"Bodhi has no tree, and the mirror is not a stand. There is nothing in the first place, so how can it cause dust?" Master Huineng, the founder of the Southern Sect, once said. The general meaning is that if the heart is originally empty, there is no need to resist the temptation of the outside world. Everything will pass through the heart without leaving any trace. This has reached the state of profound enlightenment in Zen practice.
Seeing this, I can’t help but think that our country has a long history of five thousand years. Buddhism was introduced to China during the Han and Ming Dynasties. Today, our country is also a major Buddhist country. During the Tang Dynasty, the most prosperous period in history, the three religions merged and Buddhism also gained a foothold. Japan sent Tang envoys to the Central Plains at different times, many of whom were seeking Buddhism. The most famous one is definitely the Japanese monk, Master Ennin.
Songshan Fawang Temple
In ancient times, the area around the Yellow River Basin was known as the Central Plains and was the capital of successive dynasties. Henan is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, with an advantageous geographical location and fertile land. Luoyang was the capital of many dynasties. But time flies and stars change. Today we are going to talk about another treasure place in Henan - Songshan Mountain.
Everyone is familiar with Songshan Mountain in Henan. As one of the Five Mountains, Songshan Mountain not only has beautiful natural scenery, but also has profound Buddhist heritage. Songshan Shaolin Temple and Songshan Fawang Temple are both famous. No. 1, with unique Buddhist charm and cultural heritage. In the hot land of Songshan Mountain, there are many famous temples. These temples have attracted eminent monks from all over the world to study and explore since ancient times.
Songshan Fawang Temple was built by Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, more than 400 years earlier than Shaolin Temple. It has a history of nearly 2,000 years and is one of the earliest temples in my country. A spiritual temple that has attracted worldwide attention, a surprising secret has been discovered in recent years. Archaeologists accidentally discovered an underground palace beneath the temple when they were archaeologists. After investigation, they found that there was a corpse in the underground palace. Shocking, the archaeologists conducted in-depth research and investigated and discovered that this body had been sitting in the underground palace for thousands of years. The corpse should be Master Ennin of Japan, who went to the Central Plains to seek Buddhist teachings in the Tang Dynasty.
Having sat in the underground palace of Fawang Temple for thousands of years
Fawang Temple, with its unique Buddhist charm and profound cultural heritage, has attracted world attention since ancient times and has even become a spiritual symbol in the hearts of Buddhists. It attracts monks from all over the world to seek advice, and Master Enren is no exception. Nowadays, it is not clear when Master Yuanren went to Songshan and why he stayed. Perhaps he was closely involved with Wuzong's deposed Buddha.
Around 2001, the Henan Cultural Relics Department decided to reinforce and repair the temples and pagodas in Songshan Mountain. It was originally just an ordinary maintenance work, but unexpectedly when carrying out protective repair measures, it was unexpectedly discovered that Fawang Temple still had In a secret underground palace, archaeologists discovered more than 20 precious national cultural relics such as pottery, porcelain, etc., and even the most precious Buddhist treasure - relics. It is said that the relic can only be formed after its owner has made countless merits during life. It is highly respected in Buddhism and its preciousness is self-evident.
After discovering these cultural relics, the archaeologists continued to delve deeper into the underground palace. There was a large jar in the deepest part of the underground palace. When the lid was opened, there was a corpse inside. The outline of the corpse was still clear, and the body showed no signs of decay. , it is said that this is called the "Vajra Glazed Body" in Buddhism. Only enlightened monks who have done many good deeds during their lifetime can enjoy such an incorruptible physical body. Judging from the historical span of the temple, the secrecy of the underground palace, and the records of ancient stone carvings, this corpse should have been sitting there for thousands of years. So, who is this eminent monk?
Finally, the archaeologists carefully studied the information on the corpse and found that the shoes on its feet were not the Central Plains style but wooden clogs. Following this clue, they also based on the stone carvings in the underground palace and the "Pilgrimage to the Tang Dynasty to Seek Dharma" "Records" and other documents infer that this eminent monk is Master Ennin of Japan. According to Master Enren's travel notes, he was originally a Japanese savage with a common surname of Rensheng. He lost his father when he was young and became a monk at the age of nine. He studied Buddhism with Jianzhen's third-generation disciple Guangzhi. He was diligent and eager to learn. Around the master, he studied Tiantai teachings.
Yuanren's diary of his stay in the Tang Dynasty
Like many foreign envoys who visited the Central Plains to study, Yuanren also recorded in detail what he saw and gained during his travels in the Tang Dynasty. Along with Xuanzang's "Records of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty" and Marco Polo's "Records of Eastern Sights and Sounds", "A Pilgrimage to the Tang Dynasty", which is known as the world's three major travel records, was written by Yuan Ren. The whole book is divided into four volumes, all written in Chinese characters. The diary style of recording is valuable information for studying the history of the Tang Dynasty.
Enren's writings recorded in detail various rituals in Buddhist temples in the north and south of the Tang Dynasty, because he mainly went to the Tang Dynasty to study Buddhism and focused on understanding and describing religious things. When Enren was in the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty abolished Buddhism. He recorded in detail the various persecution measures against Buddhists before the official edict was issued in 845, as well as the different attitudes of various officials in the court towards the abolition of Buddhism, monks and nuns of different ages and The different treatment received by foreign monks, etc.
In addition to the main religious content, the travelogue also records the political conflicts between the royal family, eunuchs and scholar-bureaucrats in the Tang Dynasty, his meetings with Li Deyu and Qiu Shiliang, his walking tours of seven provinces, and about different places in various provinces, cities and regions. All aspects of social life are recorded, such as festivals, diets, taboos and other local customs. There are also the population, production, prices of the places they pass through, the routes of water and land transportation and inns, and even the activities of Silla merchants on the coast and the settlement of Silla people, etc.
The four-volume book is rich in content and intuitively recorded from a first-person perspective. It is a vivid first-hand material for modern research on the history of the Tang Dynasty and Buddhism in my country and is of great value.
Japanese people came to worship Master Ennin one after another
The prosperous period of the Tang Dynasty is a highlight in history. During the Tang Dynasty, politics, economy, culture, etc. flourished, and foreign exchanges were unprecedented. It is also during this period of inclusiveness that the three religions merged, learned from each other, and developed to a higher level. As one of the three pillars, Chinese Buddhism was also the aspiration of many foreign believers in Buddhism at that time, and it had a profound influence especially in Japan. Jianzhen's journey to the east and Yuanren's entry into the Tang Dynasty are both classic examples. Master Enren, also known as Master Cijue, is the founder of the Tiantai Sect of Japanese Buddhism and the third generation leader of the Tiantai Sect. He stayed in the Tang Dynasty for nearly ten years. He traveled on foot to seven provinces in China, sought out teachers extensively, and visited Mount Wutai for worship. And stayed in Chang'an for nearly five years.
Master Yuanren devoted his life to Buddhism, studied the teachings, and made great achievements. He left more than 100 books. Among them, the most famous "Pilgrimage to the Tang Dynasty" is listed as one of the three major travel notes in the world. It has important historical value. In 838 AD, Enren sent the Tang envoy to China to pray for Buddha as a monk. During his stay in China, he visited famous Chinese temples to seek teachers and seek Dharma. He studied Tiantai teachings at Huayan Temple, Zhulin Temple and other places, and copied Tiantai classics. But unfortunately, at that time, Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty abolished Buddhism, and he was forced to return to secular life. In desperation, he had to return to China with the Yoshitsune, classics, etc. He returned to Japan and was highly valued by the emperor. He became the third generation leader of the Tiantai Sect. It is extremely respected in the hearts of Japanese people, and Buddhism has a very high status.
So when it was rumored that the incorruptible body that had been sitting in Fawang Temple for thousands of years was Master Ennin, it caused quite a stir in Japan, and Japanese people went to Fawang Temple to worship him one after another. It is said that Master Enren and the eminent monk Tianru of Fawang Temple guarded the Buddhist relics, the most precious treasure of Buddhism. The "Enren Inscription" in the underground palace did record the two eminent monks, but only Master Enren was found. According to Based on the inscriptions and shoes, it is initially inferred that the mummy is Master Enren, but whether it is completely certain that it is him remains to be further verified.
No matter what kind of orthodox religion it is, it must have its principles that are in line with the development of society. There are people who really devote themselves to practice and can reach the state of great enlightenment. We don’t know what will happen in the end, but at least To be able to live comfortably and look down upon life and death. No matter what profession you specialize in, as long as you work diligently and make achievements, you will naturally be respected by the world. Just like Master Yuanren, his works have been passed down through the ages. Even thousands of years later, they can still be visited by the people of the country and respected by the world.