Prose about approaching the Dharma Ship Master

Luotian is a large Buddhist county in a mountainous area, with temples all over the place. Thousands of believers worship, sincerely make offerings, and the incense is strong. My contact with Buddhism began with the great monk Dharmachuan. Being close to Master is the greatest blessing in my life.

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In the early winter of 2007, I was in the process of compiling a collection of essays. My friend Liu Ziran proposed to write about the eminent monk in Luotian—the president of the County Buddhist Association, Tashan Master Fachuan, the abbot of Qingyuan Zen Temple. I also want to go deep into the monastery and learn about Buddhist life. On a sunny day, Lao Liu and netizen Xiaocao and I walked along the winding path of "thick shade of green trees" and "road full of flowers" to Qingyuan Temple on Tashan Mountain. The outer walls of the temple are all a simple brown-yellow color. The temple draws on the natural beauty on the outside and the natural topography inside. The pavilions are staggered. The treasure hall, Zen room, and dining hall are all built in an orderly and dense manner. The incense and mist are lingering, and the bells and drums are ringing. , worshiping Buddha and singing praises endlessly. Follow the Buddhist incense and enter the main hall. As the bells rang, we devoutly burned incense and bowed our heads to pay homage to the Buddha. Lao Liu led us to the second floor to visit Master Dharma Chuan.

The Dharma Ship Master welcomed us into his Zen room. Master is tall, kind, and in his thirties. Lao Liu took the initiative to introduce Xiaocao and I to Master. Master enthusiastically made tea and served it himself, and also served some fruits, melon seeds and other non-staple food. As soon as we saw Master, we felt close and at ease with each other. I revealed my intention, but Master politely declined. Lao Liu and Xiao Cao forgot about the scene for a moment and talked about the importance of it. Master is very humble and doesn't speak much. He listens carefully. It can be seen that he is a master who has practiced very well. Although I am not a Buddhist, I have great piety and respect for Master in my heart. I felt that no matter how stubborn I was, it would be disrespectful and ignorant, so I winked, stopped their conversation, and suggested that I go out and take a photo with Master. Master happily agreed, and the three of us took a group photo in front of the Main Hall. After the photo was taken, I felt even more excited and asked to take a photo with Master alone. Finally, I left a precious souvenir of our first meeting with Master. At that time, Master Fachuan was 34 years old. He loved and was proficient in the Internet. He organized a Luotian Buddhist forum. When organizing mountain climbing activities for netizens, I organized netizens from the two forums, Buddhism and Luotian, to jointly organize mountain climbing. Master Fachuan Everyone made time to participate. That summer, Master Fa Chuan proposed climbing Beacon Mountain from the steep slope in front. When the car reached Hexifan at the bottom of the mountain, we looked up. In the morning light, in the vast distance, a towering mountain range came into view. In the middle, there are three peaks and two depressions. The tall and straight middle peak stands thousands of feet high, like a giant sword thrust into the sea of ??clouds. , like a giant pen stand. Youlong, Tingling, layman and I accompanied Master under the guidance of Mr. Huang from Xuanfengdian Temple, who called himself the "Five Mountaineering Warriors", and headed for Bijia Mountain along the Maocao path. Mr. Huang was holding a sickle, cutting the road in front of me. Wearing a straw hat, a monk's robe, and a brown Zen bag on his back, the master walked easily in front with Youlong and the layman without pulling a step. Tingling and I were behind. I secretly praised Master for his good mountaineering physique and skills. It was already afternoon when we climbed to the top of the mountain. The weather changed at any time. Just now it was sunny and sunny, and in the blink of an eye, lightning struck thunder, and heavy rain was coming. We got into a cave to hide from the rain. When the wind and rain stopped, we followed the tractor farming on the west side. The road was walking down the mountain. Unexpectedly, there would be unexpected weather. Just halfway up the mountain, there was lightning and thunder, and heavy rain poured down. There was no shelter here. The five of us ran down the mountain desperately. My figure was too big. Fatty was carrying the camera and stand on his back, and ran last. Master turned around and helped me carry the stand. Seeing that I couldn't run, he helped me carry the camera again, and then I caught up with the running team.

When we arrived at the foot of the mountain, there were several farmhouses. We got into the house and looked at each other. We all became drowned rats. Seeing each other's miserable images, we all laughed out loud. We lit a roaring fire in the firepit, took off our coats and dried our clothes by the fire. Suddenly, I screamed and saw that my feet were covered with mountain leeches. They were sucked into each other until they were so round and strong that I couldn't even pull them off. Master came over to help me pull the leeches off. As soon as I pulled them off, blood flowed down the wound. , I couldn't stop the bleeding for a long time, so Master magically took out iodine from his Zen bag and applied it to my wound to stop the bleeding.

The strange thing is that none of them were bitten by leeches. I thought to myself that I was unlucky. The master said, "It's not unlucky. The leeches at the bottom of the mountain have a special characteristic. People running in front of them disturb them. If you are the last one to go down the mountain, they will crawl up to you like swarms." "My feet and belly are full." I suddenly understood a truth. After that, we also organized dozens of netizens to accompany Master Fa Chuan to climb more than a dozen famous mountains in the territory, including Tiantangzhai, Tianma Mountain, Bojinzhai, Xiongjiazhai, Limangyan, Jimingjian, and Nandaoshan. I visited and expressed my condolences to these elderly masters who were reciting Buddha's teachings and practicing Taoism devoutly on the top of the mountain in difficult conditions. In the midsummer of 2008, we accompanied Master to climb Osaki Tenma Mountain. While climbing along the cliff path, Master told us: On the top of the mountain, there is Tianma Mountain Temple made of stones and bricks. In the temple, two bhikkhunis, including Fazhi, always lived. One is 76 years old and the other is 66 years old. They have been on the mountain for more than 30 years. Due to the steep mountaineering route, there are few pilgrims, and there is a lack of water on the top of the mountain making it difficult to grow food and vegetables, their living conditions can be described as miserable, lonely, and desolate. When we arrived at the simple stone temple, the two elderly nuns were overjoyed to see President Dharma Chuan climbing up the mountain to visit them. They both bowed to the ground and prayed. Master and I helped the old nun up, walked into the dining hall, and sat down on the dark wooden table. Seeing a bowl of black pickles, it shows the hardship of life, and Master Dharma is very sad. Before leaving, the master took out the only 800 yuan he had and gave it to the nuns, but they refused to accept it. It was not until the master got angry that the two nuns accepted the donation. On the way down the mountain, we forgot to appreciate the natural scenery, but we talked enthusiastically about Tianma Mountain Temple and the old nuns. What is commendable is that the two female nuns have never left Tianma Mountain from their soft eyes to hazy eyes. Their tenacity and persistence His spirit is commendable and touching, and will be unforgettable for us forever. When everyone talked about the two nuns becoming too old to take care of themselves and having no one to support them, everyone felt at a loss. Master Dharma Chuan's eyes were wet and he fell into deep thought. When we returned to the temple, it was already nightfall. After a simple evening fast, there was a faint sound of flute coming from the temple. That was Master Fa Chuan. Whenever he was depressed, thinking about problems or in a happy mood, clear and distant, he would The master would sit quietly in the meditation room and sing songs with Xiao. As for whether the mentality is the former or the latter, it can only be determined by the tune and voice of Xiao. Tonight, as the whistle sounded, everything in the forest outside the temple suddenly fell silent, and even the cries of cicadas and birds suddenly disappeared. In the slightly flowing air with the fragrance of wood leaves, only the intermittent sound of the flute hovered low over Laota Mountain. All the passing time suddenly seemed to rise and fall between the fingers of the flute player. After one song, there is another one. Listen carefully. It is a sad music. Its sound is like resentment, admiration, weeping, and the lingering sound is like a wisp...

2

After many mountain climbing activities, we have enhanced our understanding and deepened our relationship with Master Fa Chuan. Master invited us to sit in Qingyuan Zen Temple and enjoy tea. He also invited us to participate in large-scale Buddhist water and land Dharma activities. I wrote some articles and took some photos for them. I tried my best to complete them. One time during the Dharma conference, Master called me into his meditation room and said, "Director Ye, you can become the administrator of our Luotian Buddhist Forum." I asked, "Master, I am not familiar with Buddhism. Can I be the administrator?" "Yes?" Master said affirmatively, "Yes, you are sincere in treating others, have good intentions, and have good roots. If you learn and work hard, you will definitely do well." Maybe it is because of your good roots and your connection with Buddhism. I like the quietness, auspiciousness, and auspiciousness of the temple. The harmonious atmosphere, I like the monks and masters in the temple very much, and I admire Master Dharma Ship very much... So, I agreed to the master.

Master gave me many books and asked me to learn some Buddhist knowledge. I have a preliminary understanding of Buddhism. I once read in the "Talk" magazine that "Einstein said: If you ask which religion can meet the needs of modern scientific progress, then this religion is Buddhism." The scientist's words shocked me. Buddhism is really a great cause. Being able to contribute to Buddha's work is the greatest joy in life!

Buddhist forums are different from hometown forums. Netizens are mostly people who are close to Buddhism. Moreover, the mainstream of online posts is to promote Buddhism, and Buddhist knowledge is infiltrated into the writing and photography. Buddhism has an absolute advantage in organizing forums. Most of the temples in the county are built on top of mountain tops or halfway up mountains with beautiful scenery. Activities can be organized in spring, summer, autumn and winter, and in all seasons.

One night in the first month of 2001, the monk on duty caught a thief. The abbot of Dharma Boat heard the noise and rushed over. He saw that the thief was only wearing two rags and trousers and was barefoot. When he saw the master, he was so frightened that his waist was shaking. Can't straighten. The master asked kindly: "Where are you from? Can you wear such clothes in this cold weather?" The thief replied: "I am from Xishui. My family is too poor to open the pot. I have no choice, Master!" After hearing this, the master came from his residence. He put 200 yuan into the thief's hand and said: "Go back quickly and buy some clothes. I see you are not old. Go home and work hard to earn some money by your own efforts. Don't come out to live such a frightened life again." In the eyes of the thief, With tears streaming down his face, he suddenly knelt on the ground and kowtowed a few times and said, "I'm sorry, Master, I will never do such an ugly thing again." From then on, I never heard of this young man stealing anything again. Mistakes can be corrected, but good can never be greater! This is also a typical example of Master Dharmachuan's "repaying evil with kindness" teachings to confused sentient beings.

I have worked with Master Fa Chuan for more than five years, and I have often heard and witnessed stories of Master helping the poor. An orphan surnamed Ye whom Master rescued and supported has finished college and married a wife. Both of them are township party committee secretaries. After years of raising and supporting him, the younger generation emotionally regards the temple as their hometown and Master as their parent. In addition, every year at the end of the Lao calendar, Master will arrange for the Buddhist Association office to go to the mountains and countryside to express condolences to the elderly and poor masters and lay people, and try every means to provide the monks with "some support, support, and medical care for the elderly."

After inspecting Luotian in 2006, Master Zhengci, president of the Provincial Buddhist Association, highly praised Master Fachuan in his article "Journey to Qingyuan Temple": "The young and promising Master Fachuan, with his With his personality and monastic character, he is writing a new chapter in the history of Buddhism in Luotian County. From his obscurity and hard work, people can see the hope of Buddhism. , I sincerely hope that the young Master Fa Chuan can continue to bless the people of his country and strengthen himself by promoting Buddhism." Indeed, Master has lived up to the encouragement and hope given to him by President Zhengci, and he has always kept his heart in mind. Focus on the Buddhist cause in Luotian and Huanggang, and put your concerns among the many monks and teachers. In small remote temples in mountainous areas, as time goes by, the lonely monks grow old and sick, with no one to care for or support them. Who can pay for these old monks to live a happy old age? This is a serious fact faced by Master and the Buddhist community. One winter, when heavy snow fell, an old monk from the alpine area in the north of the country died of illness alone in the temple. He was not discovered until half a month later. Rats gouged out the eyes of the old monk's corpse. This incident had a profound impact on Dharma Chuan. The master was deeply touched. After hearing the news, he immediately rushed to the mountain and organized the masters and believers to help the deceased to pray and hold a Dharma meeting for salvation. The lonely old monk’s retirement home is like a stone slab weighing on his heart. How can we solve this problem? After careful consideration, Master Fa Chuan realized that setting up a Buddhist welfare home was the only way to solve the problem of providing care for lonely old monks, and he began to prepare for the establishment of a welfare home. The address was chosen at Yuantong Temple in Chengguan, and the three-story layman's building was designated as the kitchen, accommodation and living area for the old monks in the welfare home. Fengshan Lang and I accompanied the master on his way to the mountains and countryside, and brought the lonely old monks from the old forest temple in the deep mountains to Yuantong Temple. , purchase daily necessities and lay the foundation for the establishment of the welfare home.

On the morning of March 29, 2010, the simple and solemn Yuantong Temple was decorated with Buddhist flags flying and colorful traditional dragon and lion dances and Buddhist cultural programs were performed in the courtyard. Outside the mountain gate, there was a lot of traffic. There was a huge flow of people, the salutes were booming, and there was a festive atmosphere everywhere. The grand Luotian County Buddhist Welfare Institute and unveiling ceremony was held as scheduled. Four leaders of the provincial and municipal Buddhist Associations and the county committee, eminent monks and virtuous people, and believers More than a thousand people attended the event, and donations of more than 100,000 yuan were received on the same day.

The County Buddhist Welfare Institute is a Buddhist charity institution founded by the Luotian County Buddhist Association. It mainly aims to take care of some monks or old lay Buddhists who live alone in the temple, are helpless, and are old and infirm. Peace of Mind, a place of practice provided. 16 lonely old monks have stayed in the welfare home successively, where they can recite Buddha's name and practice peacefully to take care of themselves.

Master Fachuan often brought Buddhist businessmen and bosses from other places to the welfare home to visit the old monk. He also came to express condolences during every year and festival. No matter how busy he was every year, he always attended the summary meeting held by the welfare home on time. The old monk ate and drank. , accommodation, clothing, etc. are all considered.

In early April 2011, Fengshan Wolf, who was as healthy as an ox, suddenly fell ill. The doctor initially diagnosed him with cirrhosis of the liver and hepatic ascites. He was hospitalized in a local hospital but showed no improvement. The attending doctor went to Zhongnan People's Hospital for a diagnosis. Master Fa Chuan arranged a car to send him for examination. The result was cruel and heartbreaking. Fengshan, who was born in the military, had such serious wolf disease: cirrhosis - ascites - liver cancer. The three diseases gathered in him. How could he resist it? Since then, doctors have predicted based on clinical experience that Fengshan Wolf may only live for half a year.

In Wanmitzhai Hospital, the white walls and white sheets cover Fengshan Lang, who is getting thinner and darker and has a sallow complexion. Master Fachuan and we often go to the hospital to visit him. Master learned about it when he was young. Traditional Chinese medicine always uses the traditional dialectical theory of Chinese medicine to enlighten Fengshan Lang, so that he can build up the confidence to defeat the disease and be full of hope for his recovery. Master knew very well that Fengshan Lang's condition was not good, so he spent more than 20,000 yuan from the expenses he had saved over the years. We sent Fengshan Wolf to the hospital for treatment. We took the lead in visiting Brother Lang many times, and organized several key temples and netizens to go to the hospital in batches and at different times to visit Fengshan Wolf.

The autumn wind is coming, and the remaining leaves on the trees are floating down. At the end of September, Fengshan Wolf's condition became more and more serious. We accompanied Master to visit him in the hospital. He was so thin that he was unrecognizable. We thought of Brother Lang who climbed mountains and ridges with everyone. He always He was running in front, majestic and flying, but now he is dying and struggling on the hospital bed. It is really pitiful. We shed sad tears, and tears also appeared in Master's eyes. Fengshan Lang struggled to sit up on the bed. Master and I hurriedly helped him and put a few pillows on his back. He took a breath and said a few words after a while: "Master - I might - - No way - I'm sorry - I don't have the chance to be your master in this life - in the next life - will you still accept me as your disciple? - Master, hear this! , couldn't bear it anymore, and said with tears streaming down his face: "I promise you!" Fengshan Lang had a smile on his face, and he no longer had the strength to speak... The charm of Master's personality and monk's character is endless. People around him worship him to the point of worshiping him, and Fengshan Lang is not the only one. Coincidentally, in the autumn of 2008, Feng'er, the young driver of Master Dharma Chuan, was seriously ill and could not be cured for a long time. As his death approached, he devoutly asked Master Dharma Boat to ordain him into Buddhism. A few days after the ordination and apprenticeship, he passed away. , the scenes before and after are very touching.

On the 10th and 20th, Fengshan Lang’s wife called and said that Brother Lang was coming to Tashan to see Master. At this time, Qingyuan Temple was holding a large-scale water and land Dharma ceremony, and it was very lively with many people. We met Brother Lang at the gate of the temple. Brother Lang was in good spirits today. Although he was too thin and out of shape, he was wearing brown casual clothes, wearing sunglasses, and holding a walking stick commonly used for mountaineering. In Master's meditation room, I specially arranged for him to sit next to Master. In order to liven up the atmosphere, everyone said some pleasant words. Everyone laughed, including Brother Lang, but he felt that his laughter was unnatural. Finally, Master proposed to take a photo of him and Brother Lang. I pressed the shutter and saw Brother Lang smiling, this time very happily. More than half an hour later, Fengshan Wolf was going down the mountain to the hospital for an injection. Master drove Brother Lang to him. When he walked down the dozens of steps of Master's meditation room, I held Brother Lang's arm to help him. I felt sorry for Brother Lang. The arms in the sleeves of the coat were so thin that there were only bones left, and they looked empty. I suddenly remembered what Brother Lang’s wife had said to me alone just now. Fengshan Lang had to go to Tashan Mountain these days. Today he came to Qingyuan Temple to see the master. His spirit was very special. Well, he also has strength. What a weird thing? ! This phenomenon is called "returning light" for those who are about to die, and it is also called "returning light" to those who are about to say goodbye to the master. At this point, I was shocked that Brother Lang might not be around for long! !

As expected, more than ten days later, on the morning of November 1st, I was taking pictures of red leaves in Xufengchong, Jiuzi River with a group of photographers. Master called me and said, "I want to go see Fengshan Mountain." Wolf, I don’t know if he is at home or in the hospital.” I called him immediately.

When I called Fengshan Lang’s mobile phone, Brother Lang’s daughter answered the phone. She cried and said, “I’m at home and my father ignores me. No matter how I shout, he doesn’t answer me!” I told the situation on the phone. I reported it to the master, who knew medical skills. He kept saying, "It's something bad. Fengshan Lang is mute. He is suffering from hepatic coma!" and drove to Brother Lang's home.

According to Brother Lang’s wishes during his lifetime, before and after his death, he asked Master to lead the director of the welfare home to explain the Dharma and wait for the Master to help him pray and send him to a beautiful Western Paradise. In Brother Lang's bedroom, he was lying quietly on the bed, wearing a brand-new military uniform and a military cap, surrounded by flowers and Buddhist music. The masters and believers stood on both sides and chanted the Buddha's name in unison: "Amitabha, Amitabha ". Master Dharma was very sad. He had caught a cold and had not rested well, so his condition was getting worse. We all advised Master to go back and rest, but he firmly disagreed and stayed by Brother Lang's side for three consecutive days and nights. So, a soldier Fengshan Lang, who had a career, engaged in spy intelligence work, and became a lieutenant colonel, left his wife, children, master, netizens, and comrades who could not bear to leave him in the sound of his master's chanting, and went to another world...

After the funeral of Fengshan Lang, Master Fa Chuan was exhausted and sad, and he was ill for more than half a month. With Fengshan Lang's death, Master lost a good assistant in the work of the Buddhist Association. In accordance with Master's will, I silently took over Brother Lang's unfinished charity work of the Buddhist Association...

When the sun set and night fell, I leaned alone by the window near the Yishui River, daydreaming and meditating. . During the few years when I came into contact with Buddhism and worked with Dharma Ship Master, I also served as the vice chairman and secretary-general of the County Writers Association. I interviewed and contacted all walks of life in today's society, both in the Buddhist and secular worlds. I wore multiple positions and changed roles. On one side are all the living beings, the rolling mortal world, the world is hot and cold; on the other side is the clear distance and beauty, everything is empty, but I am the Buddha. I like people or things during this period. People talk about popularity, Buddha talks about fate, and fate comes and goes. But what benefited me the most was Master Dharma Chuan’s teachings. The idea of ??“learn to let go and feel calm” has matured. "Four Photographs and Six Degrees" and "Home Practice" have risen to a new level, and I feel like I am in heaven. Look at how many things are happening in the world, how many worldly affairs are outdated, greedy, endless disputes, and hard-working and busy? It really feels like "just one day in heaven, hundreds of years in this world". Yes, Buddhism is not only a study of "healing the mind", but also a study of "education". Buddhism is a place of great wisdom and wisdom. It allows our souls to gain spiritual enlightenment. Purify, sublimate. "The Sutra of Auspiciousness Said by the Buddha" says: "Don't get close to stupid people, make friends with wise people, and respect the virtuous, which is the most auspicious." On the vast road of life, netizens such as Brother Lang and I were lucky enough to get to know Master Dachuan. His heart tolerated us and inspired us with his wise thoughts. Brother Lang passed away peacefully amidst the sound of Master’s Amitabha Buddha. Although we were busy and miserable around Master, we followed the auspicious path and did the right thing. We work hard for the cause of Buddhism, so we are the most auspicious people, we are the happiest people, and we are the happiest people.