The Three Jewels bring blessings to sentient beings and Buddhist scriptures provide them with great Dharma blisses. Since the mid July, staff of the Sutra Library of Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou have been busy with taking the Tripitaka out in the sun for preservation.
Hangzhou features a hot and stuffy summer. The heat and humidity from the plum rain season make a perfect environment for the growth of bacteria and mold. It is especially easy for Buddhist scriptures to suffer from decay and damage. To ensure a proper preservation of the Buddhist scriptures at the Sutra Library, the Buddhist masters and volunteers set to take the Tripitaka out and flip the pages in the sun right after the sixth lunar month.
There is a special ceremony for this. The volunteers burn incense after washing their hands, and then the Buddhist masters chant sutras. After all is set, the staff take out the sutras respectfully and carefully, remove the dust and flip the pages softly against mildew or worms. They do this with great respect for the Three Jewels and will receive enormous Dharma benefits out of it.
Flipping the pages of the sutras in the sun can not only better preserve the scriptures, but also help Buddhists better understand the Buddhist Dharma. It is beneficial for their Buddhist practice and enlightenment achievement.
