Spicy Headlines: The Uninformed Bystander Netizens
Yangcheng Evening News reporter Hong Qiwaung reported: Science writer Fang Zhouzi posted on Weibo on the 8th that Master Shihai Kong, Vice President of the Sichuan Buddhist Association and President of the Nanchong Buddhist Association, taught his disciples last year at Qile Temple - if you study Buddhism well, someone will give you a plane. This Weibo post sparked heated discussions among netizens, "aren't monks supposed to be free from worldly possessions? Why are they using material incentives to encourage people to learn Buddhism?" Many netizens found this very confusing. On the 11th, Zhou Zhenghua, Secretary-General of the Nanchong Buddhist Association, told Yangcheng Evening News in an interview that the discussions on Weibo were taken out of context.
Master's Teaching:
If you study Buddhism well, someone will give you a plane
"Vice Chairman of the Sichuan Buddhist Association, Master Shihai Kong said: 'You must study well, now I am better than you, in the past someone gave me a bicycle, now someone gives me a car, you must know, if you study Buddhism well, you can develop wisdom, illuminate others with your wisdom lamp, not only will someone give you apples, cars, but also planes, even helicopters.' Is the apple referring to iphone, ipad?" On May 8th, Fang Zhouzi posted such a Weibo which immediately caught the attention of netizens.
Some netizens expressed disbelief that Master Shihai Kong would say such things, but Fang Zhouzi subsequently replied to Weibo friends: "How could I come up with such wise words. These are 'Master Teachings' published on their official website, there are many more such wise words."
Shihai Kong:
"Monks cannot fall behind society"
According to the link provided by Fang Zhouzi, I found a speech titled "Worldly Buddhism in Life" on the website named "Buddhism Xianmi Universal Diamond Treasure Station". It was a teaching by Master Shihai Kong at Qile Temple on the evening of May 28, 2010, reorganized from the audio recording, the full text is over 15,000 words.
The quote used by Fang Zhouzi came from the following section: "In the future, everyone should work harder, don't look at the current size of Qile Temple, our accommodation will become three-star soon, our current wealth means nothing, I often tell them, practitioners need to cultivate blessings, have sufficient resources... You must study well, now I am better than you, in the past someone gave me a bicycle, now someone gives me a car, you must know, if you study Buddhism well, you can develop wisdom, illuminate others with your wisdom lamp, not only will someone give you apples, cars, but also planes, even helicopters... In the past, when I was in retreat, I didn't dare to think about taking a car, it was hard to take a tractor, 16 families donated a bicycle for my use, times have changed! Therefore, we monks should do more good deeds, make good connections, be good people, do good things, gradually change our learning environment. My current car isn't the best, just a Volvo sedan, I've given so much teaching, I think there should be some harvest, you should study better than me, our Buddhism has hope, in the future, if you all can buy planes, I will be happy, if you still exchange a few apples for two eggs, then there's no meaning."
Master Shihai Kong also defended the renovation of the temple's Dharma hall: "When renovating the Dharma hall, many people didn't understand, some criticized, some said it's like renovating an OK hall, our Dharma hall is for teaching purposes, in the future, as the temple develops, the Dharma hall must keep up with the times, we are just ahead of the curve, just renovated... What's the big deal?"
Shihai Kong also said: "Some say monks cannot wear watches, these statements are all nonsense. Look at the statues of Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjusri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva inside the temple hall, they wear silk and satin, adorned with pearls and jade, worldly treasures."
"Our Dharma hall bought a podium, it's more beautiful than the one in the Nanchong Political Consultative Conference meeting room, our tables are better than those in the Nanchong Political Consultative Conference meeting room, us monks cannot fall behind society, what are monks? Monks are noble, supreme people, since we are supreme people, we should live in supreme places, have supreme thought realms, to reach perfect results." Shihai Kong said.
Secretary-General of the Nanchong Buddhist Association:
Don't Take Things Out of Context
On the 11th, Yangcheng Evening News reporter called Qile Temple, a Bhikshu who did not wish to disclose his Dharma name said that Master Shihai Kong went out to handle affairs. He said, although he wasn't present during Master Shihai Kong's teaching, he believed that as long as the plane wasn't paid for by the temple, but voluntarily donated by believers to the monks, then monks owning planes is beyond reproach, and using planes, cars for transportation helps save time and better spread Buddhism.
Zhou Zhenghua, Secretary-General of the Nanchong Buddhist Association, said in an interview that the speech manuscript of Master Shihai Kong on the website is true, but the discussions on Weibo are taken out of context, hearsay. Master Shihai Kong was actually criticizing the disciples' pursuit of material wealth, "if you study Buddhism well, someone will give you a plane" is actually irony. When the reporter wanted to ask for more details, the phone suddenly disconnected, and calling his mobile phone multiple times couldn't get through anymore.
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