The Origin of Mount Kongtong
The origin of the name of the Diamond Mountain. The 45th volume of the Eighty-volume Avatamsaka Sutra, "The Chapter on the Bodhisattva's Residence," says: "To the northeast there is a place called the Pure Cool Mountain. ... In the sea there is a place called the Diamond Mountain. From ancient times, many Bodhisattvas have stayed there. There is a Bodhisattva named Dharma-arising, who is accompanied by his retinue of 1,200 Bodhisattvas, and who often preach the Dharma there."
Incredible karma. In early 2003, a 21-day Huayan Grand Assembly was held at Dongshan Academy in Changhua, Taiwan, continuing the master-disciple relationship between Master Zongyang, Master Miaosi and me, Miaoxiu… At that time, the master often traveled to Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, and remained silent for 7 or 8 years. In the same year, Master finished recording the Avatam Sutra CD in Singapore and came to Batam, Indonesia alone for the first time. He met Sister Zhu Lijuan, who warmly received him and invited him to a Buddhist temple. When I went to Batam for the second time, I happened to meet Brother Achiong and his family. After that, the Wanjinshan Buddhist Temple was established, which enshrines 7 Medicine Buddhas and a Medicine Buddha Mandala built according to the Medicine Buddha Sutra.
The master built Honganji Temple in accordance with the circumstances. He followed the Buddha's teachings and guided the believers to repent, chant sutras, recite the Buddha's name and meditate by example, precept and earnest advice. The master's great compassion and great aspirations moved the Dharma protectors in Riau. Mr. Zhuang Yongfa generously donated land 2 kilometers away to allow the master to build the temple. It took 8 or 9 years for Honganji to reach its current size. The master follows the style of the ancestors and wants to turn Mount Kongo into a monastery for all directions rather than an ordinary temple for descendants, where the teachings are passed down only to his own disciples or lay relatives. He has now hired Master Kaicheng from Singapore as the abbot. Panoramic view of Honganji Temple
In 2006, Master Yuanyin brought me to Riau to help establish a women's association (the founding president was Sister Wu Qinghua) and open a Chinese language class. One day, someone wanted to donate a family temple to the master. There is a Merit Hall next to it, which also has many problems. Master said: It doesn’t matter. They just gave it to us because they have no other way to deal with it. Doesn’t the Avatamsaka Sutra also say that the Bodhisattva’s abode is vast and boundless? Any place can become a place for us monks to stay and practice. After the renovation, the main hall of Baishagang Yundian Temple now enshrines the Three Saints of Avatamsaka. It can be seen that our dependent conditions are changing along with our main conditions, and our main conditions will also deeply influence our dependent conditions.
Indonesia has a population of 248 million, of which Muslims make up 86.1%, followed by Christians at 5.7%, Catholics at 3.3%, Hindus at 1.8%, and Buddhists at only 1%. But Master’s great wish is to integrate these five religions, and to open up new lands in the border areas and sow the seeds of Bodhi. The master said that if you live here, as long as you hear the morning bells and evening drums every day, once they enter your ears, they will forever become the seeds of the Tao. As for when you will achieve enlightenment, that depends on when all conditions are right. The great British writer Mr. George Bernard Shaw once said: You have an apple and I have an apple. If we exchange them, I still only have one apple. If you have one idea and I have another, and we communicate with each other, I have two ideas. But I pray that all those who have seen this will come together to pool their wisdom and accomplish this sacred mission together.
