Since the beginning of December, there have been inexplicable rumors in the temple territory, but Master Nakajima and the others did not pay much attention. When they returned to the territory, all their energy was focused on the movements of the Red Leaf Army. Yu Qiupei was mobilizing
The Red Leaves Army conducted large-scale military exercises around Zaga Castle. The people of Kii Province were kept in the barracks outside the city and were not allowed to move. For this reason, Master Nakajima and many Honganji temple masters all ordered the monks and soldiers to move.
Gathered in the temple, it is best to be ready for battle at any time.
However, the situation of the believers in the territory immediately slipped into an unpredictable abyss. By the time Master Nakajima and others reacted and wanted to take action, it was already too late.
It is said that in the first ten days of this month, a group of Jodo Shinshu monks who claimed to be from the Western Territory Ming Dynasty appeared in villages across Kii. The leader was a leading monk named Mamachi Shikoku. They distributed relief food to the people.
, and at the same time promote remarks that are unfavorable to Honganji: As long as you believe in Buddhism in your heart, you don’t need to go through Honganji at all, you can let the Buddha know and get salvation from the Buddha. Believers don’t have to do anything, don’t need to donate money or land, and don’t need to respond to Honganji.
You can fight against the lord at the call of the Lord, and you can be reborn in the Pure Land as long as you sit at home and believe in Buddhism.
The monks insisted that this is the true teachings of Jodo Shinshu. It is said that some Jodo Shinshu scriptures written in Sanskrit were taken out in many villages. However, the common people did not know what was written on them, but the monks said that this is
The teachings of Jodo Shinshu. In their Ming Dynasty, which is the birthplace of Jodo Shinshu, all Jodo Shinshu believers do this.
For people who do not have clear values and world views, it is easy for them to change some of their ideas - especially those that sound simpler and more beneficial. There is no doubt that the new ideas proposed by these monks are very marketable -
If you can be reborn in the Pure Land without having to donate money or land, or follow the owner to activate a kui, then who would be willing to take the trouble?
Especially during this period, due to the war between the Yuqiu family and Kii, the monks of the temple imposed a lot of food and corvee services, which caused complaints from the people and gave the soil for the breeding of this wonderful new doctrine. It spread quickly.
Rumor has it that many people in the entire Kii village are doubtful about this new doctrine, and many people (many of whom were instigated by Crow's ninja insiders) have even converted to the new doctrine. And that horse
For a time, Machi Lude became a legendary figure in the streets.
Before the monks and abbot of Honganji Temple could think of ways to calm the commotion, Naru Kabuto and Hosoyanagi of the Momiji Army began to take action. They gathered in the direction of Kii's main temple territory and at the same time released a message stating that they had no intention of fighting with the people.
As an enemy, he just wanted to talk to the monks in the temple. At the same time, Yu Qiuping also publicly stated in Zahe City that he himself believed in Buddhism and loved Pure Land Shinshu, and would not force Kii's followers to change their beliefs - but
As a Ming Dynasty native, he believed in the authentic Pure Land Shinshu doctrine of the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, he did not recognize the persistent rebellion initiated by the Pure Land Shinshu believers following the boss.
The temple community of Honganji Temple was frightened when they saw the Red Leaf Army approaching. They hurriedly called on the people in the area to take up arms and join the First Army to defend the temple and territory. They also asked the people to contribute food as military rations. However, their
This behavior just hit the point of the gun - the common people had just learned about the "true teachings" of Jodo Shinshu and had longed for a better life, and they were asked to continue to contribute money and land as before, so naturally they were unwilling to do so.
willing.
As a result, there were voices of protest in many temple territories. Under the appeal of some enthusiastic and leading common people who appeared out of nowhere (actually all of Crow's insiders), many common people refused the Honganji temple masters on the grounds of true teachings.
Requirements. They believe in "justification by faith" and insist that as long as they have Buddha in their hearts, they can be reborn in the Pure Land. There is no need to respond to the call of the bosses to fight against Yu Qiuping, who also believes in Buddhism.
At the same time, taking this as an opportunity, malicious rumors against Honganji Temple also arose in Kii. Plainclothes crows publicized the details of the extravagant life of the head of Honganji Temple and the monks, such as plenty of fish and meat, three wives and four concubines.
They pointed the finger directly at the monks and owners of Honganji Temple. Under their instigation, many people doubted the motives of these monks. Did they ask people to donate money and land in order to enrich their own pockets, and then in order to protect their own property?
Who just called for Yikui?
In response to these malicious rumors, Master Nakajima and others hastily sent people to refute them, and took out the scriptures of Jodo Shinshu to prove that their teachings were correct, and that the new teachings were all nonsense. However, among the people,
However, the leader (plainclothes of Crow) showed that he did not believe this and started a debate with the monks of Honganji Temple in front of the people. Their debate and logic were all taught by Yu Qiupei, and the monks of Honganji Temple could not defeat them at all.
"Is the Buddha omnipotent and powerful?"
"Are all living beings equal before gods and Buddhas?"
"Then why do people have to let the Buddha know their thoughts through you monks?"
"How could Buddha care about worldly things like money and land? How could Buddha advocate killing?"
"Then what are you Honganji people doing here?"
In the face of this logic, the Honganji monks who usually command the chanting of scriptures were defeated one after another. Occasionally, if a eloquent monk appeared, Mamachi Shikoku would appear in person in that village and refute him. So,
Public opinion in the entire Kii village was fierce for a while, and the necessity of the existence of the masters and monks of Honganji Temple was questioned. More and more people believed in the new doctrine, refused to pay money and land, and refused to respond to the call of Honganji Temple to launch a coup.
.
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Only then did Master Nakajima and many of the bosses and monks of Honganji Temple realize that they had encountered an unprecedented and strange enemy, and they did not follow the regular routines of samurai lords at all. You can tell with your own feet that behind this series of movements must be Yu
Qiuping's shadow.
In the past, there were many samurai lords who were enemies of Honganji and wanted to dismantle Honganji. However, the method they adopted was generally to attack Jodo Shinshu and the sacred lord Honganji Kairu himself, criticize Jodo Shinshu as a belief, and threaten to
To deprive Honganji Temple and its believers of their territory - this will undoubtedly offend the majority of believers and infringe on their interests. At this time, as long as the boss and monks raise their arms, thousands of dissatisfied believers can be mobilized to launch an attack.
However, Yu Qiuping's routine this time was very strange. Instead of denying the Jodo Shinshu and the Dharma Master, he regarded them as gods. On the contrary, they pointed the finger at the middle-level clergy of Honganji Temple, believing that they had deceived the superiors.
Filling their own pockets, disobeying gods and Buddhas, and oppressing the people - this is undoubtedly easy to be recognized by the people. At the same time, they also put forward a very tempting new doctrine: justification by faith. As long as you believe in the Buddha in your heart, you can do anything.
If you don't want to do it, you can be reborn in the Pure Land. Not only does this not harm the interests of the people, but it makes their path to practice more convenient and is deeply loved by the people. As a result, this teaching immediately spread among the people.
At this time, it would be difficult for the boss and monks of Honganji Temple to instigate. First of all, the common people did not lose their interests at all, but they liked this new and more comfortable doctrine. Secondly, Yu Qiuping did not attack Jodo Shinshu and its master.
The common people didn't even have the basic feeling of anger. On the contrary, the shop owner and the monks themselves were accused of lining their own pockets, and they couldn't clean it up no matter how hard they tried.
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"What a Buddhist scum!"
After Master Nakajima figured out what Yu Qiuping wanted to do, he angrily cursed, "If this continues, how can Buddhism have any dignity at all?"
"Justification by faith Justification by faith! If rebirth in the Pure Land is really as simple as that guy said, and you can sit at home without doing anything or going to a temple to recite sutras, then what's the point of believing in the Buddha?
Everyone in the world says in his heart that he believes in Buddhism, so can everyone go to the Pure Land?"
Master Nakajima blushed and cursed a long string of words. The elderly man was even out of breath. He waited for a long time before continuing, "Is there any truth that you can be reborn in the Pure Land without practicing? Really?
They are Buddhist scum! Those people are the most ignorant. The simpler the teachings are, the more benefits they have. They will believe in the sect. When they see such a good thing and can go to the Pure Land without doing anything, they naturally believe in it in droves! If that Yuqiu
If Hongye does this, wouldn't it mean that the simpler the doctrine, the more followers there will be? Then in the end, wouldn't the whole world be Buddhist believers, and then the doctrine is that as long as you say you are a believer, you can be reborn in the Pure Land?"
However, while Master Nakajima was cursing, he found that the other monks sitting around him looked embarrassed, and no one matched his words. His speaking speed gradually slowed down, and as he thought about it, he realized the meaning of his words.
What's the problem - he seemed to be scolding himself and Honganji.
Isn’t this how Honganji Temple started?
In the past, the teachings of Buddhist schools all over the world were cumbersome and complicated. They required believers to shave their heads and become monks, cut off their ties to the world, eat fast, chant sutras, and practice day after day, year after year, in order to be reborn in the Pure Land. There are many such requirements.
It is difficult for the common people to accomplish this.
At this time, Jodo Shinshu came into being. Their teachings are very simple - you don't need to shave your head and become a monk, cut off the worldly ties, eat fasting and recite sutras, even if you eat meat with your hair, marry a wife and have children, you can be reborn in the Pure Land. This is easy to understand.
The teachings immediately became popular all over the country and were supported by poor people who wanted to be reincarnated but were afraid of trouble. A large number of believers flowed to Jodo Shinshu.
But now, Yu Qiuping is treating others in his own way, using simpler teachings to give Jodo Shinshu a severe blow.
However, competition between different Buddhist sects is actually a vicious cycle. It is just like merchants in the market who lower prices to attract customers in order to defeat their competitors. If the malicious competition does not stop, the final result will be that both parties lower their prices to almost
It can be ignored, and you will lose everything. The vicious competition among Buddhist sects in teachings is actually that whose simple teachings can win more support from the people. If such competition is not stopped, the final result will be - all
The teachings of Buddhism are so simple that you can be reborn in the Pure Land without doing anything. If it really comes to this point, then the existence of Buddhism will be meaningless, and all Buddhist sects in the world will lose everything.
However, Yu Qiuping doesn't care about this. Anyway, he is not from the Buddhist sect, so what does the Buddhist sect have to do with him? As an atheist, he has no pressure to do such a thing.