Famen Temple and Buddha’s Finger Bone Relic

Famen Temple – The Buddha’s Finger Bone Relic

The Famen Temple is located in Shaanxi Province, China. It was founded during the Eastern Han Dynasty, and was formerly known as the King Ashoka Temple. With a more than 1,700-year history, the temple is venerated with its Buddha’s Finger Bone Relic.

When Sakyamuni Buddha ascended into parinirvana, he gifted 84,000 pieces of relics. In a bid to spread Buddhist teachings globally, India's King Ashoka distributed the Buddha’s relics to different parts of the world, amid the constructions of pagodas as means of worship. One of the Buddha’s relics – the Finger Bone Relic – was gifted to the Famen Temple.

During the Tang Dynasty, with the reverence and faith in Buddhism by the monarchy, Emperor Gaozu personally renamed the Ashoka Temple as "Famen Temple." During that period, there would be a ceremony held in honor of the relic every 30 years.  Subsequently, the pagoda where the relic was consecrated became known as the “Protector of the Country’s Relic” pagoda.

As it progressed to the Xi Zong’s era, Emperor Tang Xizong safe-kept the relic together with a collection of thousands of rare treasures under the pagoda, which were then sealed at the entrances.  A massive earthquake occurred during the Ming dynasty however, and buried the temple grounds. It was not until 1987 that the temple was re-discovered, and the Buddha’s finger bone relic, amongst countless treasures saw light finally, much to the awe of the world.

The underground palace at Famen Temple is currently the oldest, largest, and most revered of Buddhist stupa palaces with innumerable treasures, and no lack of legendary tales.  Yet, the miracle of Fa Men Temple’s hidden treasures lies in Sakyamuni Buddha’s Finger Bone Relic that has to date prevailed for at least 2,500 years.  The fact that the Finger Bone Relic is recognized as one of few remaining authentic relics of the Sakyamuni Buddha makes it invaluable!  It further affirms the faith that Sakyamuni Buddha is genuinely omnipresent, validates the eternal compassion of the Dharma, and blesses the universe with the most auspicious energy.

Source URL：http://www.famensi.com/
http://www.famensi.com/fzsl_content.asp?id=141
Illustration credits：http://www.famensi.com/fjyy_pccontent.asp?kind=57

法門寺──佛指舍利
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法門寺位於中國陝西省，始建於東漢，原名阿育王寺，距今1700多年歷史，寺院以供奉佛指骨舍利而富有盛名。

釋迦牟尼佛涅槃荼毗後，留下了八萬四千顆舍利，印度的阿育王為了弘揚佛法，將舍利分送世界各國，造塔供奉，其中一顆佛指骨舍利就供奉於法門寺。
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到了唐代，皇室尊奉佛教，篤信佛法，唐高祖親自將阿育王寺名改為「法門寺」。當時，每三十年會舉辦一次舍利瞻禮法會，法門寺的舍利寶塔也被尊譽為「護國真身寶塔」。
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傳至僖宗時，唐僖宗將舍利連同數千件稀世珍寶一同封入塔下地宮收藏，而明代的一場大地震將法門寺掩於黃土之下。直到1987年，法門寺地宮才又被世人發現，佛指骨舍利則在無數珍寶的簇擁下再次橫空出世，震驚世人。
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這座地宮也是目前年代最久遠、規模最大、級別最高的佛塔地宮，珍藏的寶物不計其數，流傳許多傳說。而法門寺珍藏的釋迦牟尼佛遺世的一節指骨，是一個奇迹般的存在，至今已存世兩千五百年之久。佛指骨舍利也是目前僅存的釋迦牟尼佛真身舍利，尤顯珍貴！代表著釋迦牟尼佛是真實不虛的存在，也印證了佛法的慈悲，為世間帶來吉祥的能量。
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參考網址：http://www.famensi.com/
http://www.famensi.com/fzsl_content.asp?id=141
圖片參考：http://www.famensi.com/fjyy_pccontent.asp?kind=57

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