Chapter 43 Thirty-nine rituals

This chapter writes about Genji's fifty-first year from spring to autumn. Since Mrs. Zi had a serious illness the year before last, she has been very weak.No specific symptoms were pointed out, but he was always depressed and sleepy.Although it is not dangerous, it has been years and months, and there is no hope of recovery, and the body is losing money day by day.Genji was very worried about this.He felt that it would be unbearable to die even a moment later than her.But Mrs. Zi thinks that she has enjoyed all the glory and glory in this world and is content.There is no need to worry about the future, and there is no need to insist on prolonging your life.It's just a pity that I have failed to live up to my vow to grow old with Genji for many years.So sad in my heart alone.In order to cultivate the blessings of future generations, she held many rituals, and earnestly asked Lord Genji to let her become a nun, so as to fulfill her long-cherished wish, so that she can concentrate on practicing during her short life in the future.However, Genji refused.Genji himself has the ambition to become a monk, and now Mrs. Zi is so earnestly requesting that he would have taken the opportunity to enter Buddhism with her earlier; for couples.However, during the practice period in the world, even if you are in the same mountain, you must be far away from the valley and live in two places, and you will never see each other before you can concentrate on practice.Now my wife is so sick and weak, there is no hope of recovery, if you want to break up and live in a different place, it is really hard to give up.If this is the case, the mind of the Tao will be confused, and the beauty of the mountains and rivers will be polluted instead.So hesitant.In the eyes of those who are careless and resolutely flee into Buddhism, this seems to be much behind.Mrs. Zi did not have the permission of Lord Genji to act arbitrarily and become a monk without authorization. She felt that it was too rash and violated her original wish.So I feel resentment towards my husband.She suspected that it was because of her heavy karma, and she was very worried.

In recent years, Mrs. Zi has a private wish: to ask monks to write a thousand volumes of the Lotus Sutra.At this time, she was eager to carry out this offering, so she held it in the Erjo courtyard, which she used as her private residence.The legal clothes of the seven monks are given according to their grades.The color matching, seamwork, etc. of the legal clothes are unmatched.All the pomp and circumstance in this Dharma meeting are very solemn.Mrs. Zi never seriously discussed with Lord Genji, so Genji did not give detailed instructions on various measures.But the lady was very considerate.Seeing that she has such a deep understanding of Buddhism and Taoism, Genji feels that this person's wisdom is limitless, and he has nothing to admire.He only helped out in general.Regarding the musicians, dancers, etc., General Yugiri is in charge of handling them.

From the emperor, the crown prince, Empress Akiyo, Empress Akashi, and even the wives of Genji, all parties presented sutra chanting, almsgiving and Buddhist offerings.Only these few items have already blocked the way; what's more, at this time, there is no one in the court who is not enthusiastic about sponsoring this puja, so the atmosphere is extremely grand.I don't know when Mrs. Zi prepared such designs.It seems to be a grand wish made a few lifetimes ago.Mrs. Huasanli and Mrs. Akashi were both present that day.Mrs. Zi opened the doors to the south and east, and set up a table for herself. This is the warehouse on the west side of the main hall.The ladies' seats are set in the north chamber, separated only by screens.

This is exactly the tenth day of March.The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the sky is clear and the weather is clear, and it is really a beautiful day.Buddhas and Bodhisattvas live in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and the scene may be similar to this place.Even those who do not have a particularly deep belief will feel that their sins have been eliminated here.The monks recited the song "Firewood" in "Admiration of Fahua" in unison, and the sound fell on Liang Chen.Even when you are in a quiet place, you will be moved when you hear it. What's more, at this time, Mrs. Zi felt even more desolate and lonely when she heard it. All thoughts were lost, so she improvised a poem and asked the third prince to give it to Mrs. Mingshi.

"There is no need to cherish the materialization of the body, You can mourn when your salary runs out. " Mrs. Akashi thought: If you say something sad in answering a poem, it will be heard by others in the future, and it is her fault for not being interesting.So say something irrelevant: "The firewood offering to the Buddha is beginning now, The practice years in the world are long. " The monks chanted all night, the solemn sound echoed the drums of dance and music, and it continued all night long, which was very interesting. Akashi Nvyu has been established as the queen.First seen here.

"Admiration of Fahua" said: "The woodcutter picks vegetables and draws water, and thus understands the Lotus Sutra." The three princes were born by Empress Mingshi and raised by Mrs. Zi.At this time, he was five years old. The Buddhist scriptures say: "Shizun's death is like a fire extinguishing when his salary is exhausted." The word "exhaustion of salary" is based on this. The sky is getting brighter, and various flowers and trees are exposed among the haze, full of vitality, and the spring scenery is after all touching people's hearts.Thousands of birds sing, and the beautiful sound is no less than that of the flute.Sorrow and joy are extreme here.At this time, the dance music "King of the Mausoleum" was played, and the tune at the end of the song changed rapidly, which was extremely lively and lively.All the people took off their robes and rewarded the dancers and musicians. The colors were colorful, which seemed more interesting at this time.Among the princes and princes, those who are good at music and dance should try their best to display their skills.All the people here, regardless of their status, are all in high spirits.Looking at this scene, Mrs. Zi thought that her life was short, and she couldn't help feeling sad, but she felt that everything could make her sad.

The Fa Conference continued the next day.Mrs. Zi made an exception to get up all day yesterday, and she was very tired today, so she lay down.For many years, whenever there is a meeting, all people come to participate and perform dance and music.All of them are beautiful and talented.Madam Zi saw the scene and listened to the sound of the flute, and felt that today was the last time, so she watched carefully for those who had never paid much attention, feeling very moved.What's more, I saw the ladies of the same generation-they used to meet each other every four seasons for banquets, and although they were competitive in their hearts, they always got along in harmony on the surface-although none of them will live long, but after all, I alone will be the first It was wiped out without a trace.Thinking over and over again, infinitely sad.After the consummation of the ceremony, everyone went home. Mrs. Zi felt very sorry when she remembered that this was a farewell.Composing poems and presenting flowers scattered in the cloud:

"From now on, the Dharma affairs of this life, A good relationship between generations can be expected. " Huasanli replied to the poem: "Despite the common practice of law, It can also form a good relationship for generations to come. " After the ceremony is over, we will take this opportunity to continue chanting sutras and confessing the Dharma day and night, solemnly and without any slack.However, this kind of merit did not work in the end, and Mrs. Zi's illness never improved.So doing meritorious deeds has become a daily thing, and it continues to be held everywhere in every mountain and temple.

The title of this chapter is based on this poem. The poetic meaning is: not to mention such a grand ceremony, of course we can rely on this merit to form a good relationship for generations. Mrs. Zi has always been afraid of the heat, and this summer she feels even more embarrassed, often dizzy from the heat.She didn't feel any special pain, but her body was getting weaker and weaker.Therefore, others are not panicked when they see it.The maids speculated that they didn't know what would happen in the future, but they felt that there was darkness in front of them, which was really sad and pity.Empress Akashi heard that her stepmother didn't care about it, so she also begged for leave to return to Ning.Her residence is set in Dongsuo.Mrs. Zi is also ready to welcome her.The ceremony of the queen's return to Ning is no different from the usual ones.But Mrs. Zi remembered that she could not see her glory in the future, and she was very sad to see everything.She heard the queen's entourage roll their names one by one, and listened carefully, knowing that this was someone and that was someone.Many high-ranking officials accompanied the queen here.Empress Akashi hadn't seen her stepmother for a long time, but she felt very amiable when she saw her, and she talked about her farewell freely and tirelessly.At this time Lord Genji came in, he said: "I am really like a bird leaving the nest tonight, it is very boring. Let me go over there to rest." Then he went back to his room.When he saw Mrs. Zi get up, he was very happy.But this is only a temporary relief.Mrs. Zi said to Empress Akashi: "We live in two separate places. It is too wronged to ask you to walk. But if I want to go over there to see you, I really can't walk." Empress Akashi temporarily lived with Mrs. Zi.Mrs. Akashi also came, and quietly talked with Mrs. Zi.Mrs. Zi thought of many things in her mind, but she didn't talk trivially about the aftermath. She just calmly talked about the general impermanence of the world.She looked at the princes and daughters born to Empress Akashi, and said: "I really want to see them grow and establish careers, so I still have some nostalgia for this impermanent body." After she said that, she shed tears, her face was extremely beautiful.Empress Akashi thought: "Why is the stepmother so pessimistic?" and began to cry.Mrs. Zi was afraid of the ominous situation, so she didn't talk much about the things behind her. She just asked: "These maids have served me for many years, and they don't have any reliable relatives. It's so pitiful. Like someone, someone, etc., after I die, I will look forward to many things." Take care."

Seasonal chanting began, and Empress Akashi went back to Dongsuo.The third prince is the cutest among many brothers, and he is often walking around at this time.When Mrs. Zi recovered, she asked him to come to her, and when no one heard her, she asked him: "If I die, do you miss me?" The third prince replied: "I will miss you. My grandma and I are the best. It's better than the emperor and queen. If grandma is gone, I'm really unhappy." He wiped his eyes with his hands to hide the tears.Mrs. Zi showed a smile on her face, shedding tears, and said to him: "When you grow up, you will live in this house. Whenever the red plum and cherry trees in front of the courtyard are in bloom, you should take good care of them." They. When you have a chance, fold a few and offer them in front of the Buddha." The third prince nodded, looking at Mrs. Zi's face, feeling that tears were about to flow, he turned around and walked away.The third prince and the eldest princess were brought up by Mrs. Zi with special care. It was a pity that she couldn't see them grow up and start their careers.

The palace stipulates that in spring and autumn, monks are invited to recite the "Maha Prajna Sutra".The queen returned to Ningzhong to do the same. It finally came to autumn, the weather gradually cooled, and Mrs. Zi's spirit also improved slightly, but she was still unreliable, and her illness would recur if she was not careful.Although Qiufeng has not yet "infected a human body", Mrs. Zi always lives in tears.Empress Akashi is about to return to the palace, Mrs. Zi wants to invite her to stay for a few days, hoping to see her more often, but she feels inconvenient to speak.What's more, the emperor kept making envoys to urge the queen to return to the palace, and it was inconvenient to force her to stay, so she didn't make a request.But Mrs. Zi couldn't go to see her off, so she had to let the queen come here to say goodbye.I dare not ask her to excuse me.But if we don't see each other again and just say goodbye, we will feel regretful.So he set up another seat for the queen in the room and invited her in.Mrs. Zi has become very thin.But because of this, it adds an infinitely noble and elegant appearance, and its appearance is really lovely.In the previous youth, the appearance was too delicate and charming, full of brilliance, with a strong fragrance like spring flowers, but it was superficial.Today, you can only see the infinitely clear and beautiful appearance, which is beautiful and moving.Such a beautiful quality, but it cannot stay in the world for a long time, reminds people of the extreme sadness and endless grief.It was evening, and the autumn wind was bleak, Mrs. Zi wanted to see the flowers and trees in front of the court, so she sat up and leaned on the low table.At this time, Master Genji came in, and when he saw it, he said, "It's really rare that you can sit up today! The queen is here, and your mood will naturally brighten up." Mrs. Zi saw that she was slightly better, and Master Genji was so happy, Very sad.Because I thought that I was dead, I don't know how mournful the Lord Genji will be.Sadness comes from it, and I write poems with great emotion: "The dew on the green hagi is clearly not long. Occasionally, the wind suddenly blows up, and it dissipates to prove impermanence. " At this time, comparing human life to the wind blowing flowers and branches tilting, and the dewdrops on the flowers are hard to stay, Genji was very sad, so he replied to the poem: "Everything in the world is like wind and dew, and you will not hesitate to fight for it. I share this fate with you, not to be late or to go first. " After singing, tears fell one after another, and it was too late to wipe.Empress Akashi also wrote a poem saying: "All things are like autumn dew, which grows shortly in the wind. Who said that the perishable is only the frost on the grass? " Mrs. Zi looked at the majestic and beautiful appearance of the two people in front of her, and thought they were both cute. It was only meaningful to expect to get along like this for thousands of years.It's a pity that people's lives don't follow their wishes, and they stay in the world forever without skills, which is deeply deplorable. An ancient song: "What color is the autumn wind after all, and is it full of personal love?" See "Six Posts of Ancient and Modern Waka". Suddenly Mrs. Zi said to Empress Mingshi: "Please go back there and rest. I am very sad at the moment and want to lie down. Although I am seriously ill, don't be too rude." She drew the curtain and lay down, like that Seems more painful than usual.When Empress Akashi saw her, she was amazed why her mind was so powerful today.He held her hand.Weeping while looking at her.This truth is like the dissipation of the Hagi Shanglu that was chanted just now, and it has reached the dying state.So the mansion panicked and harassed, and immediately sent countless people to order monks to chant scriptures and pray everywhere.She had passed out several times before and then came back to life.Genji was used to seeing it, and suspected that this time it was just a temporary ghost, so he tried various methods to get rid of the ghost.But after making a fuss all night, it finally failed. At dawn, Mrs. Zi passed away forever.Empress Akashi never returned to the palace, so she had to die in person, one with joy and one with sadness.All the people in the courtyard refused to believe that this death was not a common practice in the world. Everyone believed that she should not die. They were so sad that they felt like they were in a chaotic dream at dawn.This is a matter of course.At this time, there was no one in the hospital who could do anything.All the maids cried to death.Master Genji was particularly sad and unable to control himself. At this moment, General Yugiri came to see him.Genji called him to the screen and said to him: "It seems that she is hopeless. But she has had the ambition of becoming a monk for many years. It is really pitiful that she does not fulfill her wish at the end of her life. The praying mage and The monks who were chanting sutras have all stopped chanting at this moment and retreated one after another. However, there are always some people who stay here. The merits of this world are hopeless now, but at least I hope she will get the benefit of Buddha power blessing on the journey of death. You go Tell them to get ready to haircut your wife quickly. Among these monks, is there anyone who is good at giving precepts?" When he spoke, his spirit was lifted up, but his face was unusual, his grief was embarrassing, and his tears couldn't stop.Xiwu looked at it and thought it was no wonder.I also feel sad.He replied: "Ghosts and other things, in order to confuse people's hearts, often make people angry. This time it is such a trick, and it is unknown. In this case, no matter what, it is always good to become a monk. Even if one day and one night, the merits and virtues It’s not in vain either. However, after she has passed away, just cutting hair for her may not make the deceased gain light in the dark journey, but will in vain increase the grief of the living. I don’t know what my father thinks.” After stating his opinion, he said, It is still necessary to call together the monks who are willing to chant scriptures and pay homage during the seven or seven taboos, and give instructions on what should be done.All of these are taken care of by Xiwu alone. Over the years, Xiwu has not had much ambition for Mrs. Zi, he only hopes to find a chance to meet again like the day of Shuofeng in the past, and to hear her voice a little bit.This wish never left his heart, but the voice finally ceased to be heard.He thought: "Although Mrs. Zi has become an empty corpse now, it would be nice to see her once again. If I want to fulfill my wish, how can I have another chance other than now?" The maids cried out, "Everyone, don't cry! Be quiet for now!" Taking the opportunity to talk to my father, they pulled back the hanging cloth of the curtain.It was almost dawn at this time, and the indoor light was dim, and Genji was moving closer to the lamp, waiting for the body.Xiwu saw that Mrs. Zi's appearance was perfect, she was pure and pure, what an excuse to die!Genji saw Yugiri peeping and didn't force to cover it.He said: "Look at this! There is no difference from before, but it is clearly hopeless!" He covered his face with his sleeves and wept.Xiwu also had tears in her eyelashes, unable to see anything.I barely opened my tearful eyes and looked at the corpse. After looking at it, I felt infinite sadness, and I was really confused.Mrs. Zi's hair was scattered casually, but it was densely clumped, without any disorder, and it was brilliant and beautiful.The light was very bright, illuminating Mrs. Zi's face as white as snow.Compared with the face painted with red and powder in life, this face when she is lying unconscious after death is even more beautiful. Words such as "perfect" are not enough to describe.Xiwu saw that this appearance was so beautiful, and she didn't even have any ordinary features, so she wished that she would die immediately and attach her soul to Mrs. Zi's body.What an unreasonable wish! See the twenty-eighth day of the second volume, which happened fifteen years ago. Several maids who were trusted by Mrs. Zi before her death all cried unconsciously.Although Genji was also in a coma from grief, he could only calm down and take care of all the funeral matters.This kind of sad thing had happened to him several times before, but he had never tasted such a painful bitterness.This degree of sadness is something that has never existed in the past and will not exist in the future.The funeral was held that day.Although reluctant to give up, but this matter has a limited time, and it is really a sad thing in the world that we cannot live with the dead body forever.The vast and boundless crematorium was crowded with mourners.The grandeur of the funeral cannot be overstated.However, the body turned into a cloud of smoke and immediately rose into the sky.Although it is a matter of course, it is really sad.Genji was so sad that he was drunk like a dream, leaning on someone's shoulder to the burial place.Everyone who saw it was moved, and even those ignorant and foolish people shed tears of sympathy. They said, "It is hard for such a noble person to escape this hatred!" , I felt like I was in a dream, and almost fell off the car, thanks to the care of the car assistant.Genji thought back to the morning when Yugiri's mother, Mrs. Aoi, passed away. Although he was also very sad, he still didn't lose consciousness. He remembered that the moonlight was very bright at that time, but tonight he can only wash his face with tears, and everything is gone.Mrs. Zi died on the 14th, and the funeral was held on the morning of the 15th.Soon the sun rose brightly into the sky, and the morning dew on the fields was gone.Genji felt bitterly about the impermanence of the world, and just like this, he became more world-weary and pessimistic.I thought that I would stay alone in this world, and the days are numbered, so it is better to take this opportunity to fulfill my long-cherished wish of becoming a monk.But fearing that future generations will laugh at his fragile feelings, we have to wait until a later time to talk about it.However, the stagnation in the chest is unbearable. General Yugiri stayed in the Nijo courtyard during the funeral on July 49th, staying at home, serving Genji day and night.Seeing his father's distress and resentment, he deeply sympathized with him, and he himself was overwhelmed with grief, so he tried his best to comfort him.On the evening of the cold wind, Xi Wu looked back on the past, and remembered the face that was glimpsed in the wind that year, it was really lovely.But this time when I visited the remains, I felt like a dream.He secretly recalled it for a while, but he was so sad that he burst into tears.Fearing that others would see doubts, he quickly counted the rosary beads and recited "Amitabha, Amitabha,..." to make tears disappear on the rosary.Immediately chant a poem: "Looking at the shadow of the face back then, recalling the autumn night. Looking at the body today, I am lost in Xiao Mengyao. " He felt deeply moved in retrospect.At this time, the eminent monks in the Ertiao Courtyard gathered together. Needless to say, the No. 7 Middle School stipulated that they recited the Buddha, and also ordered them to recite the Lotus Sutra devoutly. The condolences were boundless. Genji wakes up at dawn and sleeps at night. When the tears are dry, his eyes are blurred and he spends the day in groggy.He thought about his life from the beginning: "I look in the mirror, and I know that I am extraordinary. Everything else is far better than ordinary people. Since my childhood, I have suffered from the impermanence of life many times. I often think about the guidance of Buddhism and help me to become a monk. Only Because of difficulties, I made up my mind and finally lived my life according to the rules. I suffered unprecedented sufferings in the past and the future. From now on, I have nothing to miss about this world. From then on, I should concentrate on practicing, and there should be no obstacles. I don’t know how sad and troubled my heart is. I am deeply afraid that the way of Bodhi will be difficult for others." He felt uneasy, so he prayed to the Buddha: "I hope that the Buddha's power will protect me, and don't make my heart feel too sad!" All parties came to express their condolences, from the emperor down, all of them were very sincere and thoughtful , It is not comparable to ordinary entertainment in the world.But Genji had a lot of things on his mind, he didn't pay any attention to this worldly vanity, as if he didn't hear it or not.However, he refuses to let others see the obsession.I am afraid that future generations will criticize him, saying that in his later years, he will be discouraged because of the loss of his beloved wife and escape into Buddhism.In order to be involuntary, add more pain. The former Taizheng Minister was sentimental and sentimental by nature. Seeing this unparalleled beauty passed away, he was deeply saddened and came to Genji many times to express his condolences.He recalled that Xiwu's mother passed away at this time, and felt very sad.He meditated in the evening: "The people who mourned her at that time, such as her father, friends, ministers and mother Taijun, are mostly dead. The difference between a short life and a long life is almost the same. It is really impermanent and fast!" In grief, he wrote a letter and sent his son, a Tibetan major general, to Zao Genji.The letter said a lot of emotional words, and one end of the poem said: "Back then I hurt my old partner, but today I cry. The old sleeves are still wet now, and new hot tears are added. " Genji was grieving, and after reading this letter, he had mixed feelings, thinking back to the mourning event in the autumn of that year, he was so nostalgic, tears fell down, and it was too late to wipe it off.Chengjian wrote a poem in response: "Old hatred and new sorrow are the same, Falling autumn is always heartbreaking. " If Genji wrote out all the grief in his heart, the former Taizheng Minister would definitely blame him for his weak feelings after reading it.Genji knew his temperament, so he didn't write a very sentimental reply letter, but just expressed his gratitude to him: "I dare not accept the sympathy and condolences many times" and so on. Mrs. Kui passed away, and Genji obeyed the rule of wearing light black mourning clothes. There was a poem about "the color of mourning clothes is light".This time Mrs. Zi passed away, he wore a slightly darker black mourning suit.People who are honored and rich in the world are often envied by the world, or they rely on wealth and power, and are arrogant, making others suffer for them.Only Mrs. Zi is extremely humble, even people who have nothing to do with her respect and love her.Her every move, no matter how small, is praised by the world.Handle all kinds of situations with sincerity and thoughtfulness.Therefore, after she died, ordinary people who had no deep ties to her would shed tears when they heard the whistling wind and insects.What's more, the people who had a relationship with her once were so sad that there was no way to comfort them.The friendly and tame maids who have been serving close to her for many years lamented how miserable her life was.There is someone who made up his mind to shave off his hair and become a nun, and escaped from the world and entered the mountains.Queen Qiuhao of Lengquanyuan also sent letters of condolences, expressing infinite sadness.Once donated poem cloud: "During my lifetime I didn't like depression, After death, he should be suspected of plugging grass in autumn. " Now I know the reason why she didn't love Qiu Jing during her lifetime.Although Genji was in a coma, he still read the letter repeatedly and couldn't bear to let it go.He felt that there is only one person who is knowledgeable, interesting, can talk with, and comfort me, and now the empress Qiuhao is the only one.After pondering for a while, the grief subsided slightly.However, the tears couldn't stop flowing, and I frequently raised my sleeves to wipe them, so I couldn't take time off.It is so easy to hold a pen to answer: "When you are in Jiuzhong, you should look down, I am weary of the world and sigh impermanence. " After sealing it, he pondered blankly for a while.He has been in a trance recently, and he often feels too sad.For distraction, he often lives in the maids' room.He also ordered fewer people to live in the Buddhist hall so that he could concentrate on chanting.He and Mrs. Zi really hoped to stay together for a thousand years, but their lives are limited, and they will finally have an eternal farewell.Now he longs to be reborn on the same lotus seat after death, and he doesn't care about anything else, he only cares about practicing the way to become a Buddha.However, it is really disgusting to fear that outsiders will not laugh.There should be Buddhist affairs during Mrs. Zi's funeral, and Genji is unable to instruct, and everything will be handled by General Yugiri.Genji wholeheartedly hopes to escape from the world as soon as possible, just counting "today and tomorrow".Randomly sending the years away, but I feel that I am in a dream.Empress Akashi and the others also miss Mrs. Zi, forget it all the time, and admire her endlessly. That is, Kui Ji's brother. An ancient song: "Severe frost destroys vegetation, regardless of the roots and leaves. Short-lived or long-lived, one case will be wiped out." See "New Ancient and Modern Waka Collection". The poem says: "The color of mourning clothes is light because of compliance with the system, and there are many tears on the sleeves." See page 202 of the first volume.