Just as Red Boy was about to say something, a huge hand suddenly patted Red Boy on the head. Red Boy looked up, but Fangzheng shook his head slightly, indicating for him to not make a sound and watch quietly.
Red Boy wanted to say something, but the next moment, his eyes widened as he looked at Monkey in shock. This was because Monkey was emitting a Buddhistic glow! Although it was fleeting, it was still shocking!
"Master …" Red Boy looked at Fangzheng.
Fangzheng shook his head and led Red Boy to the backyard before saying, "Do you understand?"
"Not really. That's clearly a demonic drum. Even if you don't touch it, once you enter the drum tower, you will be invaded by demonic aura. All sorts of negative emotions will be magnified. Fear will be even more horrified, and greed will be even more greedy … How can such a thing help people absorb Buddhistic powers? How strange! "Red Boy said.
"I do have some guesses, but I'll have to give it a try to know." After Fangzheng said that, he took a deep breath. He looked righteous and valiant! He returned to the meditation room to sleep …
When Red Boy saw this, he immediately felt as though a flock of crows were flying over his head. Indeed … This was very much like his master!
After dinner in the evening, seeing that it was almost time, Fangzheng slowly got up and said, "Jingzhen, strike the bell."
Monkey immediately got up and pressed his palms together. "Yes, Master."
"A monk strikes the bell every day. Haha … Senior Brother Jingzhen, you still have a long way to go," Red Boy said with a roar of laughter.
"A monk strikes the bell every day. Junior Brother, why do your words sound so awkward? Is it a derogatory term? "Squirrel asked out of curiosity.
Red Boy said, "Of course it's a derogatory term. It's referring to passing the days … There's nothing much to go on. It's nothing much."
Fangzheng smacked him and said, "Don't speak nonsense if you don't know. Why are you joining in the fun when others explain it like that? Do you think it's a derogatory term? It was originally a compliment. In ancient times, there were no watches or mechanical clocks. Even sundials were rare. Ordinary people had no concept of time. In big cities, there were people who would strike the bell to tell the time, but in small cities and villages, who would? The accurate time they could hear was from the monastery's bell. The monastery was rammed once in the morning and once in the morning. The striking of the bell and drum was not done randomly. There were many things to pay attention to. Although it was slightly different from place to place, there was one iron-clad rule, and that was that the final blow had to be struck at the point where day and night alternated!
In this way, the requirements for the monks who struck the bell and drum were extremely high. Those who did not have a sense of responsibility were not qualified to strike the bell and drum. As the saying goes, a monk strikes a bell for a day. It's a warning to everyone to be like that monk, to be cautious, responsible, and persistent. "
"Uh … It's not available on the Internet," Red Boy said subconsciously.
"Yes, but what you read is the entertainment section. The things inside are all over the place. There's too much dross and too much essence. It would be a miracle if you could learn anything good." Fangzheng glared at Red Boy after saying that. Although Fangzheng had told him not to use the cell phone many times, as an outsider, this was the fastest way for Red Boy to come into contact with the world and understand it. Fangzheng couldn't really seal it off. At most, he could restrict this brat from flipping through pornographic or violent websites … And the way to do that was very simple. His cell phone had been blessed!
"I find the Internet I read quite interesting," Red Boy said with a pout.
Fangzheng struck him as Red Boy said with a bitter look, "You hit me when you can't reason with me … Master, you are becoming more and more violent. When I first met you, you were like an accomplished monk. Why are you regressing the more you cultivate Buddhism? "
Fangzheng smiled. "Then what do you think cultivating Buddhism is? To cultivate to become like those old Zen masters? I don't know if I'm taking the right path, but I believe that cultivating Buddhism isn't just about having a solemn poker face or a benevolent face. Cultivating Buddhism is about cultivating the heart and one's self. If one's body and heart are upright, what's left is naturally happiness. "
When Red Boy heard that, he did not argue with Fangzheng. Instead, he frowned. In his impression, Buddha was an antique, a scum who did not know how to be flexible. But from what Fangzheng said, it seemed like his understanding was wrong. Maitreya Buddha walked the mortal world with a smile, while Ji Gong ate meat and drank wine freely. If he really thought about it that way, it seemed like Buddha really wasn't a fixed template.
Red Boy recalled what Fangzheng had said. The reason why Buddhism could flourish for so long was because all rivers run into the sea. As long as one's heart was upright, Fangzheng didn't care about the means …
"In that case, if I were to return to being the Child of Wealth, I wouldn't have to worry about being locked in a cage every day, chanting scriptures and meditating?" A glimmer of hope burned in Red Boy's heart.
At that moment, Monkey suddenly asked, "Master, you said that striking the bell and drum also has a requirement, but why didn't you tell me? I thought it would only take a hundred and eight hits. "
Lone Wolf said, "Master, why must it be a hundred and eight strikes? Can't it be a hundred and nine? "
Fangzheng smiled. "There are many ways to explain it. I've said before that the bell doesn't originate from Buddhism. Some people believe that a hundred and eight strikes originate from the heavenly stems and earthly branches. Seventy-two Earthly Wraiths and thirty-six Heavenly Constellations add up to a hundred and eight.
"Others say that it corresponds to the twelve months, the twenty-four solar terms, and the seventy-two seasons. Five days make up a season, adding up to 108. It symbolizes the cycle of a year and the everlasting world.
"Thirdly, the rule of 108 strikes is related to the number 9. In ancient times, our country believed that the number 9 was extremely high and auspicious. And the twelve times of the number 9 is 108. It pushes the concept of the number 9 to the extreme."
"However, we Buddhists believe that people have 108 kinds of worries. Striking the bell 108 times can relieve them of their worries. Therefore, the chanting of scriptures or incantations 108 times, the number of Buddha Beads, and even the number of Bodhisattvas is 108. All of these are to eliminate people's worries and achieve an extremely auspicious meaning.
As for how it came about, no one can say for sure. However, since we have become Buddhists, let's choose the latter. Striking the bell every day to help people remove their worries is also a meritorious deed.
"There are many rules for striking the bell. Different regions have different ways of striking it. "According to what I know, Mt. Song's Great Woods Monastery's method of striking is: 'Thirty-six strikes in the front, thirty-six strikes in the middle, and thirty-six strikes in the back. That's a total of 108.'
"As for the southern Hermit Monastery's method of striking is: 'Eight strikes in the front, eight strikes in the back, eighteen strikes in the middle, and two strikes in the back, making a total of 108.' "I'm not sure how other places are struck, but no matter how it changes, it ultimately cannot deviate from the number 108.
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