Chapter 24 The twenty-fourth chapter Li Shimin welcomes Xuanzang and Tang eminent monks to talk about Buddhism

After going down the mountain that day, Li Shimin sent people into Hongfu Temple and took Xuanzang to Yuhua Palace. As soon as Xuanzang entered the Yuhua Palace, he immediately felt that it was a cool place.When he was walking on the road, the sky and the earth seemed to be smoked by the sun. Being in the wild, it seemed to be in a big steamer.But inside the Yuhua Palace, there is a good place where the windows are bright and the wind is fine, and the curtains are smoky.Xuanzang let out an admiration from the bottom of his heart. It was dusk, and the sunset glow burned like a flame, covering half of the sky.The air nearby seems to be particularly fresh, and it is also faintly covered with a layer of mist, which looks very soft.

At this time, the eunuch in charge came forward and welcomed Xuanzang into a clean room on the right, where vegetarian food was prepared.The eunuch conveyed Li Shimin's will, saying that it was too late today, and the mage had been working hard for another day, but he could take a rest after taking a bath, and meet again in Danfeng Pavilion tomorrow. Xuanzang was also a little tired, so he ate his dinner, took a bath and went to bed, and had nothing to say all night. On the second day, Xuanzang entered the Danfeng Pavilion under the guidance of the eunuch.The pavilion was built halfway up the mountain, and it hovers above the valley, where you can have a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery in the valley.When Xuanzang entered the pavilion, the coolness engulfed in it filled the room, as if it was integrated with the scenery outside and the wind and rain.One person stood by the window, staring intently at the scenery outside.Hearing footsteps, he turned his head and said, "Did the mage rest well last night?"

Li Shimin wore a light black robe and smiled, which made Xuanzang feel close.Xuanzang bowed his body and said: "Your Majesty, after the poor monk fell asleep at night, he had no dreams all night. I think it is because this place makes people calm." Li Shimin pointed out the window and said with a smile: "After I entered the Yuhua Palace, I was very quiet and thoughtful, because I wanted to have a quiet talk with the mage. You see, the rain outside is silent and moistens everything. It is a good time to watch the rain and talk." Seeing that Li Shimin was in a good mood, Xuanzang smiled and listened quietly.

Li Shimin asked Xuanzang to sit on the chair in front of the Xuan window, sat down face to face, and asked: "How many scriptures has the master translated in the past few days? How is the progress of "Da Tang Western Regions"? After I return to Beijing, I have been feeling unwell and have no time to visit the temple.” Xuanzang replied: "Since Your Majesty let the poor monk come to Hongfu Temple to translate scriptures, Mr. Fang has inquired day and night, and allocated funds for pen and ink. By the beginning of the year, he had translated six volumes including "Great Bodhisattva Canon". Half of the hundred volumes of Earth Theory have been translated. As for "Da Tang Western Regions", it will be completed before the end of the year." Xuanzang said while holding up the letter beside him, and presented it to Li Shimin: "The previous translation of the Six Classics, The poor monk asks Mr. Fang to forward this letter to His Majesty, this letter is the first half of "On the Land of the Yogi", please read it through Your Majesty."

Li Shimin took the letter, opened it, took out a letter, read several pages intently, and then said: "I have never studied the Buddhist classics. Looking at this theory now, I feel that the Buddhist scriptures are like looking at the sky and overlooking the sea. Kuang, the limitless knowledge. From this point of view, Buddhism is also true knowledge. If you have a little taste, it is difficult to understand its beauty. If I have spare time in the future, I will definitely ask the master to teach me." Since Li Shimin relegated Shi Falin before and issued an edict to place Taoism above Buddhism, all Buddhists in China know that the current emperor suppresses Buddhism.Xuanzang knew the inside story, although he saw that Li Shimin praised Buddhism now, he dared not make mistakes, so he replied softly: "Your Majesty praises Buddhism so much, it is really a blessing for Buddhism."

How wise Li Shimin was, he noticed Xuanzang's embarrassment, put down the letter gently, and said with a smile: "I invited the master to come here for the purpose of talking, so I chose this pavilion. I remember that there is a saying in Buddhism that 'all living beings are equal' , we are also equal today. I am not a king of the ninth five years, and you are not an eminent monk who is well-educated, how about this?" Xuanzang couldn't figure out why Li Shimin was like this today, he became more and more embarrassed, and didn't know how to answer. Since Li Shimin came to the throne, he has come into contact with many subjects, who are often embarrassed by the majesty of the emperor. There are many such scenes.Li Shimin didn't continue this topic, picked up the letter again, and pointed out with his hand: "I have also read a lot of Buddhist scriptures, probably because of the translation, many scriptures are difficult to understand, unlike the scriptures translated by the master. , can make people understand its meaning, mage, why is this?"

Xuanzang mused: "When the poor monk translated the scriptures, he tried his best to translate them directly without adding any embellishments. To do so, one must be proficient in both Chinese and Sanskrit in order to be able to express the meaning. In the past, the translators of Buddhist scriptures were of varying levels. For many chapters and sentences, it is difficult to accurately express in Chinese, and sometimes a large section of transliteration follows the trend, so it is hard to understand when it is passed down like this.” Li Shimin nodded. Xuanzang continued: "However, there are two sides to the matter. Some words must be transliterated. For example, 'Buddha' is transliterated from Sanskrit. Its original meaning is wisdom, enlightenment, etc. It's a convention."

Li Shimin thought for a moment, and then said: "I heard that the reason why the master traveled westward at the beginning was due to the fact that Buddhism in the north and the south were very different at that time, and there were disputes between right and wrong, so he wanted to investigate the errors of Buddhist scriptures. The master brought back six hundred and five scriptures this time. The seventeen volumes can be described as a great collection of Buddhist scriptures. I hope that the master will be loyal to the original scriptures without embellishments, so as to accurately explain the teachings in order to unify the Mahayana sects and prevent them from attacking each other."

This was the emperor's will, and Xuanzang hurriedly stood up to receive the order. Li Shimin saw that Xuanzang had dealt with nature now, so he asked with a smile, "Before the master entered the palace, he couldn't help but feel anxious. It must be strange that I practiced Buddhism and built many temples, but I relegated Shi Falin and made Taoist priests above monks." ? Looking at it this way, I am really a person whose words and deeds are inconsistent, does the mage think so?" Xuanzang replied honestly: "Your Majesty, the poor monk does have doubts." "Well, I just said that we have a clear talk today, and we can speak what is in our hearts. Even if we say something wrong, I will not blame it. There is a reason why I did this. First, since Buddhism entered China, it has gradually become a prairie fire. Power, from the court to the common people, there are many people who believe in it. Since I came to the throne, I have strived for domestic tranquility, and all measures must be taken with caution. With the help of monks and soldiers in Shaolin Temple, Buddhism is based on compassion, and the sea of ​​wisdom flows; it anoints all living beings, and clears the forest of troubles, so I built seven Buddhist temples in the field of decisive victory to save the dead and relieve their souls."

From Li Shimin's words, it can be seen that his attitude towards Buddhism is based on the needs of the monarch to govern the country and he is laissez-faire with Buddhism, which has a strong utilitarian color.Xuanzang listened to the words silently, disapproving in his heart, but he did not refute them directly. Li Shimin went on to say: "Both, the Buddha is a god of Hu. It originated from the Western Regions and was later passed on to China. It is useless to the people and harmful to the country. Many people who seek the way have not experienced blessings in the future, and those who practiced the teachings have suffered from the past. In the past, Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty was poor and devoted to the Shi family, pouring gold and silk for the monks, and devoting manpower for the pagodas and temples. In the Houjing Rebellion, Emperor Wu of Liang was captured and starved to death in Taicheng. It can be seen that the retribution of cause and effect is so absurd."

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Emperor Liang Wu of the Southern Dynasties worshiped Buddhism the most.He called himself "Slave of the Three Treasures" and sacrificed himself four times to become a monk in Buddhist temples. The ministers had to redeem him with a lot of money.He personally wrote hundreds of volumes of notes and questions and answers of the scriptures of "Great Nirvana" and "Dapin", and he also went to the hall to give lectures.Under his leadership, there were 2,846 monasteries in the Liang Dynasty, with more than 80,000 monks and nuns. In Jiankang, the capital city alone, there were more than 700 large monasteries, with as many as 10,000 monks and nuns.As a result of being so sycophant of the Buddha, many people went bankrupt and worshiped the Buddha, and a large amount of food was eaten up by the idle monks.When it came to the Hou Jing Rebellion, Emperor Wu of Liang was starved to death. Li Shimin's words clearly expressed his attitude towards Buddhism. Xuanzang stopped being silent after hearing the words, nodded and said: "Your Majesty looks down on the world with the ninety-five-year-old statue, and his benevolent government has achieved great governance in the world. Like Tianzhu Jieri King, who is separated by mountains, he can also hear about His Majesty's deeds. You can see His Majesty's trip, It is also in line with the principles of compassion and Buddhism, and is admired by the world. The poor monk thinks that your majesty is really a virtuous king." Li Shimin saw that Xuanzang was still cautious in speaking, and he wanted to speak, but he was afraid that Xuanzang's next words would be blocked, so he kept his mouth shut and listened to the following. "When Sakyamuni Buddha was a prince in the past, he experienced many sufferings in the world, so he sat silently under the bodhi tree for forty-nine days, and finally became a Buddha. What is a Buddha? In fact, it is like a professor in the Imperial College who wrote the Four Books Read the Five Classics thoroughly, and then devote yourself to teaching others." "Professor?" Li Shimin was surprised when he heard this explanation, because Buddhist believers all over the world regard Shakyamuni Buddha as a god, and they all worship and kowtow to seek his spirit. "Yes, Shakyamuni Buddha was originally a mortal. He wanted to preach everywhere. How could he make himself a god-man that everyone can't match? Believers are limited by their knowledge, and they worship devoutly, or seek money, or Asking for an official, or asking for a son, really falls into the lower vehicle." "In this way, I also belong to this category when I save the dead." Li Shimin asked with a smile. "No. In the world, there are 'karma' and 'confusion'. After his sudden death, because he did not practice precepts, samadhi, and wisdom completely, he will inevitably suffer upside down in hell, so he must be rescued. Every year On the 15th day of the seventh month, the Ullambana Festival is specially set up in the Buddhist world, which is specially set up for the salvation of the dead." Li Shimin has never believed in ghosts and gods. When he heard the word "hell", he couldn't help saying: "The mage is an eminent monk who has attained the Tao, so why did the word 'hell' come from?" From this point of view, the mage's realm has not yet reached emptiness, and is still associated with emptiness. I'm sorry." Xuanzang gathered his mind and calmly replied: "After a person dies, his soul ascends to the realm of the nether world, and he must practice the 'Six Paths' in this life. What are the 'Six Paths'? They are heaven, humans, asuras, animals, and hungry ghosts. , Hell. If a person practices "True Tathagata" according to the Buddhist teachings and does good deeds, he can ascend to the heaven; if he violates the Buddhist teachings, he will become a hungry ghost, an animal, or even go to hell. The holder not only seeks to obtain his own liberation, but also saves all sentient beings, so that they can reach the other side of Nirvana. Rescuing the dead is a way of practicing for the salvation of all living beings." The basic teachings of Buddhism are the Four Noble Truths (suffering, collection, extinction, and truth of the Tao), the Eightfold Path, twelve karma and three dharma seals, karma, karma, reincarnation, and the theory of the third world.Xuanzang doesn't want to talk about these puzzling terms now, but starts with the simplest life and death, in order to instill Buddhist teachings to Li Shimin. "I just took Emperor Wu of Liang as an example. He believed in Buddhism all his life, built thousands of temples, and taught countless monks. Why didn't he get good rewards in the end? From this point of view, the karma of Buddhism and the reincarnation of karma are not effective. "The poor monk just took Guozijian as an example to explain that the purpose of Buddhism is to teach. What is the teaching? It is the 'Supreme Enlightenment' realized by Sakyamuni Buddha under the Bodhi tree. It has three meanings, one is self-awareness , The second is enlightenment, and the third is enlightenment and perfection. If all living beings practice these three enlightenments, they will be Buddhas. Poor monks went to Tianzhu to study Buddhist principles, and deeply believed that Buddhism is not a sect, but actually a kind of supreme knowledge. This knowledge is boundless, and it is difficult for someone to spend a lifetime of energy to explore it. "Your Majesty, look again at the meaning of the 'Four Noble Truths' of Buddhism. The Buddha said that in life, everything is suffering. This is the truth of suffering. There are eight sufferings: birth suffering, old age suffering, sickness suffering, death suffering, love and separation suffering, resentment and hatred suffering, and not getting what you want. Suffering and the suffering of the five shades are the root of life’s afflictions; as for the accumulation, extinction, and the truth of the Tao, they are the way to eliminate karma, eliminate confusion, and reach the other shore of Nirvana.” Li Shimin disagreed with the Four Noble Truths taught by Buddhism, saying: "I am the monarch of a great country, if all the subjects in the world study Buddhism and don't think about doing things, how can the world be embarrassed? I always think that the theory of Buddhism coming out of the world is the same as Confucianism's thinking of making contributions to the world. For example, it is not taken by the monarch. When the world is in chaos and the people are suffering, can you sit on the sidelines and retreat silently? When all kinds of businesses are waiting to be prosperous, can you sit and chant scriptures beside the ancient Buddha with blue lanterns? Master, since Dong Zhongshu proposed' Since "abandoning the hundred schools of thought and respecting only Confucianism", the monarchs of all dynasties have deviated from this path, and all of them have done so wrongly. This art of imperial power must never command the world with the "truth of suffering." Li Shimin compared Confucianism with Buddhism to explain why he respected Confucianism.In comparison, Li Shimin is more likely to accept the Confucian thought of managing the world and its functions of rectifying monarchs and ministers, clarifying the noble and humble, beautifying education, and changing customs.Looking at Li Shimin's governance strategy since he came to the throne, he accepted Wei Zheng's suggestion of "Yanwu Xiuwen", respected Confucianism, strongly advocated the way of Yao, Shun, Zhou, and Confucius, vigorously unified Confucian classics, established schools at all levels, made rituals and music, The wide collection of books and books made the Zhenguan period a prosperous era of Confucian classics. Xuanzang had no objection to this. After all, he was a Chinese monk, and he also dabbled in Confucian classics and Taoism when he was young.After he returned to China, he also took time to translate Lao Tzu's work into Sanskrit, and asked someone to present it to King Jie Ri. Xuanzang responded to Li Shimin and said: "Your Majesty's words are very true. The Chinese monarchs of all dynasties mostly governed the country with Confucianism. The reason is that poor monks think that Confucianism's "benefiting the world" is their own responsibility. It is beneficial." He changed the subject again and said, "However, the poor monk thinks that Buddhism and Confucianism also have something in common. For example, in terms of personal cultivation, Buddhism can be divided into Hinayana and Hinayana, and Hinayana focuses on practice. Self-Mahayana not only cultivates itself, but also saves all beings. In fact, the teachings of Mahayana and Mahayana are not opposites, they are inherited in one continuous line, and Mahayana is only deepened on the basis of Hinayana.” Li Shimin recalled the story of Xuanzang, and said with a smile: "King Jieri set up an open meeting for the mage. The mage respected the Mahayana and criticized the shortcomings of the Hinayana. In the end, the people of the Hinayana even gave the mage the title of 'Liberation Heaven'." Right? It seems that the master's explanation based on reasoning has also subdued the hearts of Hinayana people." "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your praise." Xuanzang bowed his hands in thanks. "Well, you go on." "Looking at the purpose of Confucianism, people who are now in office all adhere to a sentence, that is, 'if you are poor, you will be good for yourself, and if you are rich, you will benefit the world'. Compared with the teachings of Mahayana, how similar is it." After listening to the words, Li Shimin thought about it carefully, and felt that it made sense, so he nodded and said: "Master, who probes into the subtleties, can understand the beauty of all religions, which is really rare. If I think about it carefully, what you mentioned in common with Confucianism and Buddhism is not about governing the country. The big talk is actually more about personal cultivation.” Xuanzang secretly praised Li Shimin's thinking like lightning, and then replied: "Your Majesty's words are very true. The similarities between them are mostly in personal practice. The poor monk has read it well. Compared with Buddhist scriptures, it is more important for personal practice. Said a lot." Li Shimin said again: "Master's mention reminds me of Confucius' saying 'saying but not writing'. Confucius and Sakyamuni also have something in common. They did not write before they were born, and their disciples gathered their words after their death. I also Thinking about it, the two of them seem to be contemporaries. At that time, one of them drove around the countries in the Kanto, took three thousand disciples, and became a Confucian sage; Since then, there has been a lineage of Buddhism in the world. I am deeply impressed, they created this doctrine more than a thousand years ago, why is it difficult for future generations to surpass it?" The wisdom of human beings is endless, and why it is difficult for human beings to reach the height of Confucius and Sakyamuni is also difficult to understand. Xuanzang continued the topic just now: "Actually, the three schools of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism have something in common." Li Shimin immediately became interested. That day he and Ma Zhou were discussing this topic on the top of the back mountain, but it was hard to understand why, so Ma Zhou recommended Xuanzang. Xuanzang said: "For example, the two schools of Buddhism and Taoism both aim to transcend the vulgar and get rid of dust. During the Jin Dynasty, the literati and bureaucrats admired Lao Zhuang, and Buddhism can flourish alongside Taoism. The words are empty and have no form, and their connotations are inherently different, but their words are similar. As for the similarities between the two and Confucianism, in a broad sense, all three schools are pure and bright, and they all teach people to be good and cultivate blessings. Your Majesty Zhenguan Chu In 1999, the national policy of "Comfort the people to calmness" was established, and the word "quietness" in it, poor monks thought it contained the principles of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, so the effect was remarkable and the world was ruled." When Li Shimin heard this, he suddenly laughed and said: "It's too far-fetched for the Master to say so. At that time, I proposed 'to calm the people', but it has nothing to do with Buddhism and Taoism. , the people want to be quiet but the corvee is endless, the people are withered and the extravagance is endless, and the country's decline is always caused by this. In view of this festival, Wei Zheng and others advised him to make a quiet policy and rest with the people. At the beginning of his ascension, Najieli Khan’s soldiers approached the city of Chang’an. I endured humiliation and burdened him with gold and silk. What is it? It’s just in exchange for time to rest with the people. My strategy of “pacifying the people to calm down” is similar to the rule of Han’s Wenjing "Governance by doing nothing" is also slightly different from Taoism. Its "governance by doing nothing" upholds the spirit of self-defense for the pure and weak, and self-sustainability for the humble. Overriding the imperial court, the Xiongnu flaunting their strength and other disadvantages. I want to appease the people to be quiet, and it is not impossible to do something, but actually do something.” Li Shimin didn't want others to attribute the rule of Zhenguan to the rule of inaction, so he couldn't help but refute it.He attributed the rule of Zhenguan to Confucianism in this way, obviously refusing to admit that "helping the people to calm" has any connection with Buddhism and Taoism. Xuanzang looked modest and said: "Your Majesty's words are very true. When Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism were founded, they were actually set up for contemplation and exploration. The art of Jingguoweidi has profound connotations and must be uniquely found. Doctrine. Your Majesty, the poor monk remembers that there was another sentence in the national policy at the time, that is, 'only emphasize education'." "That's right, it's 'only emphasizing education'." "Your Majesty, do you dare to ask me what you have taught me?" The two talked together, and more than an hour passed before they knew it, Xuanzang gradually became more natural and no longer embarrassed. "Of course, what is taught is the knowledge of saints. After returning to the country, the master should see that all the measures we have taken to educate and educate have reached a large scale. First, I will unify the study of classics, correct the "Five Classics" and issue it nationwide, and collect The classics and books are cataloged under the catalog of "Jing, Shi, Zi, Ji" and stored in internal libraries at all levels; two, I greatly promote ritual and music, promulgate "Zhenguan New Rites", and re-edit "Datang Yale" and "Datang Yanyue" , the so-called making fun after success, and making rituals when governing is also true; three, I established a three-level official education system, so that the style of study flourished. I did these things to achieve the purpose of demonstrating and enlightening the world." In fact, Li Shimin said one thing less, if he wants to achieve the goal of enlightening the world, he must be lenient in law and cautious in punishment, so as to highlight the role of enlightenment. "Your Majesty listens to elections at four o'clock, so that scholars can enter the imperial court along the road of imperial examinations. This is also an important channel for enlightenment." Xuanzang also praised Li Shimin. Xuanzang then asked: "Your Majesty, the poor monk heard that there are no more than 2,000 students in the Guozijian Academy, and no more than 2,000 students in the prefectural and county schools each year. After twenty years, the total number of students is no more than 100,000. .” Li Shimin didn't understand what Xuanzang asked, so he nodded in agreement. "Your Majesty, look at the number of monks and nuns in the world, although there are only 50,000 monks and nuns in the world, there are more than ten times the number of believers in the world. The poor monk said this, not to belittle Confucianism and promote Buddhism, but just to explain one point, that is, people who study Confucianism must learn writing at a young age and then progress step by step. As for the practice of Buddhism, one can study the scriptures, learn from a teacher, or chant along with the crowd, as long as one’s mind reaches it, one can learn Buddhism.” Li Shimin nodded and said, "That's right, there are many ways to learn Buddhism, no matter who you are, you can learn Buddhism." "Your Majesty set up three levels of government schools, but there are more than three levels of Buddhist schools in the world!" Li Shimin recalled that in the ninth year of Wude, Li Yuan adopted Fu Yi's proposal to eliminate Buddhism, which aroused public resentment. He sighed: "Dharma was vigorously advocated by Emperor Wen of Sui Dynasty and Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty. Buddhist temples are everywhere and there are many believers. Although after the chaos and separation, its momentum has not changed. , it is actually the most important teaching that the common people believe in." He then turned to Xuanzang and said, "Master said so, I must be blamed for not being sympathetic to Buddhism." "The poor monk dare not." Seeing Xuanzang going around in circles, Li Shimin knew that he had something to say, so he stopped talking and listened quietly. "The poor monk also wants to talk about the teachings of Buddhism. The end of the 'Four Noble Truths' is the 'Taoist Truth', which mainly explains the way to reach the other side of Nirvana, which is the 'Eightfold Path'. The so-called 'Eightfold Path' means that Buddhism must have righteousness. Right View, Right Thought, Right Enlightenment, Righteousness, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.” "Well, I understand these reasons." "As for the theory of karma, retribution, and reincarnation, they all persuade people to do good things in order to cultivate enlightenment. For those ordinary people, they are still willing to accept it." Li Shimin's face showed confusion, he didn't know what Xuanzang wanted to say. "Your Majesty just mentioned the difference between Confucianism and Buddhism. The poor monk always thought that the teachings of these three schools still have something in common. Confucius had three thousand disciples, which shows that he focused on educating people; Committed to preaching and dispelling doubts; as for the Taoist ancestor Laozi, he advocated purity and emptiness. The study of man." After hearing this, Li Shimin smiled and said, "Master went around in a big circle and returned to the original place. Well, I agree with you, let's continue." "In today's national system, there are ten states under the state, states under the state, and counties under the state. Your Majesty's decrees can be passed through the whole country as far as the counties are concerned. Your Majesty's realization of the rule of Zhenguan is actually to "help the people to be quiet, and only emphasize education." 'The strategy was carried out to all county offices; on the other hand, all counties followed this strategy, implemented the law of renting and adjusting land and the law of equalization of land in the territory, quieting the people, and persuading farmers and mulberry classes, thus the rule of Zhenguan came into being." "Yes, this is a very clear truth." "Your Majesty, what the poor monk wants to say is that the country is composed of states and counties according to the region. However, if you look deeper, the country is actually composed of thousands of subjects. If everyone is kind in their hearts and abandons malice, the world will be harmonious and become Great unity in the world. If we use the words of the Buddhist school, everyone can reach the other shore of Nirvana when they obtain the supreme enlightenment." Li Shimin is so smart, when Xuanzang said this, he immediately understood what Xuanzang was thinking. The world is made up of tens of thousands of people. They have different encounters and environments, so they form different thoughts.People have different thoughts, which are hidden in their hearts, and it is difficult for outsiders to distinguish their hearts.There is a saying called "words are the voice of the heart". In fact, people's words cannot express their hearts, and they may even be insincere.In order to prevent his subjects from speaking unfavorable words, King Zhou Li ordered to kill those who speak falsely.His minister persuaded: "The mouth of the people is better than Fangchuan." So what about the heart of the people?There is simply no way. At this time, Li Shimin thought that he had been promoting Qingming politics since the beginning of Zhenguan, and the ministers in the court were frightened by this trend and all acted brightly. A treacherous person like Feng Deyi had no choice but to suppress evil deeds and do beneficial things. What do you think?No one can drive away the dirty thoughts in his heart. As Xuanzang said just now, there is no sectarian view.Although he is an eminent monk of Buddhism, he does not reject the theories of Confucianism and Taoism, and suggested that Li Shimin's education strategy can make the theories of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism develop simultaneously.He believes that no matter what form it takes, as long as the teachings of these three schools are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, everyone will have the heart to be good.By extension, if everyone has a heart of kindness, the family can be harmonious, interpersonal communication is relatively simple, and the whole society becomes a relatively transparent and relatively orderly family.Similarly, with this atmosphere, it is relatively smooth for the country to implement any government orders. Li Shimin thought for a long time, and recalled the conversation with Ma Zhou on the top of the mountain that night. He felt that a difficult problem was solved by Xuanzang with very simple words. Said: "I look at Buddhism, and feel that it is really difficult for ordinary people to become a Buddha. The master learned Buddhism since he was a child, and traveled westward for nineteen years, and won the praise of the Buddhist kingdom of Tianzhu. I think the master has cultivated to be a Buddha." Xuanzang replied: "At present, in the world of Buddhism, only Sakyamuni has achieved self-awareness, and he and his enlightenment are the highest attainment. The poor monk has not yet completed one of them, and it is difficult to look up to the Buddha's shoulders. It takes a day. It is nothing more than going to the Buddhist country to retrieve some scriptures in order to spread the Buddha's voice." "If it is as the master said, the Buddha is so difficult to cultivate, why are there so many believers?" "Although there are many Buddhist Tripitaka classics, they are nothing more than two truths: one is to turn delusions and become enlightened, and the other is to get happiness from suffering. If ordinary people take a little bit, they can benefit for life, so believers are increasing." Li Shimin held up the "Yogi Master's Discourse" again, flipped through a few pages and said: "Well, the master can stay here for a longer time, and I will also read some Buddhist scriptures in the near future. If you have any doubts, you can ask for advice nearby. By the way, In summer, it is very hot in Beijing, which is not conducive to the translation of scriptures. I will let people set up a translation hall in this palace, and you will bring Buddhist scriptures here, and you can translate scriptures here in summer." Seeing that Li Shimin cared so much for him, Xuanzang felt grateful and hurriedly thanked him. The two talked, and the time passed quickly.At this time, it was almost noon, and the drizzle outside the window had stopped at some point. Li Shimin was still thinking about Xuanzang's words, and found it very reasonable, he said: "The master said to educate everyone's heart, but no one has mentioned it to me before. This is a good idea. I might as well try it. However, nothing can be too much. , all must be moderate, otherwise it will be detrimental to the country." After all, Li Shimin is a monarch, and he never forgets state affairs. At this time, the eunuch came to remind him that it was time for lunch.Li Shimin got up and held Xuanzang's hand, and went to have lunch together. In the next few days, Li Shimin discussed with Xuanzang.Li Shimin didn't know much about Buddhism before, but now he meets an eminent Buddhist monk. He deeply admires Xuanzang's noble character and integrity, and is deeply impressed by his profound knowledge of Buddhism. Xuanzang knew that if the emperor was inclined to Buddhism, it would be a great boon to the spread of Buddhism.During their conversation, Xuanzang tried to ask: "Your Majesty, the poor monk has brought back a lot of scriptures. When they are about to be published, can you ask Your Majesty to write a preface for them?" Li Shimin was stunned when he heard the words, and then he shook his hands again and again and said: "No. I am shallow in learning and clumsy in mind, and I am still confused about things. Besides, Buddhism is subtle, how can I look up at it? In front of the master, I really dare not make a preface rashly." Li Shimin said this The words are not excuses. He has never studied Buddhist scriptures, so he really dare not write a preface. Seeing that Xuanzang did not respond, Li Shimin was afraid that his heart would be chilled, so he continued: "However, after the master finishes writing "The Great Tang Western Regions", I am reluctant, so I can try to write a preface." Xuanzang's original intention was for Li Shimin to write a preface to the Buddhist scriptures, which is a feat to promote Buddhism.He also thought to himself that if he failed to seek success this time, it would not be too late to ask again in the future, so he thanked him first. In the past few days, Li Shimin was deeply moved by Xuanzang's character, demeanor, and knowledge, and felt a sense of resentment when he met him.Li Shimin advocated the rule of literature all his life, and most of the famous Confucian scholars in the country were included in the list.He attaches great importance to Xuanzang now, not because he gained reputation for his journey to the Buddhist kingdoms in the west, not because he is proficient in Buddhist scriptures, but he actually regards him as a learned master.Thinking of this, Li Shimin sighed: "It's too late for me to meet the master. If we could get to know each other earlier, I will definitely promote Buddhist affairs." Xuanzang said: "Your Majesty treats the poor monk with such kindness, which is the blessing of Buddhism." Li Shimin changed his mind again and asked: "I have something to ask, I wonder if the mage can agree?" "Your Majesty, please inquire." "Nowadays, most of the ministers in the court are Confucianists. Although Xiao Yu is known as the leader of the Buddhist world, he only knows the purpose of Buddhism but doesn't know why. If the mage doesn't think the court affairs are cumbersome, why don't you come to the court to serve as a secretary? " As a rule, two people should be in charge of Zhongshuling. Since Cen Wenwen passed away, there is only Ma Zhou in Zhongshuling.Due to the many affairs of Zhongshu Province, Li Shimin had long wanted to elect another person as Zhongshuling to share the work of Ma Zhou. Xuanzang was surprised, he knew that Zhongshu Ling was the prime minister, and he was a Buddhist monk, and had never been an official in the court. Unexpectedly, Li Shimin let himself hold such an important position. Li Shimin stared at Xuanzang eagerly, expecting his answer.