Why do Buddhist temples have bells of different sizes?

"When a monk rings a bell," this sentence, in some interpretations, also shows that the bell is an iconic instrument of worship in Buddhist temple life.

In Indian Buddhism, the bell was originally made of wood and was called "Qianzhi" or "Qianzhi". According to Buddhist scriptures, the fifteenth day of the seventh month is the day when monks complete their summer retreat and increase their precepts. It is called the day of acceptance. So the Buddha told his attendant Ananda to quickly strike the bull's spine on the open ground to gather the monks. Ananda immediately went up to the lecture hall, held a jade bone in his hand and said, "I am here today to beat the Tathagata's letter drum. All disciples of the Tathagata should hear the sound and gather here." Since then, the bell has become an iconic symbol in Buddhist temples. One of the important magic weapons.

Big bell?

It is also known as Brahma Bell, Diao Zhong, Chongzhong, Hong Zhong, Whale Bell, Pulao, Hua Jing, Hua Zhong and Giant Bell. Most are made of bronze, and a few are made of iron. They are generally about 150 centimeters high and 60 centimeters in diameter. The upper end has a fisherman carved into a dragon head, and the lower end has two opposite lotus-shaped impact seats, which are called eight The leaf below the bump base is called Caojian, and the lower edge is called Juzhao; above it is divided into two parts: pool room and breast room, and there are small protrusions surrounding the breast side by side, and connecting the bump base, the strips crossing at right angles are called cassocks. , also known as Six Paths. In addition, there is a cylindrical insertion inside next to the fishing hand. Such bells are often hung in bell towers and are used to summon the public or tell the time in the morning and evening. For example, Volume 8 of the "Edicts to Revise Baizhang Qinggui" (Taisho 48·1155b) says: "The big bell is the starting point of the jungle command. If it strikes at dawn, it will break the long night and alert you to sleep; if it strikes at dusk, you will feel faint and confused." The sound it produces may be called whale sound. Later generations often engraved inscriptions on the smooth surface.

The emergence of Buddhist bells is the product of the arrival of Buddhism from the east and the rise of monasteries. The Brahma bell is a Buddhist bell. As the name suggests, it is used in temples to perform Buddhist services, or to summon monks to go to the temple, chant sutras and do homework. In addition, the bell is used for everything such as getting up, sleeping, and eating. Therefore, different bells ring for different purposes. But there are also many details about ringing the bell. It is said in "Baizhang Qinggui·Dharma Instruments": "The big bell in the forest is the signal for the beginning of time. If you strike it at dawn, you will break the long night and alert you to sleep; if you strike it at dusk, you will feel twilight and clear up the darkness." Therefore. The bell should be struck one hundred and eight times in the morning and evening.

The rule of one hundred and eight times is related to "nine", because in ancient my country, "nine" was considered to have extremely high and auspicious meanings. The twelve times of "nine" is exactly "one hundred and eight", which pushes the artistic conception of "nine" to the extreme.

Small bell?

Also known as calling bell and half bell, they are mostly made of real (brass), usually about 60 to 80 centimeters high, and are hung in Buddhist halls. One corner, because its purpose is to announce the beginning of Dharma meetings and other activities, it is also called an action clock. The temple bell system originated from India, but the bell was called ghauta there. For example, Volume 24 of "Zengyi Agama Sutra" says (Taisho 2·676c): "Ananda (in the middle abbreviation) was promoted to In the lecture hall, he held a drum and said: "I will now beat this Tathagata's letter drum, and all the disciples of the Tathagata will gather together." This is made of wood, stone, and bronze. It is extremely exquisitely carved, and many of them are hung on bells. tower. In China, there were craftsmen casting bells during the time of the Yellow Emperor. They were originally instruments for worship and banquets, such as the so-called "chime bells" in the Western Zhou Dynasty. After the introduction of Buddhism, it became a ritual instrument in temples. Most of these objects are made of bronze, with a simple appearance. They are often engraved with inscriptions and have been hung in bell towers since the Six Dynasties era. For example, Volume 28 of "Guanghong Mingji" contains the bell inscriptions of the Great Zhou Jiao (made in the fifth year of Emperor Wu of Tianhe in the Northern Zhou Dynasty), the bell inscriptions of Xingshan Temple in the Tang Dynasty, the bell inscriptions of Ximing Temple in Kyoto (made in the second year of Linde in the Tang Dynasty), etc. In addition, the bell of Hanshan Temple in Suzhou is famous for its poem "Night Mooring on the Maple Bridge" by Zhang Ji of the Tang Dynasty. According to Volume 3 of "Records of a Pilgrimage to the Tang Dynasty" by the Japanese monk Enren, the Bell Tower Valley in Wutai Mountain is where Manjusri once showed the Golden Bell Tower.

Generally speaking, Buddhist bells have three, seven, eighteen, thirty-six and one hundred and eight times. When the monks are eating porridge and going to the hall, finishing meditation, making rounds in the morning and evening, or having tea and getting out of bed; when the abbot goes to the Buddha in the morning and evening to perform incense, and when the abbot enters the lecture hall of the monks, the call is made seven times; during fasting When the monks enter the fasting hall, they ring eighteen times, which is called the "entrance bell". The entrance bells are completed one by one according to the order of entering the fasting hall; and the thirty-sixth ringing is the sum of the three ringing bells. One hundred and eight times.

Important activities in Buddhist temples are based on one hundred and eight bells, so the Buddhist bell is also called the "Hundred and Eighteen Bells". The Buddhist scriptures say about the striking method of the hundred and eight bells: "Introduction of the pestle should be slow, and the sound should be long. All three links should be thirty-six times each, for a total of one hundred and eight times. The starting and ending three times should be slightly tight." That is to say, when striking the bell, the hammer should be moved slowly to make the sound of the bell sound long and deep. It usually starts with three chimes and ends with two consecutive chimes. It is completed in three passes, each pass is thirty-six times, 18 times fast and 18 times slow. If it is a morning bell, it is first struck eighteen times fast and then eighteen times slow. First of all, you should recite "Namo Dafang Guangfo Huayan Sutra, Namo Huayan Assembly Buddha and Bodhisattva", *** eighteen words, and ring the bell once for each word. After eighteen slow beats, the following sutras should be recited, eighteen lines in total, with the bell ringing once for each line:

Miao Zhan always holds the immovable position, and the first Surangama king is rare in this world.

After spending hundreds of millions of kalpas thinking upside down, I will only obtain the Dharmakaya without experiencing the monks.

May I now achieve the fruit of becoming a treasured king and save the people like this in Hengsha.

Consecrating this deeply to the earthly realm is called repaying the Buddha’s kindness.

Please ask the World Honored One to prove that I will swear to my ancestors in the evil world of the five turbidities.

Just like a sentient being who has not yet become a Buddha, he will not take the mud mud here.

The Mahavira is powerful and compassionate, and I hope to eliminate subtle confusions.