Hongfa temple praying for blessings

April 18 every year is the annual temple fair of Hongfa Temple in our small town. Two days ago, I discussed with my husband that I should get up early and go to Hongfa Temple to pray for my daughter's college entrance examination. At two o'clock in the middle of the night, my husband's unit was in a hurry and was called away. No way, the trip to Hongfa Temple can only be changed to nine o'clock in the morning.

Husband drives the viaduct. The road is muddy and rugged. When we drove to the intersection of the city government, we found that the road was blocked and we could not continue driving. We had to stop by the side of the road and walk to Hongfa Temple. By this time, many pilgrims have come back and we are on our way home. Husband should say hello to acquaintances.

My husband has been complaining that he is late. If he had planned it early, the road would not have been blocked. I comforted him and said, "This road is only more than ten minutes away. Let's hurry. Time is right. " It's almost time for Hongfa Temple, and the weather is not beautiful. Dark clouds are gathering and it is raining. Although it didn't rain much, it also soaked our clothes and hair. I'm thinking that praying for my daughter means being sincere and spiritual. Maybe the Buddha is testing us. Let us walk and pray, and also experience the baptism of wind and rain.

It was raining harder and harder, and we hurried into the temple gate, where pilgrims were in full swing and vendors on both sides of the road were selling things. Probably knowing that it was raining today, I set up a shed to shelter from the rain, and the path taken by pilgrims in the middle was narrower. It's raining hard. Some people run as fast as we do, while others huddle under the shed for shelter from the rain.

My husband is a devout Buddhist and goes to the temple to pray for incense every year. So he knows the way near Hongfa Temple, so I just have to follow him. We bought a bundle of incense in the right wing, and now the temple is probably afraid of polluting the environment. No longer as in previous years, as long as you are willing to pay, you can buy thick and high incense. We chose the highest bundle inside, 80 yuan. My husband gave me half of the incense, and the rain is still falling, which is smaller than before. I was a little worried and asked my husband, "can it rain and put out the incense?" He glared at me: "Don't talk nonsense". I stuck out my tongue and hissed, "No,no."

The rain can't stop the pilgrims' enthusiasm, and my fragrance is also lit. Coupled with the fragrance of many pilgrims nearby, the fragrance lingers. It makes my eyes blurred with tears. I hold incense and worship everywhere, silently praying for my daughter.

Then we went to the Daxiong Hall on the left, where pilgrims bowed down solemnly and reverently in front of the Buddha statue. I followed the crowd to worship the Buddha statue of Sakyamuni, and then bypassed the front hall and went to Manjushri in the back hall. Manjusri Bodhisattva is one of the four great Buddhists. It is the mother of Tathagata and represents wisdom. There is a long line of people praying in front of Manjusri Bodhisattva. Because the college entrance examination is approaching, most parents like me come to Bodhisattva to pray for their children. I hope my child will be the first and be admitted to my favorite university.

After worshipping Manjusri Bodhisattva, I found that I was separated from my husband. So I went to wait for him at the entrance of the hall. The whole temple was shrouded in smoke. Looking at the endless stream of pilgrims at the entrance of the main hall, the Sanskrit sound is ethereal, which reminds me of my daughter in Jintai Temple, Zhuhai, who prayed for me with her lucky money a few years ago when I was just sick. Seven years have passed and my daughter has grown up. I think the Buddha still cares for our family, so let's go through that gloomy day hand in hand. Let me have an indifferent Zen mind after all the hardships and pains. Time is like water, seven years is neither too short nor too short, and now I am finally a faithful wife.

After my husband came out, we went to several temples around. As long as my husband comes to Hongfa Temple, he will visit all the temples with peace of mind every time.

Walking out of the Hongfa Temple, we were on our way home when the rain stopped. The blue sky is like washing after the rain. I looked back at the Hongfa Temple. The blue sky and white clouds set off the resplendent hall, as if the crowd and noise had just happened, and it was replaced by tranquility and peace in the smoke.