachers and disciples in fahua temple.

Chen Lu'an set out early because he heard that his old friend Xingyi monk from the central thick soil mainland came to Shuxuan Xianzhou for a trip, but when he rushed there, Xingyi monk had gone to the South China Sea. Later, the two finally met on seaweed island.

Yun Yiqi first gave hualanting a two-day holiday and let them play on seaweed island to see the local customs.

Early in the morning on the third day, the dawn was slightly dew. Before dawn, the morning bell in fahua temple had sounded. It was time for monks to recite scriptures in the morning class. Hua Lanting and others meditated and practiced for half an hour. Before breakfast time, they collectively came to fahua temple for a walk.

Inside, the temple in the early morning was solemn and solemn. People couldn't help lightening their footsteps and voices. They couldn't help but calm down and calm down. Except that Hua Lanting and Zhuge Yun would go to incense and kneel down, others just watched silently.

Walking, Yi LiuNian suddenly whispered, ”ZHUGE, temples, why do I often see temples here? Few are called temples. What's the difference between the two?”

Zhuge Yun said, ”there are different opinions, but there is some stress. The word” Temple ”means to serve and obey the emperor and to be sustainable. It first refers to the official offices under the imperial court, such as Dali temple and Guanglu temple.”

”After the introduction of Buddhism, some Tianzhu monks once lived in the Honglu temple where the foreign envoys were received, and then built the white horse temple nearby. The temple has gradually become the general name of Buddhist buildings and temples.”

”The temple is mainly dedicated to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. It is a place for monks to practice and live. Monks study Buddhist scriptures and spread Buddhism.”

”Temples are different. Temples appeared earlier than temples. At first, they were places where emperors and nobles worshipped their ancestors and heaven and earth. Folk clans and clans also had ancestral temples and family temples. Later, they evolved into places to worship gods, ghosts, demons or deceased saints and sages with virtue and talent, such as Confucius Temple, Guandi temple, Dragon King Temple, Zaowang temple, etc.”

”In addition to different offerings, there are monks in the temple, and generally no one practices in the temple. The Buddhist temple outside the forest is large in scale. There are halls, Zen houses, fasting halls and other buildings, and the temple is much smaller. The two refer to different meanings, but now there is more confusion in oral English.”

Yi LiuNian asked again, ”what about the abbot and the abbot? I don't know.”

Zhuge Yun replied, ”the word Abbot originally meant to live and maintain and preside over the Dharma. Later, it was extended to the person who preached the Dharma on behalf of the Buddha and continued the wise life of the Buddha, and then evolved into the title of the master and person in charge of the temple.”

”The abbot is the spiritual leader of the temple, which comes from the meaning of the monk's residence. The abbot must have sufficient qualifications and Buddhist accomplishments. Generally, he is a monk who has received Dharma preaching and has Dharma scroll to prove his inheritance. He has considerable popularity and influence, and his temple should have a sound jungle system, have a considerable scale, and usually be a temple group.”

”In short, regardless of the size of the temple, there is a Abbot recommended by the public, but there may not be a abbot. A Abbot can concurrently serve multiple temples. The abbot must be the abbot, but the abbot may not be the abbot.”

Hua Lanting said: ”another interesting thing is that the word Abbot was originally a term of our Taoism, but later it was widely used by Buddhism. In Taoism, the abbot is a cultivation term of 'abbot of the people's heart and the heart of heaven', which is the title of the highest leader of the ten jungles of the Quanzhen party. Of course, the origin is not important now.”

Ten people chatted and walked slowly. Before they turned back to the main hall, they listened to the sound of preaching inside and walked in at random.

Today coincides with the day when Abbot Kuang ran speaks the Sutra once a month. The hall is full of people, half of them are monks of fahua temple, the other half are local lay monks and foreign ordinary people friars. Five people, including Chen Lu'an and cat demon, are also present. Only the Xingyi monks and disciples we met a few days ago were not present.

Hua Lanting came late because of their stroll. The lecture is coming to an end. Next, there will be a question and answer session.

Buddhism is also divided into many schools, with different doctrines and practice methods, such as Tiantai Sect, consciousness only sect, Huayan sect, law sect, Tantra sect, Pure Land Sect, etc., and fahua Temple inherits Zen.

Zen is a localized sect after Buddhism was introduced into Shuxuan Xianzhou. It advocates ”separate preaching outside the religion, no words, pointing directly at the people's heart, and becoming a Buddha through experience”. It emphasizes that the Buddha is not external, but in the heart. As long as we look inward, everyone can become a Buddha. In addition, Zen advocates life-oriented practice and believes that carrying water and cutting firewood are wonderful ways.

There should be no distinction between Buddhism schools. They are all religious schools that respect and worship Buddha, but the focus of understanding Buddhism and Taoism is different from the path of becoming Buddha.

For a long time, because the concept and practice of pure land and Zen are the most grounded and easy to be accepted by the public, they have spread more and more widely. For example, Pure Land Sect believes that Buddha cultivation can sit quietly and specialize in Buddhism, understand Buddhist scriptures and widely study teachings. However, if you chant Buddha wholeheartedly, you can also go to blissful pure land. The method is relatively simple.

The meaning of Mahayana of Tiantai Sect is precise and complex, which requires a very high level of knowledge, literacy and speculation. Knowledge only sect is the most savvy. Huayan sect is also a complex and profound system. The law sect is strict in spirit and body. The secret law of Tantric sect is never easy to show and pass on, so the number of believers is less than pure land and Zen.

Zen also pays attention to understanding and pays attention to epiphany. Their Q & A is different from the debate of some schools. It requires a large range of body movements and gesture sounds, and the scene is intense. It is a simple Zen machine of one question and one answer, and those with insufficient foundation are often confused.

Today, for example, a monk from outside asked master Mingran:

”Dare you ask, what is Tao?”

”Ordinary mind is the way,” answered clearly.

Hua Lanting quietly explained to Yi LiuNian below: ”in Zen, the Tao is the road, and everyone can walk, so it is ordinary. The ordinary mind is the straight heart, which is the heart of all equality. Zen stresses observing the mind and governing the mind, and the result is insight. It is not to stick to the pure mind and ignore the secular world. On the contrary, it is to return to the secular world.”

”The so-called worldly Dharma enters the Buddha Dharma, and the Buddha Dharma enters the worldly Dharma. The so-called straight heart is the Taoist field, and the straight heart is the pure land. Just as drilling wood to make fire, the fire is stored in the wood, but the wood is not fire; the mud comes out of the lotus, and the lotus is born in the mud, not mud. This is the true vulgarity advocated by Zen.”

The monk asked again, ”what is Buddha?”

”In the temple.”

”Isn't the Buddha statue in the hall clay sculpture?”

”Yes.”