Self-struggle starting from Douluo

The core of Mahayana Buddhism lies in eight words: "Do not establish written words, and pass on the teachings outside the teachings"!
The so-called "no written words" does not mean not writing words or not using words, but emphasizes not being attached to words and not being misled by words.

Because words are not Buddhist teachings, nor are they the truth or "Tao" pursued by those who study Buddhism. Words themselves are just a tool that serves the purpose of inheritance.

Therefore, the most correct way to read Buddhist scriptures is to follow what the little monk Qinghuan said: "The little monk recites the scriptures with his mouth but not his heart."

Just recite the scriptures without thinking about understanding their meaning.

Those who can understand are those who are within the religion, and those who cannot understand are those who are outside the religion. Therefore, Buddhism emphasizes "transmitting the mind with the mind, and imprinting the mind with the mind!"

Do not establish written words, and pass on the teachings outside the teachings.

……

Master Qishan affirmed what the young monk Qinghuan said, and turned to Guanlian and said, "Leave this child with me. You can't teach him."

Guan Lian folded his hands and bowed his head, saying, "That's exactly what I was thinking. Thank you for troubling me, Master!"

Qing Huan looked up, looked at his master, then looked at Master Qi Shan, and subconsciously grabbed a corner of Guan Lian's monk's robe and said, "I don't want to be separated from my master."

The nostalgia in his tone was evident.

Guanlian sighed, touched Qinghuan's little bald head, and whispered: "Fool! Only here can you learn the true Dharma!"

Qing Huan was puzzled and asked, "But Master, is Buddhism divided into here and there? Is it that if there is Buddhism here, there is no Buddhism in our Qingjing Temple?"

Guanlian smiled and said, "There is Buddhism in Qingjing Temple, but that is the Buddhism of me and other disciples, not the Buddhism you want to learn!"

Qinghuan was still confused, and she held onto Guanlian's monk's robe and refused to let go, her little face full of reluctance.

Master Qishan smiled and said, "Here, I will not ask you to meditate on the Four Dhyanas and Eight Samadhis."

Qing Huan thought about it, and said with a troubled face: "Master, although meditation is boring, it does make sense."

Guanlian could not help but look up at the sky. It was hard for a novice monk who had been restless since childhood and would fall asleep as soon as he meditated to say this.

Master Qishan added: "Here, I will not ask you to observe the precepts and guard your heart."

Qing Huan's hand that was pulling at the master's monk's robe loosened slightly, and he said more anxiously: "Actually...observing the precepts is what a Buddhist disciple should do..."

Master Qishan added: "Here, as long as you complete the homework I assign, I will not restrict you from doing anything else."

Qing Huan loosened his master's monk's robe, looked up with a solemn expression and said, "Master, I will come back to see you often."

Guan Lian: "...evil disciple!"

……

Guanlian stayed in Lanke Temple for only one day and then left.

Qinghuan reluctantly bid farewell to his master, and from then on began his life of studying Buddhism under Master Qishan.

The Wasananda Monastery is located in Yue State, which is different from the Buddhist-based country like Yuelun State.

Although Yuelun Kingdom is a country, due to the existence of the Hanging Temple, the real owner of this country is actually the White Pagoda Temple representing the Hanging Temple. In the entire Yuelun Kingdom, the status of Buddhism is supreme. There are countless temples of all sizes, and ordinary people are just cattle and horses under the Buddhism.

Qingjing Temple is one of them. It has fertile fields belonging to the temple. The tenants are required to pay most of their produce to Baita Temple, and only a small portion is left for Qingjing Temple and the tenants. Guan Lian is kind-hearted, so although Qinghuan has been able to have enough food and clothing since childhood, he cannot say that he eats very well.

But the situation in Yue was different. Under the influence of Xiling, some people in Yue believed in Haotian. Under the influence of Dahe, some people admired calligraphy. Under the influence of Qi and Song, some people yearned for the academies in Tang.

Of course, because of Lanke Temple and Master Qishan, there are many people who believe in Buddhism in the country of Yue.

Different beliefs also bring different scenery.

Although Qinghuan is a young monk, he hates the atmosphere of Yuelun Kingdom where only Buddha is supreme, but he likes the tolerance of Yue Kingdom where a hundred flowers bloom.

So after completing Master Qishan's lessons, Qinghuan's favorite thing to do was to go down the mountain and play.

……

Master Qishan was in very weak health. It is said that decades ago, when there was a flood in Southern Jin, in order to save the people of Southern Jin, Master Qishan jumped into the flood. With great perseverance and great practice, he used his body as a dam and blocked the flood for a day and a night.

The people of Southern Jin were saved, but Master Qishan's cultivation was completely wasted, his body was lingering with illness, and his life span was greatly reduced. Qinghuan respected such a person very much and completed the homework assigned by Master Qishan very seriously.

The homework is very simple, just read Buddhist scriptures for one morning every day, that’s all!

Master Qishan never explained the meaning of Buddhism to Qinghuan, and Qinghuan never asked, he just read.

When reading Buddhist scriptures, I don’t think about the meaning of the scriptures, nor do I think about what to eat or where to go after going down the mountain. I just recite the scriptures with all my heart.

It is truly done, the little monk recites the sutras, but his heart is not in it - stop thinking!
Stop thinking. When reciting the sutra, there should be no other distracting thoughts. There should only be one thought, and that is reciting the sutra!
When even the thought of "reciting scriptures" disappears, that is "no thought", that is "emptiness"!
However, Qinghuan has not reached that level yet. It is already very difficult for her to stop thinking about the afternoon fun and to "stop thinking" while chanting the scriptures.

……

That day, Qing Huan finished reciting the sutra as usual, put thick clothes on Master Qi Shan, poured a cup of tea, and said, "Master, I am going down the mountain."

Master Qishan was staring intently at the chessboard in front of him and just nodded when he heard this.

Qinghuan clasped her hands together and bowed, then went down the mountain excitedly.

There are still many people playing chess gathered at the foot of the mountain. Most of these people who come here regularly play chess not for the purpose of obtaining the qualification to climb the mountain, but just for the sake of playing chess.

Only a small part of it is for spiritual practice!

It's not about cultivating Buddha, it's about spiritual practice! Lan Ke Temple has the method of spiritual practice!
Qinghuan disappeared in the crowd in a flash. The monk guarding the mountain was no longer surprised and just smiled bitterly at each other.

A chess player asked curiously, "Is this the young Master Qinghuan who Master Qishan mentioned, who has amazing Buddhist nature and no one can teach him?"

The monk guarding the mountain replied, "It's him."

Another chess player asked curiously, "He looks like a lively and playful child. Even Master Qishan can't teach him?"

The monk who guards the mountain paused and said, "The master did not teach him the Buddhist principles or the meaning of Buddhism, but only asked him to recite the sutras."

The chess players couldn't help but sigh and said, "Master Qishan is indeed a great man!"

……

There is a small town at the foot of Mount Wa.

Qing Huan walked all the way to the restaurant in the small town with familiarity. As soon as he entered the door, he clasped his hands together and said to the shopkeeper behind the counter: "Donor, I am here to beg for alms."

The shopkeeper said happily: "What would Master Qinghuan like to make today?"

Qing Huan licked his lips and said, "I can smell the roast goose from far away. Can I get a goose leg?"

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Go, serve the young chef a portion of goose legs!"

The waiter responded quickly and went into the kitchen.

Qing Huan thanked him and said, "Donors who accumulate virtue and do good deeds will surely be rewarded!"

A customer at a nearby table suddenly said, "Little monk, you come here every day to beg for alms, and all you ask for is expensive meat. You are so shameless. Aren't you afraid that you will bankrupt the store?"

Qinghuan turned her head and saw two people sitting at the table. One had white hair and beard and was tall, but he did not make people feel oppressive at all. Instead, he felt close to her.

The other person was a middle-aged man wearing coarse cloth, with a water scoop hanging around his waist and a book in his pocket. He smiled in a very easy-going manner.

One can tell from the temperaments of these two people that they are well-read scholars, and coupled with their kind expressions, no one would have thought that the words just now came from their mouths.

Qing Huan's face was solemn and dignified, and he said, "Donor, you are wrong. I am here to beg for alms. What I am begging for is the law of fate. There is no distinction between noble and humble in the law of fate. Pickled vegetables and goose legs are all fate!"

The old man smiled and said, "If that's the case, why don't you ask the shopkeeper for a bowl of porridge? Porridge and goose legs are the same anyway, aren't they?"

Qing Huan put his hands together and said, "This fate belongs to both the shopkeeper and me. What is alms? To put it bluntly, it means asking for food. Only by letting go of your shame and ego can you eat well and be free.

I don't even want my face anymore, can't I just ask for a goose leg?"

The old man and the middle-aged man looked at each other and burst into laughter, saying, "You little monk, you are quite interesting." (End of this chapter)