Chapter 15: Chp 8 The deepest part of the northwest

Chp 8 The deepest part of the northwest

•1•

Walking alone on the Loess Plateau, Xuanzang felt that he was becoming more and more numb, and his pale face was full of tiredness, which was the tiredness caused by hunger.

After leaving the Weishui River, he had not eaten for three days.

I feel dizzy and have no strength at all. The yellow earth, which should have been solid, felt soft and hollow under his staggering feet...

Will the victims really keep their promise and take the little white dragon to the market to sell it in exchange for food? He didn't know, he could only choose to believe it, and he desperately forced himself to believe it.

Maybe Xiao Bailong is still alive now?

The factors that prompted him to travel west to seek Dharma were not only doubts about Buddhist scriptures, but also the subconscious motive of trying to use Buddhism to find good medicine to heal the social trauma of the early Tang Dynasty.

Master Popo once said that "The Treatise on the Earth of Yogi" can relieve the suffering of all sentient beings. This is what made Xuanzang's heart beat.

He wanted to save all sentient beings, but he didn't want a soul to die for him as soon as he left Chang'an.

For three whole days, he had been rushing on desperately, but Xiao Bailong's gentle and trusting eyes still appeared from time to time, torturing him deeply and making him heartbroken.

Whenever that peaceful look flashed in his mind, his heart would be filled with deep guilt and huge guilt, as if someone was pointing a blunt knife at his heart, killing him cruelly with one knife after another.

What the old man said was so true! A person would never feel guilty eating a horse, after all, it is different from eating a human being. It was under this consciousness that the little white dragon was given away by its most trusted owner to the hungry people who clearly wanted to eat it, and deceived themselves into thinking that they would sell it! Now, it must have been eaten to the point where not even the bones and dregs are left, right?

Xuanzang never dared to think about this matter, and his heart trembled with pain when he thought about it.

He knew that this was his sin, a sin committed against an innocent creature and unpardonable.

But he has no regrets. If he could go back and choose again, he would probably do it again.

Maybe life is like this. When you face a choice, you are actually wrong. No matter how you choose, you are wrong and you need to bear the responsibility.

Guilt... He chewed this word silently in his heart - yes, sometimes, sin is also a kind of responsibility, and it must be shouldered...

When the Buddha was King Sibi, he was sitting quietly in the forest one day when he saw a dove being chased by a hungry eagle. The dove flew into his arms and asked for help, so King Sibi hid the dove in his sleeve.

The eagle came and asked for the dove. King Sibi said, "This dove has sought refuge from me in time of crisis. I cannot give it to you."

The eagle said: "You cherish the life of the pigeon, but have you ever thought that if I don't have food, I will also die."

King Sibi thought it was right, but he couldn't give up the pigeon, so he negotiated with the eagle to exchange his own flesh for the pigeon's life.

The eagle agreed to the suggestion, but asked that the weight of the flesh cut off by King Sibi must be equal to that of the dove.

King Sibi took a scale, put the dove on one end of the scale, and then cut a piece of meat of the same size from himself and put it on the other end, but the scale was not balanced. He cut another piece of meat and added it, but the scale was still unbalanced... No matter how much meat he cut off, the scale remained motionless. The little pigeon seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, but until he cut off all the flesh on his thighs and arms, the scales didn't move at all.

Finally, King Sibi stood up and threw his entire body on one end of the scale, and the scale was finally balanced.

Whenever he thought of this story, Xuanzang couldn't help but be deeply moved by the Buddha's great compassion. He knew that what this scale weighed was not the weight of flesh, but the weight of life.

Life is of equal value, no matter how it is presented to the world, it is irreplaceable.

Therefore, the Buddha has been doing this kind of self-sacrifice in countless lives in the past.

But why was the Buddha able to sacrifice his life so easily and freely without any burden of thought, while I had to sacrifice the innocent little white dragon? Is it because my karma is so heavy that I don’t even have the power to sacrifice myself?

Xuanzang felt his head hurt violently. Was this a punishment?

At dusk, light rain suddenly began to fall in the sky, and the strong wind blew up the icy rain, which sprinkled on the walker's thin body, making it feel chilly.

Rain is the tears of the sky. Xuanzang knew this a long time ago. He looked up at the rain in the sky, and the rain in the sky was also looking at him. The rain is getting heavier and heavier, and the sky is already howling.

Xuanzang's whole body was already soaked, but he did not open the umbrella on the bamboo basket.

Let the tears of God wash away my sins, whether they can be washed away or not.

It was so dark that I couldn't see my fingers, there were almost no pedestrians on the road, and not even a barking dog could be heard in the villages passing by. Except for the sound of wind and rain howling across the earth, there was deathly silence all around.

•2•

The world is getting wider and wider, and the travelers walking in it seem to be getting smaller and smaller, and the road is so far that there is no end in sight...

"That's right." He thought mockingly to himself as he walked, "People have been arrogant for too long. Only when we get here do we realize how vast the world is. How big a difference is there between a person and an ant?"

As if to correspond to these words, a wolf howl suddenly came from the distance, like a shrill cry piercing the night sky. The penetrating sound was full of desolation and wild power.

Xuanzang panted in the wind and rain. His physical strength had been exhausted in the past few days, even more than when he besieged the city of Luoyang. He was too tired to move his feet, so he had to find a stone to sit down.

The all-pervasive cold wind besieged him from all directions. He closed his eyes and felt that his body was cold and painful. His head was as heavy as lead, and his body seemed to be slowly becoming stiff...

The wolf howled again, getting closer and closer to him...

"If I fall down like this, I will probably feed the wolves this night..." He thought vaguely, "That's fine, the little white dragon was eaten by others, and I was eaten by wolves. Although the karma and retribution are cruel, they are so fair and reasonable..."

He clasped his hands together and sincerely made a vow: "Disciple Xuanzang, please pray for the compassionate protection of all the Buddhas in the ten directions and three generations, so that the little white dragon's karmic obstacles can be eliminated, escape from the evil path, and ascend to the Pure Land; so that all the victims can safely survive this natural disaster and escape suffering and find happiness. All the blame lies with Xuanzang alone, and Xuanzang is willing to bear all the consequences for this!"

A soft light appeared in front of my eyes, like the light of Buddha on the golden summit of Mount Emei, exuding awe-inspiring solemnity.

A soft voice suddenly sounded: "Xuan Zang, don't you remember the law of cause and effect?"──────────────Change, change──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── won does the light go out to comfort the Bodhisattva? ?

And where is the person who came with the sore? ? ────────────-If you want to change, you must change─────────-

Xuanzang was in a daze: "Bodhisattva, is that you?"

He raised his eyes and looked around, but saw a steady drizzle, luxuriant grass, and no one. The voice just now seemed to come from the bottom of his heart.

However, this voice was so familiar. Xuanzang was absolutely certain that this was exactly the voice he heard in Dajue Temple that day - the voice of Bodhisattva, the voice of his mother!

He closed his eyes quietly, and his voice sounded again, cold and quiet, full of compassionate power: "All living beings are reincarnated in the six paths, and all have karma and retribution, just like paying back debts."

It's natural? Xuanzang smiled bitterly, is all this really justified? If I owe someone else, of course I cannot fail to pay it back. But if someone else owes me money, do I have the right to choose not to repay the debt?

"You have this power." The Bodhisattva seemed to be able to penetrate deep into his mind and know what he was thinking. "But Xuanzang, you should know that this is not easy. The six realms of reincarnation are like a huge vortex, in which all living beings are like a leaf in the water, involuntarily. If you don't have the wisdom to escape from this vortex, you will always rotate in it. You said you don't want the other party to repay the debt, that's fine, but have you ever seen a tiger that would rather starve itself to death than kill?"

"My disciples have neither seen nor heard of it." Xuanzang said sadly, "This is what is said in the Tao Te Ching, 'Heaven and earth are unkind and treat all things as stupid dogs.' God deliberately does not give all living beings a chance to escape the net of karma."

Speaking of this, Xuanzang felt even more sad. He had been obsessed with Buddhism since childhood, and was not as deeply involved in Lao Zhuang as his brother Changjie. He only read Taoist classics in his spare time, and even only read them on the eve of a debate with Taoist priests. He usually didn't pay much attention to them. But now, when this sentence flashed in his mind, he felt for the first time the wisdom of the local sages, as well as the heaviness and helplessness when he said this sentence...

"Do you really think that heaven and earth are unkind?" the Bodhisattva asked gently, "When a person is born between heaven and earth, he will be covered by heaven and earth. The sun and moon will shine, the soil will grow seedlings, and the snow-capped mountains will flow... Heaven and earth have given enough to all sentient beings. What else have sentient beings given to heaven and earth?"

Xuanzang smiled bitterly, yes, what do all living beings give to heaven and earth? I'm afraid it's just filth and destruction, right?

"What the Bodhisattva blames is," he said feebly, "all sentient beings are really not qualified to say that 'heaven and earth are unkind', but compared to all sentient beings, heaven and earth are so powerful. Since they give birth to and support all things, why should they destroy all things?"

"Xuan Zang." The Bodhisattva said in surprise, "You are a disciple of Buddhism. How come you start to use pagan thinking to understand all sentient beings in the world?"

Xuanzang was speechless. Maybe he had seen too much suffering since he was a child, and he had nowhere to vent his depression. He could only blame God.

"Bodhisattva, Xuanzang has too many doubts in his heart. Why do the creatures in this world have to eat each other, otherwise they can't survive? Does the existence and continuation of life have to be balanced in this cruel way? Is there really no better way? Whose arrangement is it? Isn't heaven and earth unkind?"

"Xuan Zang." The Bodhisattva said softly, "You should know that this is not because heaven and earth are unkind. It is because sentient beings themselves are obsessed with the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance. They lose their wisdom and the ability to control their own destiny. Living beings often become angry over trivial things and wish they could eat meat and sleep in bed. The skin, according to the pull of karma, will of course be born among the tigers and leopards. However, those who are eaten by them in this life will not be able to get rid of their worries and anger, so they naturally hope that they will be eaten by them in the next life. Because the small consequences are big, the malicious intentions are increasing layer by layer, and how can it be said that the world is unkind? "

"Then Bodhisattva, if Xuanzang does not have any hatred and treats the harm in this life with tolerance, can he untie this web of karma?"

"At least, it can stop the malicious transmission to you." The Bodhisattva said calmly, "Xuan Zang, you said that heaven and earth do not give sentient beings a chance to liberate themselves from their karma. This is not what a Buddhist disciple should think. Real Buddhist disciples should not expect heaven and earth to help you, but should rely on their own wisdom to help themselves and all sentient beings liberate themselves."

"But all living beings are weak and don't even know that they are in a vortex. How easy is it to escape?"

"No, Xuanzang, all living beings are not weak, they just haven't discovered their own abilities."

Seeing that he was silent, the Bodhisattva slowly said: "Even if it is really difficult, it is not completely impossible. Xuanzang, you ignored the dangers, defied the emperor's order, and insisted on traveling west to seek Buddhism. Isn't it also very difficult? Didn't you still take this step?"

Xuanzang smiled miserably: "Perhaps the disciple really overestimated his ability and committed such boundless sins before leaving the country."

"This is not your sinful karma." The Bodhisattva reassured him. "It is the victims who have the desire to kill in order to survive, and that is why they drink poison to quench their thirst. This is why they cannot escape from the path of reincarnation. This is the pull of karma."

"It was I who made them commit crimes!" Xuanzang shouted loudly.

He was startled by his own voice, and even the Bodhisattva did not expect that he would have such a violent reaction, so that there was silence all around.

Xuanzang calmed down, clasped his hands together again, and sincerely made a vow: "Bodhisattva, if the victims of the disaster caused bad karma by eating the little white dragon, Xuanzang is willing to use this body as a retribution to endure the eons without beginning, and bear the burden with all his strength. If he does not fulfill this vow, he will not be liberated!"

"Amitabha." The Bodhisattva sighed softly, "Xuan Zang, how can you bear the karma of all sentient beings with your whole body? The Buddha has told you how to untie this knot. Only by gaining Prajna wisdom and boarding the other side can you completely escape from this huge vortex, and only then can you truly help sentient beings get rid of the entanglement of the karmic net. By then, whether it is you, the victims, or the little white dragon, you can truly become your own master!"

Truly become your own master! Xuanzang's heart was shocked - yes! What happened to me? I have studied Buddhism since I was a child, isn’t it just to gain the wisdom to escape from the net of karma and escape from reincarnation? Now that I am going to Tianzhu to seek Dharma, isn’t it because I want to find a way for all sentient beings to escape from the whirlpool and step onto a solid shore?

We are not our own masters now and cannot control our own destiny. Only by escaping from the sea of suffering, no longer being entangled by the body, no longer being influenced by the three poisons, and no longer being pulled by karma, can we become a truly free person. Only then can our life truly belong to us! I should keep working hard in this direction, so why should I complain here?

He raised his head and wanted to thank the Bodhisattva for his enlightenment, but he only felt that the earth was silent, and the soft voice of the Buddha was murmuring in the air.

"Bodhisattva..." He just called out, and his consciousness fell down and sank into the thick darkness...

It was so refreshing. What had entered his mouth with a bit of sweetness? Could it be that I have reached the paradise world? Did the Bodhisattva bring me here?

No, this looks like rice cakes mixed with water! He could clearly feel his hungry organs rushing to his throat - was there such a thing in the Paradise? How come I never knew?

•3•

A gentle call came to my ears: "Master... Master..." Sometimes this voice was close in front of me, and sometimes it was far away... Who is calling me?

He struggled to open his eyes, and in the haze, he saw a monk sitting next to him, looking at him with a worried look on his face.

"Bodhisattva..." he murmured.

"Amitabha, you finally woke up!" The monk was relieved and sighed, "I am really grateful to the Bodhisattva for blessing me. If I had been a step later, you would have fed the wolves!"

He finally heard clearly that it was the voice of Qinzhou monk Xiaoda. Immediately afterwards, the image of the other party gradually became clear before his eyes, his honest eyes flashed with joy, and he spoke quickly and urgently——

"You're actually starving here! Didn't you bring any dry food when you left Chang'an? Let me tell you, you must bring enough dry food for a long journey. Even if you are an eminent monk, you are nothing after leaving the monastery. You may not always be able to meet the fate..."

Xuanzang's mind was still confused. He couldn't hear Xiaoda's words clearly, and he didn't understand where he was - was it dawn? Am I starving here? How come I don't know? By the way, where is the Bodhisattva? Has he ever been here? Have I been dreaming this whole time? So, what about Little White Dragon?

He sat up suddenly: "Xiao Bailong..."

As soon as he said this, he felt dizzy, and the world in front of his eyes quickly turned black. His body was swaying like a tender seedling that had been exposed to frost. If Xiaoda hadn't held him in time, he would have almost fallen down again.

"Your body is so hot, don't move."

"The little white dragon..." Xuanzang said weakly, "Have you seen the little white dragon? It's the white horse you saw in Chang'an..."

"No." Xiaoda looked around inexplicably, "I didn't see any horses around here."

Xuanzang closed his eyes in pain. The experience after leaving the city was like a nightmare in his mind.

Xiaoda supported him and comforted him: "Master Zang, don't worry. If the horse is lost, it is lost. It's not a big deal. As long as the person lives, it will be fine!"

Xuanzang nodded with all his strength: "Thank you, senior brother, for the rescue..."

"It's nothing." Seeing that his speech became normal, Xiaoda breathed a sigh of relief and smiled naively, "After all, you are a frequent walker. I don't believe you would leave the city without taking dry food! I guess you must have met the victims on the road and gave away all the dry food packages, right?"

Xuanzang still didn't speak. His eyes were filled with the trusting gaze of Xiao Bailong, and his heart ached so much that he was almost numb.

"I knew that was the case." Xiaoda kept talking nonstop, "You living Bodhisattva, there is really no cure. I don't think about it. There are so many victims, and even the court is powerless. Even if you risk your life, how many people can you save?"

"I know..." he said in a low voice, "My ability is too small to save a few people, but I can save one person at a time..."

"So, you don't plan to go to Tianzhu to obtain scriptures and seek Dharma?"

Isn’t the purpose of studying scriptures and seeking Dharma also to save all sentient beings? he thought sadly.

Seeing his haggard face and desolate expression, Xiaoda couldn't help but shake his head and sighed: "I think people like Master are still suitable to stay in the temple and lecture on scriptures. If you go further west, you will definitely die on the way! It's better to--"

When he said this, an idea suddenly came to him: "Let's go to Qinzhou with me. Our Nankuo Temple is in need of people right now. The master is from the capital and is a famous monk appointed by the imperial court. When he gets there, tens of thousands of people will convert! Let's go to Guangdong Buddhism in Qinzhou together. What do you think?"

-----and

Opposition Opposition---The number of people who have converted? It is also about fame, wealth, comfort, prosperity, and wealth.

Objection: Ruhe's emotional teachings on Xiaoda is no longer a young monk?

He was excited about his idea and looked at Xuanzang eagerly.

Xuanzang shook his head slowly: "Senior Brother's kindness, Xuanzang appreciates it..."

"Master Zang, there's no way you can reach the Buddha's kingdom like this!" Xiaoda interrupted urgently.

"Whether he can reach it or not, Xuanzang will never give up. Unless he dies on the way."

His voice was weak, but it carried an unquestionable determination.

Xiaoda sighed helplessly: "I'm stupid and can't convince you. It doesn't matter, we'll reach Qinzhou fifty miles ahead. The master will go there first to place orders and rest before leaving. Let me tell you, our Qinzhou is the place where Fuxi was born. I'm sure you'll like it if you go there. Come with me."

After saying this, he couldn't help but grab Xuanzang's luggage and put it on his horse.

The Nankuo Temple that Xiaoda mentioned is not in Qinzhou City, but on a mountain ten miles west of the city.

Sure enough, there is a Fuxi Temple on the way. This is the earliest emperor's temple. Fuxi, who has been king for heaven, was conceived after his mother Bixu stepped on the footprints of a giant. He made nets and bows, taught people how to fish, hunt, and animal husbandry, created writing and the harp, and taught people how to read and reason. He was proficient in astronomy and geography, Yin and Yang Bagua, wrote the Book of Changes, formulated the calendar, and opened the first page of Chinese civilization.

After paying homage to Emperor Fuxi, the two climbed to the top of the mountain along the winding mountain road and saw a small temple.

Although it is a bit dilapidated, the sparse and majestic layout shows a bit of simplicity. Looking at the green pines, cypresses, locust trees and poplars all around, Xuanzang couldn't help but feel a little envious. The virtuous people who lived here must have a stronger Zen mind than ordinary people, right?

However, this temple no longer has silence and tranquility at this moment. It is more like a refugee cave. In front of the mountain gate, there are people crowded with ragged victims, holding various household items in their hands. An old monk and several young novices are giving porridge to them.

As soon as he saw the old monk, Xiaoda became excited and hurriedly ran over, shouting: "Master, Master!"

The young novice monk saw him and said happily: "Master, it's Brother Xiaoda!"

The old monk stopped what he was doing, and his kind eyes showed joy: "Is Xiaoda back?"

"Master!" Xiaoda ran forward, knelt down on the ground, and kowtowed with a "dong" sound: "My disciple is back!"

"Okay, okay, just come back..." The old monk was so excited that he stretched out his hands to support him and said repeatedly, "Get up quickly, this mage is-"

"Oh, this is Master Xuanzang." Xiaoda quickly introduced, "When I was in Chang'an, my disciple was taught by Master Xuanzang many times and benefited a lot."

Xuanzang stepped forward, clasped his hands and asked, "Disciple Xuanzang, I have met the master."

A strange look flashed in the eyes of the old monk: "Old man Zhixin, I have heard about Master Xuanzang's reputation for a long time, but I never thought that we would meet today."

"I dare not. The master is a great sage from the past, and Xuanzang is just a junior. How dare you claim such a great reputation?"

"I heard that in the great debate in Chang'an last year, the Master was the one who walked through the whole room, and the other great sages didn't even have a chance to appear. From the capital to Hexi, everyone from Taoism and secular circles praised him!"

"These are all the excellence of the Buddha's teachings. Xuanzang was just imitating them."

Master Zhixin laughed and said, "Master is really a humble gentleman. Anyway, it's been a hard journey, so please go to the guest house to rest first. After I finish busying with the secular affairs here, I can go to Zen and discuss Taoism with Master."

Xuanzang clasped his palms together and said, "Master, you don't have to be polite. Xuanzang and Brother Xiaoda are studying scriptures together in the capital. They are both junior disciples of yours. Whatever happens to the master, the disciples should do their duty. Is there any reason for the master to work here and the disciples to sit quietly?"

After saying that, he and Xiaoda picked up the big iron spoons and continued to give porridge to the victims.

Looking at these two busy young people, Zhixin felt relieved and clasped his hands together and recited: "Amitabha..."

Although Qinzhou is a bustling town where business travelers gather and Buddhism is prevalent, Nankuo Temple is just a small temple in the mountains. There are only seven or eight monks practicing asceticism here, and the incense is naturally very scarce. If this natural disaster hadn't attracted a group of hungry people, it would have been a deserted place on weekdays.

Because of this, Master Zhixin was overjoyed by Xuanzang's arrival. He came to the guest house that night and had a very speculative conversation with him about Buddhism.

In front of Elder Zhixin were two sets of Buddhist scriptures, both brought back by Xiaoda from Chang'an. One is the six-volume "Buddha Speaks the Mahaparinihuan Sutra" translated by Master Faxian, and the other is the forty-volume "Mahaponivana Sutra" translated by Master Tanwujue.

"Xiao Da said that it was thanks to Master Xuanzang that he was able to find these two sutras." Elder Zhixin said slowly, "What does Master think about the issue of Buddha nature mentioned in these two sutras?"

Obviously, the elders of Qinzhou also noticed this problem.

Xuanzang shared some of his views and understanding on this matter. Master Zhixin nodded in admiration and said: "Master is proficient in the Tripitaka of Buddhism, and I really admire him. Now I have a request. I wonder if Master can agree to it?"

"I don't dare, Master, please speak."

Zhixin said: "Master has also seen that Nankuo Temple is a small temple with not many scriptures and scriptures. There are also very few monks who come to hang out orders on weekdays. It is rare for monks in the temple to have the opportunity to listen to profound Buddhist teachings. It is really a great blessing for our temple to have Master come today. Therefore, I want to ask Master to go out of his way to preach scriptures to the monks and laymen in the temple. I wonder what Master wants?"

Xuanzang clasped his palms together and said, "Master, that's a great compliment. Preaching the Dharma is the duty of Buddhist disciples. How dare Xuanzang refuse? I respect Master's arrangements."

Zhixin was overjoyed and immediately decided that the Dharma conference would be held early tomorrow morning.

It was a sunny day on the day of the lecture, and the sun shone warmly on Nankuo Temple. Xiaoda and his brothers entered the Xuanfa Hall and sat in front of the lion throne, waiting for the arrival of Master Xuanzang.

The monks and lay people who came here in admiration sat solemnly in the open space outside the Dharma Hall. Everyone's face was full of expectation. Although there were hundreds of monks and lay people, there was silence and tranquility at the moment.

Xuanzang put on a clean monk's robe and a navy kapok cassock, and walked into the hall solemnly.

The Taoist priests in Qinzhou have never seen such a young lecturer, with a beautiful appearance and elegant temperament. Everyone stood up in surprise and put their hands together in salute.

Xuanzang walked to the lion throne in the hall, turned around and put his hands together in front of the people in return, then sat in lotus position on the throne, tapped the dharma, and began to lecture.

Originally, Elder Zhixin wanted Xuanzang to talk about the Nirvana Sutra, but Xuanzang said that there were many issues in this sutra that he had not yet figured out, and he did not want to fool all living beings.

What he chose was the "Six Perfection Sutras", which was translated by Master Kang Senghui of the Wu State during the Three Kingdoms period. The story of King Shibi cutting off his flesh and feeding it to the eagle came from here.

-Revised above

"The Six Parama Sutras is a Hinayana Buddhist scripture." Xuanzang said in a deep voice, "The vehicle is a boat, a chariot, and a boat, which can carry people to the other side. The Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas who practice liberation are like riding on a wooden boat, which is the Hinayana; and the Bodhisattva Generating bodhicitta, seeking the path of Buddhism, and sacrificing oneself to save others, is the Hinayana. Hinayana Buddhism uses the "six degrees" and "four absorptions" to practice one's own liberation and enable all living beings to reach the other side of nirvana."

There was silence below the Dharma altar. As the Master narrated, people gradually calmed down their ups and downs and entered a clear and peaceful spiritual world.

"The Sanskrit sound of 'du' is 'paramita', which means 'to the other shore', which means crossing from the shore of trouble to the other shore of enlightenment. The six degrees are the six ways to reach the other shore."

"Which six types are there?" Someone suddenly said something in the audience, causing a small commotion.

Xuanzang did not notice who was so bold, and answered directly: "The first is the paramita of giving, which cures our greed, and cultivates our kindness and compassion; the second is the paramita of observing the precepts, which protects our body, speech, and mind, thereby blocking all bad karma; the third is patience. The Paramita prevents us from being angry; the fourth is the Paramita of Diligence, which cures our laziness; the fifth is the Paramita of Meditation, which allows us to look into our hearts and gain wisdom from ourselves; the sixth is the Prajna Paramita, which eliminates our ignorance and enables us to have correct knowledge and views.”

Then he began to explain the "Six Perfections" in detail. Everyone in the audience listened attentively. As he spoke eloquently, the fundamental teachings of Hinayana Buddhism slowly penetrated into the hearts of everyone present.

"In addition to diligently practicing the Six Perfections, Bodhisattva practitioners must also practice the four-step method, which means "to take in all living beings." The Bodhisattva goes deep into the crowd and uses four methods to guide and save all living beings. These are the four steps, which are giving, loving words, benefiting, and colleagues."

The first item of the Six Perfections and the first item of the Four Impartments are both charity, which made Xuanzang deeply moved. He was born in troubled times, and since he was a child, he had seen all living beings struggling in suffering and chaos. In the days after leaving Chang'an, I saw that the victims were not hungry enough to eat and had no clothes to cover their bodies. And even if I want to give alms, I often feel unable to do so, and feel very sad in my heart.

"Can giving help us become Buddhas?" Someone suddenly shouted, the voice was so loud that everyone looked at him.

Xuanzang glanced at the audience and saw that the speaker was a young Hu man, about the same age as himself, with a high nose and deep eyes, and a full beard. He was wearing a greasy old felt coat. He was sitting inconspicuously among the crowd, but his gray-brown eyes showed a somewhat unruly look.

"Of course." Xuanzang replied with a smile, "The Buddha asked us to practice the Six Perfections and the Four Precepts, the first of which is giving. The Buddha is compassionate, and what he teaches is naturally of great benefit to all living beings."

"It seems to be of great benefit to the monk, right?" The barbarian shouted again, and then burst into laughter.

Several people also laughed, like sparse raindrops, which seemed extremely disharmonious in this solemn ceremony.

"I said, is this friend a Turk?" A middle-aged business traveler sitting next to the foreigner asked coldly.

"Your son is a Turk!" the barbarian yelled angrily.

"It's hard to say." Another scholar-looking man said slowly, "All the countries in the Western Regions in this area believe in Buddhism, with the exception of the Turks."

"That's right." The people around him immediately started shouting, "I think this person looks like a Turkic wolf!"

"Don't talk nonsense!" The barbarian became anxious, his big dark face flushed red, his brown beard bristling, and he said angrily, "My name is Shipantuo, and I am a Sogdian from the Kingdom of Shi!"

"Stone Kingdom?" The businessman sneered, "Didn't Stone Kingdom surrender to the Turks long ago?"

Everyone laughed coquettishly and echoed.

"Hey, hey, don't spray blood on others!"

Shi Pantuo jumped on his feet and defended, "My home is in Guazhou, and it has been there more than ten years ago. I even contributed to the heightening of the city wall in Guazhou a few years ago!"

"Are you afraid that you will be treated as a prisoner?" The scholar asked slowly.

The crowd roared and laughed again.

Master Zhixin frowned, feeling that the situation was about to get out of control.

Xuanzang didn't take it seriously. He just stretched out his hands, pressed down gently and said, "Everyone, please be quiet."

His voice was not loud, but it was very penetrating, just enough for everyone present to hear. As expected, the crowd quieted down, and everyone's eyes were focused on the young mage.

Xuanzang said: "Buddha said that all living beings are equal. It doesn't matter where this Tan Yue comes from."

"Why is it not important? What if he is a Turkic spy?" someone shouted from below.

"We have no evidence to say so now." Xuanzang's tone was still calm, "He is sitting here with you all today to listen to the sutra. Isn't it that he has a predestined relationship with the Buddha?"

"I feel like he's here to cause trouble!" a businessman said bitterly.

Xuanzang smiled calmly and said, "The ascetic is willing to discuss this with Tan Yue."

Shi Pantuo suddenly looked proud.

"Actually, Tan Yue is not wrong. Giving alms will naturally benefit the Sangha, but this benefit will eventually return to all living beings."

The venue became quiet again, and everyone listened quietly.

Xuanzang said: "There are many kinds of alms. Master Zhixin leads the monks in the temple to give porridge to the victims, the lay people provide food and utensils to the sangha, give food and clothing to the poor, and give herbs to the sick. These can all be called financial gifts; if they are given to people Proclaiming the righteous Dharma and obtaining merits and benefits is called Dharma giving; if you rescue people or other living beings when they are in danger and keep them away from all kinds of terror, it is called fearless giving.

"Is there any merit in giving alms?" Shi Pantuo asked loudly, "I mean, worldly merit is not about attaining Buddhahood and Nirvana."

As soon as these words came out, he immediately attracted a lot of contemptuous looks. If the wizard had not said that he was willing to discuss it with him, I am afraid someone would have had another attack.

"Yes." Xuanzang's voice was still gentle, and his eyes were soft and calm. "Those who practice wealth and charity will gain wealth; those who practice Dharma and charity will gain wisdom; those who practice fearless charity will gain health and longevity."

These things are liked by ordinary people, and the people below immediately started talking among themselves.

"But." Shi Pantuo seemed to have made up his mind to raise the issue today, "If I don't have the money to do alms, I'm illiterate, I can't do Dharma, and I don't have the ability to save people and protect them, and I can't bear to be a vegetarian, what should I do?"

"Do you even need to ask?" The businessman next to him said coldly, "You are destined not to enjoy the wonderful benefits of giving in this life."

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"It will be difficult in the next life." Someone next to me answered.

Xuanzang didn't mind his vulgarity and still said gently: "Giving does not necessarily have to use money or property to help others, it can also take other forms."

"Is there any other form? What is that?" Shi Pantuo asked, scratching his neck.

Looking at the unruly guy in front of him, Xuanzang suddenly smiled: "Tan Yue, do you want to hear a story from Samana?"

"Story? Great!"

Xuanzang said: "Back then, there was a poor man who ran to the Buddha and cried because everything was not going his way. He said: No matter what I do, I am not happy. Why is this?

"The Buddha told him: It's because you haven't learned how to give.

"But this man said: I am a poor man, what can I give to others?

"The Buddha told him: Even if a person is penniless, he can still give, because he can give at least seven things to others."

-Cut

"What seven things?" Shi Pantuo interrupted and asked.

Xuanzang said: "First, be kind. Treat people with a pleasant look, smile and be friendly;

"Second, speak with kindness. Speak honestly, don't be duplicitous, don't sow discord, don't talk about people's faults behind their backs. Speak more gentle words, words of encouragement, words of comfort, and words of praise;

"Third, look at others. Look at others with kindness and equality;

"Fourth, give from the heart. Be respectful, humble, joyful, compassionate, grateful, and forgiving; Wu Zui

"Fifth, charity. Show others with a clean and upright appearance, treat others with pure and solemn dignity, and help others with actions;

"Sixth, seat alms. When taking a boat or a car, humbly give up your seat to someone who needs it more. You can even give up your own interests, status, and reputation, and put yourself in the shoes of others;

"Seventh, housing is to provide accommodation for guests from far away. Provide the temporarily unused house for those in need to rest, or use it as a lecture hall and dojo, and invite the Master to preach and enlighten all living beings.

"The Buddha finally said that no matter who you are, if you have these seven habits, good luck will follow you."

Chapter 25 Swimming across the Yellow River

•4•

"Is this okay?" Shi Pantuo looked a little dazed after hearing the story.

"A recluse never lies," Xuanzang said. "It's not about the amount of charity, but whether it's from the heart. If it's an act from the heart, even a smile will have great merit. This kind of invisible charity is a natural good deed because the giver has compassion. Even if the situation is different, he will still do the same behavior."

But Shi Pantuo was still dissatisfied: "I have heard some monks preach before. They only said that making offerings to monks would bring merit, and rarely mentioned giving to the poor."

"How could it be?" Xuanzang said in surprise, "Buddha believed that giving to the poor and needy people was a commendable act of charity. The famous elder who gave to the lonely was one of the practitioners. Doesn't giving to the lonely mean 'giving to the poor and lonely'?"

"What about the monks?" Shipantuo asked, "Monks are not necessarily poor and needy, so why should we support them?"

Xuanzang said: "Lay believers make offerings to the Sangha, so that they can spread the Dharma and practice without distraction, and fulfill their duties of teaching the Dharma. This is equivalent to doing their best to support the Buddha's wisdom life, which is of course a great merit. After accepting the offerings, the monks usually also preach to the donors, so that their wisdom roots can appear."

Seeing that Shi Pantuo no longer argued, Xuanzang smiled and continued: "The Buddha did encourage everyone to protect practitioners and keep the Dharma alive. However, the Buddha did not say that people should only support monks. Anyone with a noble soul, transcendence, and sincerity can also teach People with the right views are worthy of people making offerings. The reason why making offerings is meaningful lies in the fact that the offering person has firm faith and makes offerings to people with the same pure heart. This also includes taking care of the poor, sick and tired people, so that they can be free from troubles and have physical and mental peace."

Having said this, Xuanzang paused briefly.

Generally speaking, the Dharma meetings hosted by eminent monks talk about the mysteries of Buddhist scriptures, but Xuanzang preferred to use specific examples to explain the original meaning of the Buddha's heart. For example, this time, when he mentioned offerings and alms, he naturally thought of the hungry people who had fled all the way from Guanzhong.

"There was a frost disaster in Guanzhong this autumn, and there was no grain harvest in the fields. When Xuanzang walked here from Chang'an, the most people he saw along the way were hungry people fleeing famine."

His eyes looked into the distance, as if he had seen the victims again with sallow faces and hungry green eyes, and as if he had heard the old man telling him the creepy "vegetable man" story again...

"They are wandering in this world, like rootless duckweeds, with no sustenance, no hope, and no future... Many people fell down and died on the roadside while walking. Some of their relatives cried on the spot. It was the saddest and most helpless cry in the world. It was like a slowly tightening net squeezing the hearts of others, making it difficult to breathe... More people walked past the dead with dull eyes, as if they had lost the ability to grieve..."

Xuanzang spoke in a calm tone about everything he saw and heard along the way. His kind thoughts were in his heart and showed naturally, so he had a special appeal. Moreover, most of the people listening to the scriptures have seen such tragic scenes. When hearing what the Master said, people's hearts seemed to be tightened, as if they were squeezed out of breath by the invisible net. Even the troublemaker Shi Pantuo stopped making a sound.

"Buddha said that all living beings suffer. Suffering is not the most terrible thing, numbness is. If we can still understand sadness when we see suffering in the world, then we at least still have a pure and soft heart, which is the seed of becoming a Buddha. And when we help those who are suffering with empathy, we are actually helping ourselves. This is the paramita of giving."

Seeing that people looked heavy, Xuanzang told another story about Buddha——

One day, through his divine vision, the Buddha knew that a poor man in Alawi village was ripe for attaining the first fruit, so he took his disciples to the village.

But unfortunately, the poor man's only bull got lost that day, so when the Buddha came, he was going out of the village to look for the bull.

The villagers fasted devoutly and made offerings to the Buddha and the monks, hoping that the Buddha could preach to them, but the Buddha said they had better wait first.

The poor man finally found his bull and hurried back to pay homage to the Buddha. He was tired and hungry, so the Buddha asked the villagers to bring him food first.

After the poor man had finished his meal, the Buddha began to preach to the villagers, step by step, from the simplest to the deeper, until he reached the Four Noble Truths.

After listening to the Buddha's sermon, the poor man achieved the first fruition.

On the way back to Gion, the monks were very surprised that the Buddha asked the villagers to feed the poor man first and then teach the Dharma.

The Buddha told them: "Monks! The only purpose of my coming to Alawi Village is to preach to the layman. Because I know that he already has the ability to correctly understand the Dharma. However, if he is hungry, the pain may hinder his understanding of the Dharma. He has been looking for the lost bull all day, and must be very tired and hungry. Monks! You must know that hunger is the biggest disease in the world."

People were extremely surprised when they heard this. Most of the people here, including some monks, had endured the torture of hunger, but this was the first time they heard that the Buddha once said, "Hunger is the greatest disease."

•5•

It turns out that the Buddha is not only concerned about the spiritual world of all living beings, but also about the scarcity of materials; it turns out that the Buddha is not as lofty as people think and needs to be looked up to, but he also has such a human side.

After the Dharma meeting, people donated money one after another, claiming to support the Buddha and help the victims in distress. Suddenly, there was a lot of excitement inside and outside the temple.

That night, Nankuo Temple continued to provide food and relief services. Most of the victims from inside and outside the city came here. Several guest rooms were full, and Master Zhixin had to place some of the victims in the main hall.

The night was already very late, but Elder Zhixin was still interested in holding a candle-lit night talk with Xuanzang.

"I can't believe that Master Xuanzang would use such simple and popular examples to explain Buddhist principles. I have never heard of such explanations. I really admire him."

"Master, thank you for the award." Xuanzang said, "This disciple is just traveling along the way, seeing the desolation of life, and feeling something in his heart."

"The master's knowledge is extraordinary, and he is also compassionate and compassionate, which is admirable. Why not stay in this temple——"

Xuanzang shook his head and said: "To be honest with you, Master, I left Chang'an because I deeply felt that my knowledge was insufficient. I have been delayed for too long and I must leave tomorrow."

Elder Zhixin was a little strange: "I heard that the imperial court established the Ten Great Virtues in Chang'an, and the Dharma practice in the capital is becoming increasingly prosperous. The Master is already famous all over the world at such a young age, and is among the Ten Virtues. He has a bright future in the capital, so why should he leave?"

Xuanzang whispered: "Disciple is still far away. Besides, the meaning of a person does not lie in his achievements, but in what he strives for."

"What does the Master seek?" the elder asked curiously, "Is it Buddhism? Most of the eminent monks from the Central Plains gather in the prosperous places of the two capitals, and Chang'an is the best place for Buddhists from all over the world to study. That's why I asked Xiaoda to go there to study the Nirvana Sutra. Master went west alone, but where did he go to become a disciple?"

"To be honest, Master, my disciple is planning to go west to Tianzhu."

"Tianzhu?" Zhixin was extremely surprised, "The Master is alone?"

Before Xuanzang could answer, Xiaoda beside him couldn't help but interject: "Not only is he alone, he has not even had any wrongdoings!"

Elder Zhixin was even more surprised: "If this is true, Master must not go west! Now the border is tense, and the court has issued a strict order. Anyone who sneaks across Yumen Pass without any fault will be killed without mercy! Doesn't Master know this?"

"Disciple knows." Xuanzang sighed.

"Then why do you still risk yourself?"

Xuanzang was silent for a moment, looking at the flickering candlelight on the table in front of him, and said slowly: "When I was a child, I saw years of wars and natural and man-made disasters, and there was no way to save them. I could only lament in vain. At that time, I made a vow that I would travel thousands of miles westward during my lifetime to search for the true meaning of Buddhism and rescue the people of our Central Plains so that they can escape from the sea of suffering and reach a happy land. Even if I know this is wishful thinking, I will not hesitate."

"Amitabha." Elder Zhixin couldn't help but whisper the Buddha's name. "The master's compassionate heart to save the world is really admirable. However, what the master said in the Dharma meeting today is not the true meaning of Buddhism? Why bother to search for the meaning of the scriptures in distant places?"

"Those are just some basic teachings." Xuanzang said solemnly, "The essence of Buddhism is far away in Tianzhu. You must go to the Buddhist country in person to learn the true meaning of Hinayana Buddhism."

Elder Zhixin was moved by Xuanzang's words. After a long while, he sighed and said: "Over the years, all I have been thinking about is how to expand Nankuo Temple. What Master wants to do is to expand Buddhism in the entire China. How impressive it is!"

Xuanzang said in a low voice: "Master, you have given me the award. Xuanzang doesn't dare to think about whether he can promote Buddhism. Xuanzang doesn't dare to think about whether he can help all sentient beings escape suffering. At the moment, Xuanzang just hopes that during this trip, he can go to the hometown of the Buddha and solve the doubts in his heart."

Elder Zhixin sighed, knowing that his love could not keep him, so he had to say: "Then Master, let's stay in this temple for a while first."

"No need, disciple will leave tomorrow morning."

"It is absolutely impossible to leave tomorrow." The elder sighed, "If the Master really wants to leave the border, he must wait until the border is peaceful."

"When will the border be peaceful?" Xuanzang asked.

"I really don't know about this." Elder Zhixin told the truth, "But there will always be peace one day."

Xuanzang shook his head and said: "There can be no real peace at the border. Back then, the Han Dynasty drove away the Yuezhi people, and the Huns came again. Now, even if the Tang Dynasty destroyed the Turks, there are still Tubo, Khitan and other countries. Even if we make an alliance with them, there will still be friction on the border. Xuanzang has been waiting for several years and can no longer wait. Human life is like dew, and impermanence comes in an instant, so how can we wait?"

Looking at this stubborn young man, Elder Zhixin reluctantly persuaded him: "Then you should rest first before leaving. I see that the master is not looking good, and I think it is because he has been traveling too hard these days."

"It's not just hard work." Xiaoda interjected again, "If the disciple hadn't discovered it early that night, I'm afraid this living Bodhisattva would have saved all sentient beings in the wolf's belly!"

"Amitabha." Zhixin lowered his eyebrows and clasped his palms again, chanting the Buddha's name, "Master, just listen to what I say, stay in Nankuo Temple for a longer time, take good care of your body, and it's not too late to leave."

"Xuan Zang appreciates Master's kindness, but Xuanzang really doesn't want to delay it."

The western wilderness was desolate. In the chilly morning, two young monks rode towards the west.

The eight horse hooves kicked up dust and covered the path.

After running for more than ten miles in one breath, a strange peak suddenly appeared in front of me. The top of the peak was like a stack of wheat. The cliff was densely covered with honeycomb-like grottoes and huge sculptures, as well as many group statues and murals of different shapes. It was a marvelous workmanship.

This is Maiji Cliff, a small mountain in the West Qinling Mountains. The lush forests and winding and steep paths are enough to make it a scenery in Qinzhou. Not to mention the relief sculptures, round sculptures and shadow sculptures on the cliff. The ancients said: "Half of the blue clouds carved into stone became a Buddha. It is suspected to be a magical power."

Xuanzang reined in his horse, looked at the sculptures on the cliffs, and exclaimed in admiration: "I didn't expect that there is such a magical place surrounded by the barren slopes and bald mountains of Qinzhou!"

"This grotto was built during the Later Qin Dynasty." Xiaoda introduced him. "At first it was called Wuyou Temple, and later it was renamed Shiyan Temple. The thousands of niches and treasures here are all made by manpower. My master once practiced here when he was young."

Xuanzang was deeply moved: "Our ancestors were so pious, how dare we not be diligent?"

After saying that, he jumped off the horse and said, "I've sent you off for a thousand miles, but I have to say goodbye. Senior brother, please come back."

"Master Zang." Xiaoda looked at Xuanzang with melancholy eyes, "You are alone..."

Xuanzang smiled easily: "Brother Xiaoda still thinks that Xuanzang will die on the road?"

Xiaoda didn't answer, and looked westward silently along Maiji Mountain - the wilderness in the morning light was boundless, and except for the bleak weeds covered with a layer of white frost, there was no life left.

Finally, he hesitated and said to Xuanzang: "I'd better... give the Master a ride..."

"We'll see you off again, don't we still have to say goodbye?" Xuanzang said, taking the bag from Xiaoda's hand, "Senior brother, please come back, don't let Master Zhixin worry."

He put his luggage on his mount, which was a Dawan horse named Wu Zhui. It was given to him by a merchant from Zhangye who was going to Chang'an to sell horses when he was giving a lecture yesterday.

Wu Zhui is eight years old, in his prime, with shiny black hair all over his body, and some pale miscellaneous hair on his belly. His limbs are slender, his body is strong, and he looks unusually powerful. In Xuanzang's eyes, it was like a little white dragon painted in black, even its temperament and temperament were similar! At this moment, it was kicking its front legs impatiently, as if it hadn't run far enough.

Xuanzang patted Wu Zhui's head fondly, then got on his horse and said, "Senior brother, please come back and thank Master Zhixin on Xuanzang's behalf."

"Master Zang!" Xiaoda stepped forward and took the reins of the horse.

"Senior brother, what else are you worried about?"

Xiaoda hesitated for a moment and then said: "Master Zang, if you go further west, the population will be sparse and it will be difficult to make alms. You... don't give away all your dry food packages and other things."

Xuanzang smiled heartily: "Senior brother, don't worry, the Buddha will bless me."

After saying that, he picked up the reins of the horse and rode away...

•6•

Liupan Mountain is different from other mountains that Xuanzang saw. The terrain here is very different in height, and the peaks go up and down, and they are intertwined. Although Wu Zhui's body is extremely strong and flexible, there are still many places that he cannot pass and can only go around.

Stopping and going like this, I couldn't get very far in a whole day.

The weather on the mountain was cold, and the frost and dew wet the skirts of his clothes, but Xuanzang's whole body was already steaming with heat.

In the evening, one person and one horse finally climbed to the top of a mountain. When they looked up, they saw a group of white clouds floating on the top of the mountain. The clouds kept changing, like a fairy in white clothes.

Seeing this scene, Wu Zhui hissed happily.

The west wind was cold and the frost was shining. Xuanzang stopped, raised his hand to wipe the hot sweat from his forehead, and took a deep breath of the cold and cold air on the top of the mountain. He felt that his soul was about to rise and turn into a white cloud, floating in the blue sky...

Two days later, I heard the faint sound of water, walked out of the mountain, and entered a desert and hilly area.

This is a yellow world. Except for the sparse splendens and jujube thorns, there is no sign of green.

In my ears, the sound of water became louder and louder, almost earth-shattering.

This powerful voice made Wu Zui, who was already very tired, energetic and quickened his pace.

Xuanzang suddenly came to his senses - this was the sound of the Yellow River!

After crossing the Yellow River, you have left Guanzhong and entered Hexi.

He couldn't help but look back, wanting to take another look at the way he came, but the tall Liupan Mountain blocked his sight, and the prosperous Chang'an City was already out of reach.

An unspeakable emotion suddenly surged in his heart. He lowered his head and took out the small earth-brown cloth bag from his arms. It contained soil taken from outside Chang'an City. There was a warm feeling in his hand, and his eyes couldn't help but moisten...

When Xuanzang saw the Yellow River, the night was deep, and the moonlight above his head was like a waterfall, covering the surging waves and white foam on the river.

The river is dozens of feet wide, the water is vast and turbid, and the sound is deafening. What is presented before your eyes is the most primitive wildness and excitement.

Xuanzang led his horse and stood on a high ground, facing the roaring river, silently thinking about the way to cross the river. His large monk robes fluttered in the strong wind.

Unlike most large rivers that run east-west, the Yellow River runs north-south here, but this does not prevent it from reaching its destination - the sea.

Rivers are like people, each has a different personality. Faced with many obstacles, they chose completely different ways of coping - the Yangtze River cut through the mountains to open a path, and the Yellow River made twists and turns. But no matter what method is used, they eventually reach the sea and find their own destination.

What about me? Where is my destination?

At dawn, a group of goats walked leisurely along the river bank, lowering their heads from time to time and gnawing on the few green grass on the bank.

Behind the sheep, followed a boy of twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a shabby sheepskin coat and carrying a thorn stick, and his expression seemed to be at ease.

Xuanzang stepped forward and asked the young shepherd, "Little donor, do you know how to cross the river?"

The young man raised his dark red face, looked at Xuanzang curiously, and said, "My grandpa ferries here."

Xuanzang was overjoyed and took out a few Kaiyuan Tongbao and handed them to the young man: "Please, little benefactor, please tell your grandpa that there are guests who want to cross the river."

The young man's eyes lit up and he could not help but say with joy, "Okay, guest, just wait!" He didn't care about the sheep and ran away.

Xuanzang smiled slightly, led the horse to a patch of bushes, let go of Wu Zui's reins, and let him graze on his own. I found a flat place to sit down, made a seal with my hands, closed my eyes slightly, and let my mind gradually return to calmness and tranquility...

He had liked this since he was a child. When he was alone, he would sit quietly and meditate, immersing himself in this extraordinary joyful experience for a long time. After leaving Chang'an, he traveled long distances every day and did not have a large amount of time for meditation, so he could only practice in this way.

I don’t know how long it took, but several timid calls came from my ears. When he opened his eyes, the shepherd boy was back, and there was an old man in his seventies beside him.

"Your guest must be too sleepy. Why did you fall asleep just sitting here? It's so cold, aren't you afraid of catching a cold?" the young man asked with concern.

Xuanzang smiled slightly and stood up. But I heard the young man say to the old man: "Master, this is the guest who wants to cross the river!"

After saying this, he picked up the thorns again and went to gather his sheep.

"Amitabha." Xuanzang put his palms together and saluted the old man, "Xuanzang, the ascetic, has met Lao Danyue."

The old man squinted his eyes and looked at Xuanzang: "It turns out he is a monk."

"Exactly, the ascetics are going to the west of the river. Please help me cross the river, old Bodhisattva."

"Let's go to Hexi." The old man said slowly. "It's only seven or eight miles downstream from here. There is an official bridge. Why don't you go from there, little master?"

"Are there officers and soldiers guarding the official bridge?" Xuanzang asked.

"How can we call it Guanqiao without officers and soldiers?" The old man looked at him with a smile in his eyes, "Why, are you afraid of officers and soldiers? This is the first time I have heard that some monks are afraid of officers and soldiers."

Xuanzang didn't speak. He was wondering whether he should tell the old man the ferryman the truth.

The old man was still talking nonchalantly: "Actually, it's okay to be afraid of officers and soldiers. Those soldiers have bad tempers and they have guys in their hands, so I'm also afraid. But this little master, can you swim?"

Xuanzang shook his head, wondering why the old man would suddenly ask such a question.

"This is a bit troublesome..." The old man scratched his head and muttered something to himself.

After thinking seriously for a while, the old man seemed to have made a lot of determination and said, "Just follow me." Then he walked forward.

Xuanzang was busy leading his horse to accompany him.

After walking along the river for three or four miles, I saw a simple wooden shed with a few wooden frames in front of it and a lot of leather spread on it.

The sun was shining brightly, and the leather was obviously left to dry here.

The old man stepped forward, picked up a piece of leather, and shook it in the wind. The leather, which was half a man tall, was suddenly filled with air - it turned out that it was a leather bag sewn together from a whole sheepskin.

Xuanzang watched in amazement as the old man tied the mouth of the already inflated bag tightly with beef tendons, then went to get the second one, and then the third... Soon twelve leather bags were filled, and they were tightly connected with thick ropes. Together with the young man, he clamped the leather bags up and down on two wooden frames and made a simple raft.

"Is this the only way to cross the river?" Xuanzang felt confused and uneasy.

"That's it!" the old man said cheerfully, "Master, don't worry, it's much more convenient to cross the river with this Hundo than taking those big wooden boats. Don't look at those official boats that look quite big, but they are actually useless. They will capsize when a wave comes."

It turned out that this strange thing was called "Huntuo". Xuanzang looked at it, then looked at his horse, and asked with some surprise: "It's just... such a small raft, can the horse stand on it?"

"Both horses and people don't need to stand on it." The old man said, "Just hug Huntuo in the water and swim across."

No wonder he asked me if I could swim! Xuanzang became increasingly uneasy and reiterated to the old man: "Old Tan Yue, ascetics don't know the nature of water."

"It doesn't matter!" the old man laughed, pointing at the hand on the ground, and said nonchalantly, "Master, just hold it tight, old man, I will help you cross the river! If the leather bag is scratched by a sharp stone in the middle of the river, you don't have to be afraid, just grab the wooden frame above. When the time comes, I can still rescue you ashore."

Xuanzang couldn't help but look into the river again - in front of him was a river of boiling mud, rolling and surging away in the mist. The momentum was really thrilling.

"Is there really... no other way to cross the river?" he asked hesitantly.

The old man smiled heartily: "Master, if you are afraid, don't cross the river. Or just go to Guanqiao. I think you are just a monk, and the officers and soldiers will not make things difficult for you."

Xuanzang gritted his teeth and said, "The ascetics are crossing the river here! Please give me advice on what to do, Lao Tan Yue."

The old man took off his clothes, revealing his body that was tanned and shiny by the sun. He took out two wide pieces of leather from the wooden shed, spread out one of them, put the clothes he took off on top, wrapped them up, tied them tightly with beef tendons, and tied them to the wooden frame.

After doing all this, he threw another piece of leather to Xuanzang: "This way, after crossing the river, the clothes will not get wet."

There was no turning back when he fired his bow, so Xuanzang had no choice but to take off his clothes and wrap them in leather as he did.

The old man took out another long rope and ordered Xuanzang to tie one end of it around his waist and the other end to Huntuo. Wu Zhui's reins were tied from the other end.

When everything was ready, the old man took out a gourd, unscrewed the lid, took a sip, then handed the gourd to Xuanzang and said, "Take a sip, keep it warm."

Xuanzang was shivering from the cold. After hearing this, he just thought it was hot water and hurriedly thanked him and took it.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he put the gourd mouth to his mouth, he felt a strong spicy smell coming into his nostrils, which made him dizzy. He couldn't help but ask, "What is this?"

"You little master, don't you even recognize soju?" the old man asked with a smile.

Xuanzang was startled and hurriedly handed the gourd back to the old man: "Thank you, Old Tan Yue, for your kindness. Samanas never drink."

The old man didn't force himself, he screwed on the gourd lid, tied the wine gourd to Huntuo, said, "Then let's go into the water!" and walked towards the water.

•7•

The northwest wind in late autumn was as cold as a knife. Xuanzang couldn't help but shudder as soon as he got into the water. He saw that the old man had already immersed his whole body in the water, and his wrinkled black and yellow skin seemed to blend with the yellow earth and river water.

Xuanzang suddenly felt respect in his heart and thought: "The world has gone through such hardships just to get food and clothing. Now Xuanzang is seeking righteousness, so what are he afraid of?"

Now I followed the old man's example, holding on to the wooden frame on my body and walking forward step by step until my whole body was submerged in the water...

The old man paddled skillfully in the water, pushing Huntuo forward, while Wu Zhui used his four legs to paddle on the other side based on instinct.

Xuanzang didn't know the nature of water. He just felt that the current around him was so fast that his body was like a leaf, which would be washed away at any time. He was shivering with cold, his vision was blurry, and he could no longer distinguish east, west, north, and south. He could only cling to the wooden frame of the raft with both hands, and the rest was drifting with the current.

The saying in the Buddhist scriptures that "life and death are like the sea, and the six reincarnations are like a big whirlpool" suddenly flashed in his mind. I used to only imagine this metaphor, but now I have a real experience - I am in the rapids, and I can't control myself at all. Without the old man ferrying me, I would not even be able to find the shore, not to mention reaching the other shore!

From this point of view, this respectable old man is really a great Bodhisattva!

"It's very exciting, right?" The old man laughed in the water, "Wouldn't it be better if I had a sip of soju just now? On such a cold day, a sip of wine to warm up is like a life-saving thing. Would the Buddha still blame me?"

Not hearing Xuanzang's answer, the talkative old man on the ferry continued to ask while paddling: "Master, old man, I just can't figure it out. There is a chaos of war on the other side of the river. What are you going to cross the river now? The sky is high and wide, where can't you go?"

There was still no answer. At this time, Xuanzang was already numb from the cold, his teeth were chattering, and he was unable to answer the old man's questions.

I don’t know how long I drifted like this, but I finally heard a sentence in a daze: “We’re here, let’s go ashore.”

Xuanzang perked up and realized that his whole body was so stiff that he couldn't move, and even his hand holding on to the wooden frame could not be loosened.

The old man and Wu Zhui went ashore first, then turned around and dragged Xuanzang and Huntuo ashore together, then walked away to get dressed alone.

Xuanzang lay on Huntuo, breathing heavily and forcing himself to cheer up. It took a lot of effort to get up in embarrassment.

When he put on his clothes shivering, the old man on the ferry had already lit a fire on the shore and was waiting for him.

"Come and warm yourself by the fire!" The old man greeted enthusiastically, "Are you really not going to drink? One sip will warm you up!"

Xuanzang quickly shook his head, led the wet horse, came to sit next to the old man, and put his hands, which were red from the cold, by the bonfire to bake.

The fire was burning fiercely, and Xuanzang felt that his numb body was gradually regaining consciousness. Although the bones in his body seemed to be torn apart and the pain was like needle pricks, he knew that this was a sign of recovery, and he felt secretly relieved in his heart.

"Thank you, old man, but how are you going back?"

"You can go back as you came here." The old man poured a sip of wine into his mouth and said nonchalantly.

Xuanzang's heart felt hot, and he couldn't help but look back at the muddy Yellow River water. It was hard to imagine what would happen if he was allowed to walk again.

He opened his luggage, took out all the luggage, and silently placed them next to the old man.

"No, no, no." The old man waved his hands repeatedly, "The ingots you gave my grandson are enough to cover the cost of crossing the river. As the saying goes, 'A poor family has a rich road'. Master, you have traveled a long way, so you should keep it for yourself."

Xuanzang couldn't help but smile after hearing this.

Kaiyuan Tongbao is the earliest credit currency in the history of Chinese currency. Its purchasing power is extremely strong and its currency value is stable. Even if disasters and famines are taken into account, it is quite cost-effective to use this kind of money to buy rice and noodles. In addition, people are accustomed to reading in circles, and the result is that the money text is read as "Kai Tong Yuan Bao", so this kind of money is also referred to as "Yuan Bao" among the people.

"You're welcome, old Bodhisattva." Xuanzang said sincerely, "The ascetic monk is a traveling monk. He makes a living by begging for alms. Carrying yellow and white things like this is just a burden. The weather is cold, and the old Bodhisattva is so young. He went into the water and took risks for me. I am really grateful. Please don't shirk the excuse, old Bodhisattva."

When the old man heard what he said, he stopped being polite and happily took the money bag and said with a smile: "Actually, it's a bad time for Master to come. If he comes a few months later, when the Yellow River freezes and becomes solid, it will be hard to cross the river."

Xuanzang also smiled and felt very comfortable. Originally, he was worried about whether his weak body would be able to walk this long road, but now he is more and more confident in himself.

"As long as I persist." Looking at the surging Yellow River water in front of him, he thought to himself, "There is no difficulty in this world that cannot be overcome!"

The sun has reached the top of my head and is shining warmly on my body. Xuanzang clasped his hands and said goodbye to the old man on the ferry, then climbed onto the black horse, shook the reins, and set out on the journey west again.

After crossing the Yellow River, the original green mountains were gradually replaced by barren and majestic yellow ridges.

Xuanzang rode alone and galloped northwest along the Hexi Corridor.

The hillside was covered with decaying grass that was shivering in the cold wind. Occasionally, a few dark-purple-faced shepherds were seen passing by the road. Their faces were full of curiosity. They had probably never seen such fast-moving monks. Not far away, several wild goats raised their high heads, looking at something unknown...

This is a famous thoroughfare since the Han Dynasty. It borders the vast Tengger Desert in the north, the mountainous Qilian Mountains in the south, and leads directly to Yumen Pass in the west. It is also flanked by Heli and Longshou, forming a narrow passage that stretches for thousands of miles, resembling a long corridor.

The "Hexi Corridor" got its name from this. This was also the only passage from Chang'an to the Western Regions in ancient times. It has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times.

Xuanzang rode alone on this famous passage, with the vast Gobi desert at his feet and the Qilian mountains around him. The autumn grass on the edge is white, the clouds near the border are yellow, the ravines are crisscrossed, and the mountains and rivers are vast. The Dawan Pegasus carried him and flew all the way to the depths of the northwest...