Chastity Layman

  Chapter 668 Xuanzang Learning Yoga

  Sitting on duty in the political affairs hall, with a political affairs pen in his hand, Qin Lang sent a message to the Ministry of Rites, asking the doctor of the temple department below to come over with a certificate of monkhood.

  The Ancestral Temple Department is one of the four divisions of the Ministry of Rites. It is in charge of temple worship, sacrificial offerings, astronomy, omissions, national taboos, temple taboos, divination and blessings, medicine, and monks and nuns.

  The Ministry of Rites is considered Leng Yamen among the six departments, and the Temple Department is the Leng Yamen among the four divisions of the Ministry of Rites.

  The doctor of the ancestral hall did not expect to be summoned by the prime minister with a pen. He was panicked and didn't know what was going on, so he hurried to the Zhengshitang under his door.

   As a result, after Qin Lang met this elderly doctor, he only asked the monk about his household registration.

   "Returning to Mr. Bingbi, Buddhist and Taoist affairs were initially under the jurisdiction of Honglu Temple, and later changed to the management of the Temple Department, which was only responsible for the issuance of certificates, and was fully managed by Zongzheng Temple."

  Qin Lang interrupted him, "The reform of Buddhism and Taoism in the Tang Dynasty was promoted by me alone, don't I know this?"

  The doctor couldn't help sweating, and nodded quickly.

It was true that Honglu Temple was in charge of Buddhist and Taoist affairs at the earliest. There was a special agency called Chongxuan Department. Later, as the doctor said, it was divided into the management of the Temple Department of the Ministry of Rites and Zongzheng Temple, one of the nine temples. But now it has been fully taken over by the Temple Department. .

After the reform of Buddhism and Taoism in the Tang Dynasty, the system of monks and Taoists and the parallel system of registration and accounts were implemented. In order to control the number of monks and Taoists and prevent the monastery from losing control of the economy, all monks must first study diligently with their teachers, and then be recommended by their teachers. Only after passing the monkhood examination can he be approved by the shrine department.

  During the monkhood, they have to be unified in Chang’an, and there must be a censor present, and finally they can receive the certificate issued by the Ministry of Rites and Ancestral Hall of Shangshu Province, and become a legal monk. After returning to vulgarity or after death, the degree must be returned to the government, and transfer is strictly prohibited.

Now the Buddhism and Taoism in the Tang Dynasty are all a radish and a pit. All monks and Taoists must practice in temples and Taoist temples. After passing the exam, you have to pay to get a degree certificate to make up for it. And even for recruiting apprentices, there are strict regulations. You can no longer shave at will as before, or even practice with your hair, etc., let alone private temples like Lanruo.

  The shrine department is responsible for management. Now in their entire file, the number of Tang monks recorded is 8,000, nuns 2,000, and Taoist priests 5,000.

  These monks and Taoists also have special household registrations for monks and Taoists. Like civilian households, they are created every three years and are distributed in triplicate to the prefectures, counties, and ancestral halls for inspection from time to time.

  Under the new taxation and land system, Buddhist temples and Taoist temples no longer grant land, but existing land still needs to be taxed per mu, as well as household tax, and economic activities such as building workshops, mills, quality warehouses, etc. are not allowed.

  Under these strict systems, the originally strong Buddhism and Taoism in the early Tang Dynasty, especially the power and economy of Buddhist temples, were hit hard. Hundreds of thousands of monks and nuns, and tens of millions of acres of temple land were filled into the national economy.

   Without tax-free privileges, without a strong monastery economy, and with strict examination and certificate management, most of the monks now are monks who recite scriptures, and they have to work by themselves.

   "I heard that the temples in Chang'an have recently begun to shave privately and enter the Tao. You have neglected your management."

  Hearing this, the doctor turned pale with fright.

"Since the implementation of the new system, our ancestral hall has strictly managed the temples and temples. However, there are also cases of illegal monks and Taoists in some temples, private shaving, and illegal recruitment of novice monks. Once we found out, we immediately ordered rectification and punishment. It's just... "..."

"There is nothing wrong with it. Today, there are only 15,000 monks and nuns in the world, and there is no army. You can't manage it? And those who are in serious cases such as self-shaving, I will severely deal with the whole shrine."

   "After you go back, let the temple department take action immediately. First, investigate from Chang'an and Gyeonggi areas. For those who privately ordain monks and Taoists, and recruit novice monks and Taoist boys in violation of regulations, they will be severely punished and brought back to Chang'an."

  The doctor asked in surprise, "I don't know how Mr. Bingbi plans to deal with them? Should we withdraw the ultimatum, force them to return to vulgarity, or directly send them to the frontier?"

"Originally, it should be dealt with in this way. If it is serious, it will even be sent to slavery directly. But now that the crown prince is in charge of the country, His Highness is kind, so I will give these monks a chance. I will send these people to the four countries of Haidong, let them go To promote Buddhism and Taoism, this can be regarded as redemption.”

   Lang Zhong was stunned for a moment.

  Go to Haidong Four Kingdoms to teach the Dharma? Wouldn't that be the equivalent of deportation?

   Isn’t that too strict?

  But Qin Xianggong didn't dare to doubt what he said, so he quickly took the order and left.

  Back to the Temple Department, immediately summoned Yuanwailang and other subordinate officials, first fired a fire at the subordinates, and then deployed tasks, the Temple Department poured out, and all officials went to Buddhist temples and Taoist temples in Chang'an and Gyeonggi together.

  In just a few days, they found more than a hundred illegal monks from various temples.

After the list was delivered, Qin Lang was surprised to find that there was Master Xuanzang among them. After fine-tuning the file, he found that Master Xuanzang was indeed Tang Monk Tang Sanzang. He was escorted back to Chang'an by Liangzhou Metropolitan Governor's Mansion.

This is still the third year of Zhenguan. This eminent monk who is already well-known in the world, along with his elder brother Master Jie and monk Xiaoda from Qinzhou, violated the ban and organized a group to go west, intending to go to Tianzhu, the birthplace of Buddhism, to find the scriptures. Re-translation in order to unify the differences in Buddhist thought in the Central Plains.

It’s just that after the reform of Buddhism and Taoism in the imperial court, there are strict regulations for monks to travel and lecture. Officials along the way to Guanjin will be strictly investigated and repatriated.

Xuanzang initially filed an application report, but was directly rejected. After a few failed applications, he simply went on a private trip. They traveled day and night, but they were still found out and sent back directly. They were also demerited, fined, and given three years. Punishment of banning from the place where the monastery is located.

   It was sent this time because of the previous bad record, and it was directly raised by the temple department.

   "Master Xuanzang is an eminent monk, he is famous all over the world. Go and invite me, I want to see him."

  Master Xuanzang, who was only twenty-nine years old, made Qin Lang feel like a master at the first meeting. This is a true Buddhist master who devoted himself to the study of Buddhism.

This person can be regarded as a descendant of a noble family. It is said that after Chen Shi, a famous official in the Eastern Han Dynasty, his great-grandfather Chen Qin served as the prefect of Shangdang in the later Wei Dynasty. magistrate.

Later, because of the decline and fall of the Sui Dynasty, he lived in seclusion in the countryside. It was not like in Journey to the West that he was killed by thieves on the way to take office after winning the number one prize. Lose.

  Xuanzang's four brothers, he learned Confucian classics such as the filial piety classics from his father since he was a child, and received a good education. After the death of his father, influenced by the atmosphere at that time, his second elder brother Chen Su became a monk in Luoyang, that is, Master Changjie.

  When he was ten years old, he also entered the temple with Master Changjie to study the Lotus Sutra and so on.

  Later, he met Zheng Shanguo, and was greatly rewarded by the Zheng clan of Xingyang, who made him become a monk at the Jingtu Temple in Luoyang, the eastern capital, where he studied Dharma with the master for six years.

  At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, affected by the war, Xuanzang and his elder brother left Luoyang to travel and study in Sichuan. After four or five years in Shu, they went to Longyou to travel.

   "I heard that the mage wants to go to the west to obtain the scriptures?" Qin Lang asked directly.

Xuanzang is very polite. This monk who is a few years younger than the emperor Li Shimin and a little older than Qin Lang is indeed handsome, and has a taste of elegance on his body. No wonder he is remembered by those fairies all the way in Journey to the West with.

"The poor monk has traveled to Buddhist temples all over the world, studied Buddhism in the north and south, and also heard the teachings of the Indian monk Bopo after he arrived in Chang'an. Cheng Zhi said, so he vowed to go west to seek the Dharma, directly explore the original scriptures, and re-translate them, in order to unify the differences of Buddhism in the Central Plains."

  When Qin Lang heard that he wanted to attend yoga classes, he couldn't help laughing.

  But everyone has their own beliefs, as long as this belief is pious, does not harm others, and does not think about taking the opportunity to cheat, it should be supported.

   "It is thousands of miles away to go to Tianzhu. I admire the determination of the master."

   "Please support Mr. Qin!"

   "I can support the mage, but there is a condition."

   "Mr. Qin, please speak!"

   "Do you know the four countries of Haidong?"

   Xuanzang nodded.

"The kings of the four kingdoms in Haidong also respected Buddhism very much. They also sent people several times to ask for the scriptures. This time, all the countries came to pay tribute and made the same request. I hope that the Tang Dynasty can send eminent monks to teach the Dharma and pass on the scriptures. I plan to organize a group of eminent monks to preach scriptures and teach the Dharma, build Buddhist temples for the four countries, spread the Dharma, and bring the scriptures.”

Xuanzang was surprised. He wanted to go to the West Paradise, the Nalanda Temple in Tianzhu, to listen to yoga, and he didn't want to go to Baekje, the Japanese country. All the Buddhist teachings in his country were passed down from the Central Plains, and he wanted to study the Dharma, not pass it on.

"If the mage is willing to lead a group to teach the Dharma, it will take three to five years, or one or two years, and he can return to the country after the completion of the work. At that time, the minister will personally approve the regulations and send people to **** the mage all the way to the west to obtain the scriptures. How about returning to the Tang Dynasty, and the imperial court mobilizes eminent monks from various Buddhist temples to help translate the scriptures?"

   This condition moved Xuanzang's heart.

   "I don't know what specific requirements Qin Xianggong asked me to go to the four countries of Haidong?"

Qin Lang chuckled, there are no specific requirements, anyway, you Xuanzang is also a very famous eminent monk in the Tang Dynasty, although you are young, you are very good at Buddhism, so let you masters who can’t stand the loneliness in the monasteries of the Tang Dynasty go The Haidong activities just set off a wave of worshiping Buddha for them.

  If it can lead the four countries to worship Buddha like Emperor Xiaowu of the Southern Liang Dynasty, build Buddhist temples, build Buddhist statues, copy Buddhist scriptures, and shave a large number of people to become monks, it is equivalent to planting a cancer for them.

  Dharma is not necessarily bad, but if a country worships Buddha too much, it is definitely a serious cancer.

As early as decades ago, Buddhism began to spread to Japan via the Korean Peninsula. The reformists represented by Prince Shotoku and the Soga family strongly worshiped Buddhism. Naturally, this meant taking the opportunity to suppress traditional forces. Buddhism has the power of tools. I don’t think so, but the reverence they set off really made the Buddha start to take root in Japan, and the three kingdoms of Baekje, Silla, Goguryeo, and Goguryeo were also influenced by the spread of Buddhism in the Central Plains. Entering Haidong, a small climax was formed.

Qin Lang wanted to give a boost, and directly in the name of preaching the Dharma, he sent a large number of monks and Taoists to promote the Dharma, making Buddhism the state religion of the four kingdoms of Haidong, and the Buddhism of the Tang Dynasty became the holy land of Buddhism in the four kingdoms, just like Manchuria. The Qing Dynasty used the Yellow Sect to influence and control Mongolia.

  Qin Lang is willing to provide funds, send eminent monks, print Buddhist books, and even provide them with Buddhist temple construction design drawings, etc. Anyway, if it is done well, if all the four countries in Haidong regard Buddhism as the state religion, then the four countries will be empty because of Buddha. Even if it's not that fierce, at least a wave of Buddhist and Taoist foreign trade exports can make a lot of money.

   "I only hope that the master can impress the four royal families and courts of Haidong with Buddhism, let them turn their hearts to Buddhism, build temples widely, and save people into Buddhahood!"

  Qin Lang was the promoter of the reform of suppressing Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty, but now he is asked to go to Haidong to preach Buddhism, saying that he wants to let the four countries worship Buddhism and enter Taoism. These two completely different attitudes made Xuanzang think deeply.

   But Qin Lang's conditions were indeed attractive. When he returned from his trip to Haidong, he was sent to the west to seek Buddhist scriptures. When he returned from the Buddhist scriptures, he would call eminent monks to help him translate the scriptures.

After Xuanzang agreed, Qin Lang took out a box, which was full of architectural blueprints of famous big Buddhist temples in Chang'an, Luoyang, Jiangling, etc. before Tang Dynasty. There are countless exquisite and tall Buddha statues inside.

  Some big Buddha statues are even several feet high, and some exquisite pagodas are tens of feet high.

   Not to mention those Buddhist temples, with red lacquer and painted glazed tile roofs, and Buddha statues are even more exquisitely cast and painted with golden cinnamon.

  Building one at random can make a small country like the Haidong Four Kingdoms cost a lot. And when a grand monastery is built, how can there be less than 1,800 monks?

  Long-term support, how can there be less monk fields and so on.

  And the result of the development of religion will not only be satisfied with the outside world, but will definitely turn to the secular, and will reach out to the secular regime to seize power. This is an inevitable result.

  The Central Plains has also experienced such a stage, so Qin Lang believes that Haidong’s worship of Buddhism will inevitably go through this stage later, and it may even be more complicated because of the interference and support of Datang behind the scenes.

"Qin Xianggong, the poor monk has something to say beforehand. If you enter Haidong, you will just uphold Buddhism and teach Buddhist scriptures, and don't care about worldly affairs!" Xuanzang was very smart. There are other pictures.

   "Hahaha, I chose the mage because the mage is a real practitioner. If the mage is here, just focus on promoting the Dharma and don't worry about other trivial matters!"

  (end of this chapter)