All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas Christmas Day (Lunar New Year)
The first day of the first month: Maitreya Christmas
On the sixth day of the first month: Christmas Day for the Buddha.
February 8: Sakyamuni Buddha became a monk.
February 15: nirvana of Sakyamuni Buddha
February 19: Guanyin Christmas.
February 2 1 day: Christmas in Pu Xian.
March 16: Christmas for Zhunti Bodhisattva
April 4th: Manjusri Bodhisattva Christmas Day
April 8: Sakyamuni Buddha Christmas Day
April 15: Buddha's auspicious day-the birth, enlightenment and nirvana of Sakyamuni Buddha are celebrated together (namely Vesak Day in Southern Buddhism countries).
May 13: Galand Bodhisattva Christmas Day.
The third day of June: Guardian Wei Tuo pays tribute to the Buddha at Christmas.
June 19th: Avalokitesvara became a Buddhist monk-on this day, she became a Buddhist monk, with extraordinary merits.
July 13: the general trend is to bodhisattva Christmas.
July 24th: Dragon Tree Bodhisattva Christmas Day
July 30th: Christmas for Tibetan Bodhisattvas.
August 22nd: Lantern Buddha Christmas Day
September 19: the anniversary of Guanyin Bodhisattva becoming a monk.
September 30th: The pharmacist came to Christmas with a glazed lamp.
10.5: Father Dharma's Christmas Day.
December 17th: Amitabha Christmas Day
The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month: Black Rice Taoist Day.
129 February: Christmas for Bodhisattva Huayan
Opening meeting
It means removing sages, saints, customs, nobility and inferiority, and performing financial laws equally. In the 7th century, Xuanzang was invited to attend a nude convention held in Qunnvcheng, which was held every five years in India. All the treasures were used to benefit the community. The conference lasted for 75 days, giving alms to Buddhists, Brahmins, Jains and beggars. The China Exposition Conference began in the first year of Datong (529), and Liang Wudi set up a rescue camp for the people in Zhongyun Temple as a prayer. Fortunately, Tongtai Temple set up four (four) shelters, put on the robes to clean the general assembly, take the vegetarian bed pottery by car, and personally climb the Dharma platform to open the Nirvana Sutra for the public. The emperor set up Taoist and secular fasts for 50,000 people.
Tibetan Buddhist festival
Make a big phone call
It is a ritual of Tibetan Buddhism, which means "great prayer". From the third day to the 24th day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, monks from the three major monasteries in Lhasa and believers (up to tens of thousands) from all over Tibet, Amdo and Kangqu gathered in Jokhang Temple for various religious activities. On the fifteenth day of the first month, butter lamps and butter sculptures are displayed on Bajiao Street in Lhasa, and they are celebrated by singing and dancing. This is the so-called Lantern Festival. At the Fa Conference, a debate contest was held to select the highest level of Tibetan Buddhism-Gexi. The ceremony ended with a ghost sending ceremony.
Through a small phone call
The Tibetan calendar lasts for ten days in late February every year, and related religious activities are carried out. During the Fa Conference, monks from the three major monasteries participated in the debate in Jokhang Temple, and chose the second-class Gexi, which was named after it was smaller than the Fa Conference in Sichuan and Zhaoda.
Bath Buddha Festival
The annual Bathing Buddha Festival on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month is an important festival for Buddhists in China to commemorate the birth of the founder Sakyamuni Buddha, also known as the Buddha's Birthday Festival. According to legend, more than 2,600 years ago, when Sakyamuni was born from Mrs. Moiev's ribs, he said, "Heaven and the world are the only ones." So the earth shook, and Kowloon spat and bathed. Therefore, Buddhists of all countries and nationalities usually take a bath to commemorate the Buddha's birthday.
Before the Buddha Bath Festival, Buddhists had cleaned the temple and wiped the Buddha statues in the hall. Usually on the seventh day of April, many good men and women have gathered in the Buddhist temple to prepare for the memorial ceremony to be held the next morning. I saw the temple buildings covered with banners, incense lamps and candles, and all kinds of offerings. There is a copper basin in several cases of fragrant flowers, which contains fragrant soup made of sandalwood, rosewood, turmeric, borneol, agarwood, musk and clove. There is a bronze boy in the soup, pointing to the sky and the ground, which is the statue of Prince Sakyamuni. Before the bath, the abbot of the temple led the monks in the whole temple to chant and recite the scriptures, and then burned incense, bowed down, sang the Buddha bath, or read the Buddha of Sakyamuni, the master of Nanwu. When chanting, monks and laymen take turns to scoop soup with spoons and bathe the Buddha. After bathing the Buddha statue, bathe yourself with a little delicious soup, which means to turn over a new leaf, eliminate disasters and solve problems. If too many people attend, the monks will take the clean water from Yang Zhi's bathing Buddha to bathe the believers. The whole ceremony was solemn and full of auspicious and festive atmosphere.
On this day, monks will hold sacrifices to the Buddha and ancestors before breakfast or noon. Good men and women are willing to come to the temple to burn incense and make wishes on this day, or to worship Buddha and recite scriptures, or to give money and things, or to fast for the public, or to burn good luck, recommend death, or to listen to a master's lecture, or to invite monks to do Buddhist services. Outside the temple, various economic, trade and cultural activities are also colorful. Because such activities before and after the Buddha bath festival often last for many days, many people attend, even year after year, and traditional temple fairs have been formed in many temples.
Meng Lan Basin Festival (Japan)
Vishnu Festival on July 15th of the lunar calendar is one of the two major Buddhist festivals in China, also known as "Monk's Self-indulgence Day" and "Buddha's Happy Day", and it is a festival for Buddhists to hold sacrifices to the Buddha and the ceremony of death before reincarnation. ?
According to the precepts, monks and nuns must settle down in summer from April 15th to July 15th of the lunar calendar every year, that is, during the growth and reproduction of this animal and plant, one can avoid harming insects and ants, and the other can concentrate on chanting or meditation. On July 15th, a person must criticize himself or introduce his spiritual experience, which is called "monks indulge themselves". After three months of special study, the monks' achievements will be greatly improved, which will make all buddhas happy, so this day is called "Buddha Happy Day".
So how did this day become the Orchid Festival again? This has to start with the Buddhist explanation of the Orchid Classic translated by Zhu Fahu in the Western Jin Dynasty. According to Buddhist scriptures, the venerable Mulian, who is famous for her divine power, saw her dead mother born in Hungry Ghost Road in meditation. Although he tried his best, he couldn't relieve his mother's hunger, so he cried to the Buddha. The Buddha said the way of liberation: July 15th is the day when monks settle down in summer and practice successfully. On that day, you will set up a grand worship basin, feed all kinds of food to ten monks and save your mother with the help of ten monks. His mother really got rid of the torture of the hungry ghost. When Mu Menglian asked the Buddha if future disciples could also help save their parents through the pot, the Buddha said: From now on, all Buddhist disciples who practice filial piety can prepare all kinds of meals on July 15th, the day when monks are free and Buddha is happy, so that the present parents can increase their happiness, prolong their lives and get rid of evil ways. The eyeworm basin here is a transliteration of Sanskrit, which literally translates as "saving upside down", meaning saving the suffering of the undead; Pot is a Chinese word, which refers to a vessel for monks to hold food. As soon as it was translated, it was immediately loved by China people who respected their ancestors and emphasized filial piety. In the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Liang Wudi founded Orchid Club for the first time in the Han Dynasty. For example, Yi Chu said in "Forty-five Poems in Six Poems": "Hongming said: Send the pot to Pusi on July 15th every year, and send it by car every day, followed by Mu Lian." Because of Liang Wudi's vigorous advocacy, people from all walks of life have followed suit. Since then, the emperor and ordinary people are keen on this Buddhist activity, and constantly enrich its content, thus forming a festival with China characteristics, which might as well be called "Filial Piety Festival". For example, in the Tang Dynasty, bonsai was extremely luxurious and often decorated with golden lights. At that time, temples in Chang 'an made flower wax, vases and fake flower fruit trees. July 15, every wonderful game. Traditionally, the offerings were placed in front of the temple, accompanied by musical ceremonies, and the people of the whole city happily visited the temple fair, which was very spectacular; After entering the Song Dynasty, bonsai will gradually change from offering pots to ghosts and setting fire to the dead, and from filial piety to offering sacrifices to ghosts. Monks in temples will collect money and rice from donors every day to recommend their ways to die. Later generations even set off river lanterns and burned boats, which gradually became a folk custom. In the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, this custom was still very popular, and the orchid club became one of the important activities of the temple every year. For example, Yuan Ming's book "Living Regulations of Ji 'an Temple" said: "On July 15th, personnel were released. This evening, we will start to build a bonsai to help you relax and reward you. It is also necessary to prepare the classic bibliography in advance for the public to read at will. There will be an altar to open the manna gate, so please follow it. Ming Youhong once argued in Wu Zheng Ji: "It is wrong for the world to worship ghosts and gods on July 15th. The origin of the orchid basin is Manglietia, which means that on July 15th, monks relieve the heat for free. At the age of 90, people who take part in the study gain a lot of knowledge. On this day, they are blessed a hundred times and don't give food to ghosts and gods. Food is given from Ananda, not limited to July 15th. The tool used is to exhaust the national welcome, not the blue flowerpot. Build one with Fengxian sage to help hungry ghosts. You can mix strictly! "It can be seen that there are differences between the versions before and after the Ming Dynasty, and the content and form of the ceremony are also somewhat different. In this regard, Yirun in the Qing Dynasty wanted to have the best of both worlds, saying that he would offer orchid pots every day and respect the three treasures; Feeding at night, crossing ghosts and gods. However, due to various reasons, the summer settlement system has not been fully and effectively implemented in China, and the situation that monks engage in arbitrary activities is even rarer. With the decline of the quality and status of monks, the form of bonsai will naturally change from worshipping monks to offering sacrifices to ghosts.
At present, very few monasteries have begun to restore and implement the old system of living in summer, and some monasteries have resumed the Dharma meeting to preach Buddhist scriptures on the Arahara Festival. As for the masses of believers, they are always willing to break fast for the masses on this day, and according to local customs, they will either make vows or release them, or invite three people to convert to the Five Commandments, listen to the master's lectures, or invite monks to play Buddha and let the torch pass.
It is worth mentioning that, because the story of Mu saving his mother is very touching, what is the literary wall? Male age? Bear? Are curtains and umbrellas too expensive to bet on? What happened to Rao's return to China? Is gambling too expensive? Rao Piao dyed back? Unification day? A boat? Sinus bursa and scandium spot in slightly Han rabbits? Hey? 4 send? At night? What's the matter with you? サ サ サ サ? Martyrdom? Mildew? What's the matter with you? br & gt
Laba Festival
Long ago, China people had the custom of eating Laba porridge and celebrating Laba Festival on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, which was formed by Buddhists in China to commemorate the enlightenment of Sakyamuni Buddha. According to legend, in order to seek the true meaning of life and the liberation of life and death, Sakyamuni resolutely abandoned the throne and became a monk. He stayed in the snow-capped mountains for six years, and often every wheat and hemp was eclipsed. Later, he found that asceticism was not the way out, so he gave up asceticism and went down the mountain. At this time, a shepherdess saw that he was weak and cooked chyle to raise him. Sakyamuni recovered from this and stayed under the bodhi tree for seven days. On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, he saw the stars at night and became a Buddha. According to this legend, Buddhist temples in the Han Dynasty are commemorated in various forms every year on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. For example, the second volume of Baizhang Qinggui records that "on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, when our teacher, Great Monk Nigumei, became a monk, he led the monks and ordered them to prepare incense, lamps, candles, tea and fruits to apply for support." Among them, cooking porridge for Buddha has become a common meaning. Buddhism believes that eating porridge has many benefits, so temples generally have the habit of eating porridge in the morning. As for cooking Laba porridge on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, it is even more particular. Usually eight kinds of things, such as lotus seeds, red dates, coix seed, beans, ginkgo, millet and white sugar peanuts, are used to cook porridge, which is called "eight-treasure porridge". Porridge is not only cooked well, but also cooked a lot to meet the needs of good men and women who come to the temple to attend the memorial ceremony. Some believers come specifically for "porridge", thinking that the porridge offered by Laba to the Buddha is particularly auspicious, not only for their own consumption, but also for their families sometimes. In this way, year after year, the tradition of making Laba porridge in temples is widely circulated among the people.
It is worth mentioning that Southern Buddhism countries generally believe that the birth, enlightenment and nirvana of Sakyamuni Buddha are all on the full moon in May, and grand commemorative activities such as bathing Buddha are held on this day. Therefore, eating Laba porridge on Laba Festival can be said to be a holiday custom formed in China.
The teaching banner of Buddhism
At present, the Buddhist flags we see in many temples are all designed by Polish-American Orr galt according to the six colors of light emitted by the holy communion when the Buddha became a Buddha, and were confirmed at the second congress of the World Buddhist Association held in 1952.
These six light colors are blue, yellow, red, white, orange and the mixture of the first five colors. Its composition is blue, yellow, red, white, orange and other colors, symbolizing various skin colors of human beings. Among them, horizontal means the harmonious coexistence of human beings all over the world, while vertical means world peace. From the standpoint of Buddhism, the six colors of the teaching flag (including mixed colors) symbolize the solemn statutes of the Buddha and the profoundness of Buddhism. Blue represents the theme of compassion and peace in Buddhism; Yellow means middle; Red symbolizes Ford's achievements; White represents cleanliness and freedom; Orange symbolizes the essence of Buddhism-wisdom perfection; The mixture of five colors shows the real meaning.
Therefore, the banner of Buddhism is a symbol of Buddhism, wisdom, equality, compassion and peace. All Buddhists and even all mankind should unite under this sacred and great banner.
The sectarian origin of Buddhism in China
Buddhism was introduced to China around the middle of 1 century. Buddhism in China reached its peak in the Sui and Tang Dynasties from the end of the 6th century to the middle of the 9th century. During this period, Mahayana Sect came one after another, showing the scene of a hundred flowers blooming. The main sects are briefly introduced as follows:
Three schools of thought? According to Kumarajiva's (343-4 13) translation of Zhong Lun, Bai Lun and Twelve Lun, the school formed by reading and giving lectures is called San Lun Zong. Its ultimate significance is to take truth and vulgarity as the general program, expose all the falsity of the five-implication law from the vacuum aspect, get rid of the confusion of the three poisons (greed and ignorance) completely, and establish all the meanings of the middle way. Ji Zang, a master at the end of Sui Dynasty, systematically expounded this theory. This case, in fact, is the school of India's meso-system, and it is the direct successor of the dragon tree and the god theory.
Yoga Sect? According to Maitreya's theory of time, it is recorded without records, and it is a sect based on the basic teachings, named Yoga Sect. Master Xuanzang of our country (600-664) translated this case, and translated the Thirty Odes of Knowing Only from ten teachers into The Theory of Knowing Only, so this case is also called the law of knowing only and the case of loving kindness. Its purpose is to divide widely, and all beings are inseparable from each other. This paper expounds the application of various laws according to their causes, cultivates the concept of knowledge and behavior, and turns knowledge into wisdom. This sect was established by master Xuanzang's translation, and it is the direct successor of India's theory of "no writing, no blood".
Tiantai Sect? Tiantai Sect is an ideological system based on Fire Religion, On Great Wisdom and On China translated by Roche, which absorbed various schools of thought from India and developed in China, and reorganized them systematically. Because its founder Zhi (538-597) lives in Tiantai Mountain, Zhejiang Province, it is called Tiantai Sect. Its central ideas are "teaching at five o'clock and eight o'clock", "three views and one heart" and "harmony and three virtues"
Hua Yanzong? On the basis of Huayan Classic, Hua Yanzong made a thorough study and incisive exposition on Huayan Classic, which is an ideological system developed on the basis of predecessors' theories (Three Theories, Tiantai, Ci 'en, geologist, photographer, etc.). ). The founder was the first national teacher of the wise (Fazang) at the end of the seventh century, so it was also called the first Sect of the wise. This school judges the whole Buddhism by the five religions, takes the six phases, the ten mysteries and the three views as the central thought, and emphatically expounds the reasons for the origin of the dharma circle and the methods of observing the practice.
Although the ancestral meanings of Tiantai and Huayan originated from Fahua and Huayan, they were actually created by China. Tiantai's theory of "One Mind, Three Views, Harmony and Three Truths", the origin of strict legal circles, and all the unobstructed theories have greatly developed the Mahayana thought from India and demonstrated China's original Mahayana spirit.
Zen? In Zen, there is a phenomenon that suddenly rises in China, which is the so-called "teaching others" Zen. What this Sect has learned is not the two Zen Buddhism that it has learned since ancient times, but the Founder Zen Buddhism that points to the epiphany of mind. According to legend, the Zen of this sect was introduced from India by Dharma in the early 5th century. Although there is a saying of single-minded printing, but no words are written, in fact, Zen is based on Lengga, King Kong, the Six Ancestors Tanjing that appeared later and many quotations. In the eighth century, it was divided into north and south. The Northern Sect of Shen Xiu (about 606-706) advocated gradual cultivation, which flourished for a while, but soon declined; Huineng (638-7 13) advocated epiphany, and later generations respected him as the sixth ancestor, which spread widely. From the Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, Nanzong Zen masters came forth in large numbers. During these 300-400 years, there have been five schools: Luyang, Lin Ji, Cao Dong, Yunmen and Fayan. With their support, two schools, Huanglong and Yang Qi, emerged. Together, the first five schools are called seven schools, all of which flourished for a while. Later, Zen was immune to it, while the two factions in Cao Dong circulated endlessly, especially in Lin Ji.
Pure land Sect? Pure Land Sect is a Sect that advocates observing Buddha and reciting Buddha in order to survive in the pure land of Amitabha in the west, so it is named Pure Land Sect. Hui Yuan in the fifth century was its founder, Tanluan in the sixth century and Shandao in the seventh century were its important promoters. You don't have to be proficient in Buddhist scriptures, study and teach them extensively, and you don't have to do what you say and do, and be good at Tao. As long as you have enough faith, you can say that there is no Amitabha in the south, and you will never be lazy. When you die, you can go to the pure land. Pure land is particularly popular in China because it is simple and informal and can be accepted by the masses.
Law school? In terms of precepts, the Mahayana doctrine is interpreted according to the Four Laws of Tanwude, which has formed a "Legalist" school in China. His important figure was the preaching at the same time as Xuanzang. Because of the prevalence of this situation, monks in China still pay attention to observing the precepts of attendance when practicing Mahayana for three hours.
Tantric? In the 8th century, Indian Tantric Buddhism was introduced into China through Sumitomo Buddha (637-735), Vajrayana Wisdom (669-74 1) and Bukong (705-774), forming Tantric Buddhism. According to the Diamond Sutra and the Great Sun Sutra, this sect has established two three-secret yoga classes, namely, "King Kong Realm" and "Fetal Tibetan Realm". This Sect is based on the mystery of the secret law. Without initiation, you are not allowed to spread and show others at will, so it is called tantric.
These are the eight sects of China Buddhism in China. In addition, there are sects that specialize in abandoning everything, established sects that specialize in consciousness, sects that specialize in camera theory, earth support theory and Nirvana sutra, which rose and prevailed for a while in the Eastern Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties.
Generally speaking, the Sui and Tang Dynasties were a period of the rise and prosperity of various sects. After the reign of Emperor Huichang (844), all sects declined except Zen. After that, there will be the revival of Tiantai and Xianshou and the great development of Zen Buddhism, which can be regarded as the era of Buddhist revival, but it is not as grand as the early and middle Tang Dynasties. Since the Yuan Dynasty, Tibetan Buddhism was introduced to the mainland and was greatly respected by the imperial court, but it did not spread to the people, and the primitive Buddhism in the Han Dynasty was not as prosperous as that in the Song Dynasty. By the Qing dynasty, Buddhism in the Han dynasty had not improved, and it could only maintain its original surplus. Since the end of Qing dynasty, all the above eight cases have been studied and admonished, and they are likely to recover. This is the general context of the Buddhist sects in China from the beginning of Buddhism in the 1st century A.D. to the end of Qing Dynasty.