In the morning, just after four o'clock in the morning, the bell of Zhuangyan Temple has already rang. The monks who are stationed in Zhuangyan Temple (all the time) and the monks (temporarily renting) are ringing as the bell is ringing. With urging, I started to get up, wash up, and prepare for morning class.
The reason why I have to get up so early is because it is the Buddha's Birthday Dharma Assembly. These monks have a lot of Dharma assembly matters to be busy with during the day, so the morning classes and church (eating) times have to be advanced.
While other monks were hurriedly walking towards the main hall of Zhuangyan Temple, preparing to start morning classes, a rich monk with a gloomy face walked in the opposite direction to the other monks, heading towards Zhuangyan Temple from the direction of the main hall. Walk to the Courtyard of the Four Noble Truths of Bodhisattva on the south side.
The Temple of the Four Noble Truths of Bodhisattva is the name of a side courtyard monastery located on the south side of the temple. The reason why the temple gave the courtyard this name is because from the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the structure of large Buddhist temples was basically the same. Six words, 'like Tianque, imitating Gion'.
Among them, the three words "Tianque" mean that the architectural style of the temple must be magnificent, like a heavenly palace, and "imitate Gion" means that the structures of large Buddhist temples are planned to imitate the structure of Gion. .
This Garden is the Garden of Solitude mentioned in the Diamond Sutra.
In other words, the large Buddhist temples built during the Sui and Tang Dynasties were basically copied from the courtyard where Sakyamuni lived.
The future eminent monk of Buddhism who has just turned twenty-six years old, Monk Daoxuan, the founder of the Vinaya Sect, even wrote some pamphlets on how to build Buddhist temples decades later, such as "Zhongtianzhu Sheweiguo Jihuan Temple Illustration" and " "The Illustrated Sutra on the Creation of the Ordination Altar in Guanzhong" and so on, clearly describing the structure of Gion on paper and telling other monks...
How should the temple be repaired?
For example, after entering through three gates, there is a courtyard that is the middle gate. After the middle gate is the front Buddhist hall, and then the main hall of the main courtyard, which means the Dharma Hall. Between the front hall and the main hall is the seven-story pagoda, etc...
Everything is clearly and orderly arranged for you, including which buildings should be located and where.
In comparison, the current Daomen is very ashamed.
Now that the organization of these monks is getting tighter and tighter, and even some clear rules and precepts have begun to appear in a conventional way, the Taoist priests are still fighting over who the main god of the Taoist sect should be.
The saying that there are many famous mountain monks in the world is definitely not in vain.
It is said that there is a golden bell in the Temple of the Four Noble Truths of Bodhisattva in Gion, which was built by the Dragon King Heshuji. The bell has three layers and a nine-dragon-shaped nose. When the hour comes, the golden bell spits out clouds from its mouth. Then the golden bell chimes without striking, its sound is like a celestial harp, and its sound can be heard for twenty miles.
Of course, there are naturally no golden bells in the courtyard of Zhuangyan Temple, because the monasteries to the south of Zhuangyan Temple, such as the House of Laymen, the House of the Twelve Causes and Conditions of Pratyekabuddha, and the House of the Four Noble Truths of Bodhisattva are basically The eminent monks who live in Zhuangyan Temple.
Some of these eminent monks are the face of the temple, responsible for receiving donors and collecting alms, such as the Buddhist monk Fa Zhengda; there are also those who have done in-depth research on Buddhist theory and can preach scriptures, such as the current host of the Buddhist Association of Zhuangyan Temple. Human wisdom monk...
But both Dharma righteousness and wisdom are actually just the facade of Zhuangyan Temple. The real strength of Zhuangyan Temple is not them, but the third type of monks living here...
That is a true cultivating monk who has sufficient understanding and extraordinary abilities to understand the Buddha's Dharma clearly and become a saint.
When Monk Fazheng had just arrived at the door of the Courtyard of the Four Noble Truths of Bodhisattva, before he could knock on the door, he saw that the door of the courtyard had automatically opened with a creak without any wind.
In the courtyard of the monastery, a bald monk wearing gray robes was sitting under the tree in the courtyard, his eyes closed.
"Junior Brother Yifan,"
After seeing the courtyard door open, Master Fazheng clasped his hands and saluted the bald monk in the courtyard. "I came here specifically to see you today, junior brother..."
The monk sitting in the courtyard didn't even open his eyes and said calmly.
"I already know the purpose of Senior Brother Fa Zheng's coming..."
After hearing what the other party said, Master Fazheng couldn't help but feel envious in his heart.
The monk in front of him said that he already knew the purpose of his visit and was not lying. Monk Fazheng knew that the other party really knew. This was because Monk Yifan practiced the secret method of Huazong's "Three Thousand Thoughts in One Thought".
Those who are successful in practicing this mental method can eliminate the three confusions and realize the three wisdoms.
Even if Monk Yifan has not achieved great success in his mind, he has achieved the Sotapanna stage, which is equivalent to the foundation-building state of Taoism. With the magical power of his mind, he can
Really understand the differences in other people's minds.
This is also the reason why Monk Fazheng generally doesn't like to come to Yifan. The feeling of knowing what you are thinking and thinking in your heart is actually not good at all.
"Since you already know, junior brother, then you should also know about the little Taoist priest from Qingdu Temple selling divination in front of my Zhuangyan Temple," Monk Fazheng clasped his hands together and said with a sincere face. "A certain person once
I saw with my own eyes that little Taoist's divination, and he was quite accurate..."
"These are just foreign ministers..."
Monk Yifan was still sitting cross-legged under the tree with his eyes closed.
"All natures are not false, and all natures are empty. Senior brother, you need to know that "The Great Wisdom" is not just a verbal exercise, it must be put into the heart."
"Junior brother, I know what you are talking about, but even though we are in the world of mortals, we still have to do some things. If we let this little Taoist priest show up in front of my Zhuangyan Temple and do nothing..."
Monk Fazheng took a step forward and his tone became a little urgent.
"If it's small, the prestige of my Zhuangyan Temple will be lost, but if it's big, the believers will despise me as a monk..."
"I understand the meaning of senior brother's words!"
Monk Yifan under the tree slowly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of eyes that seemed gentle, but seemed to have the power to see into people's hearts. "But that's not what I think in my heart, senior brother, so please forgive me."
Do as Senior Brother wishes."
"Yes, a certain person is indeed angry because of what happened to Jingyan's nephew, but the poor monk's actions are not entirely out of selfish motives."
After hearing what Monk Yifan said, Monk Fazheng suddenly became anxious.
"Seng, tell me the truth, my junior brother. The little Taoist priest named Qingwei left two pieces of paper when he attacked Jingyan and the others, which recorded some of the contingency methods that Jingyan and the others used when promoting the Dharma.
, if these things are leaked..."
"Senior brother, there is no need to say more..."
Monk Yifan interrupted Monk Fazheng again, "I'm sorry I won't send it off."
With that said, Monk Yifan slowly closed his eyes again and said nothing.
After seeing this action of Monk Yifan, Fazheng stood up with a look of helplessness and left the Courtyard of the Four Noble Truths of Bodhisattva in dejection. Just when he just walked out of the courtyard, the door automatically closed without any wind again and creaked.
Got up.
"Uncle Fazhengshi..."
Just when Monk Fazheng was looking angrily at the closed courtyard door, he heard a burst of hurried shouting from behind, and then a young novice ran over with an anxious look on his face.
"The abbot has ordered that you, Uncle Fazheng Master, go to his Zen room to find him."
"Brother Abbot is looking for me? When the morning class is about to start..."
Monk Fazheng muttered, then straightened his robes, and then waddled along the bluestone path of the temple to another nearby monastery.
Compared with the undecorated room of Monk Yifan next to him, the house in front of him is extremely exquisitely decorated. Not only are the utensils displayed in the house extremely exquisite, there is even a painting of His Majesty Li Yuan hanging on the wall.
of authentic works.
A monk in his fifties, with kind facial features and a solemn appearance was sitting next to the tables in the room, holding a cup in both hands and drinking water.
After seeing Fazheng come in, the monk put down his cup and pointed to the futon opposite him.
"sit!"
"Brother Abbot!"
Monk Fazheng put his hands together and spoke respectfully.
"Summoning Junior Brother, what are your instructions?"
"Of course I have something to ask you..."
This fifty-year-old monk, Faya, the abbot of Zhuangyan Temple, said straight to the point to Monk Fazheng.
"I heard that junior brother, you are dealing with a young Taoist priest from Qingdu Temple recently?"
Although it was a question, Monk Falla's tone was very affirmative.
"this……"
Monk Fazheng hesitated for a moment, seeming a little surprised.
"Brother, please listen to me explain to you..."
"No need to explain!"
Monk Falla waved his hand and said in a tone that left no room for doubt.
"No matter what you think, I must stop this matter."
"This is impossible,"
After hearing what Monk Faya said, Monk Fazheng almost jumped up from the futon he was sitting on. "That little Taoist priest hurt a dozen of our monks in Zhuangyan Temple..."
"For those injured monks, I will try to get some medicine from the sect to treat them." Monk Faya first said calmly, and then said firmly. "But what you are planning to do now must stop.
Come down."
"Senior brother..."
Monk Fazheng looked around to make sure there was no one nearby, and then whispered.
"That little Taoist priest Qingwei is very talented. He doesn't have any true teachings about how to enter the Tao. With the little things left by Xuancheng, he can master the art of Liuren. And I think his calculation accuracy should be great. Now the sect
Aren't you looking for such a person here?
And we all know that Taoist Xuancheng saved Princess Pingyang back then. If this little Taoist priest can be saved, then our Huazong can also get in touch with Princess Pingyang..."
"Okay, I know you did this for the sake of the sect, but haven't you considered what Princess Pingyang would think if you attack that little Taoist priest?"
"What do Princess Pingyang think?"
Monk Fazheng said with a puzzled look.
"Didn't you say that Princess Pingyang has not been to Qingdu Temple for more than a year? She should be..."
"But the problem is that Jingyan and the others took action at noon yesterday..."
Monk Faya raised his head and glared at Monk Fazheng fiercely. "In the evening, Princess Pingyang sent Ma Sanbao's younger brother Ma Sixi to find me. Do you think there can be such a coincidence in the world?"