Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Having secured the emperor's support, Qian Qianyi was full of confidence and summoned eminent monks in the capital to discuss Buddhist doctrines.

Given his current position and reputation throughout the land, this matter naturally garnered widespread support. Almost all the famous monks in the capital gathered there.

At this time, the Ming Dynasty was in a period of decline for Taoism and revival for Buddhism.

After Wang Yangming incorporated Zen Buddhism into Confucianism and perfected his philosophy of mind, many followers of this philosophy admired Buddhism. Some even joined the Buddhist community to further develop Buddhist theories.

People like Qian Qianyi were inclined towards Buddhism. Guan Zhidao, whom he regarded as his teacher, was also a Buddhist layperson.

The four great monks of the Ming Dynasty were all born at this time. Among them, Yunqi Zhuhong, Zibo Zhenke, and Hanshan Deqing had already passed away, while Ouyi Zhixu, who was later revered as the ninth patriarch of the Pure Land School, was a young man in his thirties.

This man initially studied Confucianism and vowed to destroy Buddhism and Taoism. Later, after reading the works of Yunqi Zhuhong and losing his father, he turned to Buddhism. Then, after dreaming of Deqing three times, he was ordained as a monk by Deqing's disciple Xueling, taking the name Zhixu.

He embraced the teachings of various schools of Buddhism, possessing profound knowledge of Chan, Vinaya, Pure Land, Tiantai, and Yogacara. Despite his young age, he was already a recognized eminent monk. He was in charge of the Buddhist Association of the Ming Dynasty.

His various studies were still rooted in Confucianism, so he naturally agreed with Qian Qianyi's idea of ​​the unity of the three teachings.

Upon hearing that Qian Qianyi intended to revise Buddhist scriptures based on the concept of the unity of the three teachings (Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism), he immediately addressed the assembled crowd:
“Mr. Yangming introduced Buddhism into Confucianism, and Buddhism was revived after gaining the approval of the literati.”

"It is evident that the knowledge of the three schools of thought is indeed intertwined and should be called a unified whole."

He strongly agreed with the idea of ​​the unity of the three religions and quoted the words of Yunqi Zhuhong and Hanshan Deqing, specifically advocating that the three religions are one family.

Zibo Zhenke also strongly advocated the integration of the three religions. It can be said that the four great monks of the Ming Dynasty all agreed on the unity of the three religions.

Among the other monks, Yuanxian, who, like Zhixu, was a Confucian Buddhist, also agreed with this point and proposed that the three teachings are of one principle.

Needless to say, the disciples and grand-disciples of the four eminent monks almost all responded in unison.

Qian Qianyi was secretly pleased with himself upon seeing this. In fact, he was also a disciple of Hanshan Deqing and had once heard him transmit the Dharma.

This is also why he dared to use Buddhism as a guise to allude to Nestorian Christianity—

He was confident enough to persuade the eminent Buddhist monks to support him.

Now that Zhixu, Yuanxian, and others are leading the way in supporting him, Qian Qianyi immediately said:
"In a world of great harmony, religions should also be of great harmony. Although the doctrines of different religions may differ, they should not fight each other."

"Therefore, the integration of the three religions requires the elimination of extreme doctrines."

“All doctrines that incite believers to attack other denominations must be eliminated.”

"And believers must be allowed to freely worship other gods, without any hindrance."

This is not difficult for Buddhism. After being tamed by the Three Wu and One Zong emperors, Buddhism basically dares not cause trouble on this point.

In the Ming Dynasty at that time, the loudest voices calling it "heresy" actually came from the Donglin Party members, who were reviving Neo-Confucianism. They were the ones who attacked heresy the most; in terms of extremism, Buddhism was nowhere near the top.

The polytheistic nature of the Ming Dynasty population also prevented Buddhism from promoting extreme doctrines. High-ranking monks like Zhixu agreed with this, stating:
"Buddhism can refrain from attacking other religions, but other religions cannot attack Buddhism."

“I believe that Taoist texts such as the ‘Laozi Huahu Jing’ should be banned, and we should not allow them to provoke disputes.”

This statement garnered support from many monks, and the idea of ​​Laozi converting the barbarians, regardless of its origin, became a taboo within Buddhism. During the early Yuan dynasty, Buddhism and Taoism even held a debate, in which the Quanzhen School suffered a crushing defeat, turning its golden age into decline.

Qian Qianyi, of course, did not want any further conflict, and nodded in agreement. He then addressed the assembled monks:

"His Majesty ordered me to revise the classics, and naturally, absurd and nonsensical books such as the 'Laozi Huahu Jing' will not be included in the classics."

"From now on, the scriptures for both Buddhism and Taoism must be determined. Thirteen scriptures will be selected for each religion."

"The translations and commentaries of these thirteen scriptures must also be re-evaluated and respected by all religious sects."

This statement immediately sparked discussion among various Buddhist sects, who knew it was a crucial point concerning the status of their own sects.

For example, if the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch were included as one of the thirteen Buddhist scriptures, would they still worry that Zen Buddhism would not be able to develop?
The Yogacara school should be the least worried, because they are the school founded by Master Xuanzang. Can Buddhist scriptures really be bypassed? The Heart Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, the Infinite Life Sutra, and other scriptures were all translated by Xuanzang.

However, Qian Qianyi's suggestion to re-translate and annotate the text caused them concern, and Zhixu, who was well-versed in the Yogacara school, asked on their behalf:

"The scriptures need commentary, but is a retranslation necessary?"

“Various Buddhist scriptures are already familiar to believers.”

"I believe that the original translation can be used."

Qian Qianyi had never considered making significant changes to Buddhist scriptures before, but he had to comply after the emperor made the request.

He said to Zhixu and the others:
"Things that have already been translated into Chinese do not need to be translated again."

"However, the Emperor demanded that words like 'Jiedi' and 'Boluo,' which are transliterations, be retranslated."

"You should revise the scriptures based on the translations of Master Xuanzang, Master Kumarajiva, and others."

"They are also listed first in the author's name to highlight their contributions."

This is already considered a compromise, much more moderate than what the emperor described.

However, many monks were still unwilling.

Those monks who have spent their entire lives reciting Buddhist scriptures don't want to have to learn them all over again in their old age.

They all expressed their opinions, believing that the believers could understand these words and that they were already comprehensible.

Qian Qianyi initially agreed to retain terms like "bhikkhu" and "mandala," but as they continued to use more and more, he began to get angry.

The emperor ordered the retranslation of Buddhist scriptures, and it had to be carried out regardless of the circumstances.

His expression turned solemn, and he addressed the monks:

"Do you know what the most damaging aspect of the Taoist attack on the Buddhist sect is?"

Some people naturally thought of the story of Laozi converting the barbarians, which was mentioned earlier. Zhixu seemed to be thinking about it and said:

"Buddhism originated from outside the region; they call it a foreign religion."

“Recently, quite a few Taoists have been attacking Buddhism again under the guise of distinguishing between Chinese and barbarians.”

This is an emerging trend, and an inevitable consequence of the emperor's advocacy of the distinction between Chinese and barbarians.

Qian Qianyi had heard about this and collected many articles to corroborate it.

He showed these articles to the monks present and said to them:

"Since Buddhism was introduced to China, there have been many different opinions about it."

"Although Buddhism can use various reasons to justify itself, if this point is not resolved, people will continue to use it against us."

"The purpose of retranslating Buddhist scriptures is to resolve the criticisms of non-Buddhist religions."

"Based on the concept of the unity of the three religions, the scriptures were revised during the translation process."

"That way, Buddhism can be transformed into Chinese Buddhism, instead of always being subject to criticism."

This made many monks nod in agreement, and they greatly approved of this point.

In fact, as Buddhism has developed to this point, many of the theories of monks are derived from the ideas of eminent Chinese monks such as Huineng and Huiyuan.

There are not many who study Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures in their entirety; most of them develop their own teachings based on the ideas of their patriarchs.

These people naturally agreed with retranslating and revising the scriptures, especially Qian Qianyi's statement that it would completely resolve the criticisms of the Hu religion.
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However, some disagreed. The monk Tong'an, who had previously sought an audience with Qian Qianyi regarding the religious tax but was refused, remarked:
"Can revising scriptures make it a Chinese religion? I think not."

"The Buddhas we worship all come from beyond this realm." "If the Taoists point at the statues and criticize them, won't there still be arguments?"

This has garnered some approval, because Buddhism has so many foreign elements that it is impossible to completely remove them.

Many people think that if they could win debates in the past, they can win them in the future.

Qian Qianyi secretly praised the emperor's foresight, stroking his beard and laughing:

“Deities from beyond the borders can also be assimilated and become orthodox gods of China.”

"Guanyin Bodhisattva was reincarnated as the Nine-Lotus Bodhisattva. Do you mean that the Nine-Lotus Bodhisattva is not a true deity?"

This caused many high-ranking monks to look distorted and their faces to appear quite unnatural.

The matter of the Nine Lotus Bodhisattva was instigated by Empress Dowager Xiaoding Li and Emperor Wanli. At that time, Buddhism had not yet been revived, and in order to gain the support of the royal family, they reluctantly accepted it.

Unexpectedly, the current emperor went even further, directly merging Guanyin Bodhisattva and Jiulian Bodhisattva into one, and even intending to replace Guanyin.

They dared not criticize the matter, and could only change the subject by talking about other deities.

Buddhism has many deities, and it is impossible to assimilate them all, Qian Qianyi said:

"According to the Emperor, Buddhism is a religion that is half Chinese and half barbarian."

"This half-barbarian theory naturally includes the barbarian customs and barbarian gods."

"The concept of 'half-Chinese' naturally refers to the modifications made after it was introduced to China, based on various doctrines developed within Buddhism."

“Some Buddhist deities are also transforming into Chinese deities, which are completely different from their image in foreign lands.”

"The Emperor is willing to confer upon these transformed Chinese deities the title of Righteous Gods, granting them divine positions within the pantheon of gods."

"In this way, the immortals of Buddhism in China can be assimilated and will no longer cause controversy."

Some monks agree with this view, but many more simply don't care.

Whether someone is a true god or not is not something they value so much. Does the fact that the Buddha has been designated an external god mean that believers will abandon him?
Just as they were thinking this, Qian Qianyi's next words made them sit up straight immediately.

Because Qian Qianyi mentioned that the bill to be drafted by the Education Committee was to promote the true gods:

"His Majesty previously stated that the total number of religious sites in various regions shall not exceed the number of temples under the jurisdiction of the City God Bureau."

"The plan of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is to determine the total number of religious sites based on the area and population of each region, so as to meet the religious needs of the people."

"Among them, temples of the City God account for at least half, while temples of other orthodox gods such as Buddhism and Taoism account for about 40%."

“Temples of heretical deities occupy no more than 10% of the Ming Dynasty; anything more must be demolished.”

"Whether or not someone can become a true god is related to the number of temples they can be worshipped."

"From now on, temples that enshrine righteous gods shall not enshrine foreign gods."

"Otherwise, it is permissible to destroy mountains and temples and convert them into the worship of righteous gods."

These words immediately caused the high monks present to lose their composure.

They didn't care so much whether the gods they worshipped were foreign gods, but the number of temples was a major issue related to their income and status.

The reason why Buddhism and Quanzhen Taoism clashed so fiercely during the Yuan Dynasty was because Quanzhen Taoism seized Buddhist temples.

The court's enactment of this law means that temples dedicated to foreign gods will no longer be protected. Any religious sect that believes in a righteous god can seize temples dedicated to foreign gods.

This is a major event that could cause religious conflict, and they can no longer afford to take it lightly.

Master Zhixu said:

"Doesn't the imperial court advocate the unity of the three religions? Why has it enacted such a law?"

"If the destruction of mountains and temples is permitted, the conflicts will never end."

Qian Qianyi disagreed, saying:

"Eliminating evil gods and eradicating licentious worship are matters of promoting education."

"How can such disputes be considered bad? They should continue."

"His Majesty said that wherever the Ming army goes, religious temples must be built there."

"Are we just going to let evil gods and their worship exist without doing anything about it?"

“If your Buddhist sect is unwilling to convert some deities into righteous gods, then this task can only be handed over to the Taoist sect.”

The words were spoken so bluntly that the monks present all understood:

The emperor not only had to regulate religion within the Ming Dynasty, but also had to spread it outwards.

If the Taoist sects become powerful enough to destroy mountains and temples outside, would they allow the temples within the Ming Dynasty to be occupied by heretical deities?

The current situation can be described as a matter of either moving forward or falling behind. If Buddhism cannot keep up with the times, it will be left behind.

This was a consequence they were unwilling to accept, and the high-ranking monks present all expressed their willingness to convert the deities they worshipped into the orthodox Chinese gods.

Isn't it just relics, temples, and incarnations? They can be made up even without them, and it's guaranteed that all the widely worshipped Buddhist deities will be assimilated into the true gods of China.

Qian Qianyi was quite satisfied with this, and only then did he mention the Buddha's bone relic that the emperor had pointed out.

Upon hearing that the Buddha's relics were found in the underground palaces of Famen Temple and Dabaoen Temple, the monks were immediately agitated and expressed their desire to go to the two temples to personally bring the Buddha's relics out of the underground palaces.

Many monks even thought that if these two events could confirm the rumors that the emperor was a living god, they would have no choice but to believe it.

Otherwise, why would the Buddha's relics appear at this time, and in two different temples?

This is clearly not something that can be faked, because once a Buddha's relic is discovered, it is very difficult to hide it.

Not to mention that both places were covering it up together, and there hadn't been any prior information.

If the emperors had not received enlightenment from the Buddha, they would have had no idea how to explain the Buddha's relics in these two places.

Thinking that most of the prophecies made before the current emperor had been proven true, and that the Buddha's relics would appear in the Ming Dynasty, some monks who had spent their lives reciting scriptures suddenly trembled.

This event will confirm the existence of the Buddha and also prove that the current emperor is a true god on earth.

The fact that the Buddha took the initiative to appear in a dream to the Ming emperor to express his conversion also indicates that Buddhism had completely completed its conversion.

Thinking of this, they couldn't help but feel both respect and awe for the current emperor, regarding him as a deity.

These people enthusiastically welcomed the emperor's plan to bestow titles upon eminent Buddhist monks in China as righteous deities in Buddhism. They believed that the deities appointed by the current emperor could truly become gods.

Under this mindset, their attitude towards the emperor also completely changed. They shifted from reverence for imperial power to reverence for the gods.

He even dreamed of serving the current emperor and being posthumously honored as a deity.

The key now is whether the Buddha's relics exist. Once confirmed, no one will doubt the claim that the emperor is a true god.

The monks quickly split into two groups, preparing to go to the underground palaces of the two temples to retrieve the Buddha's relics. (End of Chapter)