Chapter 24: The Dao of the Buddha Fears the Power of Heaven (3)
Zhao Si looked around at the crowd and said in a deep voice: "Then let's get started."
Monk Zhihai, the abbot of the Foguang Zen Temple in Wutai Mountain, spoke up: "The name of the temple was given by the emperor during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Later Han Dynasty. It has been followed for hundreds of years and has become a custom. Now it is renamed.
Allowing the use of temples is too overbearing."
Wutai Mountain Foguang Zen Temple is the leader of Shimen temples in Hebei and Hedong, and has a profound influence in the Liao Dynasty. Based on this, Monk Zhihai felt that there is no one else but me who can raise his voice for Shimen.
"During the former dynasties and the later Han Dynasty, monks from the Western Regions brought scriptures from the White Horse Camel, which first stopped at Honglu Temple. The later emperor borrowed the name of the temple and founded the White Horse Temple to house the scriptures." Liu Zhengfu, the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, said, "Obviously
I just borrowed the name of the temple to place scriptures, but let the Buddhist monks take the opportunity to take it as their own. They have occupied it for hundreds of years, and it is time to give it back."
"The places where officials of the former Qin Dynasty worked were generally called temples. Temples and courts also had laws and regulations, so your majesty used Dali Temple as the master of laws and regulations. Could it be that Shimen felt that he was the master of the Song Dynasty and had laws and regulations, so he insisted on occupying this place.
Can’t the name of the temple be used?”
Liu Zhengfu glanced at Monk Zhihai with contempt.
I know that you monks like to play tricks and sophistry. This is an upright matter, and I will not give you a chance to play side games or engage in conceptual substitution.
"A temple is a place for worshiping and worshiping ancestors. "Book of Rites: Mingtang" has the cloud, Taimiao, Emperor Mingtang. Over time, it has also become synonymous with the imperial court. Fan Wenzhenggong has a famous saying, "If you live high in the temple, you will worry about the people."
The gate occupies the word "temple", which is juxtaposed with the place of ancestor worship and the imperial palace. We have been complacent for hundreds of years without knowing any shame! How shameless!"
Liu Zhengfu, as the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, is the second debater in today's meeting to support the liberation of the evil spirits. He has a mission. Especially in front of officials, he has to show off his talents, so his words are very sharp.
"Now His Majesty and the imperial court want to clear away the evil and strengthen the righteousness, repel the foreign evil, clear the source and straighten the original, and clarify the internal and external. This is the right thing to do!"
Monk Zhihai's face was dark and he was still arguing forcefully.
"Temple or temple is just a name, so why should we be rigid? It is better to continue the tradition and not add misunderstandings to the people."
Zhang Dun stood up and said unceremoniously.
"Even if it is a false name, why should a great monk stick to a temple or a temple? As a monk, the skin and appearance are all illusions. But the court and officials are deeply involved in the secular world. They speak the name justly, and the most important thing is the ethical status. The temple is
A temple, a temple is a temple, we can’t let villains pretend to be the authority of ethics and religion.”
After saying that, he turned to Zhao Si, cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, in my capacity as the Grand Administrator of Shangshu Province, I would like to add one more point in Article 14 of the second paragraph of the "Draft Code of Merits and Virtues of Monks, Daoist and Nuns": Abbot, Abbot, Zhike,
For teaching positions such as Dianzuo, candidates can only be appointed by the meritocracy and approved by the Department of Merit and Virtue of the Ministry of Rites or the relevant departments of each county."
Zhao Si looked at the majestic Zhang Dun and asked with a smile: "What if the Merit Department of the Ministry of Rites or the departments of each county feel that the candidate recommended is inappropriate?"
"Re-election! The monks in each monastery have their own ideas, but the Merit Department of the Ministry of Rites or the departments of each county have official considerations."
As soon as Zhang Dun finished speaking, beads of sweat appeared on Monk Zhihai's forehead and shiny head.
This move clearly tells yourself, don’t be too arrogant. Whether you can be an abbot depends on the court’s face. If the court doesn’t recognize you, you are nothing!
So don't be too arrogant!
"Yes! Merit Department, remember to add this suggestion from the Prime Minister."
"Here!"
Monk Zhihai sat down dejectedly.
The first shot fired at the gate misfired.
Monk Hui Hai, the abbot of Jialan Temple in Luoyang, said: "Your Majesty, distinguished officials, we Buddhist disciples should be pure and practice Buddhism. However, before we are liberated, we are still ordinary people, and our stinky skin still needs grains to support us. If we cut off our land rashly, I am afraid that we will let people
We monks are hungry and can hardly make a living."
Liu Zhengfu immediately retorted: "The "Draft of Code of Merits and Virtues of Monks, Taoist and Niss" that Li Dusi just read clearly states that monks recognized by the imperial court are like priests, have establishments, and have salaries. How can they be worried about such preferential treatment?
Do you have no worries about food and clothing? Just cultivate your mind and worship the Buddha."
Monk Sihe, the abbot of Baima Temple, said: "The number of establishments is fixed, which is very different from the Buddha's universal salvation. If I want to introduce people with wisdom to Buddhism, I still need to apply for the establishment. Isn't this the most ridiculous thing in the world?"
Liu Zhengfu said unceremoniously: "Educate the world? Does the great monk have to bring all the people in the world to Buddhism and become monks? By then, the great monk has established a Buddhist kingdom in heaven, but no one is farming or weaving.
Let’s chant sutras and worship Buddha together, and then we’ll starve and freeze to death together.”
His words elicited a chuckle.
Liu Zhengfu continued with a solemn face: "Officials, teachers, military, police, monks and Taoists, etc., are not involved in production, although they each perform their own duties. Officials are responsible for managing government and caring for the people; teachers are responsible for teaching and educating people; the military is responsible for protecting the family.
To defend the country; to police, to maintain public order... But a meal and a piece of clothing are the people's treasure, and they are indispensable and indispensable, causing a heavy burden on the people. Therefore, there must be a fixed number, and it cannot be expanded without limit."
His words aroused applause and approval from many people in the gallery.
After more than a year of subtle influence in newspapers and magazines, the concept of "the people are the foundation of the country, the foundation is strong and the country is safe" has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Therefore, it is absolutely politically correct to broaden the people's power and underestimate the people's burden.
What's more, Liu Zhengfu also said that although officials, teachers, military, and police also received food from the people, they still performed their duties and made contributions to the people in return.
Monk Dao Yu, how do you repay? Read a few verses for the common people? Bless you with good weather?
Aren't you the most despised parasites? Leeches that suck the flesh and blood of the people?
The face of Siru Monk was so bitter that it turned into coptis.
Yang Shi, Li Guang, Zhang Yi and others looked at each other and couldn't help but started talking in low voices.
"It's not a good idea to release the door. I'm afraid it will be completely defeated." Yang Shi shook his head and said.
"Today, they do not care about the Zen meaning of Buddhist scriptures, but just talk about things. Their arguments are not stable in the first place. Buddhism is pure and pure, and should not be indulged in the world of mortals. It should be cut off from money and worldly things. However, local wealthy families have colluded with them to evade taxes and evade taxes.
I couldn’t say it out loud. That’s why I was hit hard.”
"Yes, no matter who you ask, monks and other monks should stay away from the mountains and forests, purify their minds, and stay away from the world. Nine out of ten people will definitely say that they should. No matter whether they are military officers or common people, rich or poor, so it is righteous.
Wherever you are, the general trend is."
Having said this, Zhang Yi couldn't help but turn around and ask Cheng Yi softly: "Teacher, do you mean this when you talk about the official road?"
Cheng Yi shook his head and replied with a smile: "Keep reading."
After several debates, Shi Men was always at a disadvantage.
As Li Guang said, Buddhist monks are really powerful in discussing Zen principles, but today they are discussing matters based on basic principles and facts, so their arguments are unstable and it is very difficult to argue.
Moreover, the imperial court did not ban Buddhism, nor did it say that it would not support monks. It just dug out all the evil and bad habits of Buddhism and put them on the table.
The debate gradually came to an end, and everyone was waiting for the official to make a final decision.
"Dear monks, I am not familiar with Buddhist scriptures. I have read them over and over again. I have only read one Diamond Sutra and one Heart Sutra. "The Heart Sutra says, 'Form is emptiness and emptiness is color'. I only remember two sentences from the 5,000-word Diamond Sutra.
Words. 'All conditioned phenomena are like bubbles in a dream, like dew or lightning, and should be observed in this way.' and 'It should have no abode but its mind.'"
"This should be the true meaning of Buddhism."
Everyone nodded.
"Buddhism was introduced to China from the former dynasty to the later Han Dynasty. After hundreds of years, its glory period was undoubtedly the Southern and Northern Dynasties and the former Tang Dynasty. Kumarajiva, an eminent monk in the Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Later Qin Dynasty, translated seventy-four Buddhist scriptures and three hundred and forty-eight volumes. Dharma
The eminent monk Xian was the first person to go to Tianzhu to obtain Buddhist scriptures. The eminent monk Zhiyi founded the Tiantai Sect, the first sect of Buddhism. Xuanzang, Bodhidharma, Huineng, Yixing, Dharma Tibet...are shining brightly in history, and their merits are immeasurable."
"However, since the Tang Dynasty, although there have been many eminent monks in Buddhism, who can compare with the above-mentioned eminent monks?"
Zhao Si's question made all the eminent monks and spectators think attentively.
Yes, after the Tang Dynasty, the eminent Buddhist monks were worse than the others. What is going on?
"Because a hundred years after the peace of the Song Dynasty, the trend of luxury and leisure not only spread among the people, but also invaded Buddhism. High halls, golden Buddha statues, jade cassocks, thousands of fields... Is it still practicing Buddhism like this?
It would be a weird thing to be able to become a great monk!"
"The Queen Mother and the Queen Mother are both Buddhist believers. They have sincerely worshiped Buddhism for decades. They often lament that there are no truly virtuous and eminent monks in the world? Where is the true pure Buddhism? I am also worried that if this continues, Buddhism will still be lost.
Is it called Buddhism?”
Having said this, Zhao Si said in a profound voice, "That's why I held this Buddhism conference to eliminate evil and strengthen righteousness. To eliminate evil and strengthen righteousness! Let's debate clearly what is evil and what is righteous in an open and fair manner. After the debate is clear,
, it’s time to clear away the evil and straighten things out!” This chapter has been completed!