There was a sea of people outside the lobby of Yingtian Mansion. There had not been such a lively scene in many years. The lobby was already filled with officials on both sides of the main case. Zhao Wenhua was sitting first on the left side of the main case.
The street vendors are actively selling breakfast to the people who come all night to occupy a seat. The crowd is meant to be packed, but they can always magically push their carts back and forth among the crowd.
"Fried dough sticks, pot stickers, steamed dumplings, burritos, salted duck, and millet porridge. The person in front of you should lift your legs and tuck your butt!"
Of course, some business models are universal across the world, regardless of north, south, west, or east.
"This location is close to the window and the street. It's so condescending that you can even see your beard and eyebrows clearly! It only costs 300 yuan! First come, first served, while supplies last!"
"The distance is too far. Although I can see people, I can't hear what they are saying! This must be discounted!"
"You can't have your cake and eat it too! Although you can't hear clearly, you can watch your lips move! By the way, I recommend Deaf Zhang to be your interpreter. He only charges 500 Chinese per hour!
Deaf Zhang, who is only deaf but not mute, has been studying lip language professionally for 30 years. Resources are scarce, first come first served, don’t miss it! If it’s too expensive, you can share it with multiple people! "
Just when Deaf Zhang was being shared by people on the second floor as if he was a popular card, more spectators in the front were staring at the monk sitting on the chair down the hall.
A knowledgeable person quietly introduced the identity of the monk to everyone.
"This master is the Kuchan Master of Linquan Academy in Fujian, also commonly known as Southern Shaolin. He travels around preaching and is very famous in the southern Zhili area.
It is said that Mr. Xiao is Zhenren Wenxuan, the Great Tomorrow Master, and a member of the current Taoist sect.
If one person loses to Master Kuchan this time, that person’s face will probably not look good. "
"Don't talk nonsense. I have a relative who is doing business in the capital. He went to see the Temple of Heaven to discuss Taoism. Mr. Xiao never said that he was the number one in the Taoist sect. Others said so."
"Never mind what he said or not, Mr. Zhao Wenhua has been preaching like this. He also said that Mr. Xiao belittled Buddhism. Otherwise, Master Kuchan would not ask Mr. Xiao for advice in public."
Amid everyone's discussion, Xiao Feng walked out of the back hall, followed by Princess Chang An, who was hiding behind the hall. She waved her fist at Xiao Feng weakly to cheer him up.
Xiao Feng smiled and waved behind him to express his encouragement. Then he did not sit on the main table. Instead, he pulled a chair and sat directly opposite Master Kuchan, smiling and handing over his hands.
This move made all the officials watching the battle stand up in a hurry, not knowing where to sit. Because Xiao Feng has the highest official position in the hall, and he does not sit in charge of the case, it immediately becomes a problem for others to arrange their seats.
Xiao Feng waved his hand: "Today I am discussing Taoism with Buddhism. It is a private matter. I am not an official. You can sit down as you please."
The officials sat down one after another. Master Kuchan was also very surprised. Looking at Xiao Feng in front of him, a smile appeared on his weathered face.
"Master Xiao, you could have sat behind the main case. That way you would be condescending and win half the battle in terms of momentum. With your status, no one will think there is anything wrong."
Since Xiao Feng said not to use his official status, Master Kuchan did not call him "sir", but called him as a Taoist master.
Xiao Feng smiled lightly: "It makes sense.
Now, how can it be taken away by momentum? The supreme good is like water. Water is good for all things and does not compete with it. It is disliked by everyone, so it is almost in line with the Tao. So it doesn’t matter if you don’t sit on top. "
Master Kuchan nodded slightly: "However, the real person regards entering the world as his way, and he is like the light and the dust. He is in a high position, like water hanging on it, and the disaster has become a trend. What do you think of it?"
Water is something that everyone hates, and it has always been interpreted that water is willing to stay in low-lying places that no one likes, silently nourishing all things. Master Kuchan used this as a sword and said that the wind is like water in high places and has become a hazard to the hanging river.
Xiao Feng smiled and said: "Master only knows one, but not the other. What everyone hates changes with time, and it is not just pointing at the bottom. Master's words can be said to be a blinding eye."
Master Kuchan's smile did not change: "What a real person says should be based on evidence. Your Majesty said that what everyone hates changes with time. Can you give me an example?"
Xiao Feng smiled and said: "Why bother with just one example? There are simply too many to mention. When the Song Dynasty was at its peak, Henan and Shandong were good places. Suddenly one day, the Liao and Jin Dynasties came together, and the iron hooves clanked, and the good places turned into bad places.
For thousands of years, people traveling to the south with their clothes have happened frequently. Just now, how many people are willing to live in the once prosperous coastal areas due to the rampant Japanese pirates? "
This is indeed irrefutable evidence. The so-called good places and bad places do not entirely refer to natural conditions, but more often refer to the human environment. And the humanistic environment is the most ever-changing. Is there any reason why it should not change with the times?
Master Kuchan pondered for a moment and found the loophole in Xiao Feng's words. He knew that he was suspected of secretly changing his concept, so he smiled slightly and struck head-on.
"What the real person said refers to the real place. But as mentioned in the Tao Te Ching, 'the water is where everyone is.
"What is evil" refers to reality, and refers to a person's status in society.
Real people might as well give another example to explain when and where people felt that high positions were evil and low positions were good. "
Xiao Feng smiled slightly: "In ancient times, there were so many hermits and masters, sitting in front of the pines and under the moon. People like Tao Yuanming, Boyi, Shuqi and others all regarded high positions as evil. Is it false?"
Master Kuchan pondered again: "Tao Yuanming, Boyi, Shuqi and other hermits certainly existed, but they were just the thoughts of a few capable people at that time.
But "water is what everyone hates" refers to everyone. This is the view of most capable people.
Therefore, I would like to ask the real person to explain, when and where did many capable people use high positions for evil instead of the thoughts of a few individuals? "
The two sides started from the same seat. They didn't even put on any pretense, and directly engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Sparks flew everywhere. Not only did the people in the hall get excited, but the people in the hall were dumbfounded, and even Deaf Zhang, who was making a lot of money on the second floor, was busy.
Deaf Zhang is indeed extremely professional in lip reading, but his cultural level is too low and he knows nothing about the book bags dropped by Xiao Feng and Ku Chan. He can only rely on lip reading technology to translate pronunciations, which sometimes inevitably leads him to miss the mark.
"Master Xiao said, come on, if you stir it up, you will fall into the water. If the water is stirred up, you will play with your ears. Don't fight!"
Everyone was confused. An old scholar next to him frowned and thought for a long time before he figured out what Xiao Feng was talking about and translated it correctly for everyone.
Then everyone was very helpless and had to hire this old scholar as a secondary interpreter to correct the original lip language translated by Deaf Zhang.
Of course, such hard work cannot be done in vain, so everyone had to pool together another sum of money to give
The old scholar made everyone's poor financial situation worse.
At this time, Xiao Feng spoke again: "Master's words are indeed sharp, but as I said, the reason lies and cannot be taken away. It is not uncommon for people to suffer from high positions."
Master Kuchan looked at Xiao Feng with a smile and said in his heart, I believe you. Everyone in the world is in a hurry for fame and wealth, especially scholars. How can there be a time when everyone doesn't like high positions? Isn't that a ghost?
"Master, does he know Feng Dao?"
Master Kuchan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately understood what Xiao Feng meant, but he couldn't act rogue, so he could only nod his head.
Xiao Feng said calmly: "Feng Dao was born in troubled times, during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, and went through four dynasties and ten generations of kings. He served in the Later Tang Dynasty, the Later Jin Dynasty, the Later Han Dynasty, and the Later Zhou Dynasty.
He successively served ten emperors including Zhuangzong of the Later Tang Dynasty, Emperor Mingzong of the Later Tang Dynasty, Emperor Min of the Later Tang Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu of the Later Tang Dynasty, Emperor Chu of the Later Jin Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu of the Later Han Dynasty, Emperor Yin of the Later Han Dynasty, Taizu Taizu of the Later Zhou Dynasty, and Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty.
During this period, he also professed his vassal status to Emperor Taizong of the Liao Dynasty. Regardless of the past dynasties, he always held the positions of general, minister, and minister.
Master, let me tell you, in such a troubled world, in a dynasty with emperors changing like a revolving door, is such a high position a good thing for everyone, or a bad thing for everyone? "
After all, Master Kuchan is not a scoundrel. He knows that in such troubled times, most capable people choose to protect themselves wisely and refuse to become officials, so as not to leave eternal infamy.
Therefore, he could not unconscionably say that Feng Dao's high position was a good place. It was clearly a bad place that everyone should avoid.
And Feng Dao did leave an eternal reputation. Later historians out of loyalty
Ouyang Xiu scolded him as "shameless", and Sima Guang even denounced him as "a traitorous minister".
But throughout his life, Feng Dao was diligent in government, loved the people, neither greedy nor lustful, promoted talents, and was kind to others. Even when he served the most cruel king, he did his best to protect the people.
Just like water, even in the dirtiest places, stained with stench, it still stubbornly nourishes the land and the life on it.
Master Kuchan nodded heavily and acknowledged Xiao Feng's reasoning. In this round, Xiao Feng won and he lost.
Zhao Wenhua was anxious, and he secretly waved his fist at Master Kuchan, much harder than Princess Chang An.
Master Kuchan also remembered Zhao Wenhua's promise that if Xiao Feng was defeated, Zhao Wenhua would try to use the influence of the court to reduce the court's suppression of Buddhism.
Therefore, Master Kuchan regrouped and launched a new round of attacks on Xiao Feng. This time he stopped going around in circles and went straight to the theme he had prepared.
"Master, you know that Taoism is a small way and Buddhism is a great way. They are both good ways, but Taoism is within Buddhism. Now the court respects Taoism and suppresses Buddha. Why is Master unwilling to say a word for Buddhism?"
Xiao Feng said calmly: "If the master can explain why Taoism is a small way and Buddhism is a big way, I will naturally speak up for you."
Master Kuchan cheered up and his voice was like a bell. For a moment, Deaf Zhang almost lost his job, because almost even the crowd on the second floor across the street could hear his words.
"If you practice Taoism in a pure way, you only cultivate yourself, and the way you save others is to save yourself; if you practice Buddhism, you study the Buddha's teachings carefully, and the way you save others is to save all sentient beings.
Taoist practice aims at immortality, but
The Immortal Path is still one of the Six Paths and does not escape the suffering of reincarnation; Buddhist practice aims at achieving bliss in the past life and escapes the suffering of the Six Paths of Reincarnation.
Therefore, whether it is the way of saving people or the way of practice, Taoism is one level lower than Buddhism. It is self-evident that Taoism is a small way and Buddhism is a great way. "
There were devout Buddhist believers in the hall. After hearing what Master Kuchan said so clearly, they all expressed their support happily.
"Well said! That's right! Master Kuchan's Dharma is boundless!"
"Master Xiao, please tell me! If you have any reason, just say it!"
"Hush, are you crazy? Master Xiao is not only Master Xiao, he is also the governor of Jiangnan! Aren't you afraid that he will kill you?"
"Huh? Didn't he say it himself? Today we are discussing Taoism in a private capacity..."
"That's no use. He is Master Xiao today. After the discussion is over, he will still be Master Xiao when he puts on his official uniform. Didn't you hear that he killed everyone who came here?"
"This... there's still soup simmering in this house. I have to go back and check the fire. I have to leave first!"
Zhao Wenhua's heart at this time was similar to that of a melon-eating crowd making soup at home, and he wanted to point at Xiao Feng's nose and shout.
Can't you tell? You say it, you say it!
"The Taoist sect is pure and cultivates itself, but in the year of famine, it sends doctors and medicines to save all people; the Buddhist sect is compassionate and saves all living beings, but it has to ask for rice through alms and have it supported by all living beings. What's the truth?"
Taoists practice with the thought of becoming an immortal, and do not escape reincarnation, because all living beings are in the cycle of reincarnation. To become an immortal in a Taoist sect is to benefit all living beings, how can you be free and happy alone?
Practicing Buddhism, one can go to the Western Heaven for bliss. It is said that the Paradise is like clear water, with no desires, no thoughts, no joy, no joy.
Sad, is the ultimate goal of human practice is to become a piece of wood? "
Master Kuchan was startled, and quickly organized the secrets of Buddhism that he had studied carefully in his mind, thinking of refuting Xiao Feng's words.
"Buddhism seeks rice through alchemy, which is to form good karma, and the Buddha saves those who are destined. Buddhism's pursuit of the bliss of the west is to eliminate the seven sufferings in the world, to bring peace and joy, but it is not wood."
"Oh, it turns out that the person who gives the rice is a predestined person, and the one who doesn't give the rice is not a predestined person. So, Master, if a bad person robs a good person of rice and gives it to you, is he considered a predestined person or an undestined person?"
"This... when he took rice from a good person, he had already committed evil. Even if he gave the rice to a poor monk, he was not considered a destined person."
"Buddhism teaches that you should put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha immediately. After snatching the rice from a perfect person, he had already put down the butcher's knife and gave alms to the Buddha to form a bond. Why can't he be considered a predestined person?"
Master Kuchan frowned slightly. He was not as calm and calm as he was at the beginning, but his tone was still calm and confident.
"Real person, this is sophistry. Putting down the butcher's knife and becoming a Buddha immediately does not mean such a quick thing. Putting down the butcher's knife does not refer to the real butcher's knife. It means that you must give up evil deeds from the bottom of your heart to become a Buddha."
Xiao Feng smiled slightly: "Since there is a difference in how fast you put down the butcher knife, how long will it take to put it down? Can it be considered as giving up the evil deeds from the bottom of your heart?"
"This is a change in a person's heart. It cannot be judged by time. I naturally know whether he has truly put down his butcher's knife."
"Master, can a person with resentment become a Buddha?"
"Having resentment in your heart has cause and effect, and you cannot escape the six paths of reincarnation and become a Buddha."
"The master means the person who puts down the butcher's knife,
One can become a Buddha immediately and go to the bliss of the Western Heaven. However, those who die under his butcher's knife cannot escape the six paths of reincarnation because of their resentment, and cannot become a Buddha. Is this right? "
Master Kuchan's brows furrowed even more tightly. This is logically true, but there are too many Buddhist teachings involved, so subtle and mysterious that they can't be explained clearly in a sentence or two.
But the people in the hall are not monks who study Buddhist scriptures carefully. How can they understand this truth? Even if he wanted to explain Xiao Feng's current problem, he couldn't explain it clearly.
"What the real person said is indeed true. But all living beings suffer, and retribution for injustice is the reason for the six paths of reincarnation. Only by letting go of resentment can we escape from reincarnation and go to bliss."
Xiao Feng smiled and nodded: "Master, I have been ordered by the court to be the governor of Jiangnan. I want to ask you, should I lead troops to kill the Japanese pirates?"
