tang refers to the Zhaitang, which is a place for eating and eating. "Going to the hall" is the "eating" in Buddhism. Going to the hall with others is to eat together.
Going to the hall, a unique ritual system in the jungle of Chinese Han Buddhism , going to the hall twice for breakfast and lunch, which regards eating as an important practice method, occupies an important position in the life of the Sangha, and is an important part of Buddhist thought and Uniformity of etiquette.
Text/Master Yanci
As the saying goes, food preserves the five concepts. In the morning and noon, go to "Wuguantang" or "Zhaitang" to eat. Five Views means:
Why is it called Wuguan Hall? Because monks should make five kinds of visualizations when eating:
1. Count the amount of work and measure where it comes from. - A grain of rice from a donor is as big as Mount Sumeru. You must consider that every grain of food is hard-earned. If you don’t practice well, grains of rice will never disappear;
2. Thinking about your own virtues will lead to a lack of supply. - You should educate yourself and encourage yourself. Don’t slack off for a day, and don’t eat a meal in vain;
3. Beware of alienation, greed, etc. Zong - Don’t be greedy for good food, don’t be angry with bad food, and treat them with equality. The faults of all living beings are rooted in greed. If there is no greed, all kinds of problems will not arise. Practitioners should always think about the faults in their hearts to keep them away from faults and evils; Like a good medicine, it can cure hunger and thirst diseases in the body. A car can only start when it has oil, and the same goes for the body. Eating is just to maintain physical strength and work hard. You should not distinguish between likes and dislikes in food;
5. For the cause of enlightenment, you should accept this food. - Diet can nourish the body, and it is a resource. Benefit Taoism. To cultivate the truth through falsehood, if you eat less, you will easily get hungry, your body will be weak, and it will be difficult to achieve Taoism; but if you are greedy for too much, it will also easily cause various diseases. Therefore, you must eat an appropriate amount to be able to practice Taoism.
The simple jungle yongzhai symbolizes lofty wisdom and broad feelings. Gude said: There are eight benefits of going to court with the crowd. Let us take a look at the eight benefits of going to court with the crowd.
01
Don’t let go.
Just don’t let go. Before entering the hall, you will hit the board three times, which is called the three links. The links are for notification.
The first pass is to inform people to prepare for the meal;
The second pass is for everyone to put on their robes and clothes, enter the dining hall and take their seats in order;
The third pass is to wait for the great monk.
When doing this, we can't slow down and drag, and it is very orderly.
02
It is a labor-saving
kitchen and dining hall (food serving) person. The work is convenient and labor-saving. You can arrange the dishes and chopsticks at once, serve the food, and tidy up and organize quickly.
03
Equality without self
Everyone eats the same food, no one cares about me.
The big monk and the little monk do not make different offerings, which reflects the Buddhist concept of equality.
04
Don’t eat too much.
Everyone eats equally and has a balanced distribution of various foods. The nutrition will be even, which is also good for the body and can change bad habits.
05
We share joys and sorrows
Everyone has no choice. For any food, just like tasting nectar, there is no discrimination, and the joy of the Dharma is endless.
06
Thoughts of existence are why
stop all false conditions. You should observe that the faith is difficult to eliminate, and it is just food and medicine. When the thoughts come together, they will become empty. This is called the thought of existence.
07
In accordance with the law and principles
After the Tang Dynasty, the number of people in the monastery gradually increased, especially when the ordinations were given, there were often more than a thousand people. If there were no rules for passing the hall, there would be chaos. Having order makes people feel at peace and embodies the educational spirit of Buddhism.
08
The beginning and end of the majesty
Buddha’s disciples are superior in everything. They even eat with knowledge and order, making those who see him happy and respectful. This is the Dharma in person.
The above eight points are the benefits of going to church with others. If you can "eat and preserve the five concepts", it will be of great benefit to your practice.
The content is selected from "Introduction to Buddhist Rituals"
Picture source | Ten Wish Encyclopedia
Photography | Huihai
