But for some people who want to pursue spiritual sublimation and escape into Buddhism, becoming a monk has become another choice. These people use Buddhism to help all beings, and they only devote themselves to studying Buddhism.
There is such a woman, born in a scholar's family, and fame and fortune follow her as an adult. However, for peace of mind, she gave up everything and shaved her head. She is the master Long Lian who is called "the talented woman of Bashu".
Influenced by Buddhism since childhood.
Before Master Long Lian entered the Buddha, his name was You Yongkang. You Yongkang was born in 1909 and lives in a scholar's family in Yongle County, Sichuan Province. Because you Yongkang was in poor health when she was very young, menstruation named her Yongkang, hoping that she would be healthy forever.
Speaking of You Yongkang's family, three generations of ancestors were all scholars. Grandfather and granduncle were both scholars in Guangxu period, and his father was high flyers in Xuantongyuan period. Because my father respects his teacher Xiong the most, and this teacher knows Buddhism well. Therefore, under the influence of the teacher, my father also became a devout Buddhist.
There is a plaque on the lintel of You Yongkang's house, which reads "a famous scholar of classics and history", which indirectly influenced You Yongkang's later obsession with Buddhism. You Yongkang grew up in this environment full of books and Buddhism. At the age of three, she began to contact poetry and ancient poetry, which also gave her a deep understanding of poetry.
/kloc-When he was 0/2 years old, under the guidance of his father, You Yongkang began to learn China history, arithmetic geometry, economic geography and other knowledge. Because the family was a noble family at that time, the interpersonal relationship was much bigger.
You Yongkang not only learned English from the wife of an American pastor, but also learned Tibetan from the Lama of Handi University. You Yongkang, who loves learning and is good at learning, has long been a learned scholar.
Because both parents believe in Buddhism, You Yongkang began to contact Buddhism at the age of 12. Coincidentally, opposite to You Yongkang's home is the majestic Emei Mountain.
Mount Emei is also one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China and a holy place for bodhisattvas. From then on, You Yongkang often accompanied her to her grandmother's house to recite the Guanyin Sutra of the High King. After reading a lot, I naturally entered the ears of You Yongkang, who is also a studious person. Therefore, her fascination with Buddhist scriptures can be said to be influenced by her grandmother.
193 1 year-old, You Yongkang had excellent academic performance and was hired as a teacher by Leshan County Girls' Middle School. At the age of 22, she went to live in a small courtyard in Chengdu, Sichuan with her father.
Besides teaching, You Yongkang also studies profound Buddhist theories in his spare time. Whenever a senior mage comes to Chengdu Buddhist College to give a lecture, You Yongkang will attend without missing a lesson.
Although you Yongkang believes in Buddhism wholeheartedly, he also cares about state affairs. At that time, during the turmoil of the Republic of China, You Yongkang took his students to the streets to demonstrate and publicize the slogan of saving the country and the people. However, my father was very worried that You Yongkang was involved in the political turmoil and asked her to resign as a teacher and take refuge in her hometown.
Only a few years later, You Yongkang returned to Chengdu, Sichuan with his father. The president of Chengdu Women's Normal University got wind of it and asked her to be a school teacher. You Yongkang also agreed.
At that time, the famous Buddhist king, a layman, came to Chengdu to teach the classic "Fa Xiang Zong" on Mahayana. You Yongkang insists on taking part in study every day and taking detailed notes.
Because of her sincere love for Buddhist culture and her hard work. Four years later, she wrote a book, A Brief Introduction to Mahayana, which became the first Buddhist classic at that time.
The layman Wang, who was explaining the Mahayana Buddhism at that time, saw this book and thought it was written by a great Buddhist. You Yongkang, who is only 365,438+0 years old, can't help but praise her as a "genius Jun Gao who is loyal to her ambition and hates her dust."
As a talented woman, I just want to escape into an empty door.
Perhaps, the father knows that his daughter really cares about state affairs, in order to really help the country. Therefore, she asked her daughter to resign as a teacher and take the examination for county officials and civil servants held by the Sichuan provincial government.
You Yongkang lived up to expectations and won the first place in Sichuan Province directly. At that time, she was known as the "Bashu talented woman".
In the second year, You Yongkang took the exam for county government officials again. Although she won the first place this time, she was questioned by others and thought that women could not rank first. You Yongkang just laughed it off and didn't care. Later, after a teacher defended her, she kept the first position.
However, to participate in the training, you have to participate in military training and live on campus. You Yongkang couldn't accept it, so he refused. In her opinion, this may deprive her of time to study Buddhism. Therefore, You Yongkang declined her career as a county magistrate.
At that time, the government did not want to give up such talents, so it gave her an office position to be responsible for the preparation. But this kind of work is too idle, and it is difficult for her to accept the bureaucratic atmosphere in the office, which makes her have the impulse to concentrate on studying Buddhist scriptures. One day in July, 194 1, You Yongkang left the office with a leave note.
On the third day, the chairman of the Sichuan provincial government finally found You Yongkang, who had shaved her hair and became a monk, and took the dharma name "Long Lian". He asked Yongkang, "Did the family agree?" Yongkang lightly replied and agreed.
Her colleagues couldn't help crying when they saw her cut her hair. The helpless government chairman can only go through the formalities of voluntary resignation for You Yongkang and pay her three months' salary. In this way, You Yongkang officially became a female monk in Sichuan Buddhist College.
Carry forward Buddhism and train successors
You Yongkang, now the master of Longlian, really became a monk after becoming a Buddha. As soon as she entered Buddhism, she immediately became a Buddhist teacher at Lianzong Women's Hospital in Chengdu at that time, specializing in compiling and interpreting Buddhist scriptures.
At the age of 34, she was invited by the laity king to proofread two books, one is New Philosophy of Life and the other is Interpretation of Diamond Sutra. The result of proofreading was praised by layman Wang. These two books were also published by Oriental Institute of Culture and Education 1944.
Later, Master Nenghai saw that Long Lian had been studying hard and had a good understanding of Buddhism, so he taught her the life of Big Wade. It can be said that Long Lian became the only female disciple who got the true biography of Master Nenghai.
1966 was a turbulent period in New China, when many religions were taboo. The temple was sealed and the scriptures were destroyed, not to mention many scriptures and manuscripts. Long Lian, who is seriously ill, has also become the object of "education". However, thanks to the protection of some religious people, she was able to save her life.
After the turmoil, in order to revitalize Buddhism and solve the problem of indifference between monks and nuns. Master Long Lian proposed to open the Luminous Buddhist College in Sichuan, and this decision was also supported by the Chinese Buddhist Association.
1985 65438+ 10, "Sichuan Illuminati Buddhist College" opened in Tiexiang Temple, Chengdu, with Master Long Lian as the dean. The purpose of this school is to enable Nepalese students to engage in temple management, Buddhist teaching and Buddhist research after graduation.
After taking over school affairs, Master Long Lian spent his spare time teaching Nisheng and explaining Buddhism and other courses every day. She often says to her students, "Our generation is a spent force, and it will disappear in less than ten years. The burden of carrying forward the Tathagata Buddhism falls on you, so you should bear it bravely!"
Today, ten students have graduated from this Buddhist college. These graduates hold important positions in various provinces and cities, and they also actively specialize in Buddhism. This made Master Long Lian feel very gratified.
Master Long Lian once said that people who entered Buddhism in the past were actually the gates where the poor had no choice but to take refuge, so there was no culture at all. Now, Buddhism is no longer just a religious belief, but a cultural development, and it is a great cause to cultivate high-culture Buddhists.