Ven Ren Da confirms to return to pilgrimage path on 21 July 2011
2016-07-20 16-17-42 来源: 作者： 点击:次
It has been more than 20 days since Ven Ren Da temporarily suspended his prostration pilgrimage on 26 June 2011 due to a relapse of the serious injury at his thigh and back. After various medical treatments, the swelling at the thigh area has basically vanished and the pain reduced, however, it is still a long way to full recovery. Ven Ren Da said: “Since the day I stopped prostrating, I have planned to return to the pilgrimage path after July 19 (19th day of the 6th Chinese lunar month, which is also the Enlightenment Day of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara or Guan Yin) regardless of the condition of my thigh injury. I cannot drag nor wait any longer. It would be an unknown date if I were to wait until I fully recover.”
The devotees in Ping Yi county have been longing for the early recovery and return of Ven Ren Da. They have yet to invite Ven Ren Da to give a Dharma talk, to prepare a meal for Ven Ren Da, and to invite him to pass a night at “the most comfortable” camp site. To them, Ven. Ren Da must return to Ping Yi.
Unlike the prostration pilgrimage to Wutaishan in 2005, the prostration pilgrimage to Jiuhuashan (Jiu Hua Mountain) this time by Ven Ren Da received tremendous support and respect from all quarters along the way. Recalling the experience in 2005, there is a story related by Bro. Li Zhaofeng, a 67 years-old lay Buddhist, one of the attendants who followed Ven Ren Da to Wutaishan. The story goes like this:
“It was during a summer day in 2005 the pilgrimage team reached a certain small town in Hengshui city. At that time, the prostration time and distance were long and conditions were not so conducive. We had to shift our camp site every day. On that particular day, it’s time for dinner but there was no sight of any village in front. When Ven Ren Da was still performing three-steps-one–prostration, I peddled the three-wheeled cart for two to three kilometers to check out the situation and saw a flour factory. I went in and told the manager about our situation. The manager was quite nice and agreed to allocate a vacant godown for us to put up the night. I went into the godown and discovered it’s full of cobwebs and the floor was covered with a thick layer of dust. It took me more than half an hour to clean it up, by then my face was covered. Except my two eyes, my whole face was grey in color. I peddled back and told Ven. Ren Da who was taking a rest then about the good news. We quickly packed up the cooking utensils and went to the flour factory, thinking that we could stay in a “palace” that night and have a nice meal. I washed several kilograms of pea and started to steam them in a big pot. We used to have one dish of vegetable per meal, so we need to cook a large quantity to cater for the four of us.
“At this juncture, the son of the proprietor came in to tell us that we were not allowed to stay there. No sooner had he said it than a middle-aged man came and shouted at us: “What are you doing here? You cannot put up a night here. Go away now. Who allowed you to be here?” I replied:”It’s the factory manager who gave us the permission to be here.” The man continued: “He has no authority. I am telling you to go and you must go. Don’t waste my time here.” We had no choice but to pack up. Ven. Ren Da did not say a word and left with us.
“After travelling for about one mile or so, we reached a small village and saw a house with wide eaves. We set up the cooking equipments under the eaves and pushed the three-wheeled cart which served as the sleeping place of Venerable under the eaves too. It was already eight pass something in the evening then. We were all hungry and wanted to prepare our dinner as soon as possible. At that moment, the middle-aged man came again and yelled at us.” How come you people are here again? This place is under my control, get out now.” We were quite annoyed over his arrogance. Ven. Ren Da said,” What is there to be angry about? Everything that happens is a test for us. Don’t get angry. There should be a place for us to sleep not far away. Let’s turn off the gas stove and leave.” I had to carry the half boiled yet steaming peas and continue with our journey. Out of the village, we found an open courtyard. As people had harvested their wheat, the courtyard was vacant. We set up our tents and put up a night there. That dish of peas was cooked thrice!! It’s already 10.30pm by the time we finished our dinner.
Picture: The camp-site at an open courtyard in the middle of a wheat field in 2005.
“We later came to know that the middle-aged man was the village head and he acted so rude and unfriendly because the government then was taking stern actions against a deviational religious sect. In fact, Buddha-dharma was not prevalent then and people were generally ignorant about Buddhism.”
Now, thing has changed. Ven Ren Da had sowed countless Buddhist seeds along his 2005 pilgrimage. Now, more and more people are learning Buddhism. Many people from different places came to Zhengjue Temple to attend Dharma assemblies and worked as volunteers there. They were the people who were touched by the actions of Ven. Ren Da during his three-step-one-prostration pilgrimage to Wutaishan.
Now, devotees are rushing to provide meals and lodging for Ven. Ren Da during his three-step-one-prostration pilgrimage to Jiuhuashan. We are so delighted over their high esteem and devotion to the Triple Gems and Venerable. Tomorrow afternoon will be the last medical treatment and Ven. Ren Da will be leaving for the camp site in Ping Yi County. The prostration will start at 3 a.m. day after tomorrow (July 21). I too intend to look for a guesthouse near to the campsite so that I can follow Ven. Ren Da and brief all of you any touching story along the way.
