Buddhistdoor International BD Dipananda
2014-12-03
A group of Chinese nuns traverse the highways of
China every year after the Mid-Autumn Festival on a two-week long
pilgrimage called angya. They can be seen walking along
the road in a disciplined manner, carrying their belongings and
eating only once a day. The nuns belong to Daoyuan Temple in
Haicheng, Liaoning Province.
Daoyuan Temple is a tranquil nunnery run according
to strict discipline. It follows the practice of Dabei Temple, also
located in Haicheng, and belongs to the Guiyang school of Chan
Buddhism. Monastics at both these temples strictly follow the
ascetic way of life. They eat only once, at noon, and sleep only
four hours a day. Abiding by the precepts, they do not accept or
even touch money, and meditate for the time it takes to burn five
sticks of incense.
Angya means “to go on
foot,” and in Chan Buddhism refers to the traditional pilgrimage of
monastics from monastery to monastery. The term also applies to the
Buddhist practice in Japan of an unsui (novice monk)
undertaking a journey to seek admittance to a monastery for the
first time. Since 2000, the nuns of Daoyuan Temple have also
devotedly perpetuated this practice.
During the pilgrimage, this group of nuns do not
stay in hotels, people’s homes, or even temples, but shelter in
caves and tents. They obtain their sustenance by begging
alms.
Out of compassion, the nuns pick up and bury the
bodies of animals run over by vehicles, and devotees bring them
creatures saved from butchering. The nuns then perform ceremonies
to release them. Commenting on their practice, a netizen said, “In
today’s society, to have such deep faith is rare and
commendable!”
“This is the faith that present-day Chinese people
lack! What is faith? Faith is the inner force that cannot be
expressed or replaced by material, it is not superstition, it is
the nourishment for one’s spirit,” commented another netizen. Kip
Mckay, a Facebook fan of Anandajoti Bhikkhu, said, “Awe inspiring!
Unlike its reputation and usual practice in the US (thanks to '50s
‘Beats’ I think), real Zen [Chan] is actually the most austere and
physically demanding of the traditional Buddhist
schools.”
Neither Daoyuan nor Dabei temple has a donation box.
A netizen said, “I finally found out China has a temple that exists
for the practice of Buddhism!” And a temple visitor commented, “In
the past I didn’t take notice, now I know it is real because I am
from Haicheng. I know that this temple really doesn’t have a
donation box, anyone can come to the temple to live and fast. They
don’t charge any money and if you have difficulties the temple will
help you. I experienced this firsthand, when I tried to donate
money they will reject it. Later I bought vegetable oil and
noodles, they even asked that the noodles not be made from
eggs.”
See more
Devout Chinese Ascetic Nuns Live a
Peripatetic Life of Hardship