What Xiang Que saw was a dilapidated small temple in the mountains and forests. The temple was so small that there was only a main hall in the front and a wing behind it. There were no other buildings except for it. There was only one man in the temple who was wearing dirty clothes.
An old monk wearing a monk's robe and bare feet.
The monk didn't seem to be in a very good condition. Apart from being dirty and a bit out of shape, he seemed to be in average spirits. However, judging from the sound of him knocking on the wooden fish and the sound of reciting scriptures, he was really quite good at this time.
One who is dedicated to the Buddha.
There is only one Buddha statue in the temple, and Xiangqi did not recognize which Buddha or Bodhisattva it was from the face of the Buddha statue.
As if he heard someone coming, the old monk with his eyes closed raised his eyelids and glanced at Xiang Que, but his subordinates and mouths didn't listen and continued to do evening lessons.
For monks and Taoists, Xiang Que never judges people by their appearance. This can be seen from the veteran Taoist Zhu Chungang and Master Xuankong Temple. Both of them are slovenly and unattractive, but you can say that they
Won’t there be sparks and lightning along the way?
Since Xiang Que wanted to find a place to rest, it would be the same in this ruined temple, so after coming in, he first found a futon and knelt down to worship the unknown Buddha statue. Then he sat aside and listened to
Listen to the old monk recite scriptures.
More than half an hour later, the old monk seemed to have finished his evening lessons. He put down the wooden fish in his hand and raised his eyelids to look at Xiang Que.
"Master, you're polite," Xiang Que said with his hands clasped together.
"Did the donor come all the way to the West?" The old monk nodded and asked casually.
Xiang Que said "yes", and the other party asked again: "I wonder what the donor's sense of Xitian is?"
Xiang Que was stunned for a moment. He just wanted to find a place to rest, but he didn't want to discuss the senses of their land with the local indigenous people, so he casually said: "It's not bad."
Unexpectedly, this old monk seemed to have not communicated with anyone for a long time. As soon as he started talking, he felt like he couldn't stop talking. He followed Xiang Que's words and asked: "It's okay, but it's not okay."
.”
Xiang Que said helplessly: "Master, it's okay. It's just a polite way of saying it. I mean it's okay."
“It’s OK, but it’s not OK”
Xiang Que: "..."
It's better to go to a Taoist temple. Those Taoist priests are relatively lazy. They don't bother to talk to you. If they have something to talk about, they will draw lots and tell something. But the monks are different. It seems that all the monks in the world like to talk to you.
If you practice meditation, it seems that if you don't practice it, you won't be able to express the word "Tao" in them.
Xiang Que felt a little regretful for coming in. Once the topic started, it would be a bit rude if you left without finishing the topic. He had to pick up the other person's conversation and said patiently: "It's okay, it's okay, it's me.
I feel that Xitian has its merits and shortcomings. This is the same as the benevolent sees benevolence and the wise see wisdom.
The truth is that the world is different in the eyes of everyone. Rich people and powerful people may think that the world is beautiful, but poor and sick people feel that the world is full of depression and depression.
It’s sad, so I think Xitian is OK, but from the perspective of people in Xitian, this place is very OK.”
The old monk looked at Xiang Que quietly, and his originally cloudy eyes suddenly seemed to be much clearer. He asked, "What does the donor think is wrong?"
Xiang Que thought for a while, then asked the questions he had seen along the way.
"I have always thought that Xitian is a holy land of Buddhism. This land is full of eminent monks and successful monks. But looking at it from the looks of it, it seems that this is not the case. There are eminent monks, but there are also some with dirty minds, just like
I accidentally went to a town a few days ago, and I saw several venerables and even Arhats. They all seemed to place themselves in a high position..."
Xiang Que told the other party everything he had seen and heard along the way. After listening to this, the old monk opened his mouth and asked without thinking for a moment: "What do you think is the most fundamental cultivation for cultivating immortals, practicing Buddhism, and cultivating Buddhism?"
?”
"The purpose of cultivating immortals is to live forever and have great magic power. The foundation of cultivation lies in the strength of the realm. As for cultivating Buddhism?" Xiang Que paused and said slowly: "What you cultivate should be your original mind and what you believe in your heart.
Buddhism, I finally attained the Great Perfection and became my Buddha."
The clear gaze in the old monk's eyes became a little brighter now. He nodded slowly and said: "The donor is right, everyone has his own way to practice."
Xiang Que's heart suddenly felt relieved. This old monk was pretty good and didn't continue to argue with him more seriously. Otherwise, the discussion between the two might have been endless.
Just as Xiang Que relaxed for a moment, the old monk suddenly continued: "The situation that the donor mentioned before is very common in the West. It happens almost everywhere, and there are even worse things than this, such as
It’s common to see people’s lives being taken lightly, setting fires to kill people, or bullying and dominating the market.”
Xiang Que was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that the old monk would actually reveal all his secrets. This was a bit of a slap in the face. He couldn't help but said: "Master, what are you doing?"
Are you telling the truth?"
"Of course it's true. Monks don't lie."
Xiang Que frowned, then raised his hand and pointed in the direction of Lingshan Mountain and said, "Masters all know it, but do all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas on Lingshan Mountain know it?"
The old monk said: "Anything that happens in the West can't be hidden from Lingshan, even if there is any trouble, unless someone blocks the changes in Lingshan."
Xiang Que said: "Then why doesn't Lingshan care? Aren't Buddhists supposed to be compassionate? If what the master said happened, and Lingshan knew about it, why didn't he interfere?"
The old monk smiled and said, "Why do we have to take care of it?"
“I don’t think this should be the Western Heaven that people imagine.”
The old monk said: "No matter how hard it is, it can't be managed. If everyone can be compassionate and save all sentient beings, then everyone can become a Buddha. Where did Lingshan come from with so many mountains for so many Buddhas to live in?"
Woolen cloth?"
Xiang Que once again felt that this old monk's thoughts were very different from his own. How should I put it? From what he could tell, this old monk must have taken an unconventional path.
But Xiang Que also suddenly thought of something, that is, the old monk's words seemed to be quite unpredictable. At the same time, he also had an idea that the old monk seemed to be answering questions for him in some aspect.