Free Life Pond | |||||||
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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.
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 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.
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 are the collection of theories explanations by Buddha's disciples.
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".
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.
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.
Mange Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Jinghong of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture,Yunnan,China. Covering an area of 1,300-square-metre (0.32-acre),the temple is bordered by Lancang River in the north. Built in 1477,the temple is one of the oldest temples in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture.
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 an accomplished monk Xuanzang,whose story was widespread in civil society in many dynasties and the famous legendary story Journey to the West was inspired by his experience. 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.
Yanfu Temple or Yanfu Chan Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Wuyi County,Zhejiang,China. The Mahavira Hall is the earliest Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) architecture and one of the three Yuan dynasty wooden architecture in Jiangnan.
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 located on the left side while the Drum tower is usually located 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,Lord 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.