It turns out that this fat monk has a striking similarity with the experiences of Sakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, and the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, and has a great relationship with Zhang Shaofei...
The fat monk's surname was Zhang and his given name was Zhongliang. His father, Zhang Si, was the king of Nanzhao Kingdom. He was born under a beautiful and bright bodhi tree on a small hill outside Nanzhao Kingdom City.
Once, his mother, Mrs. Wang Ji, passed by this hill on her way back to her parents' home to give birth. She was a little tired, so she took a nap on the roadside of this hill.
Under the bodhi tree, she held her hands on the branches, and Zhang Zhongliang was born from his mother's side.
Mother and child were peaceful and free of pain. This day is the eighth day of the fifth lunar month. The birth of the prince brought a lot of joy to the country, and brought unprecedented joy to Emperor Zhang Si, who had been ill for a long time.
One year before Zhang Zhongliang was born, Mrs. Zhang Si, who was in her forties, was not yet pregnant with a boy and a girl. This made Zhang Si worried all day long about the successor to the throne.
Mrs. Zhang Si was born with a dignified and beautiful appearance, and a gentle and virtuous personality. Since she and Zhang Si formed a happy marriage, their life has been loving and happy.
Although their life was like a paradise on earth, the cold and summer came and went, spring and autumn, and the days passed by like running water. The youthful years of Zhang Si and his wife gradually faded away with the rushing wheel of time.
However, a dark, melancholy and boring shadow finally filled the air of the bustling palace unknowingly. This was a matter of concern between the two of them. Living without the prince day after day and year after year made them both a little restless.
It was at the turn of summer and autumn when Mrs. Zhang Si was forty-one years old. On a completely silent night, Mrs. Zhang Si was lying on the bed as usual.
A bright moon hangs high in the clear blue sky, the night wind blows on the white and soft ivory bed, and the green coconut trees dance gently with the night wind...
The earth, sky, mountains, rivers, grass and trees, and everything else are filled with a warm and peaceful atmosphere. This is a time when wonderful things are born. Mrs. Zhang Si is quietly falling asleep in an extremely comfortable and sweet mood.
In a lush virgin forest, there are lush green trees and towering ancient trees. The forest is filled with smoke and colorful wild flowers grow everywhere, just like a fairyland.
Mrs. Zhang was walking through the smoky forest, and she heard the childish laughter of a baby in the distance. She looked for the baby's laughter curiously.
In the hazy state, Madam suddenly saw the Heavenly Gate quietly opening, and a handsome, chubby little boy sitting on a lotus smiling happily at her.
The little boy waved his little hand mischievously: "I'm here! I'm here! Come here! Come here!"
Mrs. Zhang happily walked towards the baby and looked up and down at the little boy fondly.
Mrs. Zhang was concerned: "Whose child is this? Why are you playing here alone?"
The little boy said kindly, "Queen Mother, I am your son!"
Mrs. Zhang was surprised: "My son? Are you my son?" She was so excited that she didn't know what to say.
She hugged it with both hands, and it turned into a golden light and disappeared into Mrs. Zhang's belly.
Mrs. Zhang was anxious and didn't know what to do.
Everything seemed to be arranged by God. The lady was in physical and mental peace, as if she had taken sweet nectar, and everything was so comfortable and harmonious. The lady looked back and saw that her body was like the sun and moon shining on her body, completely translucent without a trace of dust.
Seeing this scene, the lady was so happy that she couldn't restrain her excitement and suddenly jumped up from the bed.
After waking up, she discovered that it was Nanke's dream.
However, she felt that this dream was very strange, so she hurried to Zhang Si's residence and told her husband all about this strange dream.
Zhang Si was very surprised after hearing what his wife said. He said to his wife: "I also saw a huge light coming from the sky just now. Now I think you have an unusual appearance. Maybe something unusual will happen to you." .”
Strangely enough, since Mrs. Zhang Si had this strange dream, her previous worries, sorrows, and boredoms have disappeared, and her mood has become quiet and peaceful. She often likes to walk alone in the forest or sit by the pool and meditate. .
Not long after, the good news of the queen's pregnancy spread throughout the palace and throughout the land of Nanzhao.
When the prince was born, there were many auspicious signs - the sky and the earth were bright, the flowers were in bloom, the birds were singing, and there was an atmosphere of peace, harmony and joy. Suddenly, a seven-jeweled lotus flower appeared under the bodhi tree, as big as an umbrella cover. The prince fell on the seven-jeweled lotus platform after descending from his mother's right side.
According to legend, Siddhartha Gautama (whose name was Sakyamuni after he became a Buddha) could walk when he was born, and walked like a lotus. When he walked seven steps, he pointed one finger to the sky and the other to the earth and said: "Heaven." In the world, I am the only one who is supreme." As soon as he finished speaking, he was surprised to see the four heavenly kings wrapping the prince's body with colorful silk ribbons from the sky. The heavenly emperor dropped many precious vanilla and fragrant flowers of various colors. Shi Tihuan was holding a treasure cover in his hand, and the Brahma king was standing around holding a white whisk. The Dragon King Tuolong and the Dragon King Upananda sprayed pure perfume in the void, warming and cooling the prince, and the scene was very spectacular (commonly known as the Bathing of the Buddha, which later became the largest traditional Chinese Buddhist festival - the Bathing of the Buddha; to this day, Buddhism The origin of why temples hold a grand Buddha Bathing Festival on the birthday of Buddha). In fact, King Suddhodana, the prince, was the "Guardian Bodhisattva" who aspired to be born in the human realm from the inner courtyard of Tusita Heaven. When he grew up, he left home, practiced Buddhism, and attained enlightenment to become the Buddha named Sakyamuni Buddha.
…
The good news of the prince's birth immediately spread throughout the capital, Nanzhao City, and also reached the king's court. Zhang Si was sitting in court. When he heard the good news, the joy of having a son in his later years filled his whole body and mind.
Zhang Si immediately beamed with smiles. He quickly sent out a delicate and soft shoulder cart to lead the way, beating gongs and drums, and joyfully welcomed the return of the queen and the prince. He immediately ordered the ministers on the left and right to open the granaries to provide relief to the poor people, and Support the practitioners, and the entire country will be cast in auspicious and bright colors due to the birth of the prince.
When Zhang Si saw that the prince looked good and well-groomed, his joy increased by ten points. He wholeheartedly hoped that the prince would inherit the throne in the future, so he invited many scholars and fortune tellers to read the prince's fortune.
When all the scholars and fortune tellers saw the prince's good appearance, they all said in unison: "The prince has thirty-two looks and eighty good qualities. If he is at home, he will definitely become an emperor in the future; if he becomes a monk, he will definitely become a Buddha."
Zhang Si pondered. He was worried that the prince would become a monk in the future, so he asked: "Fellow scholars and fortune tellers, will the prince become a monk and become a Buddha, or become an emperor?" All the scholars and fortune tellers were hesitant.
There was a Brahmin ascetic scholar in the Kingdom of Nanzhao who was erudite, talented and eloquent. He lived in seclusion in a cave all year round. He was a famous long-lived sage named Arfan.
When Alfan heard that Zhang Si had an heir, he immediately rushed to the palace with joy and asked Zhang Si for permission to read the prince's fortune.
Zhang Si was overjoyed to hear that a wise and superb scholar wanted to tell the prince's fortune, and he hurriedly agreed.
Mrs. Wang Ji took the prince out. Alfan held the prince in his hands and looked at him from head to toe. Finally, he raised the prince high above his head, but he immediately burst into tears, and cried very sadly.
