He Huan turned to look at her, smiled and held her hand.
I let go of my hand in the crowd, but unexpectedly, under the gaze of Buddha and Bodhisattva, I held my hand.
After coming out of the main hall, the two of them turned around and saw a door couplet - they took a step back and thought, how many times can they come back?
Long Teng stopped for a moment, and He Huan put his arm around her shoulders, "We will come here at least two more times."
Long Teng nodded, looked back, and the two left the Consecration Temple.
"Do you want to eat in a temple or go to Xianghui Street? The temple is probably very crowded right now. There are vegetarian and meat restaurants on Xianghui Street."
"I don't want to eat." Long Teng said, "If you are hungry, go and eat."
"I'm not hungry either. You can buy some snacks when you get hungry later. Then we can walk around the surrounding temples while there are fewer people at noon."
"Um."
The two of them walked along the road again. The female bodyguard waited for them for a long time, looking at their backs and almost crying. Didn't these two people want to eat? They didn't dare to run to eat for fear of losing them.
I walked forward for a while and passed a hollow tree by the side of the road. Inside the tree, a monk was meditating with his eyes closed. The two of them walked quietly. It takes a little concentration to practice in this simple and crowded place.
It can easily be viewed as a tourist attraction.
He Huan told the story of the hollow tree and arrived at Muni Temple.
"There were no cars before. People who worshiped the Buddha on the mountain climbed here and were unbearably thirsty. When the monks of Muni Temple saw these tired passers-by, they felt compassion and offered tea to passers-by here to let them rest. So passers-by
They all call this place the tea house. It’s relatively simple.”
It was almost noon, and probably all the monks had gone to have dinner, so the two of them looked around the courtyard and in front of the temple, not planning to go in.
A monk came out and said, "Amitabha! Do you two donors want to have tea?"
In fact, He Huan wanted to ask him if he could eat vegetarian food? It was at noon! There were not many people there, so it was just right. But there were probably not many people there, so they did not serve vegetarian food to outsiders. Besides, there were restaurants around here, so I was embarrassed to ask.
But since I asked them if they wanted tea, they came, but they were disrespectful.
He Huan nodded, "Thank you, Master."
The monk walked down the steps and asked the two of them to sit down at the tea table in the courtyard. This is probably the only temple that has a tea table in front of the main hall.
The monk helped them make a pot of nectar tea. Although they had not eaten, drinking the nectar tea eased the fatigue from the climb and made them feel comfortable.
Sweet, Miss Long started the cow drink again.
He Huan took a sip and couldn't help but name all the eighteen Chinese herbal medicines in the nectar tea.
The monk's eyes widened, as if he were meeting a god. "Our nectar tea is made from local materials and is different in every season. How do you know it in such detail?"
He Huan smiled and said, "I guessed."
Not knowing how to explain it, he pulled Long Teng up and said, "Let's go worship Buddha."
Leave the fairy on the tea stool.
The monk took a sip of tea, shook his head, puzzled, suddenly turned around, and quickly stood up to follow, "Ah! You are the little white dragon? The god of tea, right? No wonder, no wonder! But can you also drink Chinese herbal medicine?
"
Long Teng looked at him, what a god! Come on!
He Huan smiled and nodded. As a monk, what mystery can't be accepted? He happily took the Tea God to worship the Buddha.
I drank the tea and rejoiced as usual.
When he came out, the monk was reluctant to leave and said, "Little Bailong, come down the mountain to drink tea."
"Okay!" He Huan wanted to ask this tea addict if he could eat fast, but he was too embarrassed to ask.
I had no choice but to pick up the fairy and walk out.
"You are so awesome! There are people who will let you eat and drink tea everywhere!"
He Huan said aggrievedly: "Actually, I wanted him to allow me to eat as a vegetarian, but he invited me to drink tea instead. After all, he didn't have the same heart-to-heart."
Long Teng was speechless, "We'll go eat if you're hungry."
"No need, anyway, there are food vendors around here. There are a lot of people now, so let's go around."
"Hmm." Long Teng looked back and asked, "Why are there monks in the nunnery?"
"A nunnery is not necessarily a nunnery. Temples are for worshiping ancestors. In the past, large families had family temples, and then there were local temples for the main master. Later, they were integrated into Taoism, with the Earth Temple and the Wealth Temple. They are ancestor worship and Taoism.
a place.
Temple was originally an official name, such as Taichang Temple and Honglu Temple. Honglu Temple is a ceremonial department that specializes in reception of foreign guests, national sacrifices, and ceremonies.
When Buddhism was introduced to my country, monks stayed at Honglu Temple and gave lectures. Gradually, the place where monks lived and practiced became called a temple.
But if you look at the Zhonghe Temple in Cangshan Mountain, it is also a Taoist temple. Although it also enshrines Guanyin and Maitreya, the one enshrined in the center is the Jade Emperor.
As for the nunnery, the study room of our ancient literati bachelor's degree is called the nunnery. There is a word called Jiecao nunnery. It is a secluded small hut for studying, which is not open to the public.
Later, it developed into a nunnery where some nuns lived, and then there were Buddhist statues and Buddhist activities, and people also went to the nunnery to worship Buddha. But in our country, it is not actually so clearly divided.
It turns out that there are thirty-six temples and seventy-two nunneries here. In terms of scale, it does not mean that there are seventy-two nunneries. No matter where they are, generally speaking, there are mostly monks.
So there are monks in the nunnery and nuns in the temple. The first temple we visited, Jiulian Temple, is a bhikshuni, isn’t it?”
Long Teng nodded, not feeling strange before.
"Many people distinguish between monasteries and nunneries, or even monks and nuns, by whether they have a Mahavira or not. This is also one-sided. Many large nunneries also have Mahavira, and the temples where nuns live also have Mahavira, such as Jiulian Temple.
Because Buddhism teaches that all living beings are equal. Bhikshunis all call each other senior, and Buddhists, regardless of gender, old or young, call each other senior. Sisters, sisters, and brothers are all in martial arts novels.
As for us, when we meet monks, regardless of gender, we can call them master. Both men and women have shaved heads and wear the same monk robes, and they are all called senior brothers, so there is no distinction between gender."
"In addition to the common temples and nunneries, there are also pavilions, halls, and residences. There are also hollow trees, woods, caves, and tree holes that we just passed. Anyway, a wooden fish can meditate and chant sutras. So there is no restriction on what you call it.
"
Long Teng nodded, "Except for not knowing the road, I know everything."
He Huan looked at her, speechless. Is this a compliment to him? Or a compliment to him?
Looking at his expression, Long Teng suddenly smiled as brightly as the sun.
He Huan was also very happy. He had always been worried that she would come to pray with a heavy heart. But since she borrowed the golden key, Miss Long has been quite relaxed.
"So temples are actually a manifestation of the localization and integration of Buddhism with Chinese culture after it was introduced to my country."
The two of them were walking along the path in the dense woods, and suddenly their eyes lit up. Two magnolias, one with white flowers and one with purple flowers, were very clean and beautiful under the bright sun at noon.
I walked over involuntarily and discovered that it was a temple under construction. There was no wall yet, and the main hall had just been built. The yard was piled with wood and stone bricks, and there were many flowers and plants hanging in front of the hall. There were also various flowers and various succulents on the steps.
.
A stream flows beside it.
I didn't expect to come to such a quiet and beautiful place.
Walking inside, there were no Buddha statues. It hadn't been built yet, so there was probably no one there, so the two of them walked around the yard. There was a vegetable garden behind, and the environment was really peaceful.
Passing by a small house next to the vegetable garden, the two of them were stunned. Several bhikkhunis were eating inside and raised their heads to look at them.
"Sorry to bother you, I came in to take a look, I thought no one was there," He Huan said quickly.
A middle-aged bhikshuni stood up quickly and said, "Amitabha. The construction has not been completed yet. There are only a few of us."
He Huan nodded, "Although it's not finished yet, it's beautiful. We saw a lot of flowers."
"Yes, there are many temples offering incense. We are going to offer flowers and open a small vegetable garden to be self-sufficient."
"It's really good." He Huan wanted to go out and didn't want to disturb others' dinner.
He glanced at Miss Long, but he didn't expect that Miss Long was looking at the dishes on their table. He Huan covered his face, who said not to eat just now?
Several nuns also noticed Miss Long's gaze and stood up, "Have you two benefactors not had lunch yet? Just have lunch here with us. We have just eaten, there are not many people, and we all cooked our own dishes.
There are few dishes.”
"Okay." Long Teng said.
He Huan was speechless. Is this society suddenly opened up? I've been so polite, so you can come directly!
"Are cats vegetarian?" the bhikshuni asked with a smile.
"It doesn't want to eat. It only eats breakfast and dinner. Don't worry about it." He Huan put down the fairy and said, "Go to the yard to bask in the sun. Don't run too far."
The fairy swung her snow-white tail and walked out gracefully like a queen.
The bhikshuni led them to wash their hands, led the two of them to sit down next to them, and scooped out rice for them.
Temple restaurants usually have separate meals, and you prepare your own meals. But last time at Zhonghe Temple, Master Wuti also accompanied them to a table meal.
They cook their own meals, unlike other big temples that make several large pots, just a few bowls of vegetarian dishes.
The two of them picked up their chopsticks.
"Yeah, delicious."
The temple has not been built yet, so of course there is no need to say anything. A few aunt-level bhikkhunis looked at them with smiles as if they were looking after children. They had not planned their meals originally, but they were temporary guests, so they were worried that they would not be able to eat enough.
, and stopped moving the chopsticks.
He Huan was embarrassed, "You guys should eat too!"
Miss Long was not polite. He Huan convinced her. Miss Long's society seemed to be divided into people according to time and place.
After finishing the meal and drinking a bowl of soup, Long Teng took the initiative to ask: "Where do these masters come from?"
"We met in temples across the country on the way to worship Buddha, and we agreed to come to Jizu Mountain. We had been here a few years ago, and when we found this abandoned temple, we applied for reconstruction."
"Rebuild yourself?"
"Alchemy everywhere."
"So are there enough funds now?"
He Huan glanced at Miss Long, she had found a place to throw money! No wonder she felt like she was at her own home when she arrived here.
Several nuns shook their heads, and the elder one smiled and said: "Take your time. Now the hall is built, the yard is finished, and flowers are planted. The workers have gone back during the Chinese New Year. When the workers come to build it, we will beg for alms if it is not enough."
He Huan understood what Miss Long meant, so he chatted with them and asked them where they should go to worship Buddha.
He Huan knew exactly which Buddha and Bodhisattva's monastery they were worshiping at, what eminent monks they had produced, and what writings they had written.
As the conversation deepened, several bhikkhunis also showed joy on their faces, knowing that this benefactor was no ordinary person. He Huan also felt relieved, and even their sects were clarified after a conversation.
After looking at Miss Long, Miss Long asked: "Can you enshrine the memorial tablet of the deceased?"
"The memorial tablet of the deceased?"
"I want to worship my mother."
Several bhikshuni looked at her with compassion in their eyes. They were all from the mother's generation and had become monks for some reason. After a while, the older bhikshuni nodded.
"When the Buddha statues arrive and the sutra halls are built, they can be worshipped."
"How much are you short of the budget? I will donate money."
Several bhikkhunis looked at each other, and even the monks couldn't help but stand up excitedly.
Long Teng also stood up, and He Huan also stood up.
Several bhikkhunis clasped their hands together and said, "Amitabha! The donor's merits are immeasurable!"
One bhikshuni was left to clean up the dishes, while several other bhikshuni took them to the main hall.
After taking out the budget sheet, it seems that they are very serious about planning to build this temple and have been planning for several years. The income and expenditure of various funds are very clear.
After looking at the budget, Long Teng nodded.
The bhikshuni then took the initiative to provide them with the registration information of the Religious Affairs Bureau and the temple reconstruction application form from the Jizushan Administration Bureau. The name of the temple was Bangxiju. He Huan nodded, "The name is quite straightforward."
The bhikshuni smiled and nodded, "It was fate that I came here and vowed to rebuild. It was also fate that I met the two donors."
From the conversation we just had, we learned that they are true practitioners who abide by the precepts and talk about cause and effect. Now that I have read these documents, I have another layer of protection.
Several nuns looked at the young and troubled benefactor.
He Huan nodded, and Long Teng asked for the account transfer.
Several bhikkhunis clasped their hands again and said, "Amitabha! Thank you to the two donors!"
Gave her a receipt.
Long Teng left behind his mother's name, birthday, and death anniversary.
After finishing writing, the older bhikshuni looked up at Long Teng, "Donor, do you want to do something for your mother?"
"No need." Long Teng said, "Just have some blessing scriptures and help my mother recite them."
"OK."
"After it is built, the memorial tablet should face the garden so that my mother can see the flowers in the garden."
"Okay. We will prepare flowers for worship. There will be flowers all year round."
Long Teng, who had restrained himself for a long time, gradually burst into tears, and several bhikkhunis did not speak.
Long Teng covered his eyes with his hands, and after a while, he let go, "Okay, let me know when it's completed. We'll leave first."
"Amitabha! Thank you to the donors! When the temple is completely completed, I will invite the two donors to come."
"I will come next year."
"Contact me when the donor comes, and we will clean the quiet room to be ready."
Several people gave it away with great respect.
He Huan called out the fairy basking in the sun under the magnolia tree and hugged her. This place was really beautiful, elegant and quiet. Looking at Miss Long, this could be regarded as completing a great thing and fulfilling a wish!
"The money you donated to build the temple is a bit like a family temple. Don't worry, they are orthodox Buddhist disciples who pay attention to cause and effect. They will treat your mother like a Bodhisattva and will definitely chant sutras and pray for blessings."
Long Teng glanced at him, "There are always some hypocritical people who go to my mother's grave and make people angry. Every time I go there, I throw away their flowers. My mother likes flowers very much, but because of my allergies, there are never any flowers at home."
Long Teng's eyes were red, and He Huan held her hand.
"If she were still here..."
He Huan stopped and gently held her head. Long Teng leaned on his chest. After calming down for a while, he raised his head and said, "If she knew earlier that I am not allergic to big and beautiful flowers, she would be able to grow flowers with confidence."
Enjoy the flowers."
Long Teng turned his head and looked at a tree of white magnolia and a tree of purple magnolia. They stood there for a long time with clouds and clouds under the blue sky, his eyes filled with crystals.
He Huan's heart was broken, and he held her hand and said, "Mom will like it. When this place is built, you can come and stay here for a few days when you have time, and enjoy the flowers with mom."