In the Buddhist saying, 珧Wealth enters the mountain gate, merit goes to the benefactor,珣 the Mountain gate refers to the front entrance of a monastery. Since ancient times, most Buddhist temples have been built in the mountains whoses front entrances are thus named 珧mountain gate.珣 In more recent times, monasteries began to move to flat grounds, but the name 珧mountain gate珣 is still kept and used. Hence, monasteries are also known as 珧mountain gate.珣

According to legends in the past, only entrance into the mountain gate of Shaolin Temple was possible, while the only way of departure was if one’s trainings in martial arts were sufficient for him to leap over the high walls of the temple. Thus, the mountain gate represents the path from the ordinary into the sagely, from ignorance to awakening, from darkness into light, and from the mundane world into Buddhism. In order not to leave the mountain of treasures empty-handed, Buddhist practitioners should leave their old habits outside the mountain gate before entering into the monastery.

The mountain gate is also named the “Three Gates{1}” which represents the gate of faith{2}, the gate of wisdom{3}, and the gate of compassion{4}. In the gate of faith leads one to the Buddha; the gate of wisdom leads one to the Dharma; while the gate of compassion leads one to the Sangha. As the saying goes, “The path is found behind the gates of the Triple Gem.”





{1} Three Gates：三門

{2} The gate of faith：信心門

{3} The gate of wisdom：智慧門

{4} The gate of compassion：慈悲門