Origination of Seated Transformation
The Mahayana Buddhist teachings state that a fully realised Bodhisattva possesses the power to enter Nirvana completely, but chooses not to do so for the welfare of all sentient beings. He or she decides to take rebirth over and over again to assist the well-being and spiritual development of all sentient beings. Although the physical body is left behind at the point of physical death, the positive karmic power of the virtue of the Bodhisattva continues to operate at the cellular level and to preserve the structure to inspire confidence and conviction in the Buddha’s teachings. In the Daoist tradition, sometimes the physical body is left behind as a sign of the attainment of a great immortality that transcends the body, but retains a connection with it from other realms. The Qing Dynasty Emperor Chongzhen (崇祯) was so taken with examples of Buddhist monastics passing away whilst sat in the upright position, that he issued an edict stating that such a practice was fully in accordance with the Bodhisattva practice and represented not only the possession of a great virtue, but also a great act of selflessness and compassion. However, the practice of passing away whilst sat in the upright meditation position was known for many hundreds of years prior to this imperial recognition, and had been noted by other earlier emperors. It is believed that the Dharmakaya, or fundamental reality body of the Buddha’s enlightenment possesses the power to transform and manipulate ordinary physical matter.
The Buddhist teachings state that the physical body is created by karma and is impermanent. When the karmic force of a particular rebirth is exhausted, the body dies and is expected to fall away into dust. If this is the case, why is it that the ‘Seated Transformation’ practice came into being? It appears to be premised upon the virtue and moral goodness of certain practitioners whose body after death remains in the eternal meditation posture and suffers either very little, or no decomposition. Of course, after many centuries damage may occur to such self-preserving bodies, inspiring devout practitioners to cover the bodies with a lacquer paste that sets into a hard casing. Seated Transformation appears to be a Chinese cultural development, although it is true that the body of the Indian Tripitaka Master Jnanabhaisajya (6th century CE) still sits upright in the Nanhua Temple, Guangdong province. It is recorded that within the Nine Glorious Mountains (九华山 – Liu Hua Shan) area of Anhui province, there is an ancient burial practice still in existence. When a Buddhist monk dies in meditation, the body is respectfully placed within a large pottery jar in the crossed-legged meditation position. The pottery jar (with the body inside) is then filled with charcoal, firewood and other materials, over a four-week period. The pottery jar is then sealed and placed outside for seven days. On the seventh day a plug is removed from the side of the pottery jar and the contents of the jar are ignited so that the body is cremated.
However, it appears that over-time, although many monks were still placed in pottery jars filled with charcoal – fewer and fewer were cremated as the traditional manner. Instead it became the habit to open the pottery jars after three years, and it is during this process that many monks were found not to have rotted. Instead their bodies retained a remarkable degree of preservation, often with nails and hair continuing to grow. There is some speculation in modern China that the remarkable preservation may be in part be due to the body being closely packed with charcoal when in the pottery jar. The charcoal may act as a means of quickly drying-out the body (and thus preserving it). In ancient India from the time of the Buddha, great Buddhist masters, after their bodies were cremated, are said to have left jewel-like ‘relics’ in the ashes. In China it seems to be that the physical body of the pure Buddhist monastic became itself a single ‘relic’ designed to inspire confidence and conviction in the Buddha’s path.
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2016.
Original Chinese Language Source Text: http://baike.baidu.com/view/307335.htm
相关介绍编辑
在佛教看来,万物因缘而生,因缘而灭,身体形骸皆为梦幻泡影,逝去的人们是不需要将其存留在世间的。然而,为什么九华山那些修行圆满的“肉身菩萨”却要将不朽的身体留给世人呢? 在九华山中,至今还保留着一种古老的殡葬习俗:凡有僧人圆寂,必将其盘坐装殓于陶缸之中,并在遗体四周添充木炭、柴草等物品,密封后放于室外,保存七日。 七日之后,人们将陶缸下面一个预先置留的小孔掏开,引燃缸内的柴草木炭,将遗体火化。 但是,也有极少数生前有特别交待的僧人没有火化,他们的缸继续存放下去。三年之后,当陶缸开启之时,曾经有这样的奇迹发生:缸内的僧侣竟然颜面如生,肉身不腐。他们就是被人供奉膜拜的“肉身菩萨”。 万稼祥,九华山管理处宗教科科长,他曾亲身见证肉身菩萨的开缸,对此现象始终迷惑不解。这是九华山一个叫普文的和尚去世三年之后开缸时的影像。令人震惊的不仅仅是普文和尚的肉身三年不腐,而且人们注意到,他的头部居然长出了两寸长的头发。 这是九华山的一个高僧圆寂后装缸时的影像资料。人们正把许多纸包填充在缸里,那是什么?难道九华肉身的形成,也和埃及木乃伊一样,经过特别的药物处理吗?那一个个纸包里,究竟装的是什么东西呢? 这是九华山中的一个特殊行当——轿子行,他们整天抬人上山下山,以此为生。闲暇时,轿夫们就在山脚下聊天。坐在中间的人名叫焦小弟,除了抬轿子,他还有一个祖传的副业,那就是专门负责把圆寂的僧人装殓入缸。 焦小弟为我们演示了一遍装缸的程序,首先把柴草铺在缸底。这是生石灰,也就是在影像资料中我们看到的那些纸包里装的东西,用草纸包装,主要是为了摆放方便。最后,他们拿来一整袋木炭倒入缸中,这就是他们所用的全部材料。 在佛教看来,人的生命历程就像一个升华自我的阶梯,通过刻苦的修行,在戒律、禅定、智慧各方面达到最高境界,就可以突破自身的肉体局限,凝结成物质结晶——肉身。 传说,佛祖释迦牟尼圆寂后,火化的遗骨凝结成一种坚硬的颗粒物质——舍利。佛经记载,舍利有全身和碎身的区别。而九华肉身则是全身舍利,相比碎身舍利更为难得。九华山上最早出现的肉身,正是今天被人们供奉为地藏菩萨的金乔觉。传说,他圆寂后三年依然颜面如生,骨节能发出金锁般的声音,人们将之供奉在三层石塔中,不料,那里在夜间竟能发出“神光异彩”,这就是后来人们称之为“神光岭”的地方。 九华山的摩天岭,第一位肉身菩萨就供奉在这高山之巅。百岁宫,一座有600年历史的古寺。这位就是“百岁菩萨”,一位曾活了126岁的老僧。明代的崇祯皇帝正是被他的精神所感动,才下圣旨钦赐建造了这座寺院。关于这位肉身菩萨,九华山中流传着这样一个神奇的故事。传说,清朝初年百岁宫曾经多次失火,其中最严重的一次,大火竟要把整个寺院烧塌。这时,肉身菩萨的双手忽然抬起,由打坐的姿势变成遮火的姿势,一场大雨随即从天而降。火扑灭了,寺院保住了,但从此以后,这位肉身菩萨的胳膊就没有放下,始终保持着当年遮火的姿态。 寺院内的石碑记录了这位高僧的生平。他本名海玉,字无暇,24岁出家于五台山。明朝末年,他仰慕金地藏“普渡众生”的精神,不远万里来到九华山。可连年的战乱已使这里满目疮痍,香火衰微。无暇决心重振九华道场,沿着艰险的山路向摩天岭攀登。 在今天百岁宫寺院后面的房基下,人们依然可以找到一个小小的石洞,这就是无暇和尚当年的居所。据说,当年他在洞中修行的时候,山上少有人烟,无处化缘。他渴了就喝山涧清泉,饿了就吃一种叫黄精的植物维持生命。 在这个山洞中,他发下了一个宏大的誓愿:要用自己的鲜血书抄写一部佛经。这就是被九华山历代僧人奉为珍宝的国家一级文物——无暇和尚刺取舌血拌金粉抄写的《大方广佛华严经》,全书81册,共计42万字。 人们不禁感叹,是何等巨大的毅力,何等虔诚的信念,支撑这位僧人完成这样的壮举!据说,为了抄写这部经书,当年无暇和尚每隔二十天,刺取舌血一次,前后共用了二十八年时间。期间,他几次因为失血过多,体力不支,昏厥过去。 明代天启三年,无暇126岁时,终于抄完了全部经文。大愿已了,他用石头封上洞门,无声无息地离开了人世。无暇和尚曾留下这样一首诗:“老叟形骸百有余,幻身枯瘦法身肥。客来问我归何处?腊尽春回又见梅。” 传说三年后,崇祯皇帝于梦中见九华山有菩萨转世,就派钦差上山找寻。当人们打开那个石洞时,发现这位高僧竟然颜面如生,肉身不腐。崇祯颁圣旨修建百岁宫,将无暇肉身贴金供奉,敕封为“应身菩萨”。按照佛教的说法,一些修行圆满的菩萨本来有能力、有资格成为佛,但是,为了救度众生,暂不成佛,再度转世到人间,教化众生,这就是所谓的应身菩萨。
The Buddhist teachings state that the physical body is created by karma and is impermanent. When the karmic force of a particular rebirth is exhausted, the body dies and is expected to fall away into dust. If this is the case, why is it that the ‘Seated Transformation’ practice came into being? It appears to be premised upon the virtue and moral goodness of certain practitioners whose body after death remains in the eternal meditation posture and suffers either very little, or no decomposition. Of course, after many centuries damage may occur to such self-preserving bodies, inspiring devout practitioners to cover the bodies with a lacquer paste that sets into a hard casing. Seated Transformation appears to be a Chinese cultural development, although it is true that the body of the Indian Tripitaka Master Jnanabhaisajya (6th century CE) still sits upright in the Nanhua Temple, Guangdong province. It is recorded that within the Nine Glorious Mountains (九华山 – Liu Hua Shan) area of Anhui province, there is an ancient burial practice still in existence. When a Buddhist monk dies in meditation, the body is respectfully placed within a large pottery jar in the crossed-legged meditation position. The pottery jar (with the body inside) is then filled with charcoal, firewood and other materials, over a four-week period. The pottery jar is then sealed and placed outside for seven days. On the seventh day a plug is removed from the side of the pottery jar and the contents of the jar are ignited so that the body is cremated.
However, it appears that over-time, although many monks were still placed in pottery jars filled with charcoal – fewer and fewer were cremated as the traditional manner. Instead it became the habit to open the pottery jars after three years, and it is during this process that many monks were found not to have rotted. Instead their bodies retained a remarkable degree of preservation, often with nails and hair continuing to grow. There is some speculation in modern China that the remarkable preservation may be in part be due to the body being closely packed with charcoal when in the pottery jar. The charcoal may act as a means of quickly drying-out the body (and thus preserving it). In ancient India from the time of the Buddha, great Buddhist masters, after their bodies were cremated, are said to have left jewel-like ‘relics’ in the ashes. In China it seems to be that the physical body of the pure Buddhist monastic became itself a single ‘relic’ designed to inspire confidence and conviction in the Buddha’s path.
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2016.
Original Chinese Language Source Text: http://baike.baidu.com/view/307335.htm
相关介绍编辑
在佛教看来,万物因缘而生,因缘而灭,身体形骸皆为梦幻泡影,逝去的人们是不需要将其存留在世间的。然而,为什么九华山那些修行圆满的“肉身菩萨”却要将不朽的身体留给世人呢? 在九华山中,至今还保留着一种古老的殡葬习俗:凡有僧人圆寂,必将其盘坐装殓于陶缸之中,并在遗体四周添充木炭、柴草等物品,密封后放于室外,保存七日。 七日之后,人们将陶缸下面一个预先置留的小孔掏开,引燃缸内的柴草木炭,将遗体火化。 但是,也有极少数生前有特别交待的僧人没有火化,他们的缸继续存放下去。三年之后,当陶缸开启之时,曾经有这样的奇迹发生:缸内的僧侣竟然颜面如生,肉身不腐。他们就是被人供奉膜拜的“肉身菩萨”。 万稼祥,九华山管理处宗教科科长,他曾亲身见证肉身菩萨的开缸,对此现象始终迷惑不解。这是九华山一个叫普文的和尚去世三年之后开缸时的影像。令人震惊的不仅仅是普文和尚的肉身三年不腐,而且人们注意到,他的头部居然长出了两寸长的头发。 这是九华山的一个高僧圆寂后装缸时的影像资料。人们正把许多纸包填充在缸里,那是什么?难道九华肉身的形成,也和埃及木乃伊一样,经过特别的药物处理吗?那一个个纸包里,究竟装的是什么东西呢? 这是九华山中的一个特殊行当——轿子行,他们整天抬人上山下山,以此为生。闲暇时,轿夫们就在山脚下聊天。坐在中间的人名叫焦小弟,除了抬轿子,他还有一个祖传的副业,那就是专门负责把圆寂的僧人装殓入缸。 焦小弟为我们演示了一遍装缸的程序,首先把柴草铺在缸底。这是生石灰,也就是在影像资料中我们看到的那些纸包里装的东西,用草纸包装,主要是为了摆放方便。最后,他们拿来一整袋木炭倒入缸中,这就是他们所用的全部材料。 在佛教看来,人的生命历程就像一个升华自我的阶梯,通过刻苦的修行,在戒律、禅定、智慧各方面达到最高境界,就可以突破自身的肉体局限,凝结成物质结晶——肉身。 传说,佛祖释迦牟尼圆寂后,火化的遗骨凝结成一种坚硬的颗粒物质——舍利。佛经记载,舍利有全身和碎身的区别。而九华肉身则是全身舍利,相比碎身舍利更为难得。九华山上最早出现的肉身,正是今天被人们供奉为地藏菩萨的金乔觉。传说,他圆寂后三年依然颜面如生,骨节能发出金锁般的声音,人们将之供奉在三层石塔中,不料,那里在夜间竟能发出“神光异彩”,这就是后来人们称之为“神光岭”的地方。 九华山的摩天岭,第一位肉身菩萨就供奉在这高山之巅。百岁宫,一座有600年历史的古寺。这位就是“百岁菩萨”,一位曾活了126岁的老僧。明代的崇祯皇帝正是被他的精神所感动,才下圣旨钦赐建造了这座寺院。关于这位肉身菩萨,九华山中流传着这样一个神奇的故事。传说,清朝初年百岁宫曾经多次失火,其中最严重的一次,大火竟要把整个寺院烧塌。这时,肉身菩萨的双手忽然抬起,由打坐的姿势变成遮火的姿势,一场大雨随即从天而降。火扑灭了,寺院保住了,但从此以后,这位肉身菩萨的胳膊就没有放下,始终保持着当年遮火的姿态。 寺院内的石碑记录了这位高僧的生平。他本名海玉,字无暇,24岁出家于五台山。明朝末年,他仰慕金地藏“普渡众生”的精神,不远万里来到九华山。可连年的战乱已使这里满目疮痍,香火衰微。无暇决心重振九华道场,沿着艰险的山路向摩天岭攀登。 在今天百岁宫寺院后面的房基下,人们依然可以找到一个小小的石洞,这就是无暇和尚当年的居所。据说,当年他在洞中修行的时候,山上少有人烟,无处化缘。他渴了就喝山涧清泉,饿了就吃一种叫黄精的植物维持生命。 在这个山洞中,他发下了一个宏大的誓愿:要用自己的鲜血书抄写一部佛经。这就是被九华山历代僧人奉为珍宝的国家一级文物——无暇和尚刺取舌血拌金粉抄写的《大方广佛华严经》,全书81册,共计42万字。 人们不禁感叹,是何等巨大的毅力,何等虔诚的信念,支撑这位僧人完成这样的壮举!据说,为了抄写这部经书,当年无暇和尚每隔二十天,刺取舌血一次,前后共用了二十八年时间。期间,他几次因为失血过多,体力不支,昏厥过去。 明代天启三年,无暇126岁时,终于抄完了全部经文。大愿已了,他用石头封上洞门,无声无息地离开了人世。无暇和尚曾留下这样一首诗:“老叟形骸百有余,幻身枯瘦法身肥。客来问我归何处?腊尽春回又见梅。” 传说三年后,崇祯皇帝于梦中见九华山有菩萨转世,就派钦差上山找寻。当人们打开那个石洞时,发现这位高僧竟然颜面如生,肉身不腐。崇祯颁圣旨修建百岁宫,将无暇肉身贴金供奉,敕封为“应身菩萨”。按照佛教的说法,一些修行圆满的菩萨本来有能力、有资格成为佛,但是,为了救度众生,暂不成佛,再度转世到人间,教化众生,这就是所谓的应身菩萨。