Please watch the fireworks As the saying goes, "Saving a life, winning a seventh-level floating slaughter", what is a floating slaughter? Why not level seven?
In Huangshi City, Hubei Province, there is a place called Futu Town, named after a temple called Futu Temple that once existed. The name "Ubutura" originally meant "stupa", that is, the pagoda used in Buddhism to enshrine Buddha relics or other sacred relics. Over time, the term has come to be used to refer to "Buddha" or "stupa", mainly due to the negative connotations of the word "Tu".
In ancient Chinese myths and legends, the Buddha once gave a richly decorated ** pagoda to King Li Tian, which enshrined many Buddha statues and was used by Li Jing to suppress demons.
In recent years, a film and television work called "Nine-Story Demon Tower" has become popular, telling the story of a tower sealed with many evil spirits and monsters. However, in contrast, the so-called "Seventh-level Floating Massacre" is not a place to imprison ** creatures.
The numbers "seven" and "nine" mentioned here have meanings that go beyond superficial numerical interpretation.
As for the change in the name of "Futu", and whether there is some kind of connection between the nine-story demon pagoda and the seven-story pagoda, the reasons and connections behind it are far more complex and profound than literally.
In the TV series "Journey to the West", the monarch of the daughter country questioned Tang Seng: "Since you insist on the Buddhist doctrine that everything is empty, why don't you dare to look at me directly?" The concept of "everything is empty" is derived from the Buddhist scripture Forty-Two Chapters, which refers to the nothingness of all things in the world and human existence.
Buddhism, a world religion that originated in ancient India, emphasizes spiritual freedom and purity through inner practice and moral realization, with the goal of transcending worldly afflictions and achieving inner peace and truth. Kindness, morality, and love are its core values.
We often encounter the saying "saving a life, winning the seventh-level floating slaughter" in various literary and artistic works, although it is intuitively easy to understand, but its deep meaning is not immediately grasped by everyone. In short, this phrase emphasizes the importance and merit of saving the lives of others. Although it is not easy to interpret the "seven-level floating tu" directly, it actually refers to the construction of temples and other acts of religious merit. From the Sutra of the Buddha's Saying and Scolding to literary works of the Ming and Qing dynasties, such as Feng Menglong's Xingshi Hengyan and Shi Yukun's Three Heroes and Five Righteousness, this view has been widely disseminated and deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, was originally called "buddha" in Sanskrit, and its transliteration in Chinese is "floating Buddha". The term was originally used to refer to both the Buddha himself and to a stupa. Over time, however, the word "slaughter" was replaced by the term "Buddha" because of the undesirable associations it might evoke literally, often associated with "killing." In addition to referring to the founder of Buddhism, "floating tu" is also used to describe a stupa, especially a seven-story stupa, also known as a seven-level floating tug.
In ancient China, towers were a common form of architecture with far-reaching historical and cultural significance. Many famous towers, such as the Shakya Pagoda, the Songyue Temple Pagoda, and the Glazed Pagoda, have witnessed the prosperity and development of Chinese Buddhism. Introduced from ancient India, the original pagoda was originally designed as a hemispherical structure on a square pedestal with a minaret-shaped top to commemorate and place the relics of the Buddha.
With the spread of Buddhism in China, its development can be divided into the stages of translating scriptures, digesting, creating sects, and self-reliance, among which the construction of stupas not only in thought, but also in architectural style to bring new elements to ancient Chinese architecture. Today, these ancient stupas still stand, such as the Futu Pagoda in the Jile Temple in Heilongjiang.
The construction of the stupa pays attention to its number of layers, usually singular levels, such as:
Fifth, seventh, or ninth layers, etc., among which the "seventh-level floating slaughter" is regarded as immeasurable merit because of its special significance. It is said that the height of the seventh floor is similar to that of the big Buddha statue, which is equivalent to creating a big Buddha; Another explanation comes from the miracle of the lotus under the feet of Shakyamuni when he came to the world, symbolizing the supremacy of the seven-level pagoda. Although these interpretations vary, they all emphasize the importance of the seventh-level floating slaughter.
The story of the ancient poet Du Mu and "Journey to the West" also reflects the profound influence of Buddhist culture. Du Mu's poems depict the grand scene of Buddhist temples, and the compassion of Tang monks in "Journey to the West" shows the core spirit of Buddhism - love and redemption. Tang Seng's words "saving her is better than learning scriptures and worshipping Buddha" echoes the teachings of Buddhism, that is, the importance of doing good to save people, transcending the shackles of material and form, and emphasizing the supreme value of human care.
3. In addition to the mysterious nine-story demon tower "seven-level floating slaughter", you may have also heard the term "nine-story demon tower".
The Ghost Blows the Lantern series** depicts the nine-story demon tower as a place full of unknowns and dangers, inhabited by various exotic beasts such as fire bats, red calves, water monsters, etc., and is a mysterious area where monsters are rampant.
Regarding the authenticity of the nine-story demon tower, it is said that it is hidden somewhere in Qinghai Province, and two of its floors are said to have been discovered.
However, more evidence is needed to support these views.
Why did the nine-story demon tower come about? What is the connection between it and the "Seventh-level Futu Tower"?
From the perspective of the Book of Changes, the number contains the principle of the five elements of yin and yang, among which the yang number symbolizes the power of the singular number, and the double number represents the feminine.
In particular, the number 7 symbolizes the infinite cycle, just like the familiar symbols of the Big Dipper, the seven days of the week, and the seven strings of the piano.
9, as the largest yang number, represents the supreme dignity, as reflected in the term "Ninety-Five".
Therefore, the nine-story demon tower does not simply represent dignity, but more in its unique and special meaning.
Whether it is the "Seventh-level Floating Slaughter" or the "Nine-Story Demon Tower", the meaning behind these numbers is not just the size of the number, but points to a certain level or level.
The reason why the three religions of "Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism" in Chinese culture, among which Buddhism represented by "Shi", has been able to spread far in China and influence many dynasties is largely because it is consistent with the fundamental moral concept of kindness and moderation in China.
Confucianism emphasizes "benevolence and righteousness", advocates governing the country with virtue, and emphasizes moral education and social responsibility, such as Liu Bei's edict instructing Liu Chan to do good deeds and accumulate virtue.
A scene from Stephen Chow's film "Journey to the West", although presented in a humorous way, also reflects the spirit of Buddhism - love and respect for all life, even the tiniest flowers and plants.
The Buddhist wisdom originated from ancient India, with the phrase "give roses to people, leave fragrance in your hands" to convey the beauty and rewards of good deeds, and embody the profound meaning of "saving people's lives, winning the seven-level floating slaughter" - cherishing life, revering life, and not ignoring the suffering of others.
This is at the heart of Buddhism's deep concern for humanity, its aim to alleviate suffering in the world, and to demonstrate compassion and wisdom.
In China, the fusion of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism has fostered a rich and colorful cultural tradition, among which Buddhism, as an imported cultural element, has brought a new dimension and depth to China's traditional culture.
Among them, the pagoda, the architectural symbol of Buddhism, has become a unique landscape in Chinese architectural art, and its unique form and meaning have become part of the cultural inheritance.
In particular, the "Seven-Level Floating Buddha Pagoda" is not only a specific location or building, but also a symbol of cultural precipitation over hundreds of years, representing the transmission of Buddhist philosophy and spirituality.
The motto "Saving a Person's Life is Better than Building a Seven-Level Floating Slaughter" not only demonstrates the core idea of Buddhism and highlights its spiritual essence, but also reflects respect for life and compassion for all living beings.
At the same time, this sentence also profoundly expresses the importance that Buddhism attaches to personal practice, emphasizing that all good deeds and acts of compassion should be based on personal moral cultivation, and advocating that people should first cultivate and improve themselves before doing good deeds to help others.