Almighty painter

Chapter 509: Reflecting the heart with the heart, making connections by analogy

Under the sunset.

The clear wind blew up the water, and the young students and the young monks stood side by side in front of the magnificent "Picture of Worshiping the Buddha and Protecting the Dharma."

This scene attracted a lot of people's attention.

Even in Shwedagon Pagoda, such a scene is still rare to see.

Some people stood quietly under the shade of the trees, looking curiously at the debate.

Some tourists had already taken out their mobile phones and wanted to come over to record the video, but they were stopped by the monks in the temple.

I don’t know when.

The monks around the mural had retreated silently.

They stood around, blocking people who wanted to come closer, and expressed in apologetic low voices that this area was temporarily inconvenient to visit.

The monk gently stretched out his hand and touched Gu Weijing's head.

"Even if I don't believe in Buddhism? Does it still work? You just laughed at me as a beast. Can a beast also experience peace?"

"Just like the foreign tourists here, there are many of them like you who do not believe in Buddhism, and may not understand Buddhism at all. They even hold other religious beliefs. Maybe for them, Buddha is not real. But they use the word "Buddha" in front of the Buddha statue. Offer flowers to Buddha, even buy enough amulets to be consecrated in front of the souvenir shop, and write postcards to tell family members that they can prevent vampires..."

Gu Weijing's pure black dress-like Dulwich uniform looked like a thick mass of ink, but in this thick mass of ink that could not be illuminated by the sun, the monk saw a burning, eternal fire that could not be extinguished.

"Mr. Gu, unfortunately, our practice methods are different, and I don't understand Chinese painting. You ask me what I can teach you? But I can't use what I see to answer your questions."

The monk shook his head: "Peace has nothing to do with efficaciousness, or even anything to believe in. It only has to do with whether you believe in it or not. Love, anger at injustice, yearning for justice, and even the courage to change the world... You once asked me, since Zen It’s different. Why can I see Zen in this painting? You are right.”

He was covered in flames, but his expression was modest and peaceful, as if he had fallen asleep.

Gu Weijing shrugged his shoulders.

"It may be difficult for you to understand the peaceful joy of inaction and peace in my heart, although I know that you do not need my sympathy."

But at this time, the monk still felt endless compassion and pity for the young people around him.

But the monks don't push away tourists too much.

Dongpo layman, a great poet, said, "As soon as you think of it, your karma will be blazing. It is not someone who burns you, but you burn yourself."

The so-called word "compassion" is nothing more than a practice method based on the five-stop mind contemplation method such as the contemplation of impurity, contemplation of compassion, and contemplation of causes and conditions, which is focused on the weaknesses of human nature such as personal hatred.

The monk clasped his hands together.

A piece of steel?
Or twisted slag?
The monk suddenly wanted to cry.

The monk's red robe looked like a burning fire in the setting sun.

"I don't understand Chinese painting at all, but painting methods are not limited to one type, and Buddhism is not limited to one place."

"You see, that's another good question that I can't answer."

He is so angry and persistent towards the world, but he would rather live in the flames and not let his soul rest for a moment, otherwise, he said, he will feel that he is no longer alive.

According to Buddhism, persistent thoughts are the root of troubles.

"There is an unwilling beast in your heart that bites you all the time, but I still wish you that one day you can gain true peace and tranquility. As for this painting, you might as well look at it more. Even if you don't want to let it go, you can Peace is there.”

Hundreds of tourists stood in the sunset after the rain.

In the scenic spot where people come and go, such a magical scene appeared.

He only waved slightly at the curious travelers who wanted to disturb the two of them, as if the river water was parting one by one, and the extremely smooth rocks were being washed away.

"Remember what I said, there is no high or low, no matter the difference, the Buddha nature is the Buddha nature, and the Zen mind is the Zen mind."

"Unlike many people, even different from some fellow disciples in our sect, many people's sects have strong regional differences. But I think a real Buddha should be tolerant and broad enough."

Gu Weijing pursed his lips, "I know what I should see, but the key point is that I don't know what I should see. I know but I don't know, and it's clear and unclear. It makes me very distressed."

So what will the flames turn him into?

“Even if you don’t believe in Buddhism, peace is still there.”

The thirty-meter radius in front of the mural became an empty field, with only two young people standing silently, as quiet as water.

They sat under the shade of the tree, next to the Buddha statue, turned their heads and looked curiously in the same direction, staring quietly at this scene with strong contrast in colors.

Theravada Buddhism emphasizes self-cultivation and does not focus on compassion for all living beings and the breadth of compassion.

A person who chooses to live in flames...how many difficulties will he face in his life?
This thought came to the monk's mind.

then.

But at a distance of thirty meters, the dust and smoke were still there.

"So, why are you here?"

The monk paused for a moment and asked again.

The young monk paused.

"Mr. Cao Xuan and I have many different worldviews, including the content of this ancient mural that is different from the classics I read. Theravada Buddhism only believes in Sakyamuni Buddha. The Bodhisattva on the lotus platform in this painting, the four major King of Heaven... doesn't have that close connection to me, but when I really put my mind to it, I still like it very much."

"A friend and I made an appointment to meet here. In addition, from a utilitarian point of view, my purpose should be to improve my Chinese painting skills and understanding. I have personally seen Mr. Cao Xuan's expression when he is painting. I always think that if I can see something from it, it will be enough to benefit me for life. So, if you can teach me anything about this painting, I will be very grateful."

"Sir, what do you want to gain by looking at this painting so intensely?" he asked softly.

"Of course this sounds ridiculous, but these good intentions and these thoughts are all true. This is the meaning of the existence of temples and monks."

The monk said calmly.

"Life is already too hard. When no one has enough to eat, even if the money for worshiping Buddha is very small, I would rather turn it into a lunch for my family, even if it is just an orange. This pagoda The gold on it is worth a billion dollars, which may be enough to feed every hungry family in Myanmar for lunch, which is more meaningful.”

Gu Weijing said softly.

"No, as you said, life is already too hard, so... maybe hope, even if it is just a small hope. For many people, maybe, it is more important than a lunch, right?"

The monk smiled.

He patted Gu Weijing on the back.

"Finally, I want to explain to you that I am not laughing at you when I say you are a beast. A person with a fire burning in his heart should of course be like a beast, staring in all directions and hearing the suffering of all living beings."

"I just want to say, choose what to believe... Even a beast needs the power of peace. A person can be a rooster that crows under the bite of desire, or he can choose to be a peaceful and compassionate beast."

"Thousands of people have thousands of dharmas, and thousands of Buddhas have thousands of faces, but thousands of faces have one mind. Observe the mind with the mind, and then the mind and heart will reflect each other, and then draw parallels."

Say it.

The young monk turned and left.

The "boundary" formed by the surrounding monks was also instantly dissolved.

The monks disappeared into the sea of ​​people.

When Gu Weijing turned his head to look.

I could only see the orange-red monk's robes fluttering in the gaps between the crowd in the evening breeze.

Myanmar and Thailand are both Buddhist countries, from ordinary monks to monk chiefs, to monk kings who are comparable to the king of Thailand in terms of status among the people. Although they generally dress the same, there are very clear hierarchical distinctions within them.

Only then did Gu Weijing realize that the identity of the great monk he had just captured might be very unusual.

The two people have different attitudes towards life.

After all, neither of them could convince the other in their conversation.

But it is true that the monks also gave Gu Weijing a new artistic thinking based on local religion.

"Thousands of people have thousands of dharmas, and thousands of Buddhas have thousands of faces, but thousands of faces have one mind. Observe the mind with the mind, and then the mind and heart will reflect each other, and then draw parallels."

Zen mind——

Gu Wei stared at the "Picture of Worshiping the Buddha and Protecting the Dharma" in front of him for a long time, reading it over and over again.

See nature in the clear mind, and do something in inaction.

He looked at this painting for a long time, but he did not use the perspective of Buddhist sculpture art appreciation to interpret the artistic atmosphere of this painting.

I didn’t even bother to think about the details of Chinese painting.

Now that it’s clear.

He does not have enough knowledge to understand this problem, just like a primary school student holding a magnifying glass to the cement cracks on the surface of the cooling tower trying to understand the operating principle of the nuclear power plant reactor.

Gu Weijing simply stopped forcing it.

He put down his interpretation of strokes and figures, stepped out of techniques, calmed himself down, and let his mind go.

long time.

long time.

The world hasn't changed much.

The world seems to have become different again.

There were bursts of Sanskrit singing in the distance, and it seemed that some monks had begun their evening homework.

The sounds of chanting, prayers, wind, the sound of footsteps stepping on the water on the stone slabs, the chirping of birds, and the faint sounds of traffic on the streets coming from far away.

Gu Weijing's mind seemed to become increasingly emptier and broader.

His eyes were fixed on the mural, but his thoughts expanded and grew infinitely along with the sounds of the outside world.

The elderly people faced the Buddha statues and prayed for their children's success in studies and prosperity in their careers.

Those young people prayed to the Buddha statue, praying for the joints of Abba and Amma, so as to reduce some pain and soreness in Myanmar's upcoming rainy season.

……

Gu Weijing knew that it was impossible for him to hear the wishes of those who were chattering to the Buddha statue. This was just his imagination.

But he seemed to really hear - hear those small and lonely wishes.

In the sound of chanting in the evening breeze, the cages gathered like a sea.

Then.

What should the Buddha in Mr. Cao’s heart be?

Gu Wei Jing happened to be looking at each other with the Bodhisattva on the lotus throne.

The eyes of the Bodhisattva contain compassion and profound essence from all eternity, and they seem to have immeasurable meaning.

this moment.

Gu Weijing was so blessed that he almost subconsciously used the art of calligraphy and painting appraisal.

"clang!"

A distant bell came from afar, and seemed to resound in Gu Weijing's heart.

The world was shattered by the sound of the bell.

The sea breeze from nearly a century ago blew into his heart.

……

"Out of the gate, out of the gate, the Japanese sent more warships to Shanghai. Wugang sent the cruiser "Oi" and four destroyers of the 15th Destroyer Group, carrying the first special marines and a large amount of munitions. They arrived at the port on the 4rd. Chen Mingshu "A Message to All Comrades of the Nineteenth Route Army" will be published——"

A newsboy wearing a shabby short robe and carrying a small beige cloth bag.

While running vigorously through the streets, he threw the piece of paper with the words "Declaration" printed on it from the foreign cloth bag into the sky.

The Shanghai edition of Shenbao in the old capital charges 4 cents for a newspaper, and a % discount is available for annual subscriptions, which is cents.

Among the complex system of newspapers and periodicals sold in Shanghai during the Republic of China, they were considered moderately expensive. Not every family was willing to spend money to subscribe to newspapers such as Shenbao, Ta Kung Pao, and Xinwen Bao.

But today is different.

In this era of great change, the cloud of war has hung over everyone's head.

a year ago.

With the fall outside the Pass, the compatriots in the three eastern provinces have fallen into the ravages of the Kwantung Army.

Today, in order to divert international attention from the September 18th Incident, the Japanese army once again brazenly extended its claws towards the prosperous southeastern region.

Almost all newspapers and periodicals rushed out special editions to inform Shanghai residents of this important news for free.

The flying single-page newspapers were thrown into the air by the newsboy, and were blown all over the sky by the sea breeze.

It was like a long-awaited heavy snowfall suddenly fell in the Magic City.

Even the sky is crying.

A man's hand grabbed the flying newspapers. The man was in a suit and leather shoes, wearing elegant gold-rimmed glasses. There was a pen stuck in his collar. The nameplate of the briefcase he held in his hand was engraved with "Legal Business" in both French and Chinese. "Roland" seems to be a small opening.

"What did you write? Please help me read it well."

The illiterate uncle next to me asked urgently.

"The Japanese side demands that the so-called Chinese murderers of the 'burning of Sanyou Industrial Co., Ltd.' be handed over and all anti-Japanese organizations be banned. At the same time, our troops must all withdraw from Zhabei and achieve the demilitarization of Shanghai. General Chen Mingshu insisted on sticking to the end and using In response to Japan's provocation, Nanjing issued an "Urgent Telegram from the Executive Yuan to the City Government to Avoid Conflict with Japan," stating that it could only adopt a moderate attitude towards Japan's request and that all walks of life should be immediately summoned to explain politely, and that no conflict should occur, resulting in the violent seizure of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. …”

The man pushed up his glasses.

He held the thin newspaper in front of his eyes and read out the printed extra contents one by one.

"What I said is uncomfortable. I call it a gentle attitude. Don't all the three eastern provinces--"

Immediately a young man next to me shouted in authentic Shanghainese.

"This is not what I said. I didn't even say it. This is an urgent announcement from the Jinling Executive Yuan."

"What are you doing here? You are not happy to hear it, and I am not happy to read it. If you have any objections, why not go to Executive Director Wang and complain!"

(End of this chapter)