Copy Buddhist scriptures with blood
During my trip to the Central Plains in 2002, I had the honor to meet Master Miaorong, who used his own blood to copy several scriptures. Such a feat is probably rare in the history of Chinese Buddhism. Master Miaorong is only 28 years old this year and has been a monk for 3 years. She started copying the Blood Sutra before she became a monk. What she is currently copying is the 360,000-word “Dafang Guangfo Huayan Sutra”. 60,000 words have been completed and more will follow. When copying the Lotus Sutra, an old lay practitioner who knew medicine said that after copying these sutras, all the blood in her body would be used. In other words, the blood in her whole body would need to be renewed.
A kind mother, a warm family, good looks, the rank of lieutenant, a graduate of a famous military medical university, and a job in a development zone after changing jobs, with generous wages, but none of these could keep her from dedicating herself to Buddhism. With career aspirations and the support of an extraordinary mother, he resolutely went south to Mount Qingyuan in Jiangxi and was ordained under the highly respected monk Ti Guang of Jingju Temple.
Yunmen Temple was her permanent place of practice. Starting from carrying dung, she took the step of practicing asceticism. Such a rare talent in Buddhism has appeared today in the 21st century. No matter who hears it, he will admire and admire him. What’s more, under her recommendation, I can go south to Qingyuan Mountain in Jiangxi with several believers who want to convert to Monk Tiguang to worship. The great monk Ling Tiguang.
Spending more than ten days together along the way, we personally witnessed the state of practice of Master Miaorong. It made me, a person in my late sixties who has studied Buddhism for more than ten years, feel ashamed. I listened to her tell her story and was fascinated by her from time to time. Moved to tears.
Once after a meal, everyone stood up to leave. Master Miao Rong found that there were some uneaten leftovers in the small bowl under the mouth of a certain lay practitioner. She immediately brought it to her and said: “You can’t eat it, I’ll eat it for you.” Come on, don’t waste it.” After saying that, he ate it in two bites.
Master Miao Li was moved and said: “Master Miao Rong, you are amazing. You are willing to eat leftovers from other people’s mouths. We must learn from you.” Master Miao Jian, who was dining at the same table, said: “This is nothing. Others put it in their mouths.” If she didn’t like the taste of the food in the dish, she would spit it out and put it on the table. When she saw it, she would put it in her mouth and eat it.” I praised with emotion and said, “You are about to catch up with the American Master Xuanhua who eats the food that others have chewed. That kind of state of selflessness.” Master Miaorong said: “Then I’m still far away! I’ve been to Tibet, and the food that practitioners eat there is much worse than the leftovers I eat. Experience, you can put any kind of food into your mouth, and no matter how painful it is, it’s no longer bitter.”
She said that when she first became a novice novice, she had to carry excrement when she went out to work. As she went in and out of toilets and fields, she would inevitably step on excrement on the soles of her shoes. When it was time to go to the temple, out of respect, she would take off her shoes outside the temple and wear only The monks wore socks when entering the temple, because it took a long time to enter the temple every time. Over time, the lower limbs caught cold, the knees of both feet swelled symmetrically, and the pain made it difficult to walk. She said that this was because of her karma, and she still gritted her teeth every day. She persisted in picking up excrement, and the condition became more and more serious. It was not convenient to treat her in the mountains, so she had to return to her mother.
The doctor diagnosed him with symmetrical rheumatoid arthritis, which is an incurable disease. The rheumatic factors slowly transfer to the heart and cause paralysis. After hearing this, she felt no fear or fear, but felt uneasy. I felt that at such a young age, I was paralyzed before I could do anything to help sentient beings. I had to wait for others and hurt others. Living like this was really worse than death! So I prayed to the Bodhisattva: “I don’t ask for my phantom body to last forever, or for my illness to be cured. I only wish to prolong my sinful life, use my own blood to copy the “Huayan Sutra”, and dedicate it to all sentient beings in the Dharma Realm to achieve Buddhahood. After copying this sutra, I will die without regrets.” Unexpectedly, a miracle happened. She said: “I used a three-edged needle to prick my ten fingers to get blood. When there was not enough blood, I used a needle to draw the blood from the veins on the back of my hand. My mother couldn’t bear it and refused to help me prick my fingers to squeeze and draw blood. She avoided doing it. I went back to my housework. But when I was copying the scriptures, my mother was surprised to find that my whole body was glowing with golden light, but I couldn’t see it myself. This might be Buddha’s blessing, which may give my mother some insights.
By the time I finished copying the four blood classics, the swelling in my feet and legs had completely subsided and returned to normal. It is true that the Buddha and Bodhisattva have expressed their pity and mercy on me and allowed me to regain my life. I am so grateful that I cannot repay anything in return. I can only secretly make a wish: I wish to spend my entire life in the future and make offerings to the Buddha and Bodhisattva. I wish to purify my body, speech and mind in all my life to make offerings to the Buddha and Bodhisattva. For the rest of the eons to come, I will live for everyone and die for everyone. I went to the hospital for a checkup the next day, and the doctor was surprised. He had to declare that I had fully recovered. “
Master Miaorong added: “While my mother was happy for my recovery, she suddenly changed her caring attitude toward me and said seriously: ‘Master Miaorong, your illness has been cured. Get ready to go back to the temple as soon as possible. You are a monk, and it is wrong to stay here for a long time.” I couldn’t accept hearing such inhumane words all of a sudden. I held back my tears and said angrily, “I’m leaving now!” So I immediately packed my simple luggage. , I went out and called a taxi. When I asked the driver to drive, I stuck my head out of the car window and said to my mother: “Guo Jushi, I put your house key on the table!” The car started to drive, and it was the first time in my life that I saw my mother burst into tears…
The train was speeding, my heart gradually calmed down, and my eyes became blurry… Ah! Mom, my daughter understands your heart! You are afraid that I will forget about this world and delay my practice. It was you who guided me to the path of learning Buddhism, and it was you who supported me to embark on the path of becoming a monk. You personally watched me become a nun without shedding a single tear. This was to strengthen your daughter’s Taoist heart. Don’t worry, Mom! I will never turn back, I will change my mind and preach the Dharma until the end of my life. “
The current Miao Rong Master, in response to the requests of many lay people, has selected a suitable location and is planning to build a place in the Central Plains area that can accommodate many retired elderly lay people to stay there, chant Buddha, listen to scriptures and listen to the Dharma, and integrate living, medical care, and even sending them to death. of dojo. Doctors, nurses and service staff are completely voluntary. Permanent residents only need to pay for oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, rice and noodles (it is family-based and non-profit). Since the medical staff are not paid, the medical expenses will be the lowest. Of course, this is only the preliminary idea of the beauty practitioner, and fellow practitioners will need to work together to complete this matter.
Master Miaorong has invited Master Miaofa and me to stay here permanently and practice together with everyone. If it can be built as soon as possible, Master, my brothers and I are also willing to support Master Miaorong and gather with everyone in the Central Plains to achieve enlightenment together.
In order to make it easier for everyone to read, I will introduce the true story of Master Miao Rong from his birth to becoming a monk in the first person, so that the public can better understand this Buddhist rookie who used his own blood to copy scriptures, and perhaps get some insights from it.
Guo Qing’s special instructions:
“The Miracle Master’s Reason for Becoming a Monk” is a completely true story. After I learned about her experience, I was very moved by it and decided to write it out and include it in a book to encourage fellow Taoists to practice. However, without the permission of the nun, I decided to change the name after the word “Miao” in her Buddhist name. The word was rewritten as the word “Rong”, which means I was writing about another person. The place names are also fictitious, and the photos were obtained by me from the nun’s mother to report to the old monk Miaofa. There are many bhikkhunis with similar looks, so I don’t think it will affect the nun’s practice.
My purpose is not to sing praises to the nun, because she may still be far from perfect, but to change the domestic public’s misunderstanding of monks.
I not only hope that “Miaorong” can become a role model for monks, but I also hope that more intellectuals will devote themselves to the cause of promoting Buddhism and do their best to improve social atmosphere, govern the country with virtue, and repay the kindness of the country.
Because many people in China do not understand monks (including me ten years ago), and misunderstand that monks are lazy, indolent, frustrated in love, traumatized, disillusioned, ugly, difficult to get married, or poor in family background. Eating for a living, etc., this has nothing to do with the facial expression master.
There may be people like this in Buddhism, but I have never met them. However, there are ordinary people like Master Miaorong who voluntarily dedicate themselves to Buddhism to spread the Dharma and benefit living beings, as well as intellectuals. I visited Gaohan Temple, Tiantai Mountain, and Putuo Mountain. I have encountered them in many monasteries, and they all have admirable stories. Unfortunately, what I wrote is a record of causes and effects, and I cannot introduce them too much, so I ask readers to understand the intention of learning later.
Master Miaorong’s mother was also a strong woman who was talented in writing poems and paintings, and brave enough to fight against her fate. Especially the fact that she sent her daughter to become a monk was deeply touching. Venerable Master Xu Gong’s disciple Tiguang, the great monk, praised her as the Holy Mother. I think this was not a joke, but a confirmation.
