Have you ever heard of a temple in Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan, where more than 20,000 female practitioners gathered, and they were revered as "Juemu". However, the temple has a puzzling "dead rule".
Whenever night falls, all Kyaw Mu must comply with some kind of prohibition or face severe punishment and even expulsion from the monastery, without exception!
What is this mysterious and strict rule?
Yaqing Temple: The Pure Land of Buddhism for Women
Yaqing Temple, located in Baiyu County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, is the largest nunnery in China. Today, there are more than 20,000 female practitioners, known as "Kyaw Mu".
I never expected that in a small county town with a population of only tens of thousands, there would be such a large group of female cultivators. The reason why Yaqing Monastery attracts women to Buddhism so much stems from its unique religious philosophy.
In Tibetan Buddhism, women enjoy equal status and rights with men. The teachings of the "Mother of the Buddhas" highlight the wisdom and kindness of women, believing that women symbolize light and warmth. Based on this philosophy, Yaqing Monastery warmly welcomes women from all over the world to come and practice as monks, providing them with a pure land.
Because of this, local women are able to break free from the shackles of family and society and pursue the realization of self-worth. Some women who have been discriminated against in the world have come here to become nuns and live independent lives.
"Yaqing Temple's tolerance and respect for women reflects the long-standing religious beliefs of Buddhists. Women have gained equal status with men here, which is undoubtedly a step forward in today's society. "
In Yaqing Monastery, the life of the Kyaw Mu is hard and regular. Chanting and working during the day, meditating and participating in meditation at night, everything is in order. They are far away from the distractions of the world and devote themselves to the practice of the Dharma. This back-to-basics way of life is undoubtedly the greatest spiritual symbol of Yaqing Temple.
Not everything here is desirable, though. As the ancients often said, "Everything in the world has yin and yang." The quiet life of Yaqing Temple also hides a puzzling "death rule".
Death rule: In the dead of night, no one can exceed the rules
In Yaqing Monastery, there is a very mysterious and strict rule: whenever night falls, all Kyaw Mu are not allowed to go out or go to the temple shop without permission, and violators will be severely punished, or even kicked out of the temple, without exception!
God, this is of course an extremely strict "death rule"! Isn't it a violation of human rights that a temple with a national reputation restricts women's freedom of movement so strictly?
However, the monasteries have their own explanations for this. They believe that this rule is not only to maintain the pure practice environment of the monastery, but also to prevent the Kyaw Mu from being disturbed by worldly desires. Only by putting an end to consumption and greed can we achieve the highest state of "six pure roots".
Comment: "Coincidentally, some other monasteries in China are also extremely strict in regulating the behavior of monks and nuns, prohibiting them from staying outside the home. However, from the perspective of religious concepts, Yaqing Temple's move also has a certain reason. "
The Buddha said, "Lust is like throwing fire into the fire, and I am deeply warning myself." It can be seen that desire is a great threat to practitioners. Therefore, the "death rule" of Yaqing Temple has its reasonableness to a certain extent.
Perhaps, Yaqing Temple's approach seems to be harsh, but it is also out of helplessness. Because in this materialistic era, temptation is everywhere, and if you don't set some constraints, I'm afraid it will be difficult to achieve "six pure roots".
Despite this, the "death rule" of Yaqing Temple still caused a lot of controversy and questions. After all, as an adult, don't we even have this bit of freedom? A mere piece of temple rule can deprive us of basic personal freedom, which seems to be a bit out of the norm in a modern society governed by the rule of law.
Dissatisfaction and worry in the night
Regarding the "death regulations" of Yaqing Temple, practitioners also have mixed reviews. Although most of Kyaw Mu expressed understanding and support, believing that it was for the sake of spiritual necessity. But there are also many people who secretly express dissatisfaction with this.
Why is the mysterious "death rule" so strict? Is it just for the sake of "six purifications"? Is there another hidden meaning? Is Yaqing Temple really as pure and harmonious as it seems?
According to a female scholar who has experienced life at Yaqing Monastery, the ratio of men and women in Yaqing Monastery is very unbalanced, and there are very few men. In order to prevent possible problems in the relationship between men and women, the monastery had to adopt such strict management measures.
It can be seen that not only for the purpose of cultivation, but also for the reason why Yaqing Temple is so strict, I am afraid that there is also a hidden worry about preventing private contact between men and women. It is not difficult to understand that the slightest negligence in encircling more than 20,000 young women and a handful of men in a confined environment will inevitably lead to some inappropriate behaviors and incidents.
Not only that, but a local pointed out that there is another reason why Yaqing Monastery wants to limit the consumption of Kyaw Mu - that is, to save the temple's expenses.
Originally, each Kyaw Mu only had about 400 yuan per month for living expenses, and if they were given unlimited freedom to spend, I am afraid that this expense would be beyond the capacity of the monastery. Therefore, "dead rules" had to be set up to stop the Kyaw Lums from overspending.
"Money is something outside the body, and the Buddha must not be greedy. This approach also seems to be a bit painstaking out of expediency.
The way of compromise may be debatable, but if the above speculation is true, then there may be another hidden meaning behind the "death rule" of Yaqing Temple. Religious reasons alone can hardly explain the reasons for this draconian practice.
Yaqing Temple's "death regulations" have exposed some of the dilemmas and contradictions in its internal management. On the one hand, monasteries need to create a pure and detached environment for practitioners. On the other hand, it is necessary to find ways to maintain the normal functioning and economic situation of the monasteries. In this dilemma, perhaps the "death rule" has become a helpless move for the monastic authorities.
However, we cannot deny that such extreme practices are also prone to negative consequences. Overly strict management may lead to a backlash mentality among practitioners, which in turn will affect the effectiveness of the practice. Therefore, should monasteries revisit the "death rule" and explore a more middle-of-the-road path?
If Yaqing Monastery is indeed facing a serious imbalance between men and women, as rumored, perhaps it can consider appropriately expanding the number of male practitioners instead of blindly relying on "dead rules" to prevent hidden dangers. In response to the shortage of funds, perhaps monasteries can also open up more sources of income, rather than passing on the burden of expenses to practitioners alone.
After all, practice should be a free, relaxed experience of the mind, not bound by too much discipline. "Strict precepts" are important, but they should not go against the Buddha's original intention of "great compassion".
Looking at the management of Yaqing Temple, we can find some points worth reflecting on. Relying on draconian bans may not really address the root causes of the problem, but may be counterproductive. Perhaps, the monastic authorities should humbly listen to the voices of all parties and explore a more humane way of management.
Thinking about the "death regulations" of Yaqing Temple, people can't help but feel a lot of emotion. This dreamed of a pure land has now become a prison of precepts, imprisoning women's freedom and rights once again. When the Kyaw Mu, who had been subjected to worldly discrimination, are once again deprived of the most basic freedom, will their hearts also surge with a desire for freedom? If they begin to reflect on and question all this, then where will Yaqing Monastery go?
Since ancient times, the sage said: "If it is too much, it is the most reasonable." In contrast, monastic authorities may need to re-examine and rethink the propriety of their policies, seeking a more balanced approach between freedom and restraint. Only by managing with love and wisdom, rather than blindly suppressing by force, can we win the trust and recognition of practitioners.
The controversy over the "death rule" of Yaqing Temple has also escalated over time. Some netizens began to discuss this topic enthusiastically on social media, and there was no shortage of suspicion of fierce confrontation of opinions and public opinion guidance. Some people believe that the ban on nunnery is reasonable to avoid the misfortune of mixed living with men and women; But there are also those who question that adults should have basic freedoms, and that the denial of human rights on religious grounds can of course provoke public outrage.
The smell of gunpowder in the field of public opinion has become more and more intense, and even some other political and ideological factors have been mixed in. Some have taken aim at the conservative traditions of Buddhism in an attempt to provoke greater social controversy.
On the other side of Yaqing Monastery, the authorities are undoubtedly facing unprecedented pressure from public opinion, which may force them to rethink and adjust their policies. After all, instead of reacting, it is better to take the initiative to embrace change and talk to the public in a more open, inclusive and equal manner.
Write at the end
In the face of the controversy that continues to heat up, where will Yaqing Temple go?
And how do you balance the relationship between practice and freedom?
So, what do you think?