China Pilgrimage ???????? May, 2024 - Stop 6: King Ashoka Temple & Tiantong Temple in Ningbo
One of the highlights of our China pilgrimage in May, 2024 includes the visit to the King Ashoka Temple in Ningbo. This is one of the earliest temples in China with a history of 1700 years. It’s also the only temple in China named after King Ashoka, who was the third ruler from the Mauryan dynasty.
Ashoka was a patron of Buddhism, having known of it earlier in his life, but converting to it devoutly after witnessing first-hand the sufferings of the Kalinga war. Under its influence and prompted by his own dynamic temperament, he resolved to live according to, and preach, the dharma and serve his subjects and all humanity.
Ashoka is also famous for his “Ashoka pillars” and his distribution of the Buddha’s relics around the world. Ashoka collected seven of the eight portions of relics of Gautama Buddha, and redistributed them across 84,000 stupas that he ordered to be constructed around the world (they were actually constructed by ghost beings and hidden under the ground around the world). One of the stupas happened to be discovered in today's Ashoka temple (there are a total of 19 stupas which have been discovered in China).
There is a fascinating story behind how the relic pagoda was discovered. During the Jin Dynasty, a hunter became a monk and was named "Huida". He received guidance from the gods and was determined to find the Ashoka stupa enshrining the relics of Sakyamuni Buddha. Huida went through hardships and travelled through mountains and rivers to reach Beilun, Ningbo. Suddenly, he heard the sound of bells coming from underground. After praying devoutly for three days and three nights, a stupa emerged from the ground, shining brightly. After Huida found the stupa, he built a hut on the spot to offer his blessings. The niche he set up was the prototype of the Ashoka Temple in Ningbo.
We also visited the Tiantong Temple in Ningbo, another ancient temple in China with a history over 1700 years. It’s one of the five sacred Chan Buddhist temples in China. It’s the cradle of the Soto Zen school of Japanese Buddhism.
Namo Amituofo ✨️????
Ashoka was a patron of Buddhism, having known of it earlier in his life, but converting to it devoutly after witnessing first-hand the sufferings of the Kalinga war. Under its influence and prompted by his own dynamic temperament, he resolved to live according to, and preach, the dharma and serve his subjects and all humanity.
Ashoka is also famous for his “Ashoka pillars” and his distribution of the Buddha’s relics around the world. Ashoka collected seven of the eight portions of relics of Gautama Buddha, and redistributed them across 84,000 stupas that he ordered to be constructed around the world (they were actually constructed by ghost beings and hidden under the ground around the world). One of the stupas happened to be discovered in today's Ashoka temple (there are a total of 19 stupas which have been discovered in China).
There is a fascinating story behind how the relic pagoda was discovered. During the Jin Dynasty, a hunter became a monk and was named "Huida". He received guidance from the gods and was determined to find the Ashoka stupa enshrining the relics of Sakyamuni Buddha. Huida went through hardships and travelled through mountains and rivers to reach Beilun, Ningbo. Suddenly, he heard the sound of bells coming from underground. After praying devoutly for three days and three nights, a stupa emerged from the ground, shining brightly. After Huida found the stupa, he built a hut on the spot to offer his blessings. The niche he set up was the prototype of the Ashoka Temple in Ningbo.
We also visited the Tiantong Temple in Ningbo, another ancient temple in China with a history over 1700 years. It’s one of the five sacred Chan Buddhist temples in China. It’s the cradle of the Soto Zen school of Japanese Buddhism.
Namo Amituofo ✨️????
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- Dharma





