Living in the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, the fast pace and high pressure of daily work can really be disturbing. It seems that the heart is stuffed with garbage but there is nowhere to discharge. And Hong Kong also happens to have a sanctuary for purifying the soul, but in order to visit successfully, you must not only have perseverance, but also the luck of bonding with Buddha. This is what I would like to solemnly recommend to you - Tsz Shan Temple.
Located in Tai Po District, Hong Kong, Tsz Shan Temple is a Buddhist temple. Funded by Li Ka-shing, it was finally opened to the public in mid-2015 after more than ten years. When I was studying at Chinese University, I stood at the top of the mountain overlooking the beautiful scenery of Tai Po – I could clearly see the white statue of Guanyin towering high, which made me yearn for it.
Reservations for visitors to Ketsu Mountain Temple are also god-like. Appointments are usually available for at least a month later, especially in time for important Buddhist festivals or events. In the past few years, I have had the privilege of visiting Tsz Shan Temple three times. Cultivate your emotions in the forest, pray to the bodhisattvas during the Chinese New Year, and feel the inner tranquility by painting meditation under the guidance of the teacher.
One day in the spring blossoms, I took a tour bus to Tsz Shan Temple on Pumen Road, Tai Po. As soon as I got off the bus, I was fascinated by my surroundings. Cishan Temple is located between water and mountains, surrounded by verdant greenery, giving people a sense of tranquility and distance. After presenting the registration certificate, the tour officially begins.
Stepping up the mountain gate means letting go of greed, anger, delusion and many other troubles in our hearts, and entering the door of liberation with a peaceful heart. Then I came to an open courtyard. According to the staff of Tsz Shan Temple, this place is called "Land of Joy". It is to remind visitors to learn from the bodhisattvas with a joyful and gentle heart. Bodhi trees are planted in the garden, recording the Buddha's allusions to attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.
Next, a kind old man as a docent led me to visit the Maitreya Hall, the Bell Tower, the Drum Tower, the Daxiong Treasure Hall and the Jizo Hall. The old man said that she had meditated for many years and now works as a volunteer at Tsz Shan Monastery for a long time. As a docent, I enjoy spreading Buddhism to a steady stream of students.
After my morning school activities, I went to the vegetarian restaurant "Wuguan Hall" at Tsuksan Temple for fasting rice. When I entered the restaurant, I saw several rows of seats neatly arranged inside, and a certain distance was maintained between the seats. Ramadan is a buffet style, and each participant can receive food according to their needs. The monastery stipulates that food must be eaten, not wasted, and no words must be spoken during the meal. Different from the previous eating with laughter and chat, this quiet eating experience is very special, and suddenly closes the relationship between people and food. Without distractions, you can chew on the most natural taste of each food without distraction. I guess it's also a respect for nature.
Leaving the back door of the restaurant, I went straight to the lavender field in the temple. Patches of lavender are alive under the careful cultivation of temple volunteers, and a sea of purple flowers can be seen in the distance. When a volunteer came out of a flower field, I asked him about the purpose of the lavender planting in the monastery. The volunteer smiled and said, "The temple prays that all living beings can be like lavender, like pearls and treasures, radiant. Strive to carry forward the truth, goodness and beauty in your heart, and share Buddha's grace with the world with a pure and happy heart." After that, the volunteer uncle left.
The afternoon trip was equally exciting. The monastery arranged for a teacher to give a lecture on Zen, with the theme of life care, to discuss the Buddhist interpretation of life and death. And let us experience the art form "Zen painting" firsthand. It seems to be repeating simple lines. But when one really calms one's mind and draws straight lines or curves without distractions, this concentration brings inner peace to mind as the Buddhist teachings call a pure mind.
Leaving the studio, I finally saw the statue of Guanyin, which I had always longed for. The statue of Guanyin at Cishan Temple is completely white and cast from bronze alloy. Seventy meters high, with a compassionate and solemn face, holding a jewel of wisdom in his right hand and a clean bottle in his left hand, his head hanging slightly down, overlooking all living beings with a compassionate heart. Standing under the statue of Guanyin, I especially felt my own insignificance.
Unlike other temples, the Buddha here worships water rather than incense. Scholars can scoop up a spoonful of water and walk reverently on the path of mercy with their hands in their hands. The water in the water gravel reflects your own heart. Only by focusing on the present moment can we calmly send water under the statue of Guanyin, pour it into the water bowl, and complete the Buddha ritual.
This process made me deeply understand that no matter what I do, I can't do without the word "cultivating the mind". Only by maintaining a heart as clear as water can we comprehend transcendent joy.
With my first school experience, Tsz Shan Temple became the perfect choice for my soul to purify and I was eager to visit again. Here's your chance! One day I saw in the news that Tsz Shan Temple launched a program called "Cisen · Mountain Healing Experience". I immediately went to register, but unfortunately I was one step late, and the few dozen places were swept away in just two minutes. With my persistent yearning for Tsz Shan Temple, I continued to work hard and set an alarm clock on the next month's registration day. The effort paid off and I got the opportunity to experience this valuable forest bathing.
Basking in the early morning sun, the experience begins. Led by the mountain healing companion, our group slowed down and walked into the peach blossom forest. Forest bathing emphasizes the use of people's five senses to embrace nature. Calm down, try to clear your mind of distractions, and listen carefully to the insects and birds in the jungle. The chaperone told us that along the way, we can pick up branches or fallen leaves on the ground as you wish, and let them accompany us and continue to move forward.
Along the way, we came to a small meadow called "Gidoen". In front of a Buddha statue, we close our eyes, stroke the grass with our hands, and breathe in the breath from the earth with our noses. Two and a half hours of forest bathing passed quietly, and although we did not do any fulfilling tasks, we felt very rich inside. It seems to be full of strength to face the troubles of life again.
On the occasion of the Chinese New Year, my parents happened to come to visit me in Hong Kong, so I thought that I must take them to Tsz Shan Temple to pray for blessings. As expected, all places are displayed online. I am not discouraged, set an alarm clock and plan to go to the website on time every day, and I will definitely succeed. Thinking of this, I plan to go back to the website to confirm what time I can make an appointment every day. Unexpectedly, I found that there were places on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, which was still full five minutes ago, and it happened to be three! Perhaps it was sincerity and spirituality, or maybe it was related to the Buddha, and I booked this blessing tour with a grateful heart.
During the Spring Festival, Tsz Shan Temple has set up ten special blessing stalls. Some sincerely make wishes for the next year, and some repent of the past and let go of the entanglements in their hearts. After completing ten prayers, you will receive a seal symbolizing the perfection of merit.
Another indispensable part of visiting Tsz Shan Temple is to copy Buddhist scriptures by hand. Before coming to the temple, take off your shoes and put them outside the temple, and then wash your hands. Entering the solemn hall, many devout scholars have quietly copied the scriptures here. After finding a seat and sitting down, the volunteers handed over the scripture pen and the sutra post, which was "The Ten Great Wishes of Puxian" that day. As I copied the scriptures, I really felt my heart calm down a little. No longer care about the beauty and ugliness of the font, but pay more attention to the rhythm of the strokes. Gradually, his breathing slowed down, as if he had entered the time and space of dialogue with the Buddha. Living in a fast-paced city, such an experience is really very valuable.
The prayer journey came to an end, and before leaving Cishan Temple, I solemnly looked at the mountain gate again. I saw that the plaque said "No Two Ways".
It seems to warn the departing scholars to treat all things as equal in their lives and let go of the attachment of positive and negative poles. Only then can we truly return to our original intention and take care of our real needs. #大湾区寻宝 #
(Written by Lingmo)
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