The winding ancient mountain road is mottled under the fallen leaves, and the bluestones that have been stepped on by countless people are clearly visible. Just by turning around, you can see the majestic hall built along the mountain, vaguely buried in the shadows of the trees along the road.
The sound of bells and chimes was extremely quiet, and in the deep and winding corridors of the ancient temple, the sound of sudden footsteps could be heard, rustling deep into the Zen room and monastery.
The disturbance of tiny footsteps made the breeze in the corridor of the temple suddenly noisy, as if a drop of spring water fell into a deep and calm pool. It also made an old monk who had entered meditation open his eyes - he saw the embers on the curling incense sticks. Falling suddenly, he couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.
"Amitabha. In such a hurry, where has your practice gone?"
The old monk stood up and pushed out of the room. He saw the young monk walking in a hurry from the corner of his eye. He sang a Buddha's call to him in a low voice, and then spoke earnestly.
"Pinzhao, the abbot asked you to serve as a guest monk as soon as you entered the temple, just to polish off your irritable temper. When the anger subsides, the Bodhi will show up, do you understand?"
"Yes, yes...Uncle Master Gongjing."
The young monk, who was sweating profusely and had a darker complexion, was stunned for a moment when he was suddenly called from behind. He wiped his stubbled scalp, looking a little at a loss.
It wasn't until the old monk pointed behind him that the young monk turned around and realized that he had left a string of black shoe prints at the door of the monk's house because he took a shortcut in the garden.
The young monk smiled sheepishly, and then he remembered that he should clasp his hands in respect. He quickly walked to the edge of the corridor and wiped the dust off the soles of the Arhat's shoes. Then he hurriedly spoke, hiding his guilt, but his accent was a bit jerky.
"Uncle, I was helping senior brother Mentou sweep the mountain gate, and suddenly I saw two people coming outside the temple. I was eager to report to Abbot Hongbian, and then..."
The old monk didn't wait for him to finish his words, then lowered his eyelids and said: "It doesn't matter, you are new to this temple and don't know what's going on. Monk Yunshui is just here to place orders, just take him to Yunshuitang branch to join Liaoyuan. Now the abbot is practicing hard. Jie, why do you have to disturb the abbot’s holy life?”
The old monk could not bear it, saying that some trivial matters were of no importance. He waved away the photo and was about to turn around, but the young monk hesitated for a moment and stood still, hesitatingly explaining.
"But...two distinguished guests came to the door..."
The Great Pure Monk was unmoved when he heard the sound. He even turned his head and said, "No need to say more. There is no need to talk about the difference between high and low in front of the Buddha. Even if the abbot of another temple comes to visit, there is no need to do so. The name and appearance are not extinguished. After all, you are still I don’t practice enough.”
Seeing that the other person was practicing cultivation when he opened and shut his mouth, the young monk couldn't help but cursed that he had only been in the temple for a month, so how could he practice? In his desperation, he even grabbed the other monk's robe, sweating profusely and said something that shocked the old monk.
"But the two people who came...are a man and a woman..."
The old monk turned around suddenly when he heard this.
…………
The two vigorous and tall pines and cypresses at the entrance of the temple are lush and green, and the scorching sun at noon shines on the huge plaque inscribed with the name of the temple "Zhu Guoxitan Temple".
The temperature is rising with the midday sun, but the wide gate is tightly closed. Only white lines can be seen spreading on the low wall on the left side of the temple gate, and some vines are using their unyielding vitality to grow thousands of times. Hundreds of twists and turns struggle against the hard stones, boasting their victory to the years.
"We have been waiting at the temple gate for so long, and they haven't even opened the door yet. Do we have to wait any longer?"
Luo Shuang'er was still dressed in white, and her face was beautiful even without makeup. Although she was a little young, her eyes were full of demure and graceful luster. She was standing with Jiang Wen under the plum tree outside the temple gate.
"Sister Shuang, don't worry. You see, this temple is so majestic, but it unexpectedly closed its gate tightly when other houses were opening their gates. It's as quiet as a ruin. It must have unique confidence. It must be the real Buddha here. The place where Yun Zen meditation is practiced..."
Jiang Wen, who was hanging by one arm, looked extremely determined, and he had no pressure to match up with Luo Shuang'er's brother and sister. According to him, he had to be perfect when acting. If he didn't call himself natural, his flaws would definitely be seen at critical moments. .
"Besides, I have already inquired about the details of the dozens of temples on Jizu Mountain. After much deliberation, the Sidtan Temple in front of me is the most suitable. The young monk just ran to report it, so we might as well wait for him. "
The words were followed by waiting. No one could have imagined that such a magnificent temple would be hidden in this dense mountain forest. It was like a gold ingot sinking into a deep pool, its existence shining brightly, attracting others to stop and marvel. If tourists hadn't bumped into it in broad daylight, they would have thought they were in the Qionglouyunge, a fairyland, or had stepped into a fantasyland where fox monsters had evil intentions.
The two of them came here, naturally, with a special purpose.
You must know that there are many temples on Jizu Mountain, such as Jiulian Temple, Fangguang Temple, Jinyi Temple, and Shizhong Temple. They are all jungles with prosperous incense and thousands of pilgrims. The scale is not necessarily inferior to the Sidan Temple in front of you. Among them, the history Those who have been around for a long time are even worse, but after Jiang Wen thought about it for a long time, he decided to come here.
First of all, the fundamental goal of him and Luo Shuang'er is to get close to various dignitaries, and then use their light to return to Guangzhou. Large temples with great incense are often favored by merchants. Even though these people appear to be wealthy, they may not really be able to help. Own.
This Xitan Zen Temple was built in Jizu Mountain during the Dingsi period of Wanli Dynasty in the Ming Dynasty. Mu Zeng, the local magistrate of Lijiang, prayed for the longevity of his mother and reported to the court for approval. The Mu family donated more than ten thousand taels of silver and invited eminent monks to build it. The plaque hanging high above the door was even personally written by Emperor Tianqi. It is now the only royal temple on the mountain.
Even though the dynasty has changed, the Binchuan area is still controlled by the Mu family. As long as the Mu family in Lijiang survives, Xitan Temple will be the only official temple in Jizu Mountain, and the number of believers who come and go among it will definitely be larger than usual. The temple is even more expensive.
Secondly, Jiang Wen and Luo Shuang'er are now penniless, and they only plan to eat and drink in the autumn wind. Naturally, they have to find a temple that is more respectable and not short of money to stay for ten days and a half. Here, at least you can eat and drink better, and you can avoid the temple asking you to pay for your secret.
From this point of view, it cost more than ten thousand taels of silver to build the Xitan Zen Temple. It is not only the family temple of Dali Chieftain Mu’s family, but also their face. It is said that there are 3,000 acres of fertile land at the foot of the mountain as temple property. He must live a life of great wealth and wealth on weekdays. There are only two of us. If we can sneak into the group of pilgrims in this Zen temple, it will be just an extra pair of bowls and chopsticks. Naturally, we will be less likely to be noticed.
In the end, Jiang Wen chose Xitan Temple, and also took a fancy to the Mu family, the local magistrate of Lijiang, standing behind him. Mu Zeng, the father of this family, once claimed to be a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty, but now his son Mu Yi is in charge. Although he had surrendered to the Qing Dynasty in the 16th year of Shunzhi last year, he had many conflicts with Wu Sangui, who wanted to control Yunnan. He could only maintain the superficial hierarchy, and overt and covert fights were inevitable.
The unharmonious relationship between the Mu family and Wu Sangui means that Xitan Temple and the Xiwang lineage will not have any contact. By hiding here, he and Luo Shuang'er can naturally avoid a lot of trouble caused by the Qing court, and the possibility of identity exposure is also greatly reduced. , this operation can be said to kill three birds with one stone. Every time he thinks about this, Jiang Wen can't help but be proud of his cleverness.
Not long after, the heavy temple door was pushed open a crack, and the sunlight shone on the head and face of the little monk Pinzhao, making beads of sweat form. Even when he spoke, he was out of breath from running.
"Two donors, come with me, come with me..."
Jiang Wen glanced at Luo Shuang'er, showing an expression that he had everything under control, and stepped into the Zen temple built on the mountain.
The Xitan Temple is large in scale, and the road can be said to be a thousand turns. The three of them passed by the Wanshou Hall behind the mountain gate, looking at Shigu Peak as they headed north. They also passed many vermilion lacquer halls and high and short walls before leaving the main hall building. The group was also getting farther and farther away - Jiang Wen knew that this was to separate the monks and laymen. After all, some dignitaries would come with their female relatives to offer incense, and it was really not convenient to be surrounded by a group of monks on weekdays.
The three of them walked around in this way and came to a particularly quiet and elegant courtyard located among the bamboo forest. Jiang Wen followed the young monk and looked around. With his extraordinary eyesight, he could naturally see that there were three guest rooms in the north, south and east of this quiet courtyard. They were all strictly guarded and did not look like people were moving around.
"Two donors, you will stay here for the next few days. There will be people offering food every day. If you need it, Tang Mu can also tell the young monk. If you want to burn incense and worship, let the young monk's incense-burning brother guide you."
Pinzhao took out the key from his waist and opened the two doors side by side. He saw that the flat guest room was fully equipped with tables, chairs and bedding. Although the furnishings were not gorgeous, they had a sense of ancient times. After a few instructions, it was really It shows the unique rules and demeanor of the big temple.
Jiang Wen understood at this time that this young novice monk was probably the Zhaoke monk of Xitan Temple. He would do things for the living room and Zhike on weekdays. He was responsible for taking care of the monks and lay guests, cleaning the guest rooms, etc. However, this living room was too luxurious. He and Luo Shuang'er were just two people, and they were able to monopolize such a large courtyard.
Jiang Wen and Luo Shuang'er looked at each other, clasped their hands and said to the young monk: "Thank you so much, young master, but I don't know why this living room seems so empty? If there is still room, we don't mind squeezing in with other pilgrims."
Squeeze, of course you have to squeeze.
Although this living room is quiet and quiet, it is too remote. When it gets dark, not even a ghost can be seen. Ordinarily, in a temple of this size, there would have to be ten or twenty people staying overnight on weekdays. The two of them came here to get to know people. If they were arranged to stay alone here for ten days and a half, wouldn't it be a waste of time?
It can be seen that sometimes being kind is not necessarily a good thing.
But Jiang Wen never expected that the young monk in front of him, who had listened carefully to the end, would show a panicked expression, and his voice that had just calmed down would start to falter again.
"Donor, almsgiver, this little monk has no right to make the decision. Why don't you go ask Abbot Hongbian later..."
Jiang Wen looked at him in surprise. He dared to blame the abbot for such a trivial matter. What was the identity of this young monk?
"Little master, what do you mean by this?"
Little monk Pinzhao also looked at him with big eyes and small eyes. After a while, he patted his forehead and said in a slightly weird accent: "Oh, it's my fault that I forgot to say it. Abbot Hongbian has something to say, and he wants to talk to him When you two meet, if you have finished packing, then go with the young monk..."
Jiang and Luo didn't bring any luggage when they went out this time, so it was natural to be polite when they packed up. The most important thing was that the abbot wanted to see them. Jiang Wen was stunned for a moment, but he didn't expect that Xitan Temple's The abbot suddenly wants to meet with him.
Luo Shuang'er glanced at Jiang Wen slightly, as if asking him what was going on and whether he had made any arrangements secretly.
"Thank you, young master. It's better to choose a different day than to hit the sun. Since the abbot invites you, let's go there now."
Jiang Wen agreed with a normal expression.
Naturally, he didn't know why the other party treated him so grandly, but instead of making endless guesses here, it would be better to go over and ask him in person - in the end, he is just a monk leader, and he would not be so pretentious as to lay out ten delicacies. In the eight-bronze human formation, five hundred knife-axe monks were placed inside the wall to break cups as a sign, and they would be chopped into pieces in an instant.
Pinzhao seemed to be relieved, and a smile appeared on his dark face: "That's great, two donors, then come with the young monk!"
Just like that, the two people who were still sitting in their chairs got up again and followed the young monk in a circle around the buildings of Xitan Temple. It was hot at noon, and the scorching sun was relentlessly scorching the forest. , the fumigating wind also carries the smell of vegetation and juice, making people feel even more stuffy without knowing it.
The temple built on the mountain is full of various steps. The dark-skinned Pinzhao does not seem to be Han Chinese. His legs are already strong, but unfortunately he is still tired and sweating all over his body.
But if Pinzhao was sweating hot sweat, then Jiang Wen was sweating cold sweat. As he walked in the Xitan Temple, the more he looked at it, the more frightened he became, and the more he thought about it, the more nervous he became. He always felt that there was something wrong, many The vague rumors and records also appeared in my mind.
In the huge Sidan Temple, the main halls that run through each other have their doors and windows closed, and no sutras are chanted. There are no people in the Buddhist halls and no sound, just like an empty city. Logically speaking, it was time to rest now. Not even a single monk was encountered in the temple. The three of them walked through it, as if they were in a magnificent and huge ruins, or to be more precise, they were lying on the ground. In a pair of exquisite yellow intestine questions!
"Little master, little master, can you lend me a moment to speak..."
Something is wrong. There are no pilgrims or monks in such a big temple. The door is still closed in broad daylight. There must be something fishy inside, right? !
Jiang Wen felt something was wrong the further he walked, and he quickly stopped the young monk who was leading the way. He stopped at the end of a corridor and refused to go forward, "Why can't you see anyone in the temple? Did something happen?"
Pinzhao looked around and finally patted his head as if he suddenly realized something.
"Donor, you're asking this. It's my fault that the monk didn't explain it clearly..."
Then Pinzhao spoke with a slightly stiff accent, slowly moved his steps, and stubbornly led them forward while explaining the whole story.
As the family temple of the Mu family in Dali, Xitan Temple must fast and pray for the Mu family in addition to the ordinary ten days of fasting, which is naturally also a spiritual practice internally.
The so-called fasting rectifies the body and mind and prevents distractions. Therefore, during the fasting period, Buddhist disciples must restrain the "three karma" of body, speech, and mind externally, and control the "three poisons" of greed, anger, and ignorance internally. By practicing both internally and externally, To the true "fasting".
As for the external form of the precepts, one is not to eat food out of season, such as not eating after noon.
This time, the abbot Hongbian's requirements were very strict. Everyone in the temple should meditate in the monk's dormitory after eating every day. Since the monks' duty control was extremely strict, no one in the temple would go out without permission after meal time. action.
Jiang Wen listened with suspicion, and secretly looked through the window paper of a Zen room. Sure enough, he saw an old monk in a hazy state, with his feet crossed, his eyes slightly lowered and he was in trance, and his ears were closed to the outside world. .
He looked to the side again, and sure enough he saw many ordinary monks meditating in the room. They rarely moved around in the room, but they were surprisingly self-disciplined.
"Little Master, why don't you go meditate?"
Jiang Wen asked curiously.
Pinzhao said with some embarrassment: "I'm sorry to say that, the young monk has been a monk for less than half a month. His legs are numb after sitting for a long time and he is naturally restless, so he was sent out to work by his branch..."
After such an explanation, and after verifying it with what he saw before him, Jiang Wencai gradually believed what the young monk said, and temporarily put out of his mind those temple legends that forced people to shave their heads and sit in a vat.
"Two benefactors, Abbot Hongbian's room is in front, and the young monk was sent here."
A Zen room that was no different from ordinary people appeared in front of them. After Pinzhao opened the door, he clasped his hands and left, leaving only Jiang Wen and Luo Shuang'er lingering at the door of the Zen room, neither entering nor retreating for a while.
"The two donors, I don't know where they came from?"
The old voice sounded leisurely, the volume was not loud, but it vaguely reached the ears of the two people through the door. It clearly did not chant the holy name, but it seemed that people could hear the Sanskrit chanting from the intonation. Just by hearing this voice, Jiang Wen could picture an eminent monk with a solemn appearance sitting cross-legged in the room, smiling and chatting with the two of them.
Before Jiang Wen could step in, he used his skills and spoke loudly.
"Abbot Hongbian, I'm..."
Just when Jiang Wen was about to reveal his name and origin, intending to scare the other party first, a slow and melodious reply suddenly came from the room.
"No need to say it."
Master Hongbian interrupted Jiang Wen's words and said to Jiang Wen in a tortuous and euphemistic manner, "The causes and consequences in the world are so different, as big as the universe, as small as a tiny dust, how can I hear it? Today is just I want to know where you donors come from..."
Jiang Wen was caught off guard by this answer. He felt that the words were quite mysterious, so he replied loudly: "That's it, Abbot Hongbian, we brother and sister came from Chong'an County, Fujian Province to Jizu Mountain to worship the Buddha. We were separated from the servants by bandits on the way. , so I came here to stay for a few days..."
After pondering for a moment, there was no sound in the meditation room. Jiang Wen noticed that the other party really seemed to have no other questions, but he couldn't just turn around and leave when he came here, so he planned to go in and say goodbye in person, and hurried back to study what was going on.
Jiang Wen stepped into the simply decorated Zen room and saw an old monk with a strange appearance meditating. His eyebrows were already gray, but his eyes were looking at him very clearly, as if a mountain spring was flowing in it, full of wisdom and understanding. .
Looking at it this way, Abbot Hongbian's appearance was indeed different from what he had imagined in his mind. Even if he didn't stand up to say hello, it wouldn't make people feel rude. He was indeed an eminent monk who practiced spiritual practice.
It's just that this complexion is quite different from what Jiang Wen imagined... Why does the old monk look so bad?
"Two benefactors, I'm sorry that I'm still fasting and practicing, so I can't welcome you from far away today. I will definitely invite the distinguished guests to visit you someday."
Abbot Hongbian seemed to cherish his words like gold. After he said this, Jiang Wen felt a little more relieved. It was indeed a bit reluctant to practice fasting. It seemed that he could understand that his face was so bad due to asceticism.
"Then we won't disturb the abbot's practice and say goodbye."
Jiang Wen felt that the greetings were over, so he left Master Hongbian's meditation room with doubts.
The two ended the meeting in an anticlimactic manner and returned to the guest house by the bamboo forest. Everything in the temple seemed to slow down calmly, until Keru came to Shenshi unknowingly. Afternoon food for the two of them was delivered to the house.
With expectations for the food at Mingsha, Jiang Wen welcomed him in politely and watched the kitchen monk take out food from the food box.
At this time, his share of dinner was placed on the wooden tray. Jiang Wen looked at the two handfuls of pitifully small wild vegetable balls and a bowl of rice soup that was so thin that he could look in the mirror, and then looked at the person who came to deliver the meal. The atmosphere among the hungry monks in the kitchen suddenly fell silent.
After the kitchen monk had left for a long time, Jiang Wen recovered from the shock and suddenly guessed that the old monk, the abbot, was just too hungry to speak or stand up before, right?
Standing up and facing the empty guest house with flying bamboo leaves, Jiang Wen only had one thought left in his mind -
Are the monks in this temple so hungry that they eat people in the middle of the night?
