How do Taoist priests greet each other when they meet?

How do Taoist priests greet each other when they meet

We may not have seen monks in our daily life, but we often see monks on TV or in some literary works. It is not difficult for all of us to find that no matter which monk, even if it is a fake monk, everyone will say "Amitabha", which is equivalent to greeting us. Then the question is, besides Buddhism, Taoism is also very famous in China. How do Taoist priests usually greet each other when they meet?

Let's talk about the monk's "Amitabha" first. Their most common greeting way is to put their hands together, bow, and then say "Amitabha". The same is true of monks' alms in film and television dramas, but what they call "Amitabha" is not just a simple greeting. You should know that Amitabha is the largest Buddha in the western paradise, also known as the Buddha with infinite life or the Buddha with infinite light. Buddhist names are usually recited orally by Buddhist believers, and also mean to pray or thank the gods. Saying hello to others is also a blessing to others.

It is also a truth for Taoist priests to say hello. Many people may see that Taoist priests often say "boundless Buddha" on TV, but this is wrong. Everyone who practices Buddhism knows that there is no single boundless Buddha. If a Taoist shouts boundless Buddha when he meets you, who knows who your name is and who you respect? Therefore, the correct metaphysical language of Daomen should be called "Buddha with infinite life" or "Buddha with infinite people" or "Buddha with infinite function" and so on. In short, it should be called all, not just "boundless Buddha", otherwise it will be considered disrespectful to Buddha.

Of course, it seems a little cumbersome to shout like this, so generally speaking, it is simplified now. When Taoist priests meet and say hello, they usually bow down and shout "so-and-so compassion". "Compassion" is a common polite expression in Taoism, and "so-and-so" is naturally the title of the other party. This greeting is similar to Buddhism, and it is also a blessing and prayer.

Of course, not only people who worship Buddha and practice Buddhism, they usually say hello when they meet. No matter who we are, it is also appropriate to say hello when we meet people we know in our daily life. This is the most basic question of politeness. You know, China has always regarded itself as a country of etiquette, and we should pay more attention to these basic etiquette, shouldn't we? So did you say hello to your classmates or colleagues today?