Mount Emeishan – China’s official historical gate to India’s spiritual penetration, their child the Chinese Buddhist tradition, embodied in the nearby Leshan Buddah. At 3,099 metres (10,167 ft), Emeishan is the highest of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China.
According to an article in China Expat, it was on Emeishan that we have the Eastern version of the Ten Commandments. Two thousand years ago, herb-doctor Pu Gong was gathering ginseng on Emei, when Samantabhadra appeared on his six-tusked white elephant. Yes, that Samantabhadra, the naked, the sky blue, feminine in compassion yet earth-shaking in redemptive power. Enveloped in celestial fire, he laid down the Flower Garland Sutra for the prostrate Pu Gong, ten commandments, among them:
- Give Generously without Fear of Loss
- Repent Misdeeds and Evil Karma
- Rejoice in the Merits of Others
- Cultivate Virtue for the Benefit of All Beings
“The mists would be thicker, the pestiferous apes less restive, and the bright splendor of Emei’s charms partially veiled, like a sloe-eyed beauty in a pollution mask. Yes, winter on Emei is the right time for spiritual travelers, but don’t let the season keep you from making up your mind.”
