On December 3, a group of mysterious travelers came to a village next to a temple in Kii Nagusa County. Except for the leader, who had his hair tied up, the others were dressed like monks.
They did not come empty-handed, but brought a large amount of food. For the people of Kii who had delayed the entire autumn harvest and had their stored food confiscated, it was a timely help. The people in the village swarmed towards the group of travelers and lined up.
They began to receive the food distributed by them. After discovering that most of them were dressed as monks, a follower of the Ichisei Sect named Kintaro in the village couldn't help but asked: "Are all the masters from Shishan? I have never been in the village before.
I’ve seen you in the temple.”
"The poor monk came from the Ming Dynasty in the west." The only monk in the crowd who had not shaved his head answered Kintaro, "Amitabha, you are so good."
"Is he the master of the Celestial Dynasty?" In the eyes of the people of this era, the Ming Dynasty and that mysterious continent seemed to be a place where only gods could live. As soon as they heard these words, feelings of longing and envy arose spontaneously.
, "Then why do you come to us to distribute food to us?"
"Gods and Buddhas will not sit back and watch any believer suffer." The leading monk had an incomprehensible expression and replied with incomprehensible words, "We happened to pass by and can help you. It is also our destiny. Amitabha,
It’s good, it’s good.”
"Thank you so much, Master. I thank you on behalf of the whole family." Kintaro took the food from the leading monk's hand, knelt down and wanted to kowtow to the monk, but was stopped by the monk.
"Alas, since you are a believer, how can you break the precepts?" The monk shook his head repeatedly when he saw this, and looked at Kintaro with dissatisfaction, "In front of the gods and Buddhas, all living beings are equal. This worship can only be done to the Buddha, how can you bow to me?"
The monk kneels down and worships? How can I, a monk, bear such a rebellious and unethical thing? If the Buddha knows about it, he will definitely punish you and me severely!"
"Ah? Does the Buddha still have such rules?" After hearing the monk's words, many people who wanted to leave after receiving the food stopped and gathered around the monk, "Master, please tell us.
, otherwise, what should we do if we say we have offended the Buddha?"
"The monks here..." The monk pointed to the temple on the hillside of the village, "Didn't I tell you?"
The common people shook their heads when they heard this, and whispered something.
"Amitabha, it's your fault." The monk immediately looked very repentant after hearing this. He lowered his head and twirled his rosary, as if he was repenting for the monks of Honganji Temple. Then he spoke in a low voice again, "Then they all
What did I say to you?"
The common people were stunned for a while after hearing the words, and then, with the encouragement from the monk's gaze, they started talking one after another.
"Faith is the cause, and you will repay your kindness by name."
"Even if a person does a lot of evil in his lifetime, he can still be saved and be reborn in the Pure Land!"
“You don’t have to shave your head, go out and eat fast, eat meat, drink alcohol, marry a wife and have children, you can practice cultivation!”
"As long as you respond to the call of the masters, contribute money and effort to the Dharma Master and the Bamboo Master, and die for the Dharma Master and the Bamboo Master, you can reach the Pure Land of Rebirth even if you are full of evildoers!"
"right!"
"Yes, all you need to do is die for the Dharma Master! They will tell the Buddha about us and save us!"
"Yes, thanks to the masters! I don't want to have to live this hard life in the next life!"
…
However, as these ordinary people talked, they found that the monk's expression became darker and darker, and in the end he even looked a little angry. The rosary beads in his hand were moved faster and faster by him, and he muttered something as if he was talking.
Repent for what.
As a result, the voices of the people's discussions became smaller and smaller, and finally became quiet. And the monk
After reciting his confession, he angrily threw the rosary beads to the ground and scattered them all over the place, frightening the people.
"There is no such reason, there is no such reason, Amitabha, Amitabha." The monk chanted again like a wheel for a long time, then turned around and shouted in a deep voice, "These people are simply the scum of Buddhism. They hide the truth from the Buddha and bully the common people. After death, they fall into
Eighteen levels of hell, and you will never be reincarnated for eternity!"
Seeing that the monk was so angry, the people looked at each other for a while. They had often heard similar accusations from the lords. However, they never believed that the monks of Honganji Temple were bad people. They respected these monks. There were no marriages in the village.
They were invited to recite sutras at funerals and weddings. Those evil lords knew that they oppressed the people in order to take away the land of the temple and the people's taxes, so they discredited the Jodo Shinshu. Only those who believe in the Jodo Shinshu will have good things in the next life.
Live your life.
However, the monk from the Ming Dynasty in front of me is different. He is also a monk, so why is he so angry? Is there really something hidden?
"Master, what's wrong with what our master here said?" Kintaro cautiously interjected while the monk was breathing.
"Not only is it wrong, it is simply wrong." The monk took a few deep breaths and whispered in disgust, "Jodo Shinsect originated from the Tang Dynasty. I am also a believer in Jodo Shinsect. How could I know that the teachings of Jodo Shinsect are here?
The Eastern Land has actually been corrupted to this extent. If you dare to tamper with the teachings like this, the scum of Honganji Temple will never be reincarnated, and gods and Buddhas will punish you! Amitabha, it is a sin."
"Ah?" The common people were all shocked when they heard this, and could not say anything for a long time. After a while, the discussion gradually started in the crowd, and some people began to yell for the monk to explain clearly.
"You all listen up!" The monk seemed to be very dissatisfied with the noise of the crowd. He shouted loudly and raised his voice, immediately calming the crowd. After the crowd became quiet again, the monk spoke again: "The only teaching of Jodo Shinshu is
One thing, please remember it——"
The monk prolonged his tone, satisfying everyone's appetite, and then said loudly:
“Justified by faith!”
·
"Master, what does this mean?" Kintaro obviously didn't understand this brand-new vocabulary and asked in surprise.
"It is you believers, no matter you are male or female, old or young, no matter your good or bad merits, no matter your personal practice, you don't have to worry about donating money to Honganji Temple, and you respond to the call of the Master and fight for Honganji Temple. All of you -" The monk paused.
, he made a big circle with his hands, enclosing everyone in it, "You can all rely on faith to go directly to the Pure Land! As long as you believe in Buddhism in your heart, you can get the salvation of gods and Buddhas!"
The monk's remarks caused an uproar in the crowd, and everyone was surprised. They whispered to each other and looked at the monk who came from the Ming Dynasty in disbelief, as if they did not believe that what they heard was true.
"Then there is no need to donate money to the boss in the future?"
"Need not."
"There's no need to give the land to the temple?"
"Need not."
"In the future, if the master makes a move, we won't have to go?"
"No, no need." The monk waved his hand and shouted to the crowd, "As long as you believe in Buddha in your heart, Buddha will understand your intentions and will save you to the Pure Land! This is the teaching of my Pure Land Shinsect!"
"But if we don't do anything for the gods and Buddhas, why would the gods and Buddhas save us?" Kintaro still couldn't believe the good things that came to his door - could they really go to the pure land of the afterlife without doing anything?
?
"Morning gods and Buddhas
He has seen through the mortal world and severed all ties with it. Money and land are meaningless in his eyes, and conquests and killings are strictly forbidden by the Buddha. How can he ask you to respond?" The monk said in a loud voice, "If that's the case.
, Isn’t Buddha just like those vulgar warrior gentlemen? Do you think Buddha would be such a person?”
As soon as Yu Qiuping said this, the common people who believed in Buddhism shook their heads - how could gods and Buddhas be the same as those warrior lords?
"But...if there are no bosses and masters telling the gods and Buddhas about our affairs for us, how will the gods and Buddhas know that we believe in Buddhism?" Another middle-aged farmer asked, "What do we have to do anyway?
Let the gods and Buddhas know."
"No, no need. Buddha is omnipotent and omniscient. He knows five hundred years before and five hundred years after. Buddha knows everything in this world. Let alone what happened, even you
Buddha is aware of every little thought in your heart. How can a Buddha with such vast supernatural powers need to be reported by the monks of Honganji Temple to know whether you believe in the Buddha or not?"
The monk's words caused the people to ponder. Everyone was silent for a long time before finally realizing that the monk was right. Gods and Buddhas are omnipotent, so why do they need others to inform them? Everyone, look at me.
Looking at you, everyone has a question in their mind, but no one dares to ask it. After a long time, Kintaro finally couldn't help it, and he had the courage to ask in a low voice:
"Then... why do our masters and masters lie to us? Isn't the master a good person too?"
As soon as this statement came out, everyone immediately scolded him. However, although everyone scolded him, they were all thinking about the same problem, and they all turned their attention to Yu Qiuping, hoping that he could give an explanation.
"The Dharma Master is naturally a good person, and many monks are also good people. Without their preaching, all sentient beings would not know the existence of the Buddha, nor would they know that believing in the Buddha can lead to rebirth in the Pure Land." The monk shook his head and changed the subject, "But some monks
You have been deceived by demons and ghosts and betrayed the Buddha. It is their desire for profit and their obsession with wealth that encourages you to donate money and land and follow them to fight! If you do these things, you violate the teachings of the Pure Land Shinshu and will be punished by the gods and Buddhas.
of!"
"If you want to be reborn in the Pure Land, stop doing all these things. Believe in the gods and Buddhas who are powerful and omniscient! As long as you believe in the Buddha in your heart, the gods and Buddhas will save you! Anyone who asks you to do things in the name of gods and Buddhas
, they are all Buddhist scum, people who use the Buddha to make profits! Because the real gods and Buddhas are compassionate and only want to save you, and will not ask you to do anything!"
·
Leaving the stunned crowd standing at the entrance of the village, the monk led his followers to leave the village and go to the next place on the itinerary.
"Have you learned it? Just say so!" The monk took out a handful of rosary beads from his arms and said to his followers, "I can't take you through all the villages. Just follow me and learn a few words."
Three days, and then they will act on their own!"
"Yes, Your Highness." The ninjas dressed as monks all responded, secretly admiring the leader's eloquence.
At this moment, the people at the entrance of the village woke up from a dream. Kintaro, who had been the most active just now, ran over, followed by several other people. Only these ninjas knew that this Kintaro was actually a ninja in disguise.
He is the person in the crowd who answers the questions and arouses the mood of the crowd.
"Master, may I ask your surname?" Kintaro ran to the monk and asked him excitedly. Several unsuspecting people behind him gathered around him and begged him from the bottom of their hearts.