What does it mean to try Buddha by hanging pears?

Once upon a time, there was a big-bellied Buddha in a temple, which was said to be very effective and could enjoy the sacrifices offered.

Some people don't believe it, so they put some fruit in front of the Buddha to see how the Buddha eats it. After a while, the sacrifices on the altar really disappeared.

With a grain of salt, they hung a pear in front of the Buddha statue with a rope to see if the Buddha statue could be eaten. This time, nothing happened after a long time.

The monks in the temple said that the Buddha statue would not appear in public. He suggested putting the Buddha statue in a secluded place and trying again. So they put the Buddha in a cave near the temple, and then hung pears in front of the Buddha. After a while, they saw pears floating and flying towards the Buddha's arms. But they were quick-sighted and saw that the pear was pushed by a thin silk thread connected with a small fishhook, but the hole was dark and difficult to find.

Needless to say, this is naturally the work of the monks in the temple. They set up organs beside the altar, stole offerings, and even spread rumors to mislead people, saying that Buddha statues can eat, so as to attract more people to come to pay homage. Because the pear was hung and the organ under the altar did nothing, the monk proposed to put the Buddha statue in a hidden hole and use another organ, and the result was caught.

The trick of cheating was exposed and the monk escaped. But the story of "hanging pears to try Buddha" has become a local story and a local mantra. It is used to describe the impossible. For example, if someone asks another person to do the impossible, that person will reply "hanging pears to try Buddha". When someone says something strange, the other party will say that they don't believe it, and they will use "hanging pears to try Buddha".

Reference: Network Link