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11/7 The Beginning (New) of the Chan Monastic Practice
This is the Chan/Zen fourth patriarch’s temple, Sizusi /四祖寺. SiZuSi (Si=Fourth, Zu=Patriarch, Si=Temple) was founded in 624 AD. SiZu or Master Daoxin taught Buddhism here for nearly thirty years and had around 500 disciples. He began the monastic community practice and promoted "Equal Emphasis in Sitting and Working" which was a change from the earlier Alms Begging practice. On another note, one of his disciples, Xinglu Falang became the founder of Korean Chan/Zen or Seon.
Above pics of the Temple Gate are Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in the center flanked by two protective Vajra Lords, General Hen and General Ha.
Notice some of the external walls are painted with the green colors; they remind me a lot of the Korean temples that I visited. I could not take pictures of the Buddhas in the main hall so I took a picture of the 'description', The tree picture shown below is over one thousand years old.
Sizusi, Dahe, Huangmei, Hubei, China
11/6 Temple of the Chan/Zen's Second Patriarch
See the lion behind the temple?
The temple Erzusi二祖寺, named after Master Erzu (Er=2 and Zu=Patriarch), also known as Master Huike, is located in Sikongshan, the mountain known as the origin of Zen in China. Master Master Erzu, who lived from 487-593 AD, went way up in the mountains to build this temple due to wars and turmoil. To show his sincerity that he wanted to become Bodhidharma’s student, Master Huike cut off his left arm.
Sikongshan, Dianqian, Yuexi, Anhui, China
11/4 Historic Ordination Platform - Temple
宝华山 隆昌律寺/Baohuashan Longchanglusi
Felt like I was backpacking in Korea visiting ancient Buddhist temples again. There is a large white Avaloksittvara statue close to the entrance of this temple LongChangSi. From the temples I visited in Korea, many also had large white Buddha or Boddhisattva statues by the entrance.
BaoZhi monk founded the LongChangSi over 1500 years ago and at around that period it was considered one of top Vinaya schools from the 480 Sanskrit temples in this area. This temple became more well known when the abbot was requested to ordain the Emperor Shizong of Qing Dynasty approximately 300 years ago.
A famous one thousand years old ordination platform resides at this temple. It’s been “remodeled” during the Qing Dynasty, a few centuries back. It’s one of four in China but considered the most important with monastics coming from as far as India, Thailand, and Japan to perform their ordination.
The pond in the first picture below the statue is an animal release pond, for turtles and fish originally meant for human consumption.
Longchangsi, Baohuashan, Jurong, Jiangsu, China