The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

In the northern suburbs of Yangzhou, the Shugang Mountains wind and entangle like a dragon. The mountains are not high mountains, but they are famous mountains. Because of the collection of spiritual energy, there are as many ancient temples as a cow's hair.

However, there is only one temple on the middle peak of Shugang, and that is the Daming Temple.

This ancient temple was built in the Ming Dynasty of Emperor Xiaowu of the Southern Dynasty. After hundreds of years of wind and rain, it was damaged and rebuilt several times. It still stands on the top of the mountain.

Su Jin didn't know how famous Daming Temple was, but if someone told him that Jianzhen, a famous monk in the Tang Dynasty, was the abbot of Daming Temple before he went to Japan, Su Jin would suddenly realize why this temple was so popular .

Just like everyone likes green grasslands, flowery hillsides, and lush trees, but most people are not interested in planting flowers, grass, and trees; in the Song Dynasty when Buddhism was prevalent, many people worshiped Buddha , but there is very little investment in the care and repair of Daming Temple, so that although the temple is famous and the incense is prosperous, once a large sum of money is required to repair and expand, the government will cover its pockets.

What can the people's sesame oil money do?It is already very good to be able to provide food and clothing for the temple. Temples often need to be self-sufficient. Vegetable beds are opened in the backyard to reduce purchases and ensure the normal operation of the temple.

Because of this, Master Shanxiang, the abbot of the temple, had to put aside the face of an eminent monk and deal with the worldly people. There are several side halls built in the temple; the hero is stumped by the lack of money, and the Buddha can't help much in this regard, so he can only put down his figure and give up his aloofness.

Su Jin led the dynasty Ma and Han up the steps, walking between the temples and observing the pattern of the temple; there are very few people in the temple today, and tomorrow is the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, which is the Buddha Sakyamuni On the day of Taoism, all the people who are willing to burn incense also deliberately postpone the day until that day, so the days from the second to the seventh day of the junior high school are actually cleaner than usual.

Coming over the archway is the Temple of Heavenly Kings. After a decent worship, Su Jin and others came to the front of the Daxiong Hall again. Due to the lack of pilgrims, dozens of pecking birds flew up and down in the courtyard in front of the Daxiong Hall. , Jumping little feet looking around for food.

Su Jin adjusted her clothes, stepped into the hall, looked up at the solemn and solemn Buddha statue, knelt down on the futon and worshiped three times, but did not hear the sound of rattles and wooden fish. In Su Jin's impression, when kneeling When a monk rang the bell to proclaim the Buddha's answer, the two young monks sitting on both sides of the incense table did not respond.

Su Jin took a closer look, and found this time that the two young monks were closing their eyes and meditating, as if they had attained the Tao. It is beyond the reach of ordinary people; the so-called Buddhism is a melting pot, who can endure the blandness of vegetables, radishes and tofu, the loneliness of the ancient Buddha's blue lamp, and the restless psychological impulse. Although such a person can be said to be a pervert, but I have to say that there are indeed some skills.

While Su Jin was sighing, he suddenly heard two sounds of "snoring and snoring". Su Jin was startled, and followed the sound carefully, but saw the little monk on the right snorting and snoring twice from time to time, and Su Jin's eyeballs bounced around on the ground The two masters actually fell asleep while sitting on the Buddha statue in the cold weather; Su Jin was not depressed to death. It turns out that there are monks who are so unprofessional, snoring while guarding the Buddha statue in front of pilgrims. I don't know how long I didn't sleep after tossing and turning last night, maybe it was caused by the tiger in my heart disturbing the Buddha's heart.

Su Jin signaled the dynasty to deliver the package, and stretched out his hand to grab a lot of copper coins from the package and throw them into the merit incense one by one. Quickly wiped the halazi off his mouth, peeked left and right, and started to work. Suddenly, the Buddha bell and the Buddha's horn flew together, startling the small birds looking for food in the courtyard to soar into the sky.

Su Jin was overjoyed, and kept stuffing the copper coins into the merit box one by one, but deliberately prolonging the time, the two monks read until their mouths were dry, and their hands were sore from ringing the bell, but the sound of the copper coins falling Still not over.

The two monks were both surprised and delighted, they met a great pilgrim, looking at this posture, it seemed that they were going to give a lot of money, seeing this luxuriously dressed young master grabbing coins from the package one by one Throwing it into the merit box, looking at the two of them with a smile, the two monks quickly exchanged glances, and each of them saluted with palms together, but turned around and went to the meditation room in the backyard to invite the abbot to come.

The presiding officer Shanxiang has already explained that anyone who encounters a large-scale charity should report to him as soon as possible, so that he can personally thank him.We need to use these methods to thank these generous pilgrims and give them enough face.

This is like going to a restaurant to eat, order the most expensive dishes, and the customers who spend the most. Generally speaking, the coquettish proprietress will come out to say hello and accompany them with a few glasses of water and wine. Without him, big customers need maintenance.

When the immortal white-browed old monk Master Shanxiang came to the treasure hall with small steps, Su Jinwu crackled the copper coins in his hand and threw them into the merit box. The three large packages containing money that Wang Chao Mahan carried with him Two of them are already empty, and the two-foot-long merit box is almost full.

Master Shanxiang hung up the Buddha's name and said: "Amitabha, the little benefactor pays homage to the Buddha and has a lot of kindness. I thank you here."

Su Jin threw down the copper coins in his hand, clapped his hands back, and said, "Some vulgar things are nothing to worry about, but this merit box is too small, and there are still two packs of copper coins that can't fit in it."

Master Shanxiang hurriedly said, "Does the donor give all these to this monastery?"

Su Jin said: "That's natural, otherwise why would I go up the mountain with so much money on my back?"

Master Shanxiang was overjoyed, and said with a smile: "Amitabha, it seems that the donor is a devout person who is devoted to the Buddha. He has a predestined relationship with my Buddhist school. He must come to fulfill his wish when his wish is fulfilled."

Su Jin laughed and said: "It can also be said that I am here to give alms for my mother. My mother believes in Buddhism. In the past few years, everything in the family has been going well. I was a little impious to make a wish in the small Buddhist hall at home. I was specially ordered to come to Guibao Temple to give alms. .”

Shanxiang smiled and said: "The meaning of worshiping the Buddha is more important than the heart, so why care about where you pay your vows."

Su Jin thought in his heart: If I try to pull my legs, I will leave, just make sure you jump in a hurry, what you said is so high-sounding.

"What the master said is that it is just my mother's wish. In this way, the rest will not be put in the box. I want to meet Master Shanxiang, the abbot of your temple, and hand it over to him. It can be regarded as fulfilling my mother's long-cherished wish."

Shanxiang joined hands and said: "I don't know each other face to face, but we are destined people. This old monk is the presiding officer of Shanxiang in this temple. The little benefactor is polite."

Surprised, Su Jin hurriedly bowed to salute and said, "If you have eyes but don't know Mount Tai, master, please forgive me for being rude."

Turning his head to Wang Chao Ma Han, he said: "Give the money and silver to Master, and go outside the temple to see if the porters have arrived?"

Chao Mahan stepped forward and threw the heavy package on his shoulders into the arms of the two young monks. The two young monks must have eaten too much vegetables and tofu, and they were malnourished. They were almost sitting on the ground under the weight of two bags of money.

Shanxiang roughly estimated that this little benefactor had donated seventy or eighty guan in money alone, which could cover the expenses of the whole temple for a month. He was grateful in his heart and thanked him repeatedly.

Su Jin said with a smile: "Master host, later on there will be three porters picking up two altars of lamp oil, more than a hundred pairs of incense candles, and some vegetables and fruits. Please check and collect them."

Shanxiang was happy in his heart, but unexpectedly, he met a great God of Wealth on a day when there were few people around him. He was worrying about the sad year, and planned to come to the eighth day of tomorrow, two disciples of the Su family, "Puji" and "Jiannan", to come to offer incense and listen to scriptures At that time, she was shy to make up their relationship, but she didn't expect a big cake to fall from the sky and hit her on the head.

"Huineng Huiqian, give the little benefactor's alms to Uncle Shangen for safekeeping, and go to the tea room of the Houchanyuan to clean up. I want to invite the little benefactor to rest with tea in the Zen room."

Su Jin hurriedly said: "How can I disturb Master Qingxiu, I will leave now."

Of course, Shanxiang couldn't let go of this rich man. Such a generous donor didn't know his name and where he lived. There were not many such big customers in the temple. No matter what, he had to entertain him well and try to get him to give alms in the future.

"Where did the benefactor come from? Although Buddhism is a pure place, it also pays attention to worldly etiquette. The little benefactor gave so much money to worship the Buddha, and he didn't even drink a cup of tea. Wouldn't the Buddha blame the old monk for his poor hospitality? Please, please. "

Su Jin was in the middle of his arms, he was pretending to decline, his purpose was to enter the inner Zen room, Shanxiang made an appointment with kindness, there is no reason to refuse again.

"So, I'm bothering the master." Su Jin smiled and cupped his hands, and gave Wang Chao Ma Han a wink, and the two of them stopped waiting for the porter outside, and instructed the little monk to meet him outside the temple gate, and followed Su Jin through the hall The round door on the east side leads to the meditation room shaded by trees.