Master Yongming Longevity Extending Statue

Yongming Longevity Extending Master (904-975 AD), the sixth ancestor of the Pure Land Sect, is a monk of the late Tang Dynasty and the five generations. He is also the third ancestor of the Fayan Sect. Master Yongming Yanshou believed in Buddhism when he was young, and gave up killing and releasing life. In the time of King Qian Wen Mu, Yongming Yanshou Master was a tax official. When he saw fish, shrimp, birds, etc., he bought and released them. When his salary is used up, he will use the official money to buy it and let it go. Later, the defendant said that he should be sentenced to death and sent to the city Cao to be beheaded. King Wenmu sent people to see it and instruct the prisoners to kill the prisoners if they saw them afraid, or release them. Yongming Longevity Extending Master was calm and calm in the face of death. King Wenmu admired his courage and wisdom, so he released Yongming Yanshou Master from prison.

After being released, Master Yongming Yanshou became a monk with Master Cuiyan of Mingzhou. He visited Master Deshao of Tiantai for the second time and invented the heart. He is the heir of the law and the legitimate grandson of the law eye.

Master Yongming Yanshou vowed to live in the West, chanting the holy name of Amitabha 100000 times a day. At sunset, I went to the other peak to chant Buddha, and followed a hundred people. On a clear night and a moonlit night, I can hear the sound of the heavenly music of shellfish. King Zhongyi respected his virtue and was greatly moved when he heard this. He sighed: "Those who have sought the West since ancient times have never made such a cut", so he built the Western Xiangyan Hall for the Master to achieve his ambition and gave it the title of Master Zhijue.

Master Yongming Yanshou lived in Yongming for 15 years, with thousands of disciples. He often teaches Bodhisattva precepts to people, gives food and releases life, and loves people kindly. All merits and virtues will be returned to all living beings, so as to provide food for the pure land of life. Master Yongming Yanshou encouraged the public to recite Buddhism honestly, set an example, sit down and break all the crazy and wise words, break all the barriers of righteousness, refine all the behaviors, and make a solemn and pure land. The Four Materials Bamboo Slips, written by Yongming Yanshou Master, has a great impact on the later generations who are building the Pure Land:

There is Zen and Pure Land, just like a horned tiger, who is a teacher in this world and a Buddha in the next life.

Without Zen, there is a pure land. Ten thousand people will go there. If you see Amitabha, why not be enlightened.

There is Zen but no pure land. Ten people have nine duels. If the shadow is in front, follow him.

No Zen, no pure land, iron bed and copper pillar, thousand kaleidoscopes and thousand lives, no one to follow.

Master Yongming Yanshou is also the third generation founder of the Fayan Sect. He once gathered three monks of Kindness, Xianshou and Tiantai to compile the books written by 200 Indian and Chinese sages. He searched extensively and questioned each other, resulting in one hundred volumes of Zongjinglu. He took a conciliatory attitude towards the divergence of purposes among the various sects at that time. When the King of Korea saw this book, he sent envoys to Xu's disciples and 36 national monks to learn Dharma. Therefore, the Zen style of Dharma Eye prevailed in Haidong. Master Yongming Yanshou integrates Mahayana Buddhism, integrates various sects, and returns to the Pure Land. He is strict in law and eager to die. Master Yongming Yanshou took the splendid and elegant style as the ultimate perfection, our smart and wonderful heart as the source of all laws, and the Western Pure Land as the ultimate destination. He practiced by himself and set an immortal example for future generations.

On February 26, the eighth year of Song Kaibao's reign, Yongming Yanshou Master got up in the morning, burned incense and told everyone. He was seventy-two years old. It is said that Yongming Longevity Extending Master is Amitabha Buddha. Today, Amitabha's Christmas Day is based on the birth date of Yongming Yanshou Master.