Almighty painter

Chapter 507 Discussing the Dharma with the Monk
"Son..." The great monk raised his eyes and glanced at Gu Weijing.

"If you don't mind, you can call me layman, or my surname is Gu, so just call me Xiao Gu."

Gu Weijing said.

"Okay, to be honest, I actually think it's a bit strange to call someone's son all over the street."

The monk actually breathed a sigh of relief and scratched his bare scalp.

Gu Weijing noticed the monk wearing orange robes.

Although he has a sturdy build, his face looks a little childish.

When talking face to face.

Gu Weijing discovered that the other party was also quite young.

Perhaps he was about the same age as the two Australian tourists, not much older than Gu Weijing.

But this is not surprising in Yangon.

But in Southeast Asia, he became a monk.

None of them have anything to do with Gu Weijing.

Mona was shocked by the erudition and hospitality of the Egyptian people. She sipped her pomegranate juice to say thank you and was about to leave, but her aunt grabbed her sleeve and refused to let her go.

Gu Weijing was a little curious.

From the legend of aliens to the curse of the Valley of the Kings, including how archaeologists Champollion and Bihas "disturbed the ghost of the Pharaoh" after returning home, even the family dog ​​died, and they all pinched themselves. Shizi, the imitation is lifelike.

The other party just talked to her on the spot for five minutes.

In many places, this is the number of safari tour guides.

Have you seen the lotus platform at the bottom? That's what I painted.

"Then creating a scenic spot here and serving as a tour guide for tourists is also part of the master's daily practice. Is there any explanation for it?"

They are all part of the national cultural tradition.

Many local people follow special customs. When a boy in the family really wants to enter society, he must first be sent to a temple to become a monk, to show that "he has truly grown up."

Gu Weijing laughed it off.

It was as if my aunt was peeping in the kennel.

He clasped his hands and handed it to the other party to express his gratitude for the explanation.

"Master, you live in a gold palace worth more than a billion dollars, and you still talk about the smell of copper?"

It’s not like he came here to argue with others.

However, the young monk next to him noticed the change in Gu Weijing's expression.

Of course, he doesn't have such low emotional intelligence that he would say such things in other people's religious occasions.

Whether you are a monk or a layman, the local procedures are very convenient. Therefore, in countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, the culture of monks and the lives of local residents are closely related.

Even some celebrities and dignitaries have become monks.

He just looked up at the pagoda not far away that was even more gorgeous than the Grand Palace of Thailand, and felt that the world was a bit magical.

This is somewhat similar to the Heian Period in Japan, where the emperor and his ministers often went to temples to become monks and become emperors.

"Lord Gu, even if there are thousands and twenty thousand taels of gold on the pagoda, it is just an offering made by good men and women to the Buddha. The teachings we monks have received since childhood are not to cling to real estate, not to accumulate wealth, and not to hoard salary and food. All we need is one I practice meditation every day in a Zen room, and even two meals a day are obtained through alms.”

There are even little novice monks who are only five or six years old, but are walking down the street wearing monk's robes.

"After personal research, I think it is more appropriate to call him benefactor (believer) or donor (donor), but Master Huihua from the local Buddhist college said that the former is too formal and a mouthful, and the latter is suspected of asking for donations and smells like copper. If you're angry, why don't you just call me SON? It sounds like a foreigner..." the monk explained shyly.

"This is a work jointly created by Mr. Cao Xuan and a local artist. It is very precious and represents the testimony of the friendship between the two countries. It was created at the beginning of the year..."

Gu Weijing took out his wallet from his pocket and took out a 1000 kyat note.

Upon hearing the question about the murals, the monk's eyes immediately lit up and he got into explaining mode.

Whether this sentence is sincere and pure, or it is sophistry to accumulate wealth.

Probably guessing what he was thinking, he answered calmly.

Gu Weijing had a weird mind and thought silently.

Just some general introduction content.

So he gestured to the "Picture of Worshiping the Buddha and Protecting the Dharma" in front of him with his palm, and asked.

Young monks can be seen in the streets and alleys.

When she arrived at the foot of the pyramid, she casually chatted with the simple-looking local lady next to her and asked if she could take a picture for her.

Gu Weijing listened to a few sentences and felt bored.

Just like African tribal children, when they grow up, they need to hunt a lion to officially qualify to enter adult society.

He shook his head slightly.

According to Miss Sandenou, she once signed up for a summer camp organized by Dulwich College to see the pyramids in Egypt.

As an unknown "local artist" in the words of the great monk, he said to himself that I know the creation process of this painting much better than you.

Then the person put on a sly smile and stretched out his hand - "Money, Money, Money!"

Gu Weijing did not wait for the monk to ask for money this time.

He automatically took out a thousand kyats and handed it over in a sensible manner.

Who knows.

The thick-browed monk opposite actually refused.

"I only brought 1000 kyats. If you don't want it, it will be gone." Gu Weijing frowned.

Remind this guy not to push his limits too far.

Although that time Miss Mona paid a $5 "explanation fee" to successfully escape.

But after all, the girl was unfamiliar with the place in Egypt, and she didn't dare to let the other party get entangled like this.

Considering the average income level in Yangon.

You can earn a thousand kyats just by speaking a few words, which is really not a lot.

"You misunderstood. We don't charge money. This is spiritual practice, but it is not an attraction. Giving explanations to tourists is just a good deed we do. Of course, practicing foreign languages ​​is also incidental. I will go to Thailand as an exchange to Maha Chulalong next year. I am studying for a master's degree in religious studies at the Buddhist School of Gong University, where the teaching environment is bilingual in English and Chinese," the monk explained.

"Practice?"

Gu Weijing was a little skeptical.

How fluently did you memorize the commentary just now, and you said you were not a tourist attraction tour guide.

but.

If the other party didn't lie or deceive others.

Mahachulalongkorn University is one of the four major universities in Thailand and is ranked around 100 in the QS world rankings.

The other party is still a highly educated monk.

There should be no need to fool people for a few dollars.

"The isolation tape here is just to prevent people from touching unconsciously and damaging the paint on the surface of the mural."

"To prevent tourists from visiting this place by carving it on it?"

"That's true."

The young monk smiled: "Actually, most people who touch this painting do not have malicious intentions. They are just attracted inadvertently and want to reach out and touch the Bodhisattva on it. Even the existence of the isolation zone itself is not only By blocking tourists, we are blocking ourselves.”

"What are you doing to stop yourselves?"

Gu Wei Jing is puzzled.

"This is a spiritual painting." The monk said firmly.

"Can magic appear?" Gu Weijing shrugged, wanting to hear what the other party was talking about.

This painting is indeed wonderful, but it would be too fantasy to say that it can manifest ghosts. That's not a virtuoso.

That was Ma Liang, a magic pen. Gu Weijing himself didn't believe it.

"It's not that it's a manifestation, but since this mural was restored this year, we often find little monks rubbing the surface of the sculpture with their fingers. The creator of this mural is a very famous art master, and his works are on the market. It’s easily a million dollars, so the elder is very angry.”

"But after the host stood in front of this painting for a moment, he sighed - 'This is a spiritual painting. My mind and heart are unconsciously attracted to them, let alone children? It is not theirs. Wrong. 'Since then, this painting has been put on isolation tape alone."

The monk scratched his head again.

"Even so, there are still many seniors who like to come here unconsciously and look at this mural for a long time. I regard it as a kind of spiritual practice."

"Practice?"

Gu Weijing just noticed that the monk used this word repeatedly when he mentioned this painting.

Practice – it’s fun.

Because this is a statement that almost never appears in any art criticism or art appreciation.

Gu Weijing never realized that there were monks who would regard painting as a way of spiritual practice.

He suddenly remembered the scene that day when he saw Mr. Cao putting the finishing touches, the Bodhisattva opening his eyes, and the monk chanting the Buddha's name on the spot, sitting cross-legged and meditating, as if he had something in his heart.

then.

Gu Weijing only felt that this scene had some indescribable Zen meaning, just like the indescribable Zen meaning contained in this painting.

But I didn't really take it to heart.

At this moment, I heard this unprecedented way of appreciation.

Gu Weijing was really interested in the monk.

"This painting has Buddha nature and a Zen mind. So when you can understand this painting, you also have Buddha nature. Cultivating a Zen mind is of course a kind of practice."

The monk replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Can you actually understand this painting?"

He couldn't help but asked curiously.

He was not referring to whether the other party could understand the wonderful details of brush strokes and brushstrokes in the eyes of art practitioners.

What Gu Weijing asked was another kind of understanding that he could not understand——

"Even if it is really spiritual and Zen. Well, I'm sorry, I don't know if this statement will offend you, but I have some understanding of Mr. Cao Xuan. Although he is a well-known Buddhist scholar in the world. Believers, but... I have to point out that maybe it is the same Buddha, and his understanding of Buddhism may be somewhat different from your understanding of Buddhism. "

"Whether it's good or bad, high or low, differences should be differences." Gu Weijing asked in an inquisitive tone.

There are a series of differences in Buddhism such as Mahayana, Hinayana, Theravada, Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism.

Before the Tang Dynasty, Theravada Buddhism had been introduced into China.

In "Journey to the West" - Guanyin Bodhisattva asked Tang Monk, "You are talking about 'Theravada Buddhism'. Do you know the 'Mahayana Buddhism'?"

Master Tripitaka then made a great wish to bring Mahayana Buddhism into the Tang Dynasty in China and relieve all the suffering in the world.

Hence the story of the ninety-nine and eighty-one difficulties in obtaining Buddhist scriptures from the Western Heaven.

Mahayana Buddhism pays attention to "saving people".

To save all sentient beings and teach them, all sentient beings will become Buddhas and gain great liberation.

Hinayana Buddhism, on the other hand, emphasizes "saving oneself."

Emphasizes personal liberation and nirvana, and focuses on personal growth and enlightenment. In Buddhist theory, monks should adhere to strict precepts and eventually achieve the status of "Arahant".

It feels a bit similar to the feeling of cultivating unparalleled magical skills and ascending to heaven in immortality novels.

Nowadays, most of the monasteries in Eastern Xia teach Mahayana Buddhism.

Most of the temples in Thailand teach Theravada Buddhism.

There will be some other branches in Myanmar, but overall, like Thailand, Theravada Buddhism is the mainstay.

Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism.

Compare it to art.

It is relatively similar to the traditional Chinese painting of the Eastern Xia Dynasty, the traditional silk painting of Myanmar, Vietnam and other places, and the difference between Japanese Faust-e and Yamato-e.

Their overall temperaments are of the same origin.

The ways of painting details and expressing line colors have also seen many differences over the long historical evolution.

The differences in Buddhism are not only found in the teachings and scriptures, but also in the way of practice and the different views on "Buddha".

The artistic expressions they extend are actually two very different art systems.

They are all Buddhist sculpture art.

But when visitors approach temples in Thailand and temples in Eastern Xia, they can strongly feel that they are walking into two completely different artistic environments.

Gu Weijing knew that the detailed and profound articles in it could be published in several books.

He also didn't know much about it in detail.

Gu Weijing only briefly studied it in art history courses.

Theravada Buddhism pays more attention to statues, focusing on making statues of the Buddha accurately according to the rituals of Buddha statues, and focusing on expressing the beauty of complex and colorful decorations.

Mahayana Buddhism, on the other hand, focuses on the kind of implicit, ethereal and sparse artistic aesthetics.

Gandhara plastic art is right between the transition from Hinayana Buddhism to Mahayana Buddhism.

The simplest way to put it.

Myanmar and Thailand may actually put more effort into the art of statues than murals. What attracts tourists to temples are more the dazzling golden pagodas and sculptures.

Since the Tang Dynasty in Eastern Xia, religious murals have developed to be extremely gorgeous and exquisite.

Wang Wei, the owner of "Notes of Mojie", is a master of Buddhist painting and poetry recorded in history, and is known as the "Poetry Buddha" by the world.

Of course this kind of thing cannot be generalized.

Myanmar itself also has a lot of murals. Bagan is known as the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, the City of Ten Thousand Pagodas, and the City of Ten Thousand Paintings. There are also many murals around Yangon.

However, just like this international cooperation restoration project.

These remaining things are already historical monuments from hundreds or even thousands of years ago.

Gu Weijing felt that Mr. Cao and the great monk in front of him belonged to different religious sects.

History has proven time and time again that peers are often the real enemies.

Often two branches of similar teachings within the same religious system may be at loggerheads with each other to the death.

Gu Weijing felt that he was gradually getting closer to the origin of this painting.

But he still couldn't understand what was inside this mysterious Buddha nature.

Aren't different "system" versions incompatible?
The monk was silent for a few seconds.

His eyebrows were lowered, as if he was thinking quietly.

"Mr. Gu, what you said makes sense... But no matter good or bad, high or low, the Buddha nature is the Buddha nature, and the Zen mind is the Zen mind."

The monk finally raised his head and answered very enigmatically.

"I don't understand."

Gu Weijing frowned and shook his head slightly.

"Mr. Gu, can I ask you a question? You are not a Buddhist, right?" The monk seemed to see something, and he suddenly changed his address from layman to sir.

"Yes, I'm not, I'm not a believer in any religion."

"Why not? There are so few people like you in this country."

"Religion...because I think religion will help me learn to accept everything in the world peacefully." Gu Weijing said slowly, "I don't want this."

(End of this chapter)