When the Sixth Patriarch Huineng said this, he looked at the audience meaningfully and said, "From then on, this country built temples to house monks and practiced Buddhism. The people were kind-hearted and morally noble. The country was peaceful and the world was at peace. The one who transformed into a lion The elder brother is Sakyamuni; and the younger brother who bravely led the poisonous dragon out of the cave first is Maitreya."
Let us turn our attention back to where Budai monk suddenly disappeared in Yuelin Villa——
The Budai monk disappeared from Yuelin Villa. Could it be that the miracle was leaked and he returned to heaven?
Although the Yuelin Villa here lacks a Budai monk, hundreds of miles away in Hangzhou City, there is an additional monk with a belly.
It turned out that after the eight-faced Budai monk returned from fasting, he immediately found the apprentice he had trained for many years and ordered him to succeed him and manage Yuelin Villa.
The disciple was shocked and said: "Master, why did you leave Yuelin Villa? Could it be that the clone technique was leaked?"
Budai monk smiled noncommittally and said: "This can be considered one of the reasons. According to Buddhist precepts, those who use supernatural powers will be discharged from the temple (expelled from the temple)! I was separated because of fasting, which is also considered a violation of the precepts."
"Master, why aren't you more careful?"
Budai monk said: "If I don't want him to see it, how can he see through the mountain monk's whereabouts! I'm just borrowing his mouth. In this way, after I leave, when people think of me, they won't easily violate the habits formed over the years. Good fashion.”
The disciple was a little reluctant to leave and looked at the master blankly. The Budai monk put away his smile and said to him seriously: "After these years of construction, Yuelin Village's land assets have increased and its facilities have been improved. It can be said that it has established a thousand-year foundation. As long as this The existence of this farm can ensure that hundreds of monks in Yuelin Temple have no worries about food and clothing, practice diligently, and have strong incense. What's more important is that after two embankments and ponds were built, the sea was reclaimed for farmland, and seaweed grew on the tidal flats. People, whether they are local people or refugees, can live a worry-free life as long as they work hard, so my mission has been completed and I should leave."
The disciple thought about it and finally remembered a reason to keep his master: "Master, you still can't leave! Think about it, the world is in chaos now, and one day, war will break out in nearby states and counties, and countless refugees will flee to us. You If it were not there and people would not be able to make a living, wouldn’t they starve to death?”
Budai monk patted his head. Said: "Don't worry, I will go to Hangzhou now to ensure that you can live in peace for ten years."
Therefore, at the top of the city of Hangzhou and by the West Lake, people often see a pot-bellied monk with a bag on his head. In the cold winter months, snowflakes are flying, but he is bald and barefoot, sitting and lying everywhere. A kind-hearted person gave him a pair of boots. It was not worn under the feet, but on the top of the head. People found that although he was sitting and lying in the snow, there was never any snowflakes on his body. Even a broken cassock will not get wet from the snow.
Soon, this strange, strange, and somewhat mysterious monk attracted people's attention. People asked him where he came from.
He replied: "Come from where you came from."
"So where are you going?"
He thought carefully and said, "Go where you are."
"Where is your home?"
He asked back: "Home. Is there a fixed place?"
"You should know what your name is, right?"
He said: "You have a name, but is it you?"
No one knows where he comes from, where he is going, where his fairyland is, or what his common name is. Originally, such a nameless person with no surname and no origin should be the most common, but people, people are used to it. Now that he has a name and a surname, he thinks that his name is his own, which makes him feel a bit mysterious.
Someone kindly pointed out to him: "You are a monk and should live in the ashram."
He asked sternly: "You said, where is the dojo?"
Then he sang in a chorus: "Where are the green hills without a Taoist temple, and where are the waves without cool waters. If your Zen mind is stuck in mud, it will not go up and down wildly with the east wind."
However, the person who asked the question did not understand the wonderful Zen meaning in it. He just followed his own thinking and said: "Our Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou is a famous temple. Why don't you go there to place orders."
But he said: "Lingyin Temple is too dilapidated. Eighty years later, Lingyin Temple has nine floors, eighteen pavilions, seventy-two halls, and 1,300 houses. Then I will live there permanently."
"Oh my god, after eighty years, you will still be alive? Even if you can live for another eighty years, you are not a god, how can you still live there forever?"
He said meaningfully: "Can you live in a temple only if you are alive? Sakyamuni Buddha has passed away long ago, but hasn't he lived in temples of various sizes for more than a thousand years?"
Even though he said this, people didn't believe that this slovenly, ugly, fat-bellied monk was the incarnation of Buddha. They just called him "Budai Monk" because he never left his body with a cloth bag.
The first day of the Lunar New Year is said to be the birthday of Maitreya Bodhisattva. On this day, Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou will hold a consecration ceremony as usual.
Lingyin Temple is located in front of Feilai Peak at the foot of Lingyin Mountain in West Lake, Hangzhou. It is also known as Lingjiu Temple. In the first year of Xianhe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 326), the Indian monk Huili traveled here and saw the beautiful rock formations of this peak. , exclaimed: "This peak is a small ridge of Lingjiu Peak in Tianzhu (ancient India). I don't know what year and month it flew here? Back then, when Sakyamuni Buddha was alive, this peak was mostly hidden by immortal spirits."
From then on, this peak was called "Feilai Peak". Master Huili immediately built a temple facing the mountain peak and named it "Lingyin" - the place where immortal spirits hide.
A hundred years ago, Lu Yu, who came to tea from Zen and later became a tea sage, stayed here for a while. At that time, Lingyin Temple had just been renovated. He wrote in (Lingyin Temple Notes): "The Jin and Song Dynasties have surrendered, and the virtuous people They live one after another, with the words of the fragments of the stele, and the words "Zhichuan" on the list. The pavilion is majestic, the ape pines are long-lived, and the Taipa corner is painted with arches. The rosy clouds are green in the sky, the caissons are red couplets, the flowers hang down in the four photos, the corridors are repeated, and they are sneaking. The jade springs are surrounded by flying pavilions, and the trees with hanging pearls are reflected below. The winds touch the joy of the sky. The flower temples search for treasures from the land and the sea. The green trees and branches are blooming in spring and luxuriant in winter. The clear green mist melts in the morning and condenses in the evening. "
From this, it is not difficult to imagine the unprecedented grandness of Lingyin Temple at that time. However, after the Huichang Buddhist tribulation, the temple was destroyed and the monks dispersed. The five-hundred-year-old temple was completely destroyed!
Today, 40 years have passed since the Huichang Buddhist tribulation. Although Lingyin Temple has seen a slight revival, it is only in scale and has lost its former glory.
Early in the morning, the monks of Lingyin Temple were busy, because today is not only the New Year, but also the birthday of Maitreya Bodhisattva. More importantly, they were notified in advance that Dong Chang, the governor of Hangzhou, and his invincible men General Qian Liu wanted to come to the temple to worship Buddha and offer incense on the first day of the Lunar New Year.
More than a month ago, Qian Liu's Iron Army had just captured Yuezhou and occupied most of the territory in eastern Zhejiang. Therefore, after the Spring Festival, Dong Chang will go to Yuezhou to serve as the observation envoy to eastern Zhejiang, and Qian Liu will also succeed him in his promotion. The governor of Hangzhou.
On the night they agreed, they both had the same dream. They both dreamed of Lingyin Temple under Feilai Peak outside the city, shining brightly and radiating colorful brilliance. At this juncture, they didn't know what the light from Lingyin Temple was a sign of.
There is a twenty-something-year-old Daobi clerk under Qian Liu, whose surname is Jiang, whose name is Zongba, with the Chinese character Bi Da. He has done some research on Buddhism. According to him, the colorful halo that envelopes the temple is the light of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. That is to say, A Buddha appeared in Lingyin Temple.
Therefore, Dong Chang and Qian Liu decided to come to Lingyin Temple to offer incense at the beginning of the new year to seek the protection of the Buddha's light and long-lasting good fortune.
Although Dong Chang was a reckless man who made his fortune by rallying militiamen to fight against Huang Chao, and even his position as governor of Hangzhou was self-proclaimed after expelling the original governor appointed by the imperial court, he very much liked the airs and pomp of the bureaucracy. Everywhere he went, clear water splashed on the streets and loess paved roads - he had to have all the rituals that only the emperor could enjoy. Therefore, the flags of Lingyin Temple were raised high, colorful flags were flying, the red candles were lit in the Main Hall, incense was lingering in the Tianwang Pavilion, and in front of the mountain gate Two long strings of lanterns were hung up. All the monks in the temple, wearing yellow sea blue, stood solemnly on both sides of the corridor. They lined up from the door to the front of the main hall. The abbot and the deacon monks even solemnly put on the red cassocks. Early in the morning Standing on the high steps at the door, eagerly waiting for the arrival of my parents and officials...
Until the sun was at the top of the sky, a rapid sound of horse hooves could be heard. The abbot cheered up and quickly led the leader of the class. The deacon walked down the steps to greet him.
However, what came on horseback was just the vanguard officer standing in front of him. He ignored the abbot's stammering questions and waved his hand. The garrison soldiers split into two rows with a snap and stood on both sides of the road, with their faces facing outward and their hands Holding the steel knife, he watched vigilantly for any slightest movement.
After waiting for more than a long time, Dong Chang's eight-carriage sedan arrived at the gate of Lingyin Temple amid the sound of gongs that shook the earth, surrounded by banners that covered the sky and the sun, and was guarded by General Qian Liu. forward.
The abbot did not dare to neglect, and quickly bowed with his hands together, guiding Dong Chang and his party to file into the temple from the middle gate.
After taking a short break with tea in the living room, Dong Chang and his entourage went to various halls to offer incense. They looked carefully and found no Buddha light on the clay sculptures, wood carvings, stone carvings, and bronze statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Finally, they went to the Came to the Temple of Heavenly King.
Enshrined on both sides of the Heavenly King Hall are the four great protector heavenly kings of Buddhism. The Eastern Heavenly King is dressed in white armor. Because he is good at protecting the country, he is named: Holding the Country.
He is the main music god of Emperor Shakti, so the pipa in his arms seems to be clanking;
The Southern Heavenly King stands on top of the sky and is covered in blue, holding a sharp sword. He can cut off worries and make others grow their good roots, so he is called the Growth King;
The Western King of Wide Eyes is a red giant, wearing armor, with a dragon with teeth and claws wrapped around his arm. He often observes the world with his heavenly eyes;
The King of the North is good at hearing about good deeds from all over the world, so he is named "Duowen". He is dressed in green, holds an umbrella in his right hand, and catches a silver rat in his left hand to protect the people's wealth...
The statues of the Four Heavenly Kings were so majestic and tall that Dong Chang had to look up at them.
Then, he suddenly felt despised and looked down upon, and he asked knowingly: "Who is this clay body?"
The abbot quickly replied: "They are the Four Heavenly Kings."
Dong Chang showed a contemptuous smile on his lips and said: "Although they are tall and mighty, they are just the four great Vajras under Sakyamuni Buddha. They must obey their master's orders at all times."
Folks refer to the four heavenly kings as "the four kings", which is a misunderstanding. King Kong and the kings cannot be confused.
The four heavenly kings guard the Buddha land and protect the Buddha's Dharma. Although they are the protectors of Buddhism, they are the gods of the first heaven above our heads. They are subordinate to Emperor Shakyamuni, but they are not subordinate to Sakyamuni Buddha.
Like the four heavenly kings, Qian Liu, a general in military uniform, had a strange taste in Dong Chang's words.
To be honest, since Dong Chang raised troops eight years ago in the name of resisting Huang Chao and safeguarding the local area, all military operations have been organized and directed by Qian Liu.
Since the war between Zhejiang and Zhejiang was launched by Liu Hanhong, the Zhejiang East Road Observer, it was Qian Liu's wisdom that with the power of one state, he withstood the siege of seven or eight state armies, and finally won with a weak hand. Not only did he save Dong Chang's territory, but he also captured Zhejiang. Most of the eastern areas completely annihilated all Liu Hanhong's troops. It can be said that without Qian Liu's outstanding military talents, Dong Chang would never be where he is today.
Qian Liu also turned around and asked the abbot, "What do the four heavenly kings do? Why do you Buddhists worship them?"
The abbot said: "There are three realms and twenty-seven heavens above us. They are the gods of the four king heavens in the realm of desire. They are very close to us humans. They usually lead their subordinates to check people's likes and dislikes, and encourage people to abide by the laws. Precepts and good deeds, safeguarding the Dharma, and protecting the country.”
"Oh..." Qian Liu said "oh" meaningfully and said, "That's it."
Of course, Dong Chang had a different feeling in his heart. He asked: "Can these four clay tires really protect the country?"
The abbot is an honest man and stays out of the world. How can he understand their worldliness? So he said: "They are Dharma protectors, so of course they can."
Dong Chang shouted: "So, when Huang Chao swept across Zhejiang, where were these guardian gods?"
"This..." The abbot was speechless.
Dong Chang was so proud that he pointed at all the monks accompanying him and asked, "Which one of you can answer my question?"
The monks were silent, no one dared to answer and no one could answer.
Quiet, the air is extremely quiet due to excessive tension, it seems that even a feather falling to the ground can make a thunderous roar...
In this extreme stagnation, someone suddenly spoke: "There is shame inside and outside the door!"
Is this the shame of the protector who is unable to protect his country, or the shame of the monk who is speechless?
The monks who knew Zen couldn't help but tremble, because they clearly felt the strange Zen intention and stood in awe subconsciously, while Dong Chang and others were looking around for the speaker.
There was no one, it wasn't that no one spoke, but no one was found to speak. However, because of this mysterious interruption, the secret rivalry between Dong Chang and Qian Liu was resolved invisibly.
At that time, Lingyin Temple was like many temples. The Bodhisattva statue enshrined in the Tianwang Hall was Maitreya with the Heavenly Crown. Dong Chang turned around and pointed to the crown on the head of Maitreya Bodhisattva and said: "He is not an emperor, why is he wearing a crown?"
The abbot said: "Maitreya Bodhisattva turned out to be a disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha. He was predicted by the Buddha to be the future Buddha. He now lives in the inner courtyard of Tusita, so he wears a flat crown on his head, not a human crown. crown."
At this time, Jiang Zongba, a clerk under Qian Liu who was proficient in Buddhist scriptures, said: "Maitreya Bodhisattva is a god of good fortune. It is said that when he is reborn, he can bring people abundant harvests, happiness and health, so I will make you You should offer three sticks of incense to Maitreya Bodhisattva to bless the peace and prosperity of the eastern Zhejiang region you will rule."
"Yes, yes!" the abbot also said, "Maitreya Bodhisattva is a symbol of a better future. The Buddhist scriptures say that when Maitreya is born, the land will be prosperous."
Dong Chang was very excited after hearing these words and said with a smile, "Okay, then let me light three sticks of incense."
He raised the white smoke of sandalwood above his head and prayed, "I hope the Bodhisattva will bless my soldiers and horses in the seven states of Zhejiang to be strong and proud of others."
After finishing speaking, he was about to bow when he seemed to hear a faint voice in his ears, which seemed to say: "If the horse is strong and the army is strong, you will become the hegemon and the king."
"Oh my god, could it be that the Bodhisattva has appeared?" Qian Liu clearly heard the movement in the temple. He couldn't help but was secretly surprised. Is there really a living Buddha shining brightly in Lingyin Temple? If the Buddha and Bodhisattva really appear, Dong Chang cannot be left alone. So he also lit three sticks of incense, stood next to the worship pillar in front of the Buddha, and prayed silently in his heart: "I hope the Bodhisattva will bless me with money and wealth, and I will become the king of Wuyue as soon as possible."
Qian Liu was obviously thinking in his heart, but the mysterious voice immediately said: "Become a king early, perish early, become a king slowly, and last for a hundred years."
It was really a ghost. Qian Liu was so frightened that he almost screamed out when his thoughts were revealed. The people accompanying him also heard the voice of someone speaking under the Buddha. Everyone, you look at me and I look at you. I don’t know what to do... …
Just when everyone was in trouble, suddenly, another voice came from that place: "Huh... Humph, Humph... Huh..."
This is obviously the sound of snoring!
Qian Liu's first general, a general named Gu Quanwu, stepped forward. Lifting the curtain under the altar table, people were surprised to see a fat monk with a big belly lying under the altar table. He was sleeping soundly, snoring and talking in his sleep: "Yuezhou is rich, Hangzhou is strong, Yuezhou is strong." An emperor came out of Hangzhou... Huh... Lu... He lost his head when he became the emperor, but he became the King of Wuyue... Huh... Lu..."
For some reason, both Dong Chang and Qian Liu felt frightened and frightened after hearing this endless talk in their sleep. Dong Chang asked the abbot, "Is this a monk from your temple?"
The abbot shook his head and said, "This poor monk has never seen this person before."
Qian Liu winked, and Gu Quanwu pinched the fat monk's nose, trying to wake him up. Unexpectedly, he vented his breath through his mouth and still slept soundly. Gu Quanwu had no choice but to slap his mouth shut as well.
The monk finally shook his head, but he did not open his eyes and just murmured: "Don't make trouble, the mountain monk is eating fast in the prince's house!"
Gu Quanwu grabbed his arm hard and pulled him out from under the altar table. The fat monk was very unhappy and asked strangely: "You are so boring, how can you disturb other people's dreams? Have a good fast." I was disturbed by you, you have to compensate me!"
Gu Quanwu asked him: "Where are you from? How did you sleep under the altar table?"
He widened his eyes strangely and said: "Hey... you are a fake monk, how come you are questioning me, a real monk? Haven't you heard that I am from nowhere!"
Gu Quanwu once became a monk, but no one knows about this history. How did this fat and strange-looking monk know about it?
At this time, someone recognized him. He was the wandering monk on the streets of Hangzhou - Budai Monk.
The Budai monk looked at everyone with a puzzled expression and asked, "Why do so many of you come to the Heavenly King's Hall? Are you here to wish me a birthday? Have I told you my birthday?"
