China Pilgrimage ???????? October, 2024 - Stop 2: Mt. Wutai

After we rested in Taiyuan overnight, the next morning, we took a bus to Mt. Wutai. It was about 3 hours' drive. On arriving there, we encountered the first snow in Mt Wutai. Due to the snow, our tour guide had to change the plan, so we visited the Great Sage Bamboo Forest Temple in Mt. Wutai instead (which was not on our agenda originally). Mt. Wutai is inhabited by holy sages (Bodhisattvas) and ordinary beings.

I very much believe we were led by Bodhisattva Manjushri to this famous Pure Land temple as our first stop. The temple was built by the fourth Pure Land patriarch, Master Fazhao, who was guided by Bodhisattva Manjushri to practice the Pure Land Dharma gate. When Master Fazhao arrived in Mt. Wutai, he met Bodhisattva Manjushri, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra and their millions of retinue (Jiawen has shared the detailed story here -  https://youtu.be/5Vt8KA0WBCk?si=_-gUhkhdvOPGehVt), and asked Bodhisattva Manjushri: "During the Dharma-ending age, sentient beings are so far away from the sages, they are troubled by heavy defilements and unable to realise Buddhahood; which Dharma gate amongst the vast Buddhist teachings should we practice? Which one is the most essential?" 

Bodhisattva Manjushri replied: "The Nianfo Dharma gate! Nothing is better than chanting Amitabha Buddha's name, making offerings to the Three Jewels, and cultivating both merit and wisdom. These two methods are the best and simplest."

Master Fazhao then received their blessings, departed and later established the Great Sage Bamboo Forest Temple at the same place.

It was very touching for us to visit the Great Sage Bamboo Forest Temple as if we were guided all the way by Amituofo and Manjushri.  And suddenly, a lay Buddhist appeared in the temple and insisted on bringing us to meet the abbot. The abbot Venerable Miaojiang was very compassionate to receive us. I felt very close to him despite it being our first encounter in this life. He told us, "The Nianfo Dharma gate is the best, the simplest; if people like complicated stuff, they can also do too, but we just do the simple stuff, the most straightforward and speedy path to Buddhahood. No Dharma gate is as simple as this! The Nianfo Dharma gate is indeed the best, the most supreme Dharma gate." He also welcomed us to return to the Great Sage Bamboo Forest Temple in the future. It was as if Bodhisattva Manjushri was speaking to us :) 

The next day, we paid homage to the famous Buddha's mother cave, the Xiantong Temple, and the Tayuan Temple in Mt. Wutai. We also paid homage to Shakyamuni Buddha's relic pagoda and Manjushri's hair pagoda in the Pagoda Temple.
Why did Manjushri have a hair pagoda? It's connected to one of his manifestations in Mt. Wutai (Jiawen has shared this story before - https://youtu.be/P-B-vriPxjE?si=3EG2eXSzYb2Anp6A; there are many real stories of Bodhisattva Manjushri's manifestation in Mt. Wutai). It was also Guanyin's Bodhisattva's Renunciation Day, so we made more than 1000 lights as offerings in Tayuan Temple. We also went to the Pusa Ding (Bodhisattva's Crown) in Mt. Wutai, the largest Tibetan monastery in Mt. Wutai ( this too has had stories of Bodhisattva Manjushri's manifestation). 

On our last day in Mt. Wutai, we went to all five peaks in Mt. Wutai (initially, we thought we couldn't do it due to the poor weather on top, but later, we were told we could, thanks to Bodhisattva Manjushri!). Mt. Wutai is literally made up by five peaks (the peaks were flat like the platforms, hence the name Wutai or "five platforms"). In each peak, there was a different form of Bodhisattva Manjushri, representing his different aspects. We were very fortunate that we could go on all five peaks in one afternoon! It was said we were the only car that went to all the five peaks that day! The weather wasn't good, and the road was slippery (sometimes even quite dangerous!). Luckily, we kept chanting the name of Manjushri (and Guanyin and Amituofo) and went through everything relatively smoothly! At one time when our tyres were slipping, suddenly a car drove in front of us and stopped, with shovels in the back, and all the people from the car came down to help us. We just couldn't thank Bodhisattva Manjushri and Amituofo (and Guanyin) enough to help us through all the obstacles! 

Following that, our pilgrimage to Mt. Wutai was successfully completed! Thanks to the protection of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and all the Dharma protectors! This time we had 13 people joining us to Mt. Wutai (from Australia, France, Malaysia, Russia/Bulgaria and China). Every year, it's our intention to bring a small group (no more than 15 people) for pilgrimage in China (also Nepal/India). 

May all beings hear the unsurpassed Buddhadharma, and may all beings hear the name of Amituofo and attain rebirth in His Land of Ultimate Bliss. ✨️????

Namo Great Wisdom Bodhisattva Manjushri ✨️????
Namo Amitabha Buddha ✨️????
Namo Amituofo ✨️????