As the saying goes: Taoist priests prosper in troubled times. In times of war, the Taoist priests go down the mountain to fight the enemy, and when the world is at peace, they go into seclusion and cultivate themselves, but what about the monks? In troubled times, the temple gates are closed without asking about world affairs, and in prosperous times, they go down the mountain to preach for alms. but is it true?
937, the iron hoofs of the Japanese invaders stepped into the land of China, burning, killing, looting, and doing all kinds of evil, and the Chinese people were suffering. But my Chinese sons and daughters are iron-boned, how can you wait to come to make trouble? Therefore, everyone gathered together to make a concerted effort to the outside world. Whether it was scholars, peasants, businessmen, or religious gangs who established themselves on the hilltops, they all contributed to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, and Buddhist monks were no exception.
On March 18, 11932, Master Taixu wrote in the book "Because of the Liaoning and Shanghai Incidents for the Safety of China and Japan": should use the fearless spirit of 'If I don't go to hell, who will go to hell', to force the Japanese authorities to "withdraw their troops and return to the country", So that the people of China and Japan will be spared the charades and share peace.
932, the ninth Panchen Lama, Master Erdeni Choji Nyima, said in a telegram to the central government: "The Panchen Lama witnessed the difficult times and was full of grief and anger. Although he was in an empty door, how dare he save the country. Descendants!"
Venerable Hongyi wrote several banners, which were widely distributed to Buddhist believers: "Recite the Buddha, do not forget to save the country, to save the country, you must recite the Buddha." Encourage everyone to devote themselves to the great cause of resisting Japan and saving the country.
"Get off your horse to kill thieves, get off your horse to learn Buddhism" is a sentence written by Premier Zhou Enlai to the monks in Nanyue during the Anti-Japanese War.
In this blurry old photo in front of me, the soldiers of the Eighth Route Army in a neat queue are preparing to carry out their tasks. Upon closer inspection, the banner next to their team is not a state or a communist party, but a big Buddha character.
This is the famous Jin-Chahar-Hebei Military Region "Monk Company" in the history of anti-Japanese heroes.The soldiers of the "Monk Company" came from various temples on Mount Wutai, the holy place of Buddhism, with a total of more than 100 people.
In the late autumn of 11937, Mount Wutai was already covered with snow, and the cold air was blowing.
Comrade Nie Rongzhen now has a very important task: establishes an anti-Japanese base in response to the Japanese occupation of Taiyuan. It is to unite the monks and strive to support the anti-Japanese.
Nie Rongzhen
Comrade Nie Rongzhen publicized and explained the "Chinese Communist Party's Ten Programs for Anti-Japanese and National Salvation" to the monks.
told everyone that our party "The whole Chinese people should be mobilized, armed, and take part in the war of resistance, with their strength, money, guns, and knowledge." 's anti-Japanese united front.
and informed that our army will carry out extensive guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines in North China, and will be stationed in Wutai Mountain for a long time to establish an anti-Japanese base behind enemy lines. I sincerely hope that the Buddhist disciples in Wutai Mountain and the majority of ethnic minority compatriots can support and help to drive the Japanese invaders back to their hometown in the East.
The monks also expressed doubts about the Eighth Route Army team at first and could not fully trust it. But soon, they found that this team was not ordinary, very different from the Kuomintang army who came to the temple to make a fortune and the Japanese army who came to search for cultural relics.
They dress in simple clothes, and they are all officers and soldiers. They are not arrogant at all, and they have given more protection to the property and cultural relics of the temple.
Thus, the two sides quickly established trust.
On January 10, 11938, the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region Military, Political and Civilian Congress was held in Fuping County, Hebei Province, which is close to Mount Wutai.The monks of the temples in Mount Wutai and the people of all ethnic groups in Han, Tibet, Mongolia and Manchu supported the government of the border region unanimously. Representatives of monks and lamas wearing cassocks walked into the venue, and the audience immediately burst into warm applause. Comrade Nie Rongzhen folded his hands and gave sincere greetings to all the monks. At the meeting, Ranxiu, president of the Wutai Mountain Sangha Association, said on behalf of the Wutai Sangha monks:
"The monks are merciful. If I don't go abroad, I won't be able to protect the country. How can Buddhist temples survive, resist Japan and save the country, the monks are responsible."
The national disaster took the lead, The monks bid farewell to the morning bells and twilight drums of the ancient temples in the deep mountains, took off their cassocks and put on military uniforms, put down the scriptures and wooden fish resolutely took up guns and joined the Eighth Route Army.
In the bloody and bloody eight years of the Anti-Japanese War, they sacrificed their lives and made extraordinary achievements, which is an immortal legend in the national united front of our country against Japan.
The leader of the "Monk Self-Defense Force" in Mount Wutai, Ci Yin (Photo by Sha Fei in 1938-1939)
In July 1938, the Japanese army invaded the mountainous area of Mount Wutai. , in cooperation with the Eighth Route Army and the Peasant Self-Defense Force, ambushed in the Jingangling and Shegou areas of Wutai Mountains.
After luring the enemy into the circle, under the command of the Eighth Route Army, the "self-defense team members" took advantage of the commanding and favorable terrain, rolled down boulders, smashed into the enemy group, and then used rifles and grenades to kill and injure more than 300 Japanese soldiers. victory.
Not only did they form the Self-Defense Forces, many monks and lamas joined the Eighth Route Army directly. More than one hundred "special" soldiers formed the "Monk Company" of the Fourth Regiment of the Second Division of Jinchaji, and they joined the Eighth Route Army in the raid on Dou Village. 123 rifles, 1 machine gun, 12,000 rounds of ammunition, more than 500 grenades, 15,000 tons of food, Thousands of silver dollars were handed over to the Eighth Route Army, who made a lot of military exploits for the construction and development of the anti-Japanese base area, which can be called "fighting over the Buddha".
The monks and soldiers of the Wutai Mountain Monk Company stood guard with knives (Photo: Sha Fei in 1938-1939)
In the spring of 1938, monks from various monasteries in Shanghai organized burial teams. Under the leadership of Master Fan Cheng and Huikai, from February to In May, more than 10,000 bodies were buried in Shanghai, Suzhou and other places.
In 11943, all 51 monks from Luohan Temple joined the expedition, and they swore that the day of China's victory would be the time when their disciples returned to the temple. But none of the 51 monk warriors returned.
However, at that time, the debate about whether monks killed Japanese people on the battlefield was also very fierce. Among the Buddhist teachings, the most widely circulated is the saying that one should not kill for the sake of compassion. However, in the face of the Japanese invaders, Buddhist circles have fully explained the relationship between "killing the enemy" and "abstaining from killing", and they believe that the two are not contradictory.
The famous Master Taixu explained: When the invaders destroy the country and kill the people, everyone has the obligation to resist, for justice, for the killing of the nation and the country, although it is very regrettable, it is a last resort. .
Faced with the Japanese invaders' war of aggression against China, Venerable Mingzhen, who was then the director of educational affairs of the Nanyue Fuyan Temple Huayan Research Society, also clearly stated:
This is a "touchstone for Buddhists".
He once wrote an article emphasizing: "Buddhism is about compassion. The compatriots who escaped under the frantic fire of the Japanese invaders, and the wounded comrades who shed blood for 45 million compatriots in China, according to the "Three Realms Idealism" There is no doubt that they are all sentient beings in our hearts. For them, all sentient beings, the Bodhisattva is willing to endure all sufferings on behalf of all sentient beings, and will not hesitate to give his life and life to make offerings to all sentient beings. We are all Buddhists who study the Bodhisattva's Dharma, and we must not put ourselves The suffering sentient beings in the heart, leave the back of the head!"
To this end, he issued a call: "Quietly examine ourselves. Are we the real Buddha or the fake Buddha?"
Master Mu Jia also clearly pointed out : Make full use of Buddhism's anti-aggression thought, from the position of Buddhism, to consolidate the anti-Japanese national united front and support the long-term war of resistance.
He also pointed out in the "Tuan Chapter" of the Buddhist Mobile Working Group: stood in the Buddhist post, united the young monks who were determined to save the country, and moved abroad to work for the purpose of enhancing the strength of the Anti-Japanese War.
and emphasized: We are willing to stand in Buddhist positions, go to the streets, go to the countryside, and go to all places where there is a large number of people to work on the move. The whole of China is our dojo, and the whole of China is our classroom.
Finally, Master Kui Xu made a conclusion with one sentence: National disasters are at the forefront, every man is responsible, and killing is protecting life!
Yes, kill life to protect life, kill industry but not kill people!
Monk Xibing from Wutai Mountain donated firearms and ammunition to the government (photograph by Sha Fei in 1938-1939)
The national disaster was at stake, and the well-known Master Hongyi wrote the banner of "Martyrdom" in his handwriting for the first time, protecting the Dharma with his body and swearing to The country coexists and perishes, and this awakens the whole Chinese people: Spontaneously fight against Japan together!
To this end, Master Hongyi turned the monastery into a shelter for the victims of the war. He sold his beloved platinum glasses to buy "Dao food" to help the victims.
He also wrote an impassioned battle song for the anti-Japanese war:
The mountains are green, the water is swaying, and the national flag is flying. Athletes have skills, each contributes their strengths, and everyone strives for self-improvement. Look at that, how rampant the foreign enemy is! Please think about it, please think about it, don't hesitate! Please take responsibility for national affairs under the leadership of the leaders. At that time, drink the yellow dragon and win glory for the nation. The
lyrics are so impassioned that they still reverberate in my ears.
Under the inspiration of Master Hongyi, countless monks and believers participated in the vast anti-Japanese team and embarked on the road of saving the country from the war of resistance against Japan. Countless mortals began to associate with Buddhism.
In that time of war and chaos, they were national heroes who mounted to kill the enemy and dismounted to worship Buddha; but in this peaceful and prosperous world, how many Buddhists abide by their original aspirations? Bodhi originally had no trees, and a bright mirror was not a stage. Originally, there was nothing, and there was no place to provoke dust.
On the other hand, in today's era, there are too many "fake" monks in the name of "Buddha". They stopped people on the street in the street, or walked into shops and handed over amulets. Then, for various reasons, such as almsgiving, building temples, accumulating merits, etc., asking the public to donate money, and will also come up with a "merit book" for the people who donated to write down their names. If you fight, they refuse to take back the blessing card, and even curse the people badly.
In Wutai Mountain, there are still many fake monks, who are specially chosen to walk with their chests up and their heads held high, "rich people" who are strutting and deceiving:
"My master explained to me that three months ago, I was here to wait for you and hand over this Buddha statue to me. Here's to you."
When the rich man saw that he didn't pay, he gave it to him, and he felt that he had an extraordinary origin and was valued. Then, he was fooled!
Sigh! sad!
Born in a peaceful and prosperous age, we should be grateful, maintain and continue the road paved by our ancestors, and distinguish right from wrong. The wine, sex and wealth are not grudges.
The real Buddhism is by no means cold doctrines and canons.
Finally, may we have both the angry eyes of the King Kong and the subduing of the four demons; and the lowering of the eyebrows of the Bodhisattva, the six paths of compassion!
This is the history class. You are welcome to like, retweet, and leave a message. See you next time!
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