A thousand-year-old family that began with the Battle of Makino

Chapter 308 The profound meaning of this, the first battle between Buddhism and Taoism

Zhang Zhenyuan saw Bai Jingting open his eyes and asked, "Uncle Master, what do you think?"

Bai Jingting said slowly: "This is because His Majesty is trying his best to weaken our influence, or the Bai family's influence. In today's world, except for the Taoism of our Tianshi Mansion, all others are heresy and are not recognized by the court.

Only our Tianshi Mansion, because it has the endorsement of the Bai Kingdom, is recognized by the imperial court and is allowed to build Taoist temples in various places, but it needs to pay taxes.

It is often tabooed for people to have a dominant family, and this is the case for me in Taoism. Now His Majesty is introducing Buddhism from Tianzhu just to confront me, or to divide the influence of Taoism.

After all, religions and schools of thought are different. If it were Taoism, the emperor would not be so worried, but religion is powerful, and we, as the masters of the Tianshi Mansion, are very aware of it.

If we are keen on preaching, and relying on our strength and talents, it is not impossible that everyone in the world will believe in it in less than ten years.

It was only after being reminded by Bai Guo and the warning left by our ancestors that we did not rashly participate in the affairs of the world. After all, we come from Taoism, and fighting without reason is a Taoist taboo. "

Zhang Zhenyuan thought for a moment and said: "Uncle Master, you and I both came from the Bai family. It's just that you are the son of the Bai family and I am the son of the Bai family. If we want to break away from the Bai family and truly become an independent force, I'm afraid His Majesty will not be so afraid of us." .

But I also said that the Tianshi Mansion was created by the Bai family, and its current development is largely due to the Bai family. Even we are descended from the Bai family, and it is no longer possible to say that we are separated.

And a head-on confrontation with the imperial court is really harmful but useless. Since Emperor Ai, the Liu family abandoned the Five Emperors Temple in the northern suburbs and offered sacrifices to the southern suburbs. They began to consciously break away from the influence of Taoism. "

Bai Jingting continued: "That's why Wang Mang supported the Kong family at the beginning and named Gongsun Xiangru, a descendant of Zhou Gong, as a Marquis of Praise of Lu in an attempt to split the Bai family's influence on Confucianism. However, after Emperor Guangwu succeeded to the throne, he continued to exert influence on the Kong family. The reward given to him by the Gongsun family shows his seriousness.

Supporting Buddhism today is similar to what was done at that time. And His Majesty agreed to this Frank Laibai, probably to show his attitude to us.

Therefore, we cannot have a head-on confrontation with Buddhism. Moreover, I believe that the world is big enough to accommodate two religions. Moreover, Yin and Yang are divided into two, which is the way of heaven. It is unwise to monopolize the way.

Since this Buddhist master, Frank, is aware of the interests and came here, it means that he also has the intention of peaceful coexistence, but he does not know whether his Buddhism or my Taoism is superior or inferior. "

Zhang Zhenyuan nodded slightly and said: "Well, Uncle Master, I will ask someone to notify him now, how about five days later? Let him have a good rest, so as not to say that we are invincible.

But do you have any recommendations for candidates for this debate? "

"Are you a Celestial Master or am I a Celestial Master? You still want to ask me this kind of question? But this is a big deal. This Flan can travel from thousands of miles away to the Han Dynasty. He must be a peerless talent and should not be underestimated. As the saying goes : A lion hunts a rabbit with all his strength.”

Zhang Zhenyuan thought for a while and then said: "I want to debate with him for three days, and let a fellow disciple debate with him every day.

On this first day, let Chang Shou go and let him practice and test the level of Flan;

On the second day, I invited Senior Brother Zhenxian to come on stage and let him see the great skills of my Tianshi Mansion;

On this last day, let me invite my uncle to come out. This is the safest way, and it will also let him see the details of my Tianshi Mansion. "

Bai Jingting nodded and said: "You have thought carefully. No wonder Brother Jingzhai passed on the position of Heavenly Master to you."

Zhang Zhenyuan smiled and did not reply. Then the two of them closed their eyes and entered the state of true concentration again. The entire Taiqing Hall, except for the smoke lingering in the incense burner, fell into silence again.

Although the two chatted for several quarters of an hour, from the beginning to the end, the other masters who were in meditation in the hall did not move at all. If it weren't for their slightly rising and falling chests, they would be like sculptures sitting cross-legged on a futon.

The Chang Shou Zhang Zhenyuan was talking about was his apprentice, the Taoist priest who received Fran. His name was Zhang Chang Shou, and he was also the son of his clan brother. He was quite talented in Taoism.

Zhenxian is Zhang Zhenyuan’s senior brother, named Song Zhenxian. He is the most profound master of Taoism and Taoism in the mountain among Zhenzi generation.

As for the uncle-in-law mentioned above, he is the old man who guards the Sutra Pavilion. His name is He Xuan Shou, and he is the only remaining high performer of the Xuan generation.

Generally speaking, if a person has not reached a high level of cultivation at the age of forty, it means that this person has reached the peak of his path. Most people will choose to go home and continue to practice as a Taoist priest at home.

However, when a Taoist child reaches his twenties and is not valued by high-level practitioners, he does not have the talent to become a Taoist priest. The Tianshi Mansion will usually persuade him to go home and continue to stay on the mountain, which will only waste his limited time. And it’s not like I can’t continue practicing when I get home.

The Taoist boy who left the Tianshi Mansion copied one open volume of Taoism and took it home, while the Taoist priest could copy three volumes.

At dinner that day, Zhang Changshou personally came to the guest house and took Fran to the dining hall to have a vegetarian meal. He also told him that in five days the Tianshi Mansion would send someone to debate the scriptures with him.

The whole process will last a whole day, and the Tianshi Mansion will send three people to argue with him for three days respectively. For the sake of Fran's physical and mental strength, there will be one day between each of these three days for rest. He also said that Frank could visit the Tianshi Mansion at will and be allowed to enter the Sutra Pavilion on the first two floors.

Because Tianshi Mansion Sutra Pavilion is a main hall covering an area of ​​three acres, with three floors. The first two floors are open Taoist scriptures, some collected folk classics and some historical books, and the last floor is the crystallization of the wisdom of the great masters of the past. There are also some secrets that can only be entered by those permitted by the Heavenly Master.

Zhang Changshou did not tell Frank that he was his opponent on the first day.

When we arrived at the Zhaitang, we were filled with young Taoist boys wearing light white Taoist robes; Taoist priests wearing green Taoist robes; and several high-level practitioners wearing dark green Taoist robes.

There are also a few pilgrims who come to offer incense. It seems that the horses at the foot of the mountain should belong to them. The guide who came with Fran is here.

Fran looks very out of place here, with his bald head, bad-colored monk robes, and foreign face. Every Taoist priest who looked at him couldn't help but glance sideways, but no one made a sound.

There was only the sound of clinking bowls and chopsticks in the entire dining hall, not even the sound of chewing.

The vegetarian meal in front of you is a vegetarian meal. Zhang Changshou said slightly apologetically: "The Tianshi Mansion eats less meat and meat, and often eats vegetarian food. If the master likes meat, I can ask the chef to make another bowl."

Fran refused and said, "I am a monk. Buddhism prohibits eating meat, and the monks do not eat meat. It is so good and suits the appetite of the monks. The donor can go and have a meal by himself." Zhang Changshou did not say much, but said something. After the ceremony, he went to the seat next to him and sat down, using the Taozhai.

Although Flan was dressed differently from the other Taoist priests, the food and the rules were miraculously the same. He didn't make any sound, except for grabbing the food with his hands, which made those on the sidelines twitch.

"Is this monk so careless?"

Although Fran arrived at the Tianshi Mansion in the afternoon, by now, the entire Tianshi Mansion knew that a foreign monk who debated scriptures had come. If it weren't for the control of their respective masters, someone would have come to Frank to talk to him.

five days later

Tianshi Mansion, the grand platform for morning power. This is the place where people from Tianshi Mansion exercise and practice Taoist exercises in the morning. Tianshi Mansion has its own set of Taoist exercises for strengthening the body, which are no less good than those in private martial arts schools.

The entire platform was surrounded by Taoist priests and pilgrims who came to watch the battle.

I saw all the Taoist priests and pilgrims sitting cross-legged on the ground in a circle based on the circular line on the ground. Heavenly Master Zhang Zhenyuan is also on this list.

On the two half-human-height wooden platforms in the middle, Flan and Zhang Changshou were sitting opposite each other, five or six steps apart. They were both sitting cross-legged, but their gestures were different.

Fran put his hands on his knees, palms facing up. Zhang Changshou crossed his hands as if holding a circle and placed them under his navel.

Zhang Zhenyuan acts as the intermediary to maintain order and preside over.

The selection of Celestial Masters by the Tianshi Mansion is not based on the most profound Taoist scriptures. The first two generations may have been, but the third generation of Celestial Masters Zhang Daoliang believes that the Celestial Masters need to be based on the management of the Tianshi Mansion. The Taoist scriptures have their own other high standards. Solved successfully.

"Master Flan, can we start?" Zhang Zhenyuan asked.

"Namo Amitabha, the poor monk is ready, please trouble the donor."

Zhang Zhenyuan returned the gift and then asked: "Chang Xian, are you ready?"

"Master, disciple is ready." Zhang Changshou was obviously nervous.

After all, Fran is more than twenty years older than Zhang Changshou, which means that he has been deeply involved in the field of Buddhist scriptures for more than ten years. Fran also knows that this first scene is just an appetizer, not only to let himself see whether the Tianshi Mansion is the successor If there are people, also make yourself aware of the rules.

So he was ready to start.

"Donor Zhang, I don't know what your method is?"

Zhang Changshou thought for a while and then said: "The Tao Te Ching says: 'Tao can be Tao, but it is not Tao; name can be named, but it is not named. The nameless beginning of heaven and earth is the mother of all things. Therefore, always have no desire to see its wonder; always have desire, to see its wonders. Look at it. The two have the same origin but different names. They are both called mysteries. Mysteries are mysteries and mysteries are mysteries. They are the door to all mysteries.'

This means that Tao is everywhere and is omnipresent. It is the beginning and end of everything. It can be seen and cannot be seen. Everything in this world can be Tao.

Therefore, existence is reasonable, this is the way of nature, and human power should not be used to force the development of things. "

Fran then asked: "As far as the donor is concerned, your way is in line with the way of heaven, but God is relatively ruthless and unconscious. What use is this to the people in the world? Can it help them get rid of pain and sorrow?"

Zhang Changshou rarely went down the mountain. He mostly read about how to save people in books. Therefore, he stuttered a little: "Well, since nothing needs to be changed, it means that this suffering and difficulty are both the way and a test from God to people.

As the spiritual leader of all things, humans are blessed by nature, and there are four nine elements of nature. If one of them escapes, it will not be fully obtained. Therefore, it is divided into yin and yang, happiness and sorrow, bitterness and sweetness.

The reason why people in the world suffer a lot is because people have thoughts and can think, so they think more about suffering and less about sweetness.

Animals are soulless and have no thoughts of their own, so they have no suffering. They only have the nature of being livestock, so they only know how to reproduce and survive.

My Tao and Dharma are to understand the way of Heaven and benefit the way of humanity. By understanding my Tao and Dharma, we can understand all principles, relieve sorrow, and follow the way of Heaven and relieve the suffering of all peoples.

But the great road is often hidden, and it is too profound and difficult to understand. It is difficult for people without extraordinary talents to enter its door.

Therefore, the Celestial Master established the Celestial Master's Mansion in Bai De Mountain, registered gods, designated priests, taught people the principles of good and evil, and relieved people of their sufferings.

Therefore, it can relieve the suffering and difficulties, worries and sorrows of the world. "

Although Zhang Changshou spoke very slowly and sometimes his sentences were not smooth, he still expressed his understanding of Tao and his method of using Tao to solve problems. This made Frank Gao take a look. He was so young. , I have never traveled in the world, but I have such an understanding. It is really a predestined relationship with my Buddha.

The two then started debates in many aspects, including but not limited to philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, aesthetics, architecture, military science, politics, etc.

Although Zhang Changshou is smart and astute, he is not as experienced as Frank, and he is experienced and well-read.

In the end, Zhang Changshou was defeated.

This debate lasted for nearly two hours, and everyone present was fascinated by it, and no longer had the initial contempt for Fran. When Fran entered the Tianshi Mansion, everyone thought that this person was an unknown person. A man of heaven and earth.

Now it is truly recognized that he is a master who can rival the great Confucians and high-gong practitioners, and deserves everyone's respect.

(End of this chapter)