Bathing in the benevolent light of the Three Jewels, inhaling the fragrance of ink from the scripture rolls, the Lingyin Sangha have been busy since July with the daily airing and flipping of the stored Tripitaka in the Scripture Repository of Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou.
There was a special ceremony for this. After cleansing their hands and lighting incense, Yunlin volunteers recited and flipped through the scriptures under the guidance of the Buddhist masters. Afterwards, with the assistance of the repository staff, they respectfully and carefully brought out the precious scriptures, meticulously removed dust, and gently flipped and aired them to prevent mildew and insect damage.
The 6th day of the 6th lunar month is the traditional Sunning of Scriptures Festival in Buddhism. The book “Records of Nostalgia in the City of Wucheng (Wu Cheng Huai Jiu Lu)” from the late Qing dynasty describes, “Shita Temple, also known as Gulan Monastery, used to store scriptures, and the temple monks would exhibit them for cooling in the summer.” The poem “Quotations from Zhenzhou Bamboo Lyrics (Zhen Zhou Zhu Zhi Ci Yin)” also says, “On the 6th day of the 6th lunar month, sunning the scriptures, it is a tradition passed down in the monastic community.”
In fact, there is no need to strictly adhere to a specific date for the sunning of scriptures. During the hot and humid summer, especially right after the plum rainy season, the climate is damp, and everything is prone to mold and decay. The Buddhist scriptures treasured in the temple are stored in the Scripture Repository, susceptible to mold and insect damage if not properly aired. Every year, after the rainy season in the 6th lunar month, the Lingyin Sangha organize Yunlin volunteers to flip and air the scriptures.
The flipping and airing of the scriptures is done to better preserve them and ensure their long-lasting placement. It also reflects the earnestness of Buddhist disciples in further understanding the essence of the scriptures. Through this opportunity, they delve deeper into the teachings of the Tripitaka, planting the seeds of clear recollection and unwavering commitment, which is beneficial for their future realization of enlightenment.
The tradition of sunning the scriptures reflects the reverence and importance that the Buddhist community places on the scriptures. Every word and phrase in the Buddhist scriptures is filled with supreme wisdom and is the crystallization of the countless efforts of past generations of patriarchs. It is hoped that future generations will cherish them and take great care of them.
