The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Feng Huhu asked suspiciously, "What is Busa?"

Shanxiang said: "This is a Buddhist language. In fact, it is face-to-face confession. There are one-on-one, one-on-four, one-on-ten, or even one-on-one-hundred. It depends on how many people you want to face. The old monk will arrange for you. .Welcome to Reading"

Feng Jingyao shook his head like a rattle, thinking: It's all right to confess, it's all right to tell the secret in your heart, but telling this person, I don't want to do it, isn't this the same as making someone out of thin air, this is absolutely impossible.

"It doesn't matter if Busa doesn't do it." Feng Huhu said.

Shanxiang said sternly: "Amitabha, Upasa is the first step. If you don't take the first step, even if you pass on the "88 Buddhas Great Repentance Sutra", it will be useless. You should think carefully."

Feng Huhu thought for a while and said: "There is a workaround. This Bosa has to confess in front of others, but I can't get used to it. Telling people who don't have anything to do with what's on my mind, wouldn't it add to my worries."

Shanxiang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said: "So you are worried about this. I know you are thin-skinned, so I have already thought about you. Naturally, you can't speak to people who have nothing to do with you. But this time, I will arrange for you a one-on-one cloth." Sa, and it’s not the monks in the temple that are right, but the Buddha statues; it’s just that it’s a little more difficult, you have to be sincere, and you can pass the test only if you say that the Buddha has signs of manifestation.”

Feng Huhu said: "Facing the Buddha statues? That's fine, but how can it be possible to make the Buddha appear spiritually? These Buddha statues..."

Feng Jingyao suddenly stopped talking, saying, "These Buddha statues are just made of mud, how can you understand my confession." ' This sentence was swallowed with saliva.

Shanxiang said: "Amitabha, the sincerity of the heart, the Buddha naturally perceives it, why do you need to worry about this, the old monk has already changed it for you many times, you just need to do it, if you can't do this, the old monk There is nothing I can do; I am thinking of you, because you and I are masters and apprentices after all, and we can’t just sit and watch the demons resurface day by day. If you don’t want to, we will continue to teach the scriptures and study the Dharma as usual. As for you There is no guarantee that the disease will improve."

Feng Jingyao thought about it carefully and said: "I request that no one should enter or leave the entire Buddhist hall when doing uposa, and no one is allowed to eavesdrop."

Shanxiang sighed: "Why are you so suspicious? This is a Buddhist practice, which is equivalent to a Buddhist practice field. Who will disturb you? Even the old monk will stay away, because once the altar of repentance is erected, any outsider or foreign object will disturb you. Buddha's listening, who will bother you?"

Feng Jingyao said: "Very good, where can I make the confession?"

Shanxiang thought for a while and said: "There are a lot of people coming and going in these temples today, I'm afraid it's not suitable, and it's against the Buddhist rules to prohibit believers from entering. I think two places are suitable. One is in my meditation room. I can invite one Come to the Bodhisattva statue, set up an incense table for you to stay here; the second is the small Buddhist hall in the back hall, which was originally the place where my Daming Temple presided over the retreat and asceticism in the past. Where do you choose?"

Feng Jingyao rolled his eyes and said: "It's better to be a small Buddhist hall where the eminent monk retreats. Although it's fine here, but this is the host's residence. I'm afraid there are many brothers and sisters who come and go to ask for instructions, disturbing the Buddha to listen."

Shanxiang pretended to be hesitant and said: "This... there is indeed some truth, but just now I forgot to say that the small Buddhist hall in the backyard is the important place of my Daming Temple, and no one except the old monk is qualified to enter this temple. If you enter, I am afraid it will be against the rules. "

Feng Jingyao frowned and said, "What's the rule? The disciples don't go in to eat meat and drink, so what's the point?"

Shanxiang said: "Although that is the case, this is a rule left by the temple. How can I break it? Unless..."

Feng Jingyao's stubborn temper came up, you won't let me go, I will go anyway, there are so many rules, it's just that when things come to an end, they just want to make money.

"Unless you donate something to worship the Buddha as apology, maybe..." Shanxiang said expectantly.

"Okay, okay, my disciple will immediately order someone to come down the mountain to bring you three thousand shi of rice. Now the head office will do it." Feng Jingyao was very annoyed. In fact, the difference is not much, if not for his illness, Feng Jingyao would have turned the table over.

"That's great. With something to worship the Buddha, the Buddha will not blame the old monk, Amitabha." Shanxiang's face was wrinkled and smiling like a chrysanthemum blooming, and he kept chanting Buddha.

Feng Jingyao wished he could take out the iron egg in his bosom and hit his face with flowers, suppressed his anger and said, "So when will it start?"

Shanxiang said: "Well... I dare not take you to the small Buddhist hall until the offerings for worshiping the Buddha are sent up the mountain."

Shanxiang didn't scatter eagles when he didn't see rabbits, so Feng Jingyao got up and said, "I'm going to ask someone to bring up the food. You and I can go and wait outside the hall."

Shanxiang said: "You go first, the old man will come after he prepares."

Feng Jingyao said: "What are you preparing for?"

Shanxiang said: "The incense candles and utensils in the small Buddhist hall are all made by the old monk himself, and no one else can touch them. The old monk will help you prepare a little, and you can use them when you enter the Buddhist hall later."

Feng Jingyao couldn't bear so many strange rules, so he had to leave the Zen room alone and walked forward.

Shanxiang watched Feng Jingyao's figure turning around from the gap in the window until he disappeared. Then he coughed and recited the Buddha's name. Su Jin crawled out from the dark compartment of the wooden bed with a head full of dust, spat repeatedly, stretched out his hand and slapped the dust on his body indiscriminately, and the ash danced in the meditation room, causing Shanxiang to frown.

"Master is so eloquent, he convinced this guy abruptly." Su Jin smiled with his neat white teeth.

"Amitabha, my lord, you have hurt me. I have never said so many lies in my life. The Buddha will definitely blame me." Shanxiang muttered with a sad face.

Su Jin laughed and said: "Why do you still say such things? You are doing a great merit. As long as I take the evidence and uproot all the corrupt officials in Yangzhou Prefecture, it will save hundreds of thousands of people. The surname is in the midst of water and fire, and it will be too late for the Buddha to be happy, so why blame him?"

"Amitabha, the matter has come to this point, it is useless to say anything, but please let the adults remember what you promised."

Su Jin laughed and leaned into Shanxiang's ear and said, "Don't worry, I keep my word, and I won't tell anyone about the box of silver ingots you hid in the bed lattice."

"Amitabha, Amitabha." Shocked and annoyed, Shanxiang could only chant the Buddha's name over and over again. This guy insisted on staying in his meditation room all night, thinking of such a way to make Feng Jingyao repent, making him alarmist and exaggerating Feng Jingyao's illness, forcing him It is a good way to repent by yourself, but for me, it took a lot of effort to make so many Buddhist teachings out of my mouth. If Feng Jingyao's suspicion is aroused, Feng Jingyao will definitely withdraw the funds for building the temple immediately. That may be worth the candle.

"Okay, everything is ready, I'm going to the small Buddha hall, how many people can be accommodated in the hollow of the Buddha you said?"

"How many people?" Shanxiang opened his eyes wide and said, "It's too crowded when you go in. The hollow space of the Buddha statue was originally used for consecration after the Buddha statue was molded and stuffed into handwritten scriptures. Do you think it belongs to Tibetans?"

"This...isn't it only me who can go in alone? That guy..." Su Jin felt a little chilly in his heart. Once Feng Jingyao noticed it, if he was one-on-one with him, it would be a matter of death.

"My lord, there is nothing I can do to help you." Shanxiang was expressionless, he knew that Su Jin was afraid.

"If I don't go to hell, who will go to hell?" Su Jin suddenly uttered the most reasonable words of Buddhism with great righteousness, and his expression was very decisive, which moved Shanxiang a little. Thinking about it, this special envoy of Su is indeed for the people of Yangzhou , rather than a joke, this responsibility is enough to teach people admiration.

"Special Envoy Su, come with me. Your three companions should have a face-to-face meeting with Puji, so don't wander around in the temple."

Su Jin said: "Don't worry, I have sent them to the vegetable garden in the backyard of your temple to bask in the sun. Feng Laohu will never see them."

Shanxiang stopped talking, and led Su Jin all the way to the north, and came to a courtyard at the northernmost end of the temple, where a small stone room stood alone.

Shanxiang waved back a few young monks who were busy nearby, took out the key to open the wooden door, and said to Su Jin: "My lord, please come in, at most half an hour, Puji will come in, you have to hide it quickly, when you get here, I should I have done everything for you, and it is up to you whether you succeed or not."

Su Jin cupped his hands and said: "The old host has bothered me. I won't say thank you. There will be rewards after things are successful."

Shan Xiang recited the sound of Buddha, and waited for Su Jin to enter, but Su Jin did not take a step, reached out and took out a few sandalwood sticks from his bosom, handed them to Shan Xiang and said: "Mix these few sandalwood sticks in the incense candle and bring them in. "

Shanxiang asked, "What kind of incense is this?"

Su Jin winked and smiled slightly, turned around and stepped into the small dark Buddhist hall; Shanxiang rolled his eyes, this little bastard, who doesn't look like an official, uses all these dirty tricks in the world, needless to say, These sandalwood sticks are also like confuse.

The matter has come to this point, and he is unable to argue with him, Shanxiang stretched out his hand and locked the wooden door, and hurried to the front hall to look for Feng Jingyao.