Chapter 950: Thank Me Before Lecturing Today

It is cold at the heights.

The eaves of the Hanging Temple are covered with white snow all year round, only melting on the Binghuo day once a year, but the Bodhi tree in the temple is still lush and green, occasionally with a few leaves covered with white frost.

The old monk wore a patchwork robe, held Buddhist beads, and walked through the center of the crowd that separated like a tide.

His sleeves fluttered.

Everyone stood up silently, bowing to welcome him.

Regardless of whether they are Buddhist believers or not, everyone who comes to listen to the scriptures today has basic respect for the strong.

The old monk put his palms together, faced left and right, returned the salute one by one, passed through the crowd, walked straight to the Bodhi tree, lifted his hem on the knotted tree roots, sat cross-legged, and picked up the scriptures on the table.

At this moment, the little novices wrapped in robes held a pile of booklets and shuttled through the crowd, distributing one to each person waiting, like students waiting for textbooks.

"Diamond Sutra."

Liang Qu touched the big characters on the booklet.

The first scripture explained at today's scripture lecture assembly has a long history and can be called a classic of Buddhism, which must be read.

Opened it, the ink fragrance was rich, and in some places, if you touched it, you could still rub out the shadow of the characters.

Newly printed.

The cold wind blew, and the leaves rustled.

The old monk held up the "Diamond Sutra" in his hand, displayed it to the four directions, and his voice spread clearly and powerfully to everyone's ears, not from big to small, but resounding in everyone's ears with the exact same volume.

"Before lecturing on scriptures today, I must thank one person."

Daoist Ge, the "lecturer" sitting below, waved his whisk: "Who does the Bright King want to thank?"

"Donor Liang." The old monk reached out and pointed to the golden brocade cushion five steps away from the table.

Countless gazes converged across the air.

This...

Thank me?

Liang Qu was confused, only feeling that under the "Eye Consciousness Method," his back was itchy and unbearable, and he wanted to reach out and scratch it.

"Two hundred years ago, movable type printing appeared suddenly. In form, it was far superior to woodblock printing, but it did not replace woodblock printing. There were many reasons for this, and the old monk is not proficient in this way, so I can't say it clearly."

"Or the printing was unclear, or the mud type and lead type were easily damaged, copper type was too expensive, easy to steal, not as cheap and beautiful as wood carving, but the above are all small, one main reason is that the craftsmen who printed did not know how to read."

Craftsmen who print don't know how to read?

Everyone was stunned.

Everyone in the field was a noble person, lacquerware toilets were only used by white buttocks, never handled by hand, so they didn't know these details, only those who managed the size of the sect knew.

"Learning to read takes several years, you need to go to the academy, with this kind of family background, you would never be a printing craftsman."

"So that's it..."

"There is actually such a thing, then our sect..."

"Master, our secret books are all hand-copied, not printed. How can we pass through other people's hands? In the name of reciting, let the disciples copy ten copies, which is enough."

Liang Qu flipped through the booklet in his hand, vaguely guessing what the old monk was going to say.

A few years ago, he went to the imperial capital, and it seemed he heard someone mention it, something about teaching pinyin in the east of the city, training literate craftsmen, and learning movable type printing?

"Woodblock, craftsmen only need to know how to carve 'pictures', movable type, however, requires craftsmen to know how to read, recognize characters, and arrange characters. With the appearance of the pinyin method, they can explore it themselves in half a year, and can get started in a year."

"The 63,800 copies of the Diamond Sutra distributed to you all today were all printed with movable type in Datong Prefecture, which can be called the spread of classics and history all over the world."

Everyone suddenly realized.

Never thought it was for this reason.

Speaking of the opening episode.

The old monk opened the "Diamond Sutra."

Everyone restrained their thoughts and listened carefully.

"Looking at the 'Diamond Sutra', there are thousands of principles, but one cannot ignore this sentence: 'Those who speak of Dharma have no Dharma to speak of.'"

"That is, the true Buddhist Dharma cannot be fully carried by words. You need to break the attachment to the words of the scriptures, like 'crossing the river and abandoning the boat', the Buddhist Dharma is only a tool for enlightenment, not the purpose."

"I chose this sentence as the opening, only hoping that all donors will keep it in mind. Today and even the scripture lecture assembly for more than twenty days are all the words of one family, the old monk. If you feel it is right, you can taste it carefully. If you feel it is wrong, don't be attached to the appearance."

"Amitabha."

The audience responded with the Buddha's name.

"The first chapter today, 'Thus have I heard, the World-Honored One, a thousand people, finished eating and washed feet, spread the seat and sat... please turn to, the book says...'" The pages rustled.

Monks like Master Huai Kong held pens to record.

The old monk chose pages and words to explain, easy to understand, deep and shallow.

The shadows on the ground gradually shortened.

Half an hour passed in a flash, from eight o'clock to nine o'clock, little novices shuttled between the cushions, carrying teapots to pour tea for people.

"Ha"

A yawn was interrupted violently halfway, as if pinched by the nose.

The old monk stopped turning the pages.

"Three chapters finished, you can rest for a while."

Whoosh!

Suddenly liberated.

Buddhist scriptures spread out, pages turned by the wind.

The field began to communicate in low voices. Xu Xu Zishuai looked back, didn't see who yawned just now, he flipped through the scriptures in his hand in confusion, poked Liang Qu's back forward, and shook the booklet in his hand.

"Junior Brother, how come... is it really lecturing on scriptures?"

"How fresh." Liang Qu curled his lips, "Scripture lecture assembly, scripture lecture assembly, if not lecturing on scriptures, what to do? Lecture on the seventy-two stunts of Buddhism?"

"I thought..." Xu Xu Zishuai looked around.

Xiang Xiang Zhangsong answered: "We thought it was lecturing on some cultivation experience."

Not only the few people around, but the young people of the true lineages behind were all like this.

Martial Saint lectures on scriptures.

Excited all night last night, didn't sleep, fell asleep in a Jianghuai Daze just before dawn, and as a result, only slept for a few moments, and had to get up again. Today, sitting on the cushion, listened for two quarters of an hour, and found it was completely different from what he imagined, so he couldn't help but start to get sleepy.

Datong Department Magistrate Inspector Bian Ka Youning laughed.

"Lecturing on scriptures is lecturing on scriptures, lecturing on principles, not Dharma, not technique. If the principles match, you can draw inferences, which is indeed beneficial to cultivation. If the principles don't match, then these twenty-odd days are just understanding one more Buddhist scripture."

"However, it is difficult to match the principles. Although it is a bit vulgar, today, you can regard it as publicity. If you really want to look forward to it, you might as well wait for Daoist Ge's 'asking difficulties' later."

"Aba Aba..."

Fantasy shattered.

"Donor, be careful of hot tea."

"Thank you, little master." Liang Qu took the tea, distributed it to everyone, and pointed to the table not far away, "Are those snacks on it?"

It wasn't just the few people around; the young people of the Entering Zhen Xiang Sect in the back all thought so too.

"Take some."

The porcelain plate fell.

Prefect Inspector Bian Ka Youning of Datong laughed heartily.

"Lecturing on sutras is just lecturing on sutras; it speaks of principles, not methods or techniques. If the principles align, one can draw inferences about other cases, which is indeed beneficial to cultivation. If the principles don't align, then these twenty-some days are simply about understanding one more Buddhist scripture."

"Is there an allusion? Please tell me, Department Magistrate Inspector Bian."

"It is said that the high monk Deshan Xuanjian of Buddhism, whose secular surname was Zhou, was nicknamed 'Zhou Diamond' because he loved the 'Diamond Sutra'. He heard that Zen Buddhism in the south was prosperous, and one could become a Buddha without hard cultivation, so he was very dissatisfied and wanted to go south to debate with others."

The illusion shattered.

Deshan was full of confidence. So the old woman asked: The Diamond Sutra says, 'The past mind cannot be obtained, the present mind cannot be obtained, the future mind cannot be obtained.' You want a snack, which mind are you pointing at?

Deshan sweated profusely and could not answer.

"This question is not simple? I know!"

Everyone looked sideways.

"What do you know?" Yang Yang Dongxiong was curious.

Everyone ate fresh oil cakes.

Inspector Bian Ka Youning seized the opportunity: "Do you all know why this oil cake snack is specifically served at this Dharma assembly?"

"Hahaha!"

The monks under the Bodhi tree laughed loudly.

A moment of rest.

Like going to the toilet, Bodhi Island gradually returned to quiet, the old monk looked at the crowd outside the tree.

"One section finished, do you have any questions? Today's asking difficulties, everyone can, and don't be limited to the 'Diamond Sutra', Buddhist scriptures, life principles, all can be asked."

No one answered.

Some people worried about becoming a "bird that sticks out."

Some people worried about making a fool of themselves.

The whisk waved.

"Since no one asks, then the poor Daoist will have to throw a brick to attract jade." Daoist Ge took on his role, "The Great Master is a Buddhist Arhat today, known to the world, the poor Daoist wants to know, are you, this great Arhat, coming by vow, or coming by karma?"

"!"

Liang Qu's face tightened.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 951 =====

Those who needed to use the restroom went to do so, and Bodhi Island gradually returned to quiet. The old monk looked at the people outside the tree.

"After finishing one section, do you all have any questions? Today, everyone may ask questions, and you need not be limited to the 'Diamond Sutra'; Buddhist scriptures and life principles are all open for inquiry."

No one answered.

Some were worried about becoming the "tall poppy."

Some were worried about making a fool of themselves.

The horsetail whisk waved.

"Since no one is asking, then this poor Daoist will have to throw out a brick to attract jade." Daoist Ge took on his role, "Master, today you are honored as an Arhat of the Buddhist school, which the whole world knows. This poor Daoist would like to know, you, this great virtuous Arhat, did you come by vow, or did you come because of karma?"

"!"

Liang Qu's expression turned stern.

(End of chapter)