Honolulu Star Bulletin. Friday, February 22, 1957 - Clarice B. Taylor's "Tales about Hawaii"
If your Chinese grandpa was a scholar, he would have probably have told you that both T'aoism and Buddhism are a "way of life."
Buddhism, the scholar says, is divided into two schools - the big cartwheel school which prevails from India to japan and the small cartwheel school which spread through Burma, Siam, Indochina and Sumatra.
The big wheel teachings are based upon the sayings of Buddha after he sat under the Bohdi tree and received enlightenment.
The small wheel teachings are based upon the sayings of Buddha before he received enlightenment.
EVANGELICAL MONK
Big cartwheel teachings where brought by a Buddhist monk to China about 420 A.D. and the Buddhists reached their greatest influence in the seventh century during the Tun dynasty.
Buddhist monks won over many T'aoists by preaching the doctrine of incarnation and so absorbing many of the T'aoist gods into Buddhism under new names.
Buddhist monks said that the T'aoist Triad of gods were the previous incarnations of the Buddhist Triad of Three Precious Ones.
The Triad consists of Shih Chia Fo (Shakya in India), who is the Lord Buddha - he who attained perfection through enlightenment; Omit'o Fo (Amita in India), the law, and Ju Lai Fo (Tathagata), the priesthood.
The monks found the Chinese has a popular goddess Tou Mu, The Bushell mother who resides in the North Pole star and with her nine sons (stars of the Great Bear) governs the universe and controls the books of life and death.
GODDESS OF LIGHT
Buddhists recognized her as the Indian Maritchi, the goddess of light who holds aloft the moon and sun and protects the world against war.
They pictured her seated on a lotus throne with three eyes and 18 arms each holding some precious object.
Other Buddhist monks said she was Kuan Yin, the female incarnation of the Bodhisavatta Samantabhadra (great compassion) who sits on the left of the Lord Buddha as one of the two nearest perfection.
Samantabhadra is Ju Lai Fo of the Buddhist Triad of Three Precious Ones.
NEXT: Chung Kuei
Showing posts with label Buddha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Buddha. Show all posts
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
► Chinese Lore for Chinese-Hawaiians - 4: Moon Worship
Honolulu Star Bulletin. Thurssday, February 7, 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor
It is impossible today to say "this" is correct or "that" is correct in speaking Chinese customs.
The origins of many of these customs are lost in antiquity and there are many explanations given of them.
For instance, the worship of the moon goddess on the first and the
15th of the month.
Scholars have several explanations which derive from old Chinese literature.
DECREED BY EMPEROR
One literary source says the Moon Festival was decreed by the Emperor Ming of the East Han dynasty in 58 A.D. Another source says the festival is much older and tells of the origin of the Moon Festival on the 15th of the eighth month as proof.
During the turbulent years of the Ching dynasty, an Emperor escaped from his enemies and fled to the hills where he was starving.
On the night of the full moon of the eighth month, a great moon shone over the fields like daylight. The Emperor sent his people into the fields to look for food.
They found snails, peanuts, taro, and many kinds of fruits.
ESTABLISHES FESTIVAL
When the Emperor was restored to his throne, he set up the Moon Festival and told his people to make round, white cakes like the moon for the occasion.
Buddhists say the Moon Festival was inaugurated during the Tun dynasty (618 to 907 A.D.) to celebrate the victory of the Buddhist monks over the T'aoists in a great debate.
The Buddhists were then at the height of the influence at court and T'aoists with the people.
In the course of the debate the monks told how the disciples has asked Lord Buddha, "What is to become of our ancestors? They are not here to hear your message."
Buddha replied,
"Before I was born, there were many other Buddhas from who your ancestors may have received the message.
"You can offer sacrifices to the Buddhas on the 15th of the first month and ask them to intervene for your ancestors."
BUDDHIST VICTORY
Because of the Buddhist victory, the Emperor decreed the first moon festival to be held on the two days of the first full moon of the year (the 15th and 16th of the First Moon).
That is the festival celebrated today as the Lantern Festival.
NEXT: The Lantern Festival.
It is impossible today to say "this" is correct or "that" is correct in speaking Chinese customs.
The origins of many of these customs are lost in antiquity and there are many explanations given of them.
For instance, the worship of the moon goddess on the first and the
15th of the month.
Scholars have several explanations which derive from old Chinese literature.
DECREED BY EMPEROR
One literary source says the Moon Festival was decreed by the Emperor Ming of the East Han dynasty in 58 A.D. Another source says the festival is much older and tells of the origin of the Moon Festival on the 15th of the eighth month as proof.
During the turbulent years of the Ching dynasty, an Emperor escaped from his enemies and fled to the hills where he was starving.
On the night of the full moon of the eighth month, a great moon shone over the fields like daylight. The Emperor sent his people into the fields to look for food.
They found snails, peanuts, taro, and many kinds of fruits.
ESTABLISHES FESTIVAL
When the Emperor was restored to his throne, he set up the Moon Festival and told his people to make round, white cakes like the moon for the occasion.
Buddhists say the Moon Festival was inaugurated during the Tun dynasty (618 to 907 A.D.) to celebrate the victory of the Buddhist monks over the T'aoists in a great debate.
The Buddhists were then at the height of the influence at court and T'aoists with the people.
In the course of the debate the monks told how the disciples has asked Lord Buddha, "What is to become of our ancestors? They are not here to hear your message."
Buddha replied,
"Before I was born, there were many other Buddhas from who your ancestors may have received the message.
"You can offer sacrifices to the Buddhas on the 15th of the first month and ask them to intervene for your ancestors."
BUDDHIST VICTORY
Because of the Buddhist victory, the Emperor decreed the first moon festival to be held on the two days of the first full moon of the year (the 15th and 16th of the First Moon).
That is the festival celebrated today as the Lantern Festival.
NEXT: The Lantern Festival.
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