It was first built in the Jian'an period of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty (196-220). It was called Guanyin Temple in ancient times, Yong'an Temple in the Southern Song Dynasty, and Berlin Temple in the Jin Dynasty. It has been called Berlin Temple since the Yuan Dynasty.
In its long history, this ancient temple has experienced ups and downs, but it is still full of incense and has numerous monks. According to the Records of Tripitaka, Master Xuanzang, the famous translator of scriptures, came here to learn the theory of reality from Master Shendao before traveling to the West to obtain scriptures. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, Zen Master (from Zhaozhou) stationed here for 40 years and became a master of Legalism, forming the far-reaching "Zhaozhou School". Therefore, Berlin Zen Temple has become an important ancestral temple in the history of Chinese Zen Buddhism.
In the Jin Dynasty, it was once converted into a Legalist dojo, where five generations of Legalist virtues carried forward the precepts for fifty years. The most famous lawyer is ACFTU. At the end of Jin Dynasty, Zen Master Yunzhixuan presided over the throne, and Berlin Zen Temple changed its method to Zen, which was a great success. Zen Master Guiyun presided over seven famous temples throughout his life. Looking back at that time. Tanzhe Temple in the western suburbs of Beijing still has its pagoda. In the Yuan Dynasty, Zen Master Yuexi and Zen Master Lu Yunxing appeared in Yuanming Dynasty. Berlin Zen Temple became the Buddhist center of Zhaoyan area with its magnificent atmosphere. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Buddhist Department of the central government of Zhaozhou was located in Berlin Zen Temple. At that time, the abbot of the Berlin Zen Temple often served as a monk and a monk. For hundreds of years, the Berlin Zen Temple has been robbed repeatedly. When the monks entered the place again in 1988, the main hall and statues were gone. Only the pagoda of Zen Master Zhaozhou and more than 20 ancient cypress trees from the Tang Dynasty are still standing, telling the world that this place was once an ancient Buddhist temple.
On May 12, 1988, the People's Government of Hebei Province officially approved the opening of Bailin Temple to the public as a religious site, and handed it over to the Hebei Buddhist Association for management, and gradually raised funds for restoration. Master Jinghui, president of the Hebei Buddhist Association, personally presided over the restoration of the ancestral court. He is not afraid of hard work, running around screaming, staying up all night, and running the business in a miserable way. The desolate scene of "broken bricks and fluffy grass" gradually changed, and the Buddha statues in the main hall emerged one by one. On August 28, 1992, the inauguration ceremony of Puguangming Temple was held grandly. More than 3,000 distinguished guests from the United States, Japan, Taiwan Province and Hong Kong, as well as domestic elders and Buddhist believers, attended this unprecedented celebration. Principal Zhao Puchu entrusted Mr. Wu Limin to come to congratulate him in person.
Shortly after the completion of Puguang Temple, with the strong support of loyal protectors from all directions, the restoration project of Berlin Zen Temple was launched for the second time. In five or six years, the following buildings were built: Shanmen, Bell and Drum Tower, East-West Corridor, Guanyin Hall, Sutra Library, Zen Hall, Huaiyun Tower, Kaishan Tower, Huixian Tower, Zhiyue Tower, Yunshui Tower, Jixiang Tower, Ancient Buddhist Temple, etc. Construction; the ground of the whole hospital is hardened or greened. The once deserted courtyard has turned into a pure Buddhist land, with solemn temples, elegant environment, melodious Buddhist songs, and pilgrims coming in droves. On September 6, 2003, the majestic Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda was completed and the Buddha statues were consecrated, marking Zhongxing's great achievements in Zhaozhou Gongci. A thousand-year-old temple covering an area of ??more than 90 acres and lined with palaces and pavilions has regained its vitality after a solemn cleaning.
While restoring the temple, the monk organization in Bailin Temple gradually stabilized, the temple management system became increasingly complete, and a Taoist style that paid equal attention to study and practice was initially formed. Inheriting the traditional jungle regulations, the station is invited to establish a team of deacons twice every year on the 15th day of the first lunar month and the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. Under the abbot, there are functional departments such as the Warden, Guest Hall, Nawei Hall, and Dianzuotang, which are responsible for the daily management of the temple. The abbot convenes a meeting with class leaders and deacons to make decisions on major issues and implement them through democratic consultation. All monks insist on chanting sutras, listening to lectures, and meditating every morning and evening, and recite Uposatha every half month. They also read out the "Living Dharma" at the life meeting attended by all monks and decide on various affairs of the temple. In September 1998, Hebei Buddhist College enrolled students in Bailin Temple, and the work of cultivating qualified monks was officially launched. On September 30, 1998, the 10th anniversary celebration of Bailin Temple, the completion ceremony of the restoration of Zhaozhou Tower, and the ascension ceremony of Master Jinghui were grandly held. This marks a staged achievement in the great cause of revitalizing Zhaozhou’s ancestral home. The thousand-year-old temple is full of vitality and has once again become a solemn legal domain shining on the land of Zhao Yan.
Since its opening in 1988, Berlin Zen Temple has been making unremitting efforts to promote Buddhism and benefit society, despite numerous restoration projects, tight funds and manpower, and a primitive and limited space.
Through rich Dharma promotion activities in recent years, Berlin Zen Temple is gradually becoming a modern Buddhist temple facing society and the public. The abbot, Master Jinghui, was far-sighted. In 1992, he proposed "Life Zen" as a Buddhist practice at the Berlin Zen Temple. The main interest of life Zen is to "put faith into life, practice in the present, integrate Buddhism into the world, and integrate the individual into the public"; the purpose of life Zen is to "understand life and contribute to life"; "public recognition, public participation, public Achievements and shared by the public" are the principles on which we engage in all undertakings.
In order to promote the concept of Life Zen and allow Buddhism to better integrate into society, Berlin Zen Temple has held a "Life Zen Summer Camp" for the society every year since 1993. Participants in the summer camp are all Buddhist youths aged 18 to 30, with about 250 people in each session. During the seven-day temple life, they will participate in activities such as chanting sutras, sitting in meditation, listening to Buddhist lectures, drinking tea, talking, and having sex. The campers understand the profoundness of Buddhism in a new environment, seek the truth, goodness and beauty that have been sealed in their hearts for a long time, and appreciate the transcendence and tranquility of Buddhism. Since the summer camp was held, it has received praise and praise from government leaders at all levels and people from all walks of life inside and outside the school.
The annual regular Dharma meetings of Berlin Zen Temple include the Auspicious Dharma Assembly for the Lantern Festival, the Bodhisattva Precepts Teaching on the eighth day of April, the Thanksgiving Dharma Assembly for the Central Plains Day on July 15th, the Three Avalokitesvara Dharma Assembly, and the three-week meditation in winter seven. Each Dharma conference is a drop in the ocean. Berlin Temple became a warm home for the four disciples. The monk insists on chanting sutras, listening to lectures and meditating every morning and evening, and reciting the Uposatha precepts every half month, as if following the law and settling down in the summer. Winter ginseng and summer talk. In addition to organizing various activities to promote Buddhism, Bailin Temple has been actively participating in and supporting various social charity activities organized by the Provincial Buddhist Association for many years, which reflects the compassionate spirit of Buddhism.
“Zhaozhou in the world”, this is Wang Zhao’s praise for the moralization of Zen master Zhaozhou more than a thousand years ago. It seems to be the harbinger of today’s Zhaozhou Zen style and Zhaozhou ancestral home going global. With the deepening of the country's reform and opening up and the return of Eastern culture to its Zen culture from people all over the world, Berlin Zen Temple, as the ancient ancestral home of Zen and the birthplace of Zhaozhou Zen style, has increasingly demonstrated to the world its great value and ability to purify people's hearts. Timeless charm.