| Free Life Pond | |||||||
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 The Free Life Pond at Guangxiao Temple in Guangzhou. | |||||||
| Chinese | 放生 池 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | Free Life Pond | ||||||
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The Free Life Pond is an annex pond of the Han Chinese Buddhist temples. It is usually located in front of the Shanmen or the Hall of Four Heavenly Kings. The Free Life Pond embodies Buddhist thoughts of compassion and understanding of all living beings. [1]
The Free Life Pond was firstly mentioned in the Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (大智度論),which read:"建德六年，齐地佛门遭劫。闻率僧众四十余循海路奔建康。辄遇大风波，楫折船沉。忽现巨龟，负众僧出水，须臾抵健康。闻口称南无阿弥陀佛。龟对曰：师父曾记否，吾乃海曲放生池之老龟也。闻恍然大悟。奏闻宣帝，帝大悦，敕建报恩寺，香火祀之。".
The Free Life Pond was originate erected by Zhiyi,founder of Tiantai school,in the Sui dynasty (589–618). In 759,Emperor Suzong of the Tang dynasty (618–907) ordered all Buddhist temples to set up Free Life Pond. According to Duo Po Ming Jing (多宝名经;多寶名經),at that time,81 Buddhist temples set up free life ponds under the emperor's command. [1]
The Free Life Pond can regulate the air,inhibit dust,but also has the role of fire prevention. If the Buddhist temple is on fire,the water in the pond can be used to fight the fire. [1]
Donglin Temple is a Buddhist monastery approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Jiujiang,in the north of Jiangxi province,China. Built in 386 CE at the foot of Mountain Lu by Huiyuan,founder of the Pure Land Sect of Buddhism,it is well known for how long it has stood without collapsing.
Qixia Temple is a Buddhist temple located on Qixia Mountain in the suburban Qixia District of Nanjing,Jiangsu,22 kilometres (14 mi) northeast of downtown Nanjing. It is one of Nanjing's most important Buddhist monasteries. The temple is the cradle of East Asian Mādhyamaka.
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The Shanmen,also known as the Gate of Three Liberations,is the most important gate of a Chinese Chan Buddhist temple.
The Hall of Four Heavenly Kings or Four Heavenly Kings Hall,referred to as Hall of Heavenly Kings,is the first important hall inside a shanmen in Chinese Buddhist temples and is named due to the Four Heavenly Kings statues enshrined in the hall.
The Hall of Kṣitigarbha or Kṣitigarbha Hall is one of the most important annexed halls in Chinese Buddhist temples. It is named after its primary function of enshrining the bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha.
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The Hall of Shanmen or Shanmen Hall,also known as Hall of Three Liberation or Hall of Mount Gate,is the gate of a Chinese Chan Buddhist temple. In ancient times,nearly all Chinese Buddhist temples had a Shanmen,as an important gate of the temple. After successive wars and cultural discontinuity,with only one gate,most of the existing ancient Buddhist temples usually follow the hall style or change the middle gate of the three main gates into a hall called "Hall of Shanmen".
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Zhiyuan Temple is a Buddhist temple located on Mount Jiuhua,in Qingyang County,Anhui,China. Alongside Ganlu Temple,Baisui Palace and Dongyan Chan Temple are honoured as the "Four Buddhist Temple on Mount Jiuhua".
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The drum tower is an important building in Han Chinese Buddhist temples. Together with a bell tower,they are usually placed on both sides of the Hall of Four Heavenly Kings. It is usually located on the right side while the bell tower is usually located on the left side. It is general a three-storey pavilion with a big drum placed on it. When it is beaten,it sounds grandly and loudly. Buddhist temples set times to beat the drums to inform the time and also wake people up.