Wouldn't it be inconceivable that a person could accurately predict the date of his or her death before he was born? In fact, there are not a few people in history who predicted the time of their death, but most people are not accurate.
For example, the Italian Renaissance scientist Cardano, in his later years, predicted the day of his death. He predicted through astrological calculations that he would die on September 21, 1576, and asked his descendants to prepare for his aftermath.
But by that day, the old man was not only not dead, but his body was still quite good, and he was more energetic than the average old man. The old man was also angry, thinking that he could not ruin the wisdom of my life because of this, and as a result, he committed suicide. Although it is said that I successfully predicted the date of my death, I think this should definitely be considered cheating, right?
But the person we want to talk about is indeed an accurate prediction of the day of his death, he is Master Hongyi Li Shutong!
Speaking of Li Shutong, he is a very famous musician, educator, calligrapher and theater activist in modern China, known as the pioneer of Chinese drama.
Born in Tianjin, this great sage was ordained as a monk in 1918 and became a disciple of Master Yin Guang, one of the four senior monks of the Republic of China, and was honored by posterity as Master Hongyi. The most well-known work of Master Hongyi Li Shutong should be the word "Farewell" he made.
"Outside the long pavilion, beside the ancient road, the grass is green in the sky. The evening wind blows the willow flute, and the sunset is outside the mountain. The end of the sky, the corner of the earth, the knowledge of the half-scattered. A scoop of turbid wine is all over the place, don't dream cold tonight. ”
This poem with deep feelings and long meaning was widely disseminated as an interlude by the movie "Old Things in Seongnam" and became a great work that everyone in China is familiar with.
Since his ordination in July 1918, Li Shutong has chosen the Vinaya of Buddhism to practice. The Vinaya can be said to be the most arduous and demanding sect in practice, and Uncle Li has adhered to his Buddhist practice for decades and has never slackened off.
He only ate two meals a day, breakfast and lunch, insisted on not eating at noon, and never dressed more than three pieces, regardless of winter or summer. He left behind a hundred coats covered with 224 patches, all of which he had sewn by himself. I believe that after such a strict practice, the spiritual level and pattern of Li Shutong in his later years are no longer comparable to ordinary people.
In his later years, when he felt unwell, he knew that his limit had arrived, and told his disciples around him, "Don't look for a healer to see me, I will leave." Not only that, he also calmly and unhurriedly bid farewell to his relatives, friends and close friends, and also wrote a letter to his most proud disciple, Liu Tianping.
In the letter, Li Shutong predicted the time of his death.
The letter said: "The deceased man died on the fourth day of the first month of September, and he was given an appendix to the second side. The friendship of a gentleman, its light as water, clinging to the image and seeking, is thousands of miles away. Ask Yu Heshi, Gur's dead words, Huazhi Spring Full, Tianxin Full Moon, the sun and moon recorded before, tied to the lunar calendar also. That is to say, the letter was written by him before he died, but he knew that when the disciple saw the letter, he had already passed away, so he wrote in the letter that he had died on the fourth day of the first month of September.
On October 13, 1942, Master Hongyi Li Shutong really passed away, and the lunar calendar on this day was the fourth day of the first month of September. On the first day of The first day of September, Li Shutong left the final pen of "the intersection of sorrow and joy", and at the moment of his death, the master revealed a smile on his face, but the corners of his eyes were filled with tears, which exactly responded to the four words of "intersection of sorrow and joy".
Not only predicted the date of his death, Li Shutong also left a will many times, and the content of the will can be said to show the dignity and demeanor of a generation of masters. In 1935, Li Shutong was seriously ill in Quanzhou, and at that time he wrote a will to Master Chuanguan, saying: "Before I die, I ask you to help recite the Buddha number outside the cloth tent, and at the end of my life, I will send it to the mountain rock behind the temple with the clothes I wear with me and the outer wrapping and quilt." After three days, it is good that there are wild animals to eat, otherwise it will be incinerated on the spot, and then notify friends after it is dissolved, and must not be notified in advance. ”
Fortunately, the master turned the corner from the situation that time, but from that time in his will, it can already be seen that the master's contempt for his body and the events after his death is different from ordinary people.
In May 1942, Li Shutong had already realized that this time he was afraid that he would soon die, and he once instructed his disciples: "Shengxin lay people, live with the decaying people for a lifetime." It is said that laymen have been abstained from sexual immorality and alcohol, and should do their best to protect them in the future. If you break this precept, you are not a disciple of Yu. Yu returned to the west, and the book thought it was the last lesson. ”
In August, he told him to refuse all condolences and formally explained five things. These five events can be said to be the most detailed explanation of their own aftermath.
First: When you have stopped speaking, are short of breath, or are in a coma, you must prepare what you need.
Second: When assisting in recitation, it is necessary to first inform the cloud with an ear: "I will help with the recitation", and then to help the recitation, and when the recitation is assisted, recite the "Puxian Xing Wish Praise", and even the "All Ten Worlds" and other texts. At the end of the day, repeat "Nam no Amitabha Buddha" ten times. Sing back to Xiang Wei: "May I be born in the Pure Land of the West", and even "Puli all the knowledge". When reciting the sutra here, if you see tears in Yu's eyes, this is the feeling of "the intersection of sorrow and joy", and it is not for other reasons, and it should not be misunderstood.
Third: Check that the window door is not closed properly, and close it and lock it.
Fourth: If the weather is hot when entering the niche, the niches will be installed after half a day, and the niches can be installed for two or three days when it is cool. You don't have to get dressed, just wear old shorts to cover the roots. The shrine was used as a nursing home and sent to chengtian temple for incineration.
Fifth: Seal the niches after seven days and then incinerate them. The remains are divided into two altars, one sent to the Putong Pagoda of Chengtian Temple, and the other to the Putong Pagoda of Kaiyuan Temple. Before the niches were installed, they did not have to move and remained in bed with the old ones. If it has been loaded into the shrine, it must be moved to Chengtian Temple. When you go, take four small bowls that are commonly used, fill the niches with four feet, and fill them with water, so as to avoid the smell of ants from walking on and harming the lives of ants when incinerating, and you should be cautious. Moreover, after sending the incarnation kiln, Rusu filled the small bowl of water filled in the niches day by day, which caused the smell of ants to smell after the water was dried.
The fact that the master explained things in such detail this time was also related to his serious attitude and the Vinaya of practice. At that time, he not only knew which day he would die, but even knew the reaction of the "intersection of sorrow and joy" that appeared when he died.
In the last one, the master also repeatedly advised not to hurt the ants, which really responded to the Buddhist saying that "sweeping the floor does not hurt the lives of the ants", reflecting the great compassion and bodhisattva heart of Master Hongyi!
At 8:00 p.m. on the fourth day of September, Master Hongyi died in the evening sun room of the Wenling Nursing Home, lying peacefully on his right side, and there are still photos that are admired by future generations. It can be said that in that era, Master Hongyi Li Shutong was a genius, the most worldly and unique person, and even a heavenly monk!
His life can only be described in eight words: one thought to put down, all calm.
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