In people's minds, some traditional Xi habits are often difficult to change, but on some special occasions, there are always some exceptions. When it comes to temples, we often think of the four big characters of "immeasurable merit". It is a place of anticipation and good fortune for those who come to pray for blessings, and their status is respected and everyone is happy to believe in them.
For temples, the more people come to pray for blessings, the daily maintenance and repair of the temple becomes an important task. Gradually, some well-known temples began to set up "merit boxes" for people to put money. Although this is a voluntary investment of money, it has caused misunderstandings among people who come to pray for blessings. They believed that the collection of "merit money" was a manifestation of the commercialization of the temple and was not worth advocating, and developed a negative view of the temple monks.
Despite being questioned, some temples around the country still set up "merit boxes". However, there is a temple in Liaoning, China, in order to maintain the original heart of Buddhism, always maintain poverty as before, resolutely do not set up a "merit box", and the monks live a barefoot life.
The history of the temple and the introduction of Buddhism.
As we all know, Buddhism is a religion that was introduced to China from India, and at the same time, the sinicization of Buddhism has also become a symbol of a long history and culture. In the process of the development of Buddhism, temples came into being and became the habitat where Buddhism could be passed on.
During the Han Dynasty, in order to facilitate the operation, the imperial court ordered the establishment of relevant offices, and the temple was used as a first-class unit, such as the Confucian Temple, and so on. In the early days, the temple mainly received monks from abroad, making it a kind of residence for high monks, rather than a place of prayer as we understand it in modern times.
With the changes of different dynasties, the number of localized monks in China gradually increased, and the temple could not only receive foreign monks, but also accommodate the localized monks, and gradually evolved into a gathering place for monks. In modern times, the temples we see still inherit the Buddhist belief and witness the long history of our country's traditional culture.
The ins and outs of the merit box.
People find their original intentions from the Buddhist belief and go to the temple to pray for blessings, hoping that by absorbing the aura of the temple and getting the guidance of the monks, things can be sheltered and their wishes can be fulfilled. Therefore, the merit box in front of the temple has become a link that cannot be ignored when people go to pray for blessings.
When they see the merit box, people usually take out different denominations of renminbi and put themselves into it, self-**: this is a small act of accumulating virtue. However, some people have doubts about this, believing that the commercialization of temples and the collection of "merit money" are not worth advocating, and have a negative impression of temple monks.
In fact, the original intention of setting up the "merit box" was not to commercialize the temple, but to meet people's psychological needs for accumulating merit through normal means, and to raise funds to maintain the operation of the temple on the other.
Dabei Temple, a poor temple: There is no merit box, and it is forbidden to donate money.
Although many people already know where the money in the merit box goes, in today's China, there is still a temple that would rather monks endure hardships than accept donations from the masses, and even more resolutely do not set up a "merit box". This temple is called Dabei Temple, which has been located in Liaoning since ancient times, and is a temple that has maintained the original Buddhist heart.
Dabei Temple is built in Haicheng, Liaoning, surrounded by mountains, and the quiet environment makes it more Buddhist. Unlike other temples, the temple clearly stipulates: "It is forbidden to release money". Behind this rule is the pursuit of the true promotion of Buddhism, there is no commercial activity in the temple, and those who come to pray are guided by the monks, but all Buddhist activities are free and provided without any charge for the sake of need.
The monks of the Great Compassion Monastery live in poverty, get up on time every day, dress poorly, and even wear patched rags. Today, when prices are soaring, the monks of Dabei Temple have no incense money, which means that the temple has no additional income, and can only rely on the relief of the Chamber of Commerce, and it is difficult to maintain daily expenses.
Due to the ban on "merit boxes", the monks in the temple could only take the bowl and go out to beg with their feet. This way of life has been going on for 22 years, and although it is hard, the monks have become Xi to this life of poverty.
The true meaning of the temple: poverty and piety.
The temple is the cradle of promoting Buddhist thought, and it is also an important historical and cultural treasure of our country. The reason why the temple can continue to rejuvenate is due to the monks' consistent Buddhist heart and perseverance to solve the problems of the masses.
Although the monks of the Temple of Great Compassion begged for their feet, those who recited the Buddha in such an environment usually had a rich heart and a high belief in Buddhism. Therefore, the hardships of life are only physical sensations and cannot have an impact on the hearts of the monks.
This peace of mind and tranquility is the result of the thoughts of the hearts and minds of those who go to pray for blessings. In the ancient temple of Great Compassion, piety and poverty complement each other, composing a splendid chapter of Buddhist faith.
Poverty and piety in the temple: the unique way of the Great Compassion Temple.
This article vividly depicts a bright color in the temple culture - Dabei Temple, with its unique way of poverty and piety, which has aroused people's deep thinking about the modern development of the temple. The article first focuses on the traditional facility of merit boxes, which raises questions about the commercialization of temples. However, the Dabei Temple's insistence on not setting up merit boxes and refusing to donate gives people an ancient and pure Buddhist experience.
Temples, as places for the transmission of Buddhist ideas, were supposed to be a quiet and peaceful spiritual home, and the appearance of merit boxes seems to have added some commercial imprints to this. By revealing the economic operation mechanism behind the merit box, the article reminds people that the merit box is not the product of the temple's pursuit of material interests, but for the needs of normal operation and maintenance. The analysis from this angle not only maintains the sanctity of the temple, but also solves the mystery behind the merit box.
The article then turns its focus to the Temple of Great Compassion, a temple that insists on poverty in modern society. The Dabei Temple does not set up merit boxes, it is forbidden to donate money, and the lifestyle of monks who have been begging for food for 22 years is depicted picturesquely, giving people the artistic conception of an ancient monastery. There is no commercial activity in such a temple, and all Buddhist activities are free, reflecting the pursuit of the purity of Buddhism. This indisputable way of life is in stark contrast to the materialistic nature of today's society.
By showing the lifestyle of the Great Compassion Temple, the article raises a profound question: in modern society, can a temple be able to maintain its operation without losing its authenticity?The example of the Temple of Great Compassion shows that poverty and piety are not stumbling blocks to the development of the temple, but rather an inner strength that can attract those who seek inner peace and depth of faith.
The text vividly describes the life of the monks of the Great Compassion Temple, which makes the reader feel their poverty and perseverance. Despite the hardships of life, this perseverance became a sincere dedication to the Dharma and a quest for inner peace. The seclusion of these monks is a vivid illustration of the temple's philosophy of piety and poverty.
Finally, the article emphasizes that temples are the cradle of promoting Buddhism, and have an important position for maintaining Buddhist beliefs and inheriting history and culture. The example of the Temple of Great Compassion shows that the insistence on poverty and piety is not a pursuit of material gain, but an attempt to pass on the purity of the Dharma. This also aroused people's deep thinking about the development direction of the temple, whether it can better adapt to the needs of modern society on the basis of maintaining poverty and piety, attract more people to pay attention to Buddhist culture, and realize the promotion of Buddhism.
To sum up, this article provokes reflections on temple culture through an in-depth analysis of the merit box and the Dabei Temple. The concept of poverty and piety is the unique way of the Great Compassion Temple, and it is also a revelation for the development direction of the temple in today's society. It is hoped that more people will pay attention to and understand the true meaning of temple culture, so that this ancient tradition can be revitalized in contemporary times.
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