苏州寒山寺的一百零八钟声

Suzhou han shan si has a big big bell. Han shan si will sound the bell 108 times during the lunar new year day. There was a beautiful story relating to this 108 bells. The way to sound the bell is important and requires meticulous technique. It is said that when the bell is sounded, the hell realm will fill with light during the vibration sound of the bell. The hell realm is normally dark and the beings in the hell realm are suffering for its own karma. The light that comes with the sound of the bell temporary liberates the suffering of the beings in the hell realm and allows them opportunity to read and learn Dharma so as they can get enlighted and be liberated from the suffering. If the bell is sounded too fast and short, there will not be enough time for the beings to read the dharma. If the bell is sounded not continuously, it will be difficult for reading as there will be many interruption in between. Therefore, it requires high technique to keep the sound of the bell continuous and lengthy, slowly, stable and one after the other.

This situation is very similar to my logical thinking. Most of the times, I consider myself residing in the hell realm now without logical thinking. When the logical thinking is back to me, I am just like seeing the light in the hell, I will temporary get enlighted and liberated. I can see clearly my attachment and suffering. I can be mindful and detach easily the unnecessary. When there is no logical thinking, just like there is no light in the hell realm, I am suffering from depression and struggling with all kind of attachment

I need ways to lengthen the sound of the bell in me in order to build inner energy to liberate from my current situation.