The eighth day of the fourth lunar month is the birthday of Buddha Sakyamuni. Believers call it "Buddha's Birthday" or "Buddha's Birthday". The most popular name is "Buddha Bathing Day".
According to legend, when the Buddha was born, he pointed one finger to the sky and the other to the earth, and said: "I am the only one in the world and the earth." Then the heaven and the earth shook, and the nine dragons spit out water to bathe him.
Therefore, Buddhist believers use fragrant soup to water the Buddha statues and help him bathe on the birthday of the Buddha. This is called the "Buddha Bathing Festival" - the "Water Splashing Festival" of the Dai people is actually also called the "Buddha Bathing Festival", which belongs to the ethnic group.
The product of the fusion of traditional and Buddhist culture.
Zhou Hexuan took a ship to Xiamen, then transferred to a sampan to ride the waves, and finally arrived at Nanputuo Temple under the Wulao Peak.
Looking up, I saw believers paying homage to the Buddha stretching from the seaside to halfway up the mountain. Many devout men and women would even kneel down and kowtow after walking a few steps, as if this could show their devotion to the Buddha.
Zhou Hexuan took Yu Peichen and Sun Yongzhen to the shore and climbed up the stairs along with the crowd of worshipers.
Along the way, you can see wealthy people wearing gold and silver, as well as low-level commoners in ragged clothes. Some people have solemn faces and dare not show the slightest disrespect on the Buddha's birthday;
Buddhist worship is treated as an outing.
Most believers who come to pay homage to the Buddha bring rich gifts. Even the poor at the bottom often hold a small bottle of sesame oil. These are simply birthday gifts for the Buddha.
The more Yu Peichen watched, the angrier he became. He couldn't help but muttered: "China is now in a state of internal and external troubles. On a illusory Buddha's birthday, money is wasted. If the money is used to worship Buddha, it is better to donate it to the anti-Japanese front line."
Soldiers!"
Zhou Hexuan refused to comment and asked with a smile: "Yongzhen, what do you think?"
Sun Yongzhen scratched his head and said, "Eniang said that when you meet a deity, no matter whether it works or not, it is always good to pay homage first."
"Hahaha," Zhou Hexuan laughed, "what your mother said makes sense. It represents the general mentality of Chinese people towards gods and Buddhas."
Yu Peichen disagreed, and even quoted the lyrics of "The Internationale": "There has never been any savior, nor does it rely on fairy emperors. To create human happiness, it all depends on ourselves!"
Zhou Hexuan suppressed his smile, looked at those shabby, skinny, but devout believers, and said with emotion: "I do not reject legitimate religion, but I am disgusted by some bad forms of religion. For example, these poor people
Well, their family has no money, and they may not be able to bear to eat a pound of sesame oil for a year. But they take the sesame oil they have saved so hard and go to the temple to offer it to the Buddha. This is a very bad behavior."
Yu Peichen said: "There are also Buddhist teachings that make the people depressed and resigned. If everyone believed in Buddhism, China would be hopeless and the Japanese invaders would easily occupy China."
Zhou Hexuan smiled and corrected: "What you said may be correct elsewhere, but it is different at Nanputuo Temple here."
"What's the difference?" Yu Peichen asked confused.
Zhou Hexuan explained: "Whether it is the previous abbot, Master Taixu, the current abbot, Master Chang Xing, or Master Hongyi, who is rectifying the precepts of the Buddhist academy, these three people all advocate patriotism and resistance to Japan."
Yu Peichen said in surprise: "The monk also talks about patriotism and resistance to Japan?"
Zhou Hexuan nodded and said: "The successive abbots of Nanputuo Temple are all staunch Buddhist reformists. For example, the position of abbot here has kept pace with the times. Each abbot can only serve two consecutive terms. Especially the previous abbot Taixu.
The master has traveled around the world and founded a Buddhist college in Nanputuo Temple, which even has a graduate department. He once preached on a Buddhist theme called "New Youth and the Morality of Saving the Nation."
Yu Peichen was a little disbelieving. She couldn't connect the monk with saving the country.
Master Taixu has served as abbot for two consecutive terms. He resigned last year when his term expired. Now he is preaching Buddhism in various parts of the south. The contents of his speeches are particularly interesting, such as "Buddhism and Modern China". He often teaches teachers and students in Buddhist colleges to love the country and love the religion.
Establish the spirit of devotion to the country and the rise and fall of Buddhism.
Patriotic slogans are always placed in front of love education by Master Taixu.
When the Anti-Japanese War broke out, Master Taixu immediately worked hard and called on Buddhists across the country to take action and join the anti-Japanese national salvation movement. He also published a "Telegram to Japanese Buddhists", hoping that Japanese Buddhists would stop the killings in a peaceful spirit.
Japanese imperialism's war of aggression. At the same time, the "Buddhist Youth National Defense Corps" was organized to actively participate in rescue, publicity, and fundraising work, and even directly participated in the anti-Japanese underground struggle.
Zhou Hexuan had to admire this patriotic monk, who was fully worthy of the title of "master".
The three of them continued walking and soon arrived at the entrance of the temple, where hundreds of Buddhist believers had already gathered.
Li Shutong, who has been ordained and became Master Hongyi, is leading the teachers and students of the Buddhist Academy to distribute condolences to the believers. Based on the number of gifts brought by the believers, they return clothing and food of similar value, calling it a reward from the Buddha -
-Of course, if some rich and wealthy people insist on spending huge sums of money, Nanputuo Temple will not refuse. After all, the monks have to rely on this to make a living.
Zhou Hexuan strongly agrees with this, because what he hates most is using religious beliefs to make money.
"Well done, great monk!" Zhou Hexuan stepped forward and clasped his hands together.
Li Shutong immediately returned the greeting: "Amitabha, it turns out that Mr. Zhou is visiting. This poor monk really cannot deserve the title of 'great monk'."
For monks, they should generally be called "Master", but never call the Dharma by his name. For example, when you see Li Shutong, just call him "Master". You can also call him "Master Hongyi" or "Master". Never call him directly.
Call "Hongyi" because this is very impolite behavior.
Of course, there are more advanced titles, namely "monk" and "great monk".
Ordinary monks are not qualified to be called "monks", only those who are profound in Buddhism and have high moral standards can.
Li Shutong left the matter to his disciples, took Zhou Hexuan and the others straight to the Buddhist Academy, and said: "It is really presumptuous to invite Mr. Zhou this time. Layman Manzhi (Lu Bicheng) said that Mr. Zhou has done a lot of research on Buddhism, and the poor monk is really
I would like to ask for help in person."
"Mr. Bicheng is also at Nanputuo Temple?" Zhou Hexuan asked.
"Exactly." Although Li Shutong had long since cut off all ties with the world and stopped clinging to foreign objects, he still couldn't help but smile bitterly when he mentioned Lu Bicheng.
When he was in Europe, due to Zhou Hexuan's deception, Lu Bicheng returned to China to ask Li Shutong for Buddhist teachings. This was amazing. Lu Bicheng was quickly swayed by Li Shutong's Buddhist cultivation, and then stuck to him like a piece of brown sugar.
.
Li Shutong was invited by Master Chang Xing, the abbot of Nanputuo Temple, to rectify the Buddhist academy's discipline. Unexpectedly, Lu Bicheng also shamelessly followed him, and he couldn't get rid of him.
Lu Bicheng, a woman, um, a female lay Buddhist, what does it look like to stay in a monk's temple all day?
Li Shutong's idea was very simple. Since Lu Bicheng was deceived by Zhou Hexuan, he should trouble Zhou Hexuan to deceive her again.
Of course, there was another reason why he invited Zhou Hexuan to attend the Buddha Bathing Festival: "Mr. Zhou, senior brother Chang Xing and I both hope that you will give a speech to the teachers and students of the Buddhist Academy. The theme is patriotism."
"Ask me to give a speech at the Buddhist Academy?" Zhou Hexuan was confused for a moment. He had never dealt with monks before.
