The Temple At The Middle Section Of The Hill -Kek Lok Si
■Book 104 - A Plethora Of Scenic Splendours
■Written by GrandMaster Sheng-yen Lu
How can I not visit Kek Lok Si when I am in Penang?
Buddhism is thriving in Penang. Kek Lok Si is a temple that was set up by Miao Lian the Abbot of “Yong Chuan Shi” at Fu Zhou's Drum Hill, when he came to Penang.
The top disciple of Miao Lian was Xu Yun the elderly monk, who had great causation with the temple. He gave sermons on Lotus Sutra at the Kek Lok Si.
Xu Yun lived for 120 years. Apart from being the National teacher in Ching Dynasty, he is still considered a spiritual leader of contemporary Buddhism.
Xu Yun's life was full of saga. He became a monk when he was nineteen. He put in painstaking effort for three years at the back of “Yong Chuan” temple. He then spent three years walking from “Pu Tuo” mountain to “Wu Tai” mountain. (A bow after every three steps taken.” When he was forty eight, he toured the world to meet all the noted teachers. Xu Yun is known to have a profound meditation skills, he could sit for nine days to half a month in a single meditation session. The famous stories about him, among others, included:
“Praying for rain fall at the sleeping dragon temple.”
“Stone moved by cloud.”
“Meditation at “Yong Chuan” temple.”
“Animals taking refuge.”
“Blossom of Iron tree.”
“Meeting Maitreya Buddha.”
Xu Yun and my teacher Dao An dharma master had good causation.
The poem Xu Yun wrote after gaining enlightenment impressed me very much.
“When the cup is dropped, the dropping sound can be heard vividly, when emptiness is destroyed, the crazy heart can be stopped instantly.”
Xu Yun encountered all kinds of hardship when he started to build ancestor courtyards for Zen Buddhism, those completed included:
Yun Qi Si at Ji Zhu Hill
Yong Quan Si at Drum Hill
Nan Hua Si at Cao Xi
and Da Jue Si at Yun Men
Xu Yun had set up a college to teach Buddhism in Yong Quan Si at Drum Hill, Fu Zhou. And Ying Shun was the great teacher, who was the first person I took refuge in.
I heard that Ying Shun stayed at the Kek Lok Si once.
Bai Yun Dharma Master also stayed at the Kek Lok Si before.
How can I not visit the temple?
I recalled Xu Yun's poem:
Passing through the “kong Tong mountain”
Breaking a hole in the cloud, a road passes through,
The meditation room seems far in the evening glows.
The mountain is cold, as the rocks are covered with snow,
When the moon touches the heart in meditation, the five skandhas (aggregates) will be empty. The stubborn stone blocks the smoke preventing us from return to the pristine. In the evening, the rain washes the Kong Tong mountain. The monk cannot recall what he was asked, as he heard Kuang Zhen has a wind of Tao.
As we walked up the path way to Kek Lok Si, we had to climb many steps. I recited “Namo Amitabha” for each step I took. The sun was still very high in the sky. I did prostration in each and every of the following places: the new main hall under construction, the old main hall, front court, backyard. While thinking of the virtues that the ancients possessed, I had all sorts of feelings dwelling in my mind.
The image of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in Kek Lok Si is very well-known. I went through the door, Da Xiong Hall, Left and Right pavilions, drum pavilion to visit Avalokitesvara Hall, Maitreya Hall, Isvara Hall, Virtue Hall, and Grandmaster Hall.
I even walked pass dining room, lecture room, meditation room, monk cell. And I paid special attention to the rhythm of wood beaten by the monks.
Kek Lok Si was built in the middle section of the hill. It is a large temple that has a neoclassical style. It is one of the best in Penang. the surroundings are quite good. The only setback is too many visitors may affect the people doing cultivation there. In a modern country, it is a special feature to have beggars asking for money along the footpaths.
Thomas Gao drove the car, and “Tian Hua” chapter's Lian Yi guided me to tour the Kek Lok Si.
Lian Yi told me: “Tian Hua Chapter is just situated at the foot of the same hill.”
I replied, “Such a good causation!”
I paid a courtesy call to Kek Lok Si because I admired the steadfast and persevering cultivation of Xu Yun the elderly monk, his distance from fame and wealth, his lofty filial piety, his faithful heart, and the righteous cause to protect the religion and dharma, his attention on education of monks, his profound stage of meditation, and his impartiality towards dharma.....
It also reminded me the monk's character and his thoughts. I really admired his personal cultivation effort - - without taking a break for few decades. Relying on the Zen principle to handle affairs, his patience and perseverance are unparalleled. Even when he walked, slept , sat and moved, he was able to show his understanding on the path.
I recalled the five-word poem written by Xu Yun:
“Staying in the mountain, my thought floated afar,
Let alone, I am able to understand the boundlessness,
The root of pine tree is my pillow,
Only awakening to make my own tea.”
In Penang, I also toured the snake temple, the bridge, attended opening ceremony and a dinner hosted by disciples.
And I stayed at the presidential suite of Pearl Hotel.
I would like all of you to share my deep feelings after visiting the Kek Lok Si temple. To me, the most valuable thing in this world is the word “spirit”.
