| 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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A Free Life Pond is a type of pond at Han Chinese Buddhist temples. [1] It is usually located in front of the Shanmen or the Hall of Four Heavenly Kings. [1] 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。". [1]
The Free Life Pond was originate erected by Zhiyi,founder of Tiantai school,in the Sui dynasty (589–618). [1] In 759,Emperor Suzong of the Tang dynasty (618–907) ordered all Buddhist temples to set up Free Life Pond. [1] 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. [1] 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 temple approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Jiujiang,in the north of Jiangxi province,China. Built in 386 CE at the foot of Mount Lu by Huiyuan,founder of the Pure Land Buddhism,it is well known for how long it has stood without collapsing.
Guangxiao Temple is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Guangzhou,the capital of China's Guangdong Province. As the special geographical position,Guangxiao Temple often acted as a stopover point for Asian missionary monks in the past. It also played a central role in propagating various elements of Buddhism,including precepts school,Chan (Zen),Shingon Buddhism,and Pure Land. In this temple,Huineng,the sixth Chinese patriarch of Chan Buddhism,made his first public Chan lecture and was tonsured,and Amoghavajra,a Shingon Buddhist master,gave his first teaching of esoteric Buddhism. Many Buddhist scriptures were also translated here,including those translated by Yijing and the Shurangama-sūtra translated by Paramitiin (般剌密諦).
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.
Kaiyuan Temple is a Buddhist temple located in West Street,Quanzhou,China,and is considered as the largest Buddhist temple in Fujian province with an area of 78,000 square metres (840,000 sq ft). The central figures of veneration in the temple are the Five Tathāgathas from Chinese Esoteric Buddhism who are enshrined in the temple's Mahavira Hall. In 2021,the temple was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with other sites near Quanzhou because of its importance during the medieval global maritime trade based in Quanzhou and its testimony to the global exchange of ideas and cultures. The temple is also one of few in China to contain Hindu monuments,left there by traders from Southern India.
The Hall of Guru or Guru Hall,also known as the Founder's Hall,is the most important annex halls in Chinese Buddhist temples for enshrining masters of various Buddhism schools. It is encountered throughout East Asia,including in some Japanese Buddhist Kaisandos (開山堂). The Hall of Guru is generally situated to the west of the Mahavira Hall. Chan Buddhist temples usually have the Hall of Guru,which is followed by other schools' temples. Therefore,three statues are always enshrined in the Guru Hall,namely the founder of the school,the senior monk who make significant contributions to the establishment of the school and the builder of the temple. Generally the Guru Hall in Chan Buddhism temples has Bodhidharma enshrined in the middle,the 6th Master Huineng's (638-713) statue on the left and Master Baizhang Huaihai's (720-814) statue on the right. Patriarch Bodhidharma and Damo for short,from south of ancient India,was the original ancestor of Chan Buddhism. The 6th Master Dajian Huineng was the actual founder of Chan Buddhism. After him,the Chan Buddhism in ancient China was almost changed and had far-reaching influence on Chinese traditional culture. Baizhang Huaihai was the third generation disciple of Huineng and his main achievements included:applying Chan Buddhism into practice,creating a set of regulations for Chan Buddhist temples and contributing to the steady development of Chan Buddhism.
The Hall of Guanyin or Guanyin Hall is the most important annex halls in Chinese Buddhist temples and mainly for enshrining Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara). Guanyin,also called "Guanshiyin" (觀世音),"Guanshizizai" (觀世自在),"Guanzizai" (觀自在),etc.,is the attendant of Amitabha and one of the "Western Three Saints" (西方三聖). Guanyin is renowned for his mercy and sympathy. According to Chapter of the Universal Gate of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva (《觀世音菩薩普門品》),if people are in danger,they just need to call his name and he will hear them and go to save them. Since he has many manifestations,different places enshrine different statues of Saint Guanyin (圣觀音),Guanzizai (觀自在),and Thousand-armed and eyed Guanyin (千手千眼觀音菩薩).
A Buddhist texts library is a large building in Chinese Buddhist temples which is built specially for storing The Chinese Buddhist Canon (大藏經). It is encountered throughout East Asia,including in some Japanese Buddhist Kyōzōs (経蔵). The Chinese Buddhist Canon is the total body of Buddhist literature deemed canonical and was called "all the sutras" (一切經) in the ancient time. With four thousand kinds,it includes Āgama (經),Vinaya (律) and Abhidharma (論) texts. Āgama are theories made by Buddha for disciples to practice,Vinaya are the rules formulated by Buddha for believers and Abhidharma is the collection of theories explanations by Buddha's disciples.
The Dharma Hall,also known as Lecture Hall,is an important building in Han Chinese Buddhist temples. The Dharma Hall is the place for senior monks to preach and generally ranks right after the Mahavira Hall.
The Xiantong Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Taihuai Town of Wutai County,Shanxi,China. The temple covers a total area of about 80,000 square metres (860,000 sq ft),it preserves the basic architectural pattern of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368–1912). The temple has over 400 buildings and the seven main halls along the central axis are the Guanyin Hall,Great Manjusri Hall,Great Buddha Hall,Amitaba Hall,Qianbo Hall,Copper Hall and Buddhist Texts Library. Mount Wutai has 47 Buddhist temples,it is the largest Buddhist complex in China,Xiantong Temple is the largest one with the longest history.
Fuyan Temple is a Buddhist temple located on Mount Heng,in Nanyue District of Hengyang,Hunan,China. It has been designated as a National Key Buddhist Temple in Han Chinese Area in 1983.
The Shrine of Living Buddha is a Buddhist temple located at the Divine Light Summit (神光岭) of Mount Jiuhua,in Qingyang County,Anhui,China.
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".
Daci'en Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Yanta District,Xi'an,Shaanxi. The temple is the cradle of East Asian Yogācāra in China. It is notable for the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. The pagoda was originally built by the monk Xuanzang,whose pilgrimage to India inspired the novel Journey to the West. Alongside Daxingshan Temple and Jianfu Temple,it was one of the three sutras translation sites (三大译经场) in the Tang dynasty.
Meidaizhao Monastery or Meidaizhao Lamasery is a Tibetan Buddhist temple located in Tumed Right Banner,Baotou,Inner Mongolia,China.
Tiantai Temple,also known as the Temple of Ksitigarbha (地藏寺),is the highest Buddhist temple located on Mount Jiuhua,in Qingyang County,Anhui,China. It was first built in the Tang dynasty (618–907),and went through many changes and repairs through the following dynasties. Most of the present structures in the temple were repaired or built in the late Qing dynasty (1644–1911).
The Hall of Sangharama Palace is an important building in Han Chinese Buddhist temples. It is the east annex hall of the Mahavira Hall. The term "Sangharama" (僧伽藍摩) refers to "gardens of monks" (眾園). In Buddhism,it originally refers to constructing the base of monks' dormitories (僧舍) and later it refers to the general term of temples,including land and buildings.
The Bell tower is an important building in Han Chinese Buddhist temples. Together with Drum tower,they are usually placed on both sides of the Hall of Four Heavenly Kings. It is usually on the left side while the Drum tower is usually on the right side. It is general a three-storey pavilion with a large bell hung in it. The loud and melodious sound of the bell is often used to convene monks. In each morning and night,beating the bell 108 times symbolizes the relief of the 108 kinds of trouble in the human world.
The Arhat Hall is a hall used for enshrining an arhat or arhats in Chinese Buddhist temples. Arhat is another term for Arahant,one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved Enlightenment and liberated from the endless cycle of rebirth. In Mahayana Buddhism,arhats rank the third position in Buddhism,only below the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. In Theravada Buddhism,Siddhartha Gautama or The Buddha is the first of the arahats,while his disciples who reach the goal by following his noble path also become arahats.
The Hall of Bhaisajyaguru is the hall to enshrine Bhaisajyaguru,who is also named "Yaoshifo" for short in Chinese Buddhism.
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.