Monk Xuecheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, called on believers to offer incense in a civilized manner

China Sons and Daughters Magazine, Beijing, March 5 (Reporter Hao Tao) During the Spring Festival, Buddhist temples across the country are full of incense. On the first day of the first lunar month, believers travel thousands of miles to famous temples and ancient temples to grab incense sticks. In the solemn palaces and courtyards, and in the elegant jungle Taoist temples, clusters of high-grade incense wrapped in red makeup point directly to the sky, and handfuls of inferior incense are surrounded by fireworks. People cover their noses; they even burn paper, burn candles, force-sell or trick people into burning high-priced incense, etc.

In this regard, Monk Xuecheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, said in an exclusive interview with "China Sons and Daughters" magazine and China Sons and Daughters News Network that amid the smoke and crowds, Piety and awe were replaced by eagerness for quick success and superstitious obedience. The pungent fireworks not only polluted the pure land of the ashram, but also polluted and hurt people's good intentions. In the Buddhist tradition, offering incense has rich religious connotations and beautiful rituals. It plays an important role in solemnizing the body and mind, purifying the altar, creating a solemn atmosphere, sensing spiritual connections, and quickly realizing the path and fruition in various rituals and practice activities.

Monk Xuecheng said that as the material living standards of Chinese people improve day by day, more and more people choose to spend their holidays by traveling. Famous mountains, rivers and religious holy places have become the focus for many people to enjoy, visit and pray for blessings. Regardless of whether they have religious beliefs or not, burning incense during worship will trigger in people's hearts the memory of their ancestors and friends and the reverence for the gods of heaven and earth.

Master Xuecheng believes that offering incense has the connotation of praising and offering offerings to the Buddhas and taking refuge in the Three Jewels. The Buddha once sacrificed his brains and brains in order to obtain one or four verses, and "from the very beginning he set his mind and never retreated, using his body and soul as a gift that cannot be said." Peeling skin into paper, analyzing bones into pens, pricking blood into ink, and writing scriptures. , the accumulation is like Sumeru. For the sake of respecting the Dharma, one should not hesitate to take one’s own life, not to mention the throne, the city, the settlement, the palace, the garden, all the possessions, and all the other kinds of difficult and ascetic practices, even to achieve great Bodhi under the tree." ("Huayan Sutra?" The Good Bodhisattva’s Practical Vows"). Because of the appearance and enlightenment of the Buddha, the truth of the universe and life revealed by Buddhism and the causes and conditions for the enlightenment of all living beings can be found. Therefore, for more than two thousand years, Buddhist disciples have paid tribute to the Buddhas, praised the Tathagata, and made extensive offerings in various beautiful ways. Among them, incense, flowers, lamps, water, etc. are the most common offerings. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva said: "Because of the power of Samantabhadra's vows, I have deep faith and understanding, and present knowledge and insights. I have made offerings to all the wonderful offerings mentioned above. The so-called flower clouds, garland clouds, and heavenly music clouds , the heavenly umbrella clouds, the heavenly clothing clouds, the heavenly incense clouds, the incense sticks, the burning incense clouds, the powdered incense clouds, etc., are all measured one by one like the king of Mount Sumeru. The pillars are like Mount Sumeru, and the lamp oil is like the sea water. With such offerings, they are always offered. "All kinds of offerings are not for seeking wealth or fame, nor are they seeking health or happiness, but are made with respect and a deep heart. , sincerely express the most sincere praise, gratitude and refuge to the Buddha. This kind of offering is the "heart fragrance". Even if it is a short incense stick or a wild flower, its fragrance will be continuous and lasting. Because of its sincerity, it will naturally bring happiness to the soul and peace of mind.

He said that offering incense symbolizes morality and good deeds performed in accordance with the law. When you walk into a Buddhist temple, you can often see the four characters "Jie Ding Zhen Xiang" engraved on the copper incense burner. In "The Buddha Speaks of Virtue and Fragrance Sutra", Ananda asked the Buddha: All the incense in the world can only go with the wind but not against it. Is there any kind of incense that can flow freely regardless of the direction of the wind? The Buddha told Ananda: "If there are good men and good women in the counties, counties, and villages who practice the ten good deeds, they will not kill, steal, or commit adultery; their speech will not be false, double-tongued, harsh, or frivolous; and their minds will not be jealous. He is an idiot, filial to his parents, serving the three deities, kind, moral, dignified and courteous. Countless ascetics in the East praise his virtues in the four dimensions of south, west and north. Good men and good women practice the ten good deeds, respect the Three Jewels, be filial and kind, behave morally and righteously, and do not lose etiquette. 'This is a fragrance that goes against the wind and spreads without a trace, and shines in all directions, and everything is supported.' , if Buddhist disciples can perform the ten good deeds and even observe the precepts, they can achieve the fragrance of inner virtue that is not affected by the external environment - "Wood honey, sandalwood, green lotus and other rain fragrances, among all these fragrances, the fragrance of precepts is the most insignificant. superior". Even the most precious sandalwood and other incense cannot compare to the incense of incense that comes from the inner body and virtue.

Incense in Buddhism can also be described as the "five parts of the body" - precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation and liberation knowledge. "The Sixth Patriarch's Dharma Treasure Altar Sutra? Confession Sixth" records that Master Huineng taught his disciples: "1. The incense of abstinence means that there is no evil, no jealousy, no greed, hatred, and no harm in the heart. This is called the incense of abstinence.

2. Dingxiang, that is, seeing all good and evil situations and keeping your mind calm, is called Dingxiang. 3. The fragrance of wisdom has no hindrance in one's own mind, always observes one's own nature with wisdom, and does not do any evil. Although one practices good deeds, one's mind is not attached, the one who respects the superior and the one below is mindful, and is compassionate towards the lonely and poor. This is called the fragrance of wisdom. 4. The fragrance of liberation means that the mind has nothing to cling to, does not think about good or evil, and is free and unencumbered. This is called the fragrance of liberation. 5. To see the fragrance of liberation, since one’s own mind has no attachment to good or evil, it cannot be empty and silent. It is necessary to learn widely, recognize one’s original mind, understand all Buddhist principles, and connect with light and objects. There is no self or no one until Bodhi. , the true nature is not easy to change, it is called the fragrance of liberation and knowledge. Good knowledge! This fragrance is smoked internally, don't look for it outside. "If you use the incense of the Dharma nature such as moral discipline, concentration, and wisdom as an offering to the Buddha and the Three Jewels, it is the most special "Dharma offering."

Bodhisattvas and patriarchs not only offer the incense of piety, concentration, and true incense to the Buddha. , and became enlightened by smelling the incense, and gained enlightenment through making incense. For example, in the Shurangama Sutra, the boy Xiangyan became enlightened by observing the impermanence of the fragrance of agarwood: "I heard that the Tathagata taught me to observe the phenomena of existence. , when I was leaving the Buddha's banquet at Hui Qing Zhai, I saw monks burning agarwood incense, and the fragrance came into my nose silently. I observe that this air is neither wood, nor emptiness, nor smoke, nor fire. It has nowhere to go and nowhere to come from. Because of the intention to sell, the invention is flawless. The Tathagata sealed me the name of Xiangyan, the dusty air disappeared instantly, the wonderful fragrance was dense and round, and I became an Arhat from the Xiangyan. When the Buddha asks about perfect enlightenment, as I have proven, fragrant and strict is the best. "In "The Avatamsaka Sutra? Entering the Dharma Realm", the good boy visited the elder who made incense and learned from the elder that there are countless methods in the process of making incense. In addition, in the tantric practice rituals, different The incense can also be used to welcome the deity and subjugate demons, so that practitioners can quickly obtain blessings and achievements.

In fact, the incense we generally refer to is only part of the meaning of "incense" in Buddhism, and it is comprehensive. The meaning is one of the five dusts (color, sound, fragrance, touch), which is the collective name for various smells. Therefore, "Fragrance" is divided into good, bad, equal fragrance or pleasant in "Kusashastra" and "Yogi Dilu". , incomprehensible, incense in the center, etc., which means all kinds of smells facing the nose. For practitioners of Buddhism, no matter the smell is good or bad, its essence is "dust" that covers the mind, so it is all "dust" that covers the mind. It is necessary to transcend and purify. Only by transcending the dualistic oppositions of good and evil, beauty and ugliness, and fragrance and smell, and returning to the nature of the Dharma body that is neither born nor destroyed, nor stained nor pure, can the fragrance of the heart truly remain.

Monk Xuecheng pointed out that for ordinary believers and those who have not yet established Buddhist beliefs, even if they have no deep understanding of the essence of Buddhism or no concept at all, they can still draw piety and respect from traditional culture and cultivate respect and virtue. The heart of attaching great importance to Taoism should eliminate utilitarianism, impatience, and hypocrisy, and use good intentions and good deeds as the best offerings and prayers.

For temples, it is necessary to strictly purify the Taoist temple and clean up the teaching style. It is urgent and necessary to guide and educate religious believers with right views and right beliefs, to serve and influence society with the inspiration of a harmonious natural environment and moral purification, and to inherit the fine traditions of Chinese Buddhism of patriotism, love of religion, solemn land, and benefit to all sentient beings.