The First Young Master of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 1152 The Stupid Monk

"Amitabha, Lord Hou knows that even in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, the people sometimes had no food to eat and no clothes to cover their bodies. In the year of catastrophe, Buddhist temples set up porridge sheds everywhere to help the people. Didn't Lord Hou see it?" Is it?" Debate asked.

"The matter of opening porridge sheds has also been done in Benhou's mansion, not only in Chang'an, the chambers of commerce under Benhou's hands, but also in various places, as long as there is a disaster in the local area, the chambers of commerce will do their best to open porridge sheds to release food relief Of course, the Marquis is clear about the account, but I don't know if the mage is clear." Xuan Shijing lifted the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Bianji.

Marshal Zhao and Fang Yiai, who were sitting on both sides of the table, just watched Xuan Shijing and Bianji discussing quietly. They felt that the debate between the two was quite interesting, and it sounded profound, but after careful consideration, it was not easy. It is easy to understand, if Xuan Shijing is not the Marquis of the Tang Dynasty, if he changes his status and becomes a monk, he must be more capable of fooling people than the current Taoist monks in Chang'an City, no, he is more intelligent.

"Fahua Temple was inspected by the Marquis himself, and I have also read the accounts. Of course, Fahua Temple also opened a porridge shed and helped the people. In the third year of Zhenguan and the fourth year of Zhenguan, I said These two years are the most difficult two years for the people of the Tang Dynasty. In the past two years, the total cost of opening the porridge shed in Fahua Temple is less than one-fiftieth of the total account compared with the account of the year." Xuan Shi Jing laughed and said: "The money of the Buddhist temple is originally taken from the people. If it is used for the people, it is not too much, isn't it? I don't ask the temple to use all the money to help the people in the year of the catastrophe, but five Is it too much to draw one out of ten?" Xuan Shijing said.

Marshal Zhao and Fang Yiai also participated in the search of the Fahua Temple. They were also responsible for recording the accounts. Naturally, the accounts were clear. They looked at Bianji and nodded, indicating that Xuan Shijing was right. Wrong, judging from the books recorded in the three and four years of Zhenguan in Fahua Temple, this is indeed the case.

"After all, the mage is a Buddhist, and he is different from ordinary people like me." Xuan Shijing said with a smile: "The mage can devote himself to studying Buddhism in the Buddhist temple, worship the Buddha sincerely, and don't have to worry about food and clothing, but we are different from ordinary people. What's more, this Marquis is still an official of the imperial court. Since he is an official, he wants to benefit the people. Otherwise, it is meaningless to be an official. , this matter can’t be so simple anymore, not all things in the world are as simple as the mage’s mind imagined.”

If the previous words were about Xuan Shijing reasoning with Bianji and presenting the facts, then the last remark undoubtedly directly turned Bianji back.

You are indeed unrestrained as a monk, and now you can’t bear to watch Buddhism suffer. When the people are suffering, where is your Buddha?Who will your Buddha save sentient beings?It’s nothing more than doing nothing in troubled times. It is natural to seek benefits and avoid harm. Now that the Tang Dynasty is strong, one by one ran out to recruit people to enclose land. If most of the land around Chang’an City was encircled by temples, what would the people grow?What do the people eat when they have no land to grow?how?Is it possible to go to the temple to work?Farming for the temple, busy all year round, but barely enough to eat?

Xuan Shijing couldn't figure it out, what could the monks in the temple do with hoarding so much food and goods, what's the use?If it can't be used, isn't it moldy and rotted in the warehouse?
No matter how rich the monks are, they dare not spend them blatantly. Applying gold powder to the Buddha statues in the temple is the biggest expense. As for buying ten or eight cassocks for themselves, they are still made of gold thread. Do they dare?
"Although what Hou Ye said is reasonable, but now the Buddhism in Chang'an City has paid a huge price, and the matter must come to an end, so the poor monk begged Hou Ye to raise your hands high." Bian Ji clasped his hands and asked Xuan Shi Jing bowed her head.

"There is no need for me to say anything about this matter. The imperial court has its own measure. Every year, the Chang'an government will give the temple a certain amount of documents. As long as the temple operates according to the imperial court's rules, even the imperial court will not do anything to the temple, will it? The reason why the imperial court has made such a big move against the temple is, in the final analysis, the problem of the temple itself.”

The temple has affected the interests of the imperial court and the interests of the common people, so His Majesty Li Er became ruthless and ordered the three provinces and six ministries to clean up the temples. Now it is only the temples in Chang'an City and the surrounding areas, and in the future, the temples in the entire Guanzhong will be investigated. up.

The land and the people are the foundation of the Tang Dynasty. However, the temples continue to sit idly by endlessly accumulating money, people, and land.

One day, the people will have no land and no food, and the foundation of the Tang Dynasty will be emptied, and the tall buildings will rise on the ground. Without the foundation, the building will collapse, and no one can save it.

"Master Xuanzang has already become a master disciple at a young age. Helping Master Xuanzang translate scriptures and write books in Chang'an, the future is immeasurable. Therefore, this Marquis also advises Master Xuanzang. It is also good to hear about things outside the window, learn from Master Xuanzang, that is the real disciple of Buddhism, Master Xuanzang has faith in his heart, and the people in the Buddhist temples in Chang'an City, if they talk about faith, I am afraid that they are almost too hot." Xuanzang Shijing said: "I heard that Master Xuanzang wrote about his experience of traveling westward recently. After the master returns, please tell Master Xuanzang on behalf of me. I am very interested in Master Xuanzang's experience of traveling westward. I will write a book in the future. I hope Master Xuanzang will not hesitate to have a look with me, and I can also help Master Xuanzang to publish books to carry forward the master's experience." Xuan Shijing laughed.

"Amitabha Buddha." Bian Ji said the Buddha's name: "The poor monk will definitely tell Master what Master Hou said."

The conversation between Bianji and Xuan Shijing in the restaurant came to an end. After Bianji left, Xuan Shijing glanced out of the window. If Bianji was high-spirited on the street just now, then Bianji now , obviously a little decadent, probably because he was hit hard by Xuan Shijing's words.

Has the Buddhist gate in Chang'an City really rotted so far?

Speaking of Bian Ji, he became a monk at the age of 15, and then he has been working hard with his master in the temple, never paying attention to what the outside world is like. This is why Bian Ji learned so much at a young age, and was selected as a translator to follow Xuanzang. Beside me, I came out now and chatted with Xuan Shijing for a while, which made him deeply understand the Buddhism in Chang'an City.

The Buddhist gate and the Buddhist temple have turned into this. Indeed, the Buddhist temple Dongshan Hou mentioned is far from the Buddhist temple he imagined.

　Thank you for the 100 rewards of Windtalkers yesterday~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)