The monastery is home to more than a dozen ordained female ascetics. They work diligently during the day and meditate and practice at night, leading an extremely simple and stable life.
When Dogen Temple was established, it established the policy of not accepting any incense money and donations, in contrast to the fact that many temples rely on incense money from believers to make ends meet.
The plaque at the entrance clearly reads "Reject all donations", which causes great confusion to the pilgrims who come to pray for blessings.
However, this spirit of selflessness and desirelessness gradually infected the people who came to believe, making their hearts clear and full of respect for these practitioners.
There is also a group of female monks from different regions living in the temple of Dogenji. These female monks let go of their past identities and distractions and chose to practice quietly here.
These ordaises live an extremely simple life. They get up early and stay late, work hard and cultivate in the back mountains, and grow all kinds of vegetables and fruits to be self-sufficient. Master Konggu also specially attracted a mountain spring to irrigate the vegetable garden. The vegetable garden is moistened by the mountain spring, and everything planted seems to bloom and bear fruit.
They also climb the steep back mountain to collect herbs and refine them for the villagers. The villagers sincerely admired their selfless dedication. In gratitude to Master, the villagers sent chickens, ducks, eggs, and grains grown by themselves every festive season.
In their daily work, these monks meditate and meditate, devoting themselves to the Buddha. They are not allowed to talk about the world, they remain silent and quiet, and concentrate on their spiritual practice.
Every year around the summer solstice, they go out of the mountains together to take the bowl in the countryside and urbanization of Yinrong City. It was a long-distance cultivation journey, and they had to endure the scorching sun and walk barefoot on the rugged country roads.
These eminent monks endured humiliation and burden, just for enlightenment and salvation. In order to make this dervishes go smoothly, they made a careful design.
Before leaving, Master Kutani communicated with the heads of various villages and towns to obtain their support and help. Before leaving, the enthusiastic villagers also prepared medicines, food and rain gear for them, wishing them a smooth journey.
Once, when they were halfway up the mountain, the sky was full of dark clouds, and suddenly they heard heart-rending screams. It turned out that a cow had fallen off a cliff with two broken hind legs and was struggling in pain on the ground.
Seeing this, several kind-hearted herdsmen immediately sent ropes, carefully pulled the cattle up, and then carried them to the village for treatment. The kindness and dedication of these herdsmen impressed the dervishes.
However, the path of cultivation is full of difficulties. Once they were walking in a canyon, and suddenly there was a torrential rain, a torrential torrent, and mudslides everywhere. The dervishes scrambled to find shelter, but they were surrounded by steep cliffs.
At this time, a group of tourists were driving by, and when they saw this, they immediately asked the dervishes to get into the car to take shelter from the rain. The car drove a few miles and came to a village. The villagers welcomed them warmly and provided them with good food. The next day, the sky was fine, and they were sent back to the temple.
Once, when they were tired in the woods, they let down their vigilance, and a hungry wolf attacked. Fortunately, a hunter happened to pass by, and when he saw the wolf pounce on them, he immediately shot the wolf in the leg with an arrow, and the wolf lost its attack power and fled. The hunters settled them in the hunter's hut, treated the abrasions on their hands and feet, and fed them with food.
Through these trials and tribulations, the ascetics became more aware of the true meaning of spiritual practice. They understand that the tribulations of the external environment cannot wipe out the heart, and the inner stability and indifference are the lasting and unshakable strength.
What they have to do is to exercise their will, abandon earthly distractions, and make their hearts clear, and only in this way can they understand the mysteries of life and the universe.
So they worked diligently during the day and continued to meditate in their spare time. They chanted at night, concentrating. Gradually, their state of mind became calmer, and their inner turmoil was calmed.
