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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
