What is a ghost?

What is a ghost?

Is the ghost we usually talk about a real ghost? Actually, this is a problem.

The Legend of Ghosts (data map)

First of all, the ghost in China's traditional concept is not the same as the hungry ghost in the Six Buddhist Paths.

Hungry ghosts belong to one of the six divisions in the Buddhist karma system, which are divided into three categories: external ghosts, internal ghosts and ghost eaters. Among them, foreign ghosts have encountered various external obstacles for many years and can't afford it. Their bellies are so big that they will never get enough to eat. Cataracts have a mouth full of fire and a throat as small as a pinhole, so even if they succeed in finding food, they can't swallow it. Even if they can swallow food, these foods will not only make them feel full, but will make their stomachs burn, which is very painful. Eating disorder ghosts will turn into flames, weapons or all kinds of inedible things when they see food. Whenever a hungry ghost sees a river, the whole river will dry up and cannot quench his thirst.

Charming shadow (data map)

As for the concept of China's ghost, it is a very complicated compound noun. It includes dead ancestors, souls of the dead, evil spirits, ghosts and so on. They won't have any difficulty in eating, and they won't get hungrier as they eat. However, such a broad concept is obviously not rigorous enough. Today we will talk about what ghosts are.

Strictly speaking, ghosts refer to dead souls who died prematurely due to acute diseases or accidents. Their characteristic is that after death, their yang is still not exhausted. This state is called a ghost, which is similar to the yin body of Buddhism. The difference is that people who died of natural causes successfully entered the reincarnation after 49 days in the Yin state, while ghosts could not enter the reincarnation even after 49 days because the yang was not exhausted. This is an embarrassing state, even for ghosts and gods. In Zhong You's Collected Works of the Preacher, there is such a passage:

"Ghost fairy, under five immortals. Disenchantment in yin, the image of god is unknown, the ghost has no surname, and the three mountains are nameless. Although there is no reincarnation, it is difficult to return to Peng Ying. In the end, there is no return, only giving up when reborn. "

Zhong Kui (data map)

Therefore, we know those who died of acute diseases or accidents, such as myocardial infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, car accidents, abortion and so on. Because the yang is not exhausted, it is difficult to enter reincarnation 49 days after death. Influenced by their obsession, they wandered in the places they used to go before their death, or stayed with their families for a long time. There are usually two ways to save the dead: crossing over and sending them away. Although it seems that everyone has heard of it, it is actually one of the most tests of the mage's level. Because it is not the focus of this article, we will discuss it in detail later.

Is Yan Luowang a Buddhist or a Taoist?

At first, Yan Luowang was neither a Buddhist nor a Taoist. His name comes from the Hindu mythology Rigveda and Sanskrit Yan Luowang, and has also been translated into Yama Yamo and Yama.

Pictures of Yamaraja (data map)

In early Indian mythology, the heavenly king in charge of the underworld was a brother and sister, among whom Mo Ye was the elder brother and Yan Luowang was the transliteration after he was introduced to China. Later, Indian myths were absorbed by Mahayana Buddhism and became immortals? One. With the introduction of Buddhism into China, the ghosts and gods of the underworld, such as Yan Luowang, Tau Ma Mian, which originated from Indian mythology, were not only integrated into China's folk beliefs, but also absorbed by Taoism as their orthodox gods? One.

In folk beliefs, Rebecca and Bao Zheng have always been regarded as spokesmen of fairness and justice, and they are gradually closely combined. Such as "Song History? "Biography of Bao Zheng" records: "Lack of joints, there is Yamaraja Bao Lao. "You can see the relationship.

In-situ pipe (data map)

In Taoism, the emperor of the Central Plains was the first to manage the ghost, and the origin of the Central Plains Festival was closely related to it. After the word "Rebecca" entered Taoism, Taoism enriched its spiritual function: "Emperor Tsinghua of Dongji has the ability to help ghosts and gods, and he turned it into a god who saved suffering with ten methods; In order to govern the nine secluded places, he was transformed into ten halls of hades. Yan Luowang belongs to the Fifth Hall. "

It can be seen that the meaning of Yamaraja has changed a lot at first, whether it is folk or Taoist, but its name still remains.