Buddhist Town – Page 8

Mount Emei – Bodhimanda of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra

Mount Emei is one of the “Four Famous Buddhist Mountains” in China. It has steep terrain and striking beautiful scenery. “Emei” is a term used to describe a woman’s beautiful eyebrows in an ancient book titled The Book of Songs. The main peak, Golden Summit of Wanfoding, is 3,099 meters above sea level, it is the crown of all other famous mountains in China.

Wanfoding _{By George N – https://www.flickr.com/photos/takoyaki_king/36904907971/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=116441018}

Mount Emei (Emeishan) is an area of exceptional cultural significance as it is the place where Buddhism first became established on Chinese territory and from where it spread widely through the East. The first Buddhist temple built on the summit of Mount Emei was in the 1st century CE. It became the Guangxiang Temple, receiving its present royal name of Huazang in 1614. The addition of more than 30 other temples including the Wannian Temple founded in the 4th century containing the 7.85m high Puxian bronze Buddha of the 10th century, and garden temples including the Qingyin Pavilion complex of pavilions, towers and platforms dating from the early 6th century; the early 17th century Baoguo Temple and the Ligou Garden (Fuhu Temple) turned the mountain into one of Buddhism’s holiest sites.

Mount Emei Jinding Massive Statue of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra

On Mount Emei, the importance of the link between the tangible and intangible, the natural and the cultural, is uppermost. Mount Emei is a place of historical significance as one of the four holy lands of Chinese Buddhism. Buddhism was introduced into China in the 1st century CE via the south Silk Road from India to Mount Emei. Mount Emei is traditionally regarded as the bodhimaṇḍa, or place of enlightenment, of the iconic bodhisattva Samantabhadra (Puxian). In Buddhist sutra, it is recorded that Samantabhadra Bodhisattva rides a white elephant with six tusks. Therefore, the statues of Samantabhadra in the temples of Mount Emei mostly ride on white elephants. There is an Elephant Washing Pool in Mount Emei as well.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is associated with Buddhist practice and action. In the Āvataṃsaka-sūtra, the Buddha states that Samantabhadra Bodhisattva made ten great vows in his path to full Buddhahood:

To pay homage and respect to all Buddhas.
To praise the Thus Come One-Tathagata.^[3]
To make abundant offerings. (e.g. give generously)
To repent misdeeds and evil karmas.
To rejoice in others’ merits and virtues.
To request the Buddhas to continue teaching.
To request the Buddhas to remain in the world.
To follow the teachings of the Buddhas at all times.
To accommodate and benefit all living beings.
To transfer all merits and virtues to benefit all beings.

The ten vows have become a common practice in East Asian Buddhism, particularly the tenth vow, with many Buddhists traditionally dedicating their merit and good works to all beings during Buddhist liturgies.

From ancient times to the present, there have been many eminent monks and great virtues in Mount Emei. The thirteenth patriarch of Emei Master Pu Guan, and abbot of JiuLaoDong XianFeng temple Master Guo Zhang, were all disciples of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. They both received Great Dharma initiation from H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and reached liberation. At year 1998, Master Pu Guan passed away in the meditation posture having attained control over his life and death. Eight years after his passing, he still sits in a stupa in that meditation posture without having rotted at all. At year 2015, Master GuoZhang passed away at 108 years-old, at the Western Sichuan University Medical center. Doctor diagnosed the Master passed away. Unexpectedly, after a few hours, he was resurrected and opened his eyes, he then ordered his disciples to move him back to Jiewangting Temple to officially pass away. Eleven days after he passed away, local government officials visited Jiewangting Temple. They didn’t believe that the master was a profound practitioner. So he stabbed his body with needles, and blood spurted out.

Mount Emei is an area of striking scenic beauty. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful mountains in China.

Amazing Scenery of Sun rise over clouds at Golden Summit of Mount Emei

Mount Emei – Bodhimanda of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra

Link:https://peacelilysite.com/2022/07/07/mount-emei-bodhimanda-of-bodhisattva-samantabhadra/

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Emei, https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/779/

Buddhist Town At Holy Heavenly Lake

When Buddhists from all around the world want to gather together to share their knowledge, inspiration, and experience, there is no one place they can call home. Many Buddhist leaders have shared the vision of creating a permanent home centered in a major temple housing statues of the ancient Buddhas, surrounded by smaller temples built by the various different sects and organizations as the capital of Buddhism. Furthermore, it would be open and accessible to the general public, an inviting and beautifully designed space in which to experience the rich diversity of Buddhist culture and practice all in one place.

This concept was very well supported by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. So, a search for a proper site began in early 2010. After visiting and considering several different locations and potential sites, the present project site at the Holy Heavenly Lake was most favored by the search team. A key factor in the decision for this project site was the presence of the lake, which made possible the vision of a spiritual oasis, in the form of a harmonious water garden that both physically and symbolically connects the various sects to the central temple. Holy Heavenly Lake is a holy site. Below the Holy Heavenly Lake, there is an underground river going from the south to the north, which is as wide as the Yangtze River. And there is a crystal lake with crystal gems lying 450 feet below the ground.

In 2015, the site and the initial conceptual site plan were presented to His Holiness, who expressed support for both. It was further decided that a Residence for His Holiness would be constructed next to the Main Temple. All major sects of Buddhism – including Zen, Pure-land, Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug— expressed their commitment to establish their temples or Dharma Centers in the compound. This will be the first time in history that all of the major sects are gathered at one location.

on February 14, 2019. The City of Hesperia where the Holy Heavenly Lake is located held a public hearing to discuss the matter of building the Buddhist City at the Holy Heavenly Lake and subdividing the land for various Buddhist sects to build temples in the city. The result was that the city agreed to let the project move forward. The meeting was held on the first day, and the nagas and dharmapalas showed their praises through a tremendously holy manifestation on the next day. Huge amount of clear water suddenly flow rapidly on 15th with waves lifted by its billows over the riverbed above the underground river, although the riverbed has been dried for many years. It runs northward like an endless tide from a river of hundreds of miles in length.

We believe that the Buddhist Town at the Holy Heavenly Lake will fulfill the myriad wishes and bring about prosperity in every undertaking!