#buddha
Provided he makes and wins an argument about Buddhism with those who live there, any wondering monk can remain in a Zen temple. If he is defeated, he has to move on.
In a temple in the northern part of Japan two brother monks were dwelling together. The elder one was learned, but the younger one was stupid and had but one eye.
A wandering monk came and asked for lodging, properly challenging them to a debate about the sublime teachings. The elder brother, tired that day from much studying, told the younger one to take his place. “Go and request the dialogue in silence,” he cautioned.
So the young monk and the stranger went to the shrine and sat down.
Shortly afterwards the traveler rose and went in to the elder brother and said: "Your young brother is a wonderful fellow. He defeated me.“
"Relate the dialogue to me,” said the elder one.
“Well,” explained the traveler, “first I held up one finger, representing Buddha, the enlightened one. So he held up two fingers, signifying Buddha and his teaching. I held up three fingers, representing Buddha, his teaching, and his followers, living the harmonious life. Then he shook his clenched fist in my face, indicating that all three come from one realization. Thus he won and so I have no right to remain here.” With this, the traveler left.
“Where is that fellow?” asked the younger one, running in to his elder brother.
“I understand you won the debate.”
“Won nothing. I’m going to beat him up.”
“Tell me the subject of the debate,” asked the elder one.
“Why, the minute he saw me he held up one finger, insulting me by insinuating that I have only one eye. Since he was a stranger I thought I would be polite to him, so I held up two fingers, congratulating him that he has two eyes. Then the impolite wretch held up three fingers, suggesting that between us we only have three eyes. So I got mad and started to punch him, but he ran out and that ended it!”
“Occult literature and teachers of the Lesser Mysteries often terrify the audiences with the horrors of the abyss, the void.
They talk of extinction and nonexistence.
And it is true that the abyss terrifies those who are still attached to individuality.
That is why it is the true function of the Mysteries is to prepare the mind for the plunge into the Divine Depths.”
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Embroidery picture of Śākyamuni on the Vulture Peak / Book from Marc Aurel Stein, The thousand Buddhas.
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Another set of defaced Buddhas that have been there so long that they are gradually fading away; Located at the Longmen Grottoes world heritage site, Henan Provence, China.
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Another almost intact Buddha statue at the Longmen Grottoes world heritage site, located in Luoyong, Henan Provence, China.
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A Buddha waving to everyone who has passed by for the last 1,000 years sits at the Longmen Grottoes world heritage site, located in Luoyong, Henan Provence, China.
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A beautiful close-up of the Buddhas head with the flowers over him at the Longmen Grottoes world heritage site, located in Luoyong, Henan Provence, China.
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One of the many partly defaced Buddhas at the Longmen Grottoes world heritage site, located in Luoyong, Henan Provence, China.
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Binyangzhongdong or the Middle Binyang Cave, is carved in the Datang style on the west hill, on the northern floor. It was built by Emperor Xuanwun to commemorate his father Xiaowe, and also his mother. It is said that 800,000 workers created it over the period from 500 to 523. In the main wall of this cave, five very large Buddhist statues are carved all in Northern Wei style The central statue is of Sakyamuni Buddha with four images of Bodhisattvas flanking it. Two side walls also have Buddha images flanked by Bodhisatvas. The Buddhas, arranged in three groups in the cave, are representative of Buddha of the past, the present, and the future.
The Longmen Grottoes are located in Luoyong, Henan Provence, China.
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The Buddha of Amboy, California.
![[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是](https://64.media.tumblr.com/712652ee1c5d115b0e010be80269a358/bc62eb24d18ff514-0c/s1280x1920/299aacff7b6618d84e3f3afc98deab5e5d8d5ce1.jpg "[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是")
![[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是](https://64.media.tumblr.com/2db381b4bed06a2befeb726e50d9e943/bc62eb24d18ff514-ea/s1280x1920/f29835777e0fb6f07740f8330bd37132eccb8dfd.jpg "[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是")
![[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是](https://64.media.tumblr.com/4fb8349ba696a3e67bd0dcde84d32c31/bc62eb24d18ff514-41/s1280x1920/8cf6511820c475de7ee3030c710058c6ffcf201b.jpg "[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是")
![[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是](https://64.media.tumblr.com/400a9856a3451f7c86f4e9d0af2a200c/bc62eb24d18ff514-f7/s1280x1920/45d1a2d85ae21370c311af16f2a37a88d39654e0.jpg "[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是")
![[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是](https://64.media.tumblr.com/bc8cd71d16f3832af0027779fa279d74/bc62eb24d18ff514-d9/s1280x1920/a52bedb3ae90bb4735cfccb21986afdbadbee89b.jpg "[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是")
![[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是](https://64.media.tumblr.com/ed0d323eca87d3290c83f73ac0e481c9/bc62eb24d18ff514-81/s1280x1920/fa0354a2a12154a91722f853af89e97addfd883f.jpg "[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是")
![[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是](https://64.media.tumblr.com/81c8ac143cd9ccc5a4bad4d84c370809/bc62eb24d18ff514-78/s1280x1920/885fb37beaf6099404acedd5943bf05d5d5a0cdd.jpg "[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是")
![[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是](https://64.media.tumblr.com/4af92caf98766cdb531fb279584a08c9/bc62eb24d18ff514-0b/s1280x1920/17eec8fd5d62b9a586afe475caf783ddb2803c0b.jpg "[ 歲月的痕跡 ]構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。 一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是")
[ 歲月的痕跡 ]
構造一個難忘的旅程，絕大部分來自文化的衝擊。
一個以佛教為主的地域，根本不知道他們對宗教和泰王的地位是在我們心中那一個位置，到處都見到泰王的大大小小廣告板和黃色的布塊，原來這顏色也是代表泰王的誕生月份，也是國民對國家崇高尊敬的象徵，不怪得坐上的旅遊巴也用上黃色的窗布。
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在後半段的古寺遊，除了看見寺廟經歷時間的洗禮外，發現佛像並不完整，頭部通通失去了，這原來是因為鄰近國家戰亂被敵國移除，有的放在原處旁邊、有的被偷了、更多是毁滅了，想不到現在便成了景點的小特色。
歲月的痕跡更突顯了地方歴史的一面，相信我未來會更想了解更多此地的過去。 瑪哈泰寺，相信是一個我極之榮幸到遊的景點，的確讓自己有如置身柬埔寨的感覺，如被荒廢神秘之聖地，可見宗教的生命力有多強，什至可説是是永恆的，國家必定會想盡辦法去保留原貌。 這是我們高密城市人眼中的伊甸園，我們不可能的一切，其實是別人理所當然的事。
本身也沒太理會曼谷周邊的地方，花心思時間去找交通已經會令人卻步，本地導遊正是解決了所有煩惱的方案。 不到我不說，科技和通訊令很多事變得容易很多，手機和網路年代前的旅行必定不是現在的一般順利和自由。 換上一張電話SIM，有如自己也插入了一張當地的晶片。
此刻，我在想，我要再泰國回去親身了解不同的面貌。
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