Chapter 85: Reciting the Sutra Ten Thousand Times and Asking for One Cycle
At this time, Qu Wuming was walking aimlessly on the mountain road.
The cold wind whistled, rolling up the withered yellow leaves, circling and dancing around Qu Wuming, just like his lonely and desolate mood at the moment.
The beloved has passed away, and even though there is an agreement about the next life, in that vague and illusory future, who can be sure that there will really be a day when we meet again?
There are mountains and mountains in front of us, and there is only one trail extending out alone, without knowing where to go.
Qu Wuming didn't know where to go for a moment, so he just lowered his head and walked along the mountain road.
I don’t know how far I walked, but the road under my feet became much wider, and there were a few more passers-by walking in the same direction.
But Qu Wuming seemed to be unaware of it, still lowering his head and moving forward silently.
Suddenly, the melodious sound of bells came to his ears, awakening Qu Wuming from his memories.
Looking up into the distance, at the end of the winding mountain road, there is a temple hidden among the green pines and cypresses. Waves of green smoke slowly rise from the temple, and it seems to be a temple full of incense.
With a thought in his mind, Qu Wuming followed the pedestrians around him and climbed up the stairs. When he came to the temple, he looked up and saw a plaque hanging on the tall temple door with the three characters "Xuanfa Temple" written on it.
Stepping into the temple gate, a huge bronze cauldron comes into view, with smoke curling up from the cauldron. Countless men and women are kneeling in front of the cauldron and sincerely prostrate themselves, each praying for something.
Looking through the green smoke, in the main hall behind the tripod, there is a tall Buddha statue sitting on the lotus platform. From the temple door, only the chest of the Buddha statue can be seen. I don't know which Buddha it is.
Behind the Buddhist hall, there was a faint sound of chanting accompanied by the sound of wooden fish, and occasionally there was the sound of bells and chimes.
Qu Wuming bypassed the group of devotees and walked toward the back of the temple, only to see more than ten monks sitting on futons in the main hall of the second courtyard, chanting Buddhist scriptures in unison...
Opposite the monks, there was an old monk sitting with his eyes closed, one palm on his chest, a long string of rosary beads hanging from the tiger's mouth, and his other hand slowly tapping the wooden fish. When Qu Wuming's eyes fell on him
At this time, the old monk opened his eyes slightly as if he was mentally induced, glanced at Qu Wuming, and then continued to close his eyes and recite the sutra.
Qu Wuming did not disturb the group of monks and continued walking towards the backyard.
In the third courtyard, there are still several Buddhist temples. However, there are several more Bodhisattvas and Dharma protectors enshrined in them. There are still many people who come here to worship and pray.
When Qu Wuming thought about taking a look behind him, he saw a sign in front of the corner door that read "Monk's residence, pilgrims are not allowed to enter", so he had to stop.
After turning around and walking a few steps, Qu Wuming looked up and saw the words "Palace of Rebirth" written on a plaque in a Buddhist temple, and he couldn't help but become distracted.
Qu Wuming walked slowly in. The first thing that caught his eye was a kind and solemn Buddha statue in the temple. Lin Wanqing's voice and smile could not help but appear in Qu Wuming's mind, and an indelible regret surged into his mind.
Qu Wuming felt another inexplicable heartache in his heart.
Qu Wuming is a Taoist. He has always believed that those legendary Taoist ancestors with boundless power and the real Taoist ancestors of the Immortal Sect are probably on par with the people represented by the wooden and clay Buddha statues in front of him. The people around him sincerely knelt down and worshiped silently.
The faithful men and women who pray are only worshiping the immortals who have practiced Buddhist techniques to the highest level.
The Tao is different and there is no mutual conspiracy. Qu Wuming never worshiped Buddha in the past.
Because he felt that even if the Buddha was really powerful and could hear people's prayers, he would not do anything for the wishes of all living beings like ants.
Just like people don't care what the ants under their feet are thinking or asking for.
But at this moment, Qu Wuming somewhat hoped that the Buddha in front of him could hear people's wishes and help them realize these wishes.
Because Qu Wuming really hopes to be reincarnated at this moment, even if the hope is very slim...
Qu Wuming just stood in front of the Buddha, lost in thought, unaware of the surprised looks of the faithful men and women around him.
After an unknown amount of time, someone shouted a Buddha's name beside Qu Wuming, which interrupted Qu Wuming's thoughts and brought him back to reality.
"The donor has been staring at this Buddha statue for a long time." The one who spoke was the old monk knocking on the wooden fish that Qu Wuming had seen before.
Only then did Qu Wuming realize that he and the old monk beside him were the only ones left in the hall. The candlelight in the hall was swaying and the light was dim. At some point, it was already dusk outside.
"I'm so sorry! I'm leaving right now." Qu Wuming knew the rules of the temple and hurriedly apologized to the old monk, turned around and left.
The moment I passed by the old monk, I saw the old monk clasping his hands in front of the Buddha statue and saying softly: "If you want to know the cause of the past life, who is the recipient of this life; if you want to know the result of the next life, who is the author of this life."
When Qu Wuming heard this, he was startled, as if he had been shocked by electricity. He stopped and looked at the old monk. After hesitating for a moment, he suddenly asked: "May I ask Master, is there really reincarnation?"
The old monk raised his head and looked up at the Buddha statue, and said calmly: "The Buddha said that all living beings have come from without beginning. The succession of life and death is due to the ignorance of the eternal true mind and the pure nature of the body, and the use of delusional thoughts. This thought is not true, so there are
Rotate.”
Qu Wuming seemed to understand something, and there was a hint of hope in his eyes. He bowed deeply to the old monk and then asked: "Then, master, if this person has passed away, how can the living people help her to enter reincarnation as soon as possible and start a new life?"
?”
Hearing this, the old monk shook his head slightly and said: "All appearances are false. If you see all appearances that are not appearances, you will see the Tathagata. The cycle of birth and death has its own way, which cannot be reached by human beings."
"But..." Qu Wuming was still a little unwilling to give up, and wanted to ask more questions, but heard the old monk continue.
"Donor, have you ever heard this saying: One thought of sentient being lasts for sixty moments, and each moment has six hundred births and deaths?" The old monk turned around and smiled slightly, "One thought has already experienced thirty-six thousand.
The same is true for the rebirth, existence, and destruction of the past and future lives. Therefore, the Sutra says: The past mind cannot be obtained, the present mind cannot be obtained, and the future mind cannot be obtained."
Qu Wuming suddenly became a little angry and asked: "Since the three hearts are unattainable, doesn't it mean that everything is false? How can we talk about reincarnation?"
"Haha, what the donor said is true. The emptiness of all dharmas, and all conditioned dharmas, are like bubbles in a dream, like dew, or like lightning. This should be viewed as such." The old monk nodded with admiration in his eyes.
"Then what do these things in front of me mean?" Qu Wuming raised his hand and pointed at the Buddha statue and said, "Since everything is empty, why do we still erect these wooden and clay sculptures for people to worship? Is it just to collect some money for incense?"
"Haha, the donor has the appearance. Didn't I just say that all appearances are false. If you see all appearances that are not appearances, you will see the Tathagata." The old monk smiled and said, "The Buddha statue is not a Buddha. The statue is just for the convenience of all living beings.
Just raise your mindfulness and focus on practice."
Qu Wuming was speechless after hearing the words. Words such as "all dharmas are empty", "dream bubbles", and "like dew like lightning" were always lingering in his mind. Thinking of Lin Wanqing's hard life but helpless withering life, she couldn't help but feel depressed again.
Go down.
"The cycle of life and death does not leave the six paths. The karma of all living beings will not be destroyed for a hundred kalpas. When the causes and conditions come together, the results will mature. Only those who have achieved the nirvana of no life can transcend the cycle of reincarnation." The old monk seemed to know what Qu Wuming was thinking.
, paused and then said, "I think that woman is just like any other living being, and she will eventually enter reincarnation."
"Really?" Qu Wuming looked into the old monk's deep eyes and saw a very determined expression.
"If the donor needs it, I can help the donor chant the Sutra of Rebirth in the Pure Lands of the Ten Directions for her to help her fulfill her wish to be reincarnated as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Master!" Qu Wuming heard the words and hurriedly bowed and saluted.
"I also ask the donor to follow me to the Buddhist hall to listen to the sutras."
…
After the old monk finished reciting the sutra, Qu Wuming imitated the old monk's gesture and clasped his hands together, nodding sincerely to the old monk.
When he raised his head, he suddenly said: "Master, I want to worship in Xuanfa Temple and chant sutras for her thousands of times in person. I also ask for Master's permission..."
————
Chang'an City, the backyard of Fuwei Escort Agency.
Several chirping birds could be heard outside the ancestral hall, which brought Qu Wuming back from his thoughts.
Qu Wuming stared blankly at Lin Wanqing's memorial tablet, as if he saw the woman who dared to love, hate, and struggled to survive, and said softly: "Wanqing, it has been more than three hundred years, why haven't you come back? I
I have recited the Purana Sutra for you in Xuanfa Temple for thirty years. You must have heard it, right? If you really come back one day, will you still remember your brother Qu..."
————
Outside the ancestral hall, three people were gathering behind the screen wall at the entrance of the courtyard, whispering something.
"Dad, is that Senior Qu inside who has been guarding our Lin family?" A young man about eighteen or nineteen years old looked in the direction of the ancestral hall and turned around to ask.
"Well, it should be, it's exactly the same as the portraits left by our ancestors." Lin Zhennan nodded and whispered.
Next to him, another young man in his twenties asked in a low voice: "Could he be related to Lin Wanqing's ancestor?" As he said that, he raised his two thumbs and leaned toward the middle.
"Don't talk nonsense!" Lin Zhennan waited for him and scolded in a low voice, "When ancestor Lin Wanqing went there, she was still a young girl. I heard from my grandfather that ancestor Lin Wanqing once saved the life of senior Qu. Later, senior Qu returned the favor to Lin Wanqing.
Our ancestors took revenge and killed the then-lord of Hulan City and his family."
When the young man in his twenties heard this, his eyes lit up, and he suddenly took Lin Zhennan's arm and said excitedly: "In that case, doesn't it mean that I can ask Senior Qu for help to check my little sister's illness? My little sister can be saved.
?”
Lin Zhennan sighed and said: "I was planning to ask him a while ago, but now I can't find anything to do after searching all the famous doctors, so I had no choice but to go against my ancestors' instructions and rashly used the fairy sword left by Senior Qu to invite him... But before
I didn't tell the truth, I hope he won't blame me for it..."
The three of them were muttering in low voices with sad faces on their faces, but they heard the door of the ancestral hall creaking. Just as they were stunned, Qu Wuming had appeared in front of the three of them.
"Did you just say someone was sick?"
"Qu, Senior Qu!" Lin Zhennan and the two young men were startled, and they hurriedly bowed and saluted.
"You know I am not a doctor, just a Taoist." Qu Wuming said calmly.
Seeing that Qu Wuming seemed a little displeased, Lin Zhennan hurriedly explained: "Senior Qu, I have a daughter, she is seventeen years old. She fell into a coma not long ago, and she would murmur and sleepwalk from time to time while in the coma. We
I called famous doctors all over the place but couldn't find out what the disease was, and they couldn't wake her up. Seeing her getting thinner and weaker, I had no choice but to use the fairy sword to summon her, and asked Senior Qu to forgive me!
"
After saying that, Lin Zhennan fell to his knees with a bang and begged with tears in his eyes: "Please ask Senior Qu to go see my little girl and find a way to save her life!"
The two young people next to him also knelt down and said in unison: "Senior Qu, please save my little sister!"
Qu Wuming looked at the father and son kneeling on the ground, and seemed to see Lin Yuan and his son again. Back then, they had knelt in front of him like this, begging him to save Lin Wanqing... Qu Wuming's heart softened, and he bent down and took his own hands.
He helped Lin Zhennan up and said softly: "Everyone, get up and take me to see. If there is a way, I will give it a try."
"Thank you, Senior Qu! Thank you, Senior Qu!" Lin Zhennan wiped away his tears, got up and took Qu Wuming straight to the corner gate of the West Crossing Courtyard. On the way, he did not forget to introduce him, "My little girl's name is Lin Manlu. She will be here in a few days."