Chapter 23 Twenty, return with honor

He is eager to return home, and every day he takes one more step, he takes one step closer to Gaochang Kingdom. In order to fulfill his promise to the King of Gaochang, he gave up the sea voyage and returned to the difficult land route.Just like when I came here, I will be prepared for hardships and dangers... Xuanzang traveled westward and northward, and returned to China by land from northern India. Xuanzang, who has never stopped studying, never let go of any opportunity to study even when he was on the way back to China, which was full of dangers and hardships.In order to see Shi Ziguang again, he bravely traveled through the big forest where beasts and thieves come and go, and came to the country of Vironana through the country of Qiaoshangmi.

Although they have different opinions, they were classmates at Nalanda Monastery after all, so Xuanzang went to the monastery to see him. Brothers Shi Ziguang and Shi Ziyue heard that Master Xuanzang was coming, and they were already waiting at the gate of the monastery. Xuanzang arrived, and after the two sides exchanged greetings, the two brothers cordially invited Xuanzang to stay for more than a month to give lectures. Although Xuanzang was eager to return, he still agreed. In this way Xuanzang stayed here for two months. On departure, brothers Shi Ziguang and the monks of the monastery sent them out of the city, bid farewell to each other, and Xuanzang bid them farewell with tears...

Xuanzang rode on the horse for a while and turned around, and saw Shi Ziguang brothers standing outside the city gate in the distance, tears of excitement rolled down Xuanzang's face. On the way to the west, Xuanzang and his party came to the country of Kolandana in North India, and were left by the enthusiastic king to talk about menstruation for a month before leaving for the country. Udida, the king of North India, escorted Xuanzang with his chariot and horses for seven days before reaching the capital of North India through the forest.The king of North India and his subjects welcomed Xuanzang into the city and invited Xuanzang to give them lectures, so the master stayed here for a month.

After bidding farewell to the queen of North India, Xuanzang set off again, and the king of North India sent another person to escort the mage back home. Xuanzang, who was nearly fifty years old, was riding a horse, his face dripping with sweat, and he was rushing back and forth. With his heart like an arrow, he takes one more step every day, and one step closer to his homeland.In order to fulfill his promise to King Gaochang, he gave up the sea voyage and returned to the difficult land route.It was as difficult and dangerous as it was when we came. I encountered a dozen thieves along the way, but it was different from when they came. As long as the thieves heard that Master Xuanzang was escorting Buddhist scriptures and relics back home, they all gave way.Therefore, Xuanzang was much less troubled than when he came.

On this day, Xuanzang and his party walked for seven days before passing through the big forest and came to the bank of the Indus River. In the rainy season, the river surged, and the five-liu wide river rolled eastward like a ferocious black dragon. Xuanzang got off his horse. He wore the cloak given to him by King Kumara and his entourage to inspect the river in the rain, looking for a ferry.The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and the attendant held the umbrella for him, and the rain flowed down his forehead. They walked a long way along the bank of the river before they came across a boat.Xuanzang hurriedly called out, and the boat rolled over.

Xuanzang and the others boarded the boat. When the boat was about to reach the middle of the river, it suddenly encountered a storm. The boat swayed from side to side and almost capsized. "Master, help me quickly." The attendant called. Xuanzang did not agree, he stood on the bow of the boat, his eyes were peeping through the rain, and he stared closely at the struggling elephant in the water. Seeing that the elephant was about to be swept away by the river, he shouted anxiously: "What should I do? The elephant is dying!" "Yeah, what should I do!" Everyone looked at the elephant helplessly. The boat they were sitting in was about to sink. How could they save the elephant... When the wind and waves were calmer, the boat stabilized. When they landed, the elephant had disappeared .

The rain has stopped and the elephants are gone... Xuanzang was so anxious that he burst into tears, because there were many scriptures on the elephant.While weeping, I suddenly heard: "Master has worked hard!" It turned out that King Kapisz came to meet them by the river himself.So Xuanzang and his party followed the king into the Udokjahan tea city, and were entertained into a Buddhist temple.Xuanzang checked the Buddhist scriptures and saw that Bo Sanzang was missing, so he sent someone to Wuchangna country to copy them. He stayed in the temple temporarily waiting for the monks who copied the scriptures to return.

King Kashmira, who was nearby, heard that Xuanzang was about to arrive in his country, so he brought his entourage and came to pay homage in person... So Xuanzang told them the Dharma while waiting for the monks who had gone to copy the scriptures to come back, so they stayed for two months. In front is the Bingfeng Snow Ridge, which is steep and towering. Xuanzang, who is nearly fifty years old, has obviously declined in physical strength, which can no longer be compared with when he came. King Kapishi sent a minister to escort Xuanzang over the snow mountain with more than 100 people. .

They led the horses and walked ahead, because the mountain road was too steep and slippery to ride horses, so Xuanzang had to walk with a cane, and was constantly pulled by the people in front of him to climb, and if he was not careful, he would slip and fall into the ice cliff of the snow valley , Difficulty and danger cannot be exhausted. After climbing over a snow mountain, I came to a forest under the mountain.The people in the mountains treated them very well, and Xuanzang and the others stayed in the village for one night.The next day, the villagers sent them guides and mountain camels to lead them across the iceberg, thus avoiding the danger of getting lost and falling off the ice cliff.

The peaks of this snowy ridge are towering, and the birds can't move. They walked for seven days before they climbed over.Some attendants who are not in good health let them go home.Xuanzang counted the number of people, and there were only seven monks, more than 20 followers, and more than 20 horses and mules left.It can be seen that its degree of danger is no less than when it came. This time when he crossed the snow-capped mountains, he was exposed to the cold again, which made Xuanzang's cold bone disease even more hidden dangers. In his later years, he suffered from frequent attacks of lung cold cough and joint cold disease, which seriously affected his translation work and his work. life.

On the way back to the country, there were still dangers. One day, when Xuanzang and his party passed through a dense forest, they were robbed by more than a hundred bandits. After arriving in the Kingdom of He, Xuanzang decided not to go to the Kingdom of Gaochang, and instead of going to the Kingdom of Khotan, returned home from Dunhuang, because he learned that King Kowentai of Gaochang had died and that the former Kingdom of Gaochang had become a state of the Tang Dynasty.On the one hand, it was too time-consuming to go around in circles, and Xuanzang’s physical strength was too difficult; on the other hand, he wanted to visit the Huaqin family in Dunhuang and see their sculptures and murals.But because he had to pass through the Taklamakan Desert, Xuanzang, who was nearly fifty years old, once again suffered from the desert. One day after passing through the country of Qisha, Xuanzang and the others were on their way. Suddenly, a burst of moving music came, and they couldn't help but stop. After inquiring, they realized that they had set foot on a land rich in food and clothing, and civilized in ritual and music. The country is called Khotan. On this land, they saw that the crops in the fields were growing well, the people knew etiquette very well, the music was very beautiful, there were many Buddhist temples, and the monks were dignified. Seeing this, Xuanzang said to the left and right: "The country is so well governed that their king must be wise." As I was talking, I came to report: "Master, the King of Khotan is waiting at the gate of the capital to welcome Master." "Oh, let's go then." All the ministers and monks came forward and performed Buddhist rituals. "Welcome Master Xuanzang to visit our country, the Buddha shines on our country!" Xuanzang put his palms together to return the salute, and supported the King of Khotan with both hands, saying: "Xuanzang returned to the Tang Dynasty after learning Buddhist scriptures. He passed by your country. King Xie came to welcome him in person. Xuanzang is very grateful." Xuanzang accompanied the King of Khotan to the palace. On the way, he saw the prosperous market and the people's beautiful clothes, and he smiled respectfully on both sides. After becoming an official, King Khotan held a grand fasting banquet.After the meal, the King of Khotan personally sent Xuanzang and his party to stay at the largest Buddhist temple in the country - Saputao Temple. In the evening, when Xuanzang was reading scriptures in the Zen room, a monk brought water and said: "Master, the king of Khotan is really extraordinary. You can see how well he is gentle, courteous and prudent, and how well he governs the country! He also believes in Buddhism. There are more than 100 temples and more than 5,000 monks in his country!" the monk said. While speaking, he made tea for Xuanzang. Xuanzang got up to take the tea, and said with concern: "Yes! He insisted on keeping us to give lectures, which shows his love for Buddhism. However, I am worried that he is a bit like King Qu Wentai of Gaochang Kingdom. It seems that he has plans to keep us here for a long time. .” "Oh, that's what it means. If it's true, it will be troublesome." Sure enough, the king of Khotan insisted on keeping Xuanzang and asked Xuanzang to give lectures to monks in their country.So Xuanzang left to give them lectures on the "Yoga Sutra", "Jishe", "Mahayana Theory", etc., and more than a thousand monks listened to the lectures each time. One day, he was walking in the monastery with the left and right monks, when a gust of autumn wind passed by, and the yellow leaves of the sycamore tree fell down. Xuanzang sighed and said: "Alas! It seems that King Khotan has no intention of letting us go. What should we do?" A monk said: "The mage might as well give a form to the court. The emperor knows that and sends someone to pick him up. Isn't it possible for him to get away?" Xuanzang smiled when he heard this, and said: "Very good, let's go back and write the watch." That night, Xuanzang wrote a memorial to the court: "...Xuanzang has traveled to Tianzhu to study Buddhism for seventeen years. Now he is on his way back east and has arrived in Khotan. He planned to return early, but he encountered floods on the way, causing elephants to drown, and donkeys and horses to fall over snowy mountains. As a result of his death, it was difficult to transport a large number of Buddhist scriptures with him, so he was stranded there. He looked up at Chang'an City every day, and was extremely anxious. I would like to send Ma Xuanzhi, a layman from Gaochang, to accompany the merchants to present the table. He will listen to His Majesty first, and hope to see him as soon as possible. " After the memorial was sent away by someone, Xuanzang continued to give lectures every day, and sent people to Quzhi to copy the Buddhist scriptures that fell into the water, and then anxiously waited for the imperial edict from the Tang Dynasty. Time flies, winter goes to spring, and it has been eight months since Xuanzang was in Khotan. On this day, Xuanzang returned to his place of residence with a few monks after finishing his lecture. Seeing that the peach blossoms in the monastery were in full bloom, Xuanzang sighed: "Ah! The flowers are blooming and falling, and it's been the seventeenth spring and autumn since I left Datang. How I want to go back to Chang'an and Luoyang immediately!" While sighing, the follower reported: "Master, the King of Khotan invites you to the palace. The Tang Dynasty has sent envoys to pick you up." "Ah, is that right? I'm finally looking forward to this day." Xuanzang said happily, and then hurried to the palace. When they arrived at the palace, the King of Khotan and the envoy were sitting and exchanging greetings. After Xuanzang entered the room, he saluted both the king and the envoy.King Khotan said: "Master, who is this envoy from the Tang Dynasty, who came here to pick you up." After hearing this, Xuanzang hurried forward to salute the envoy and said: "It's very fortunate that the poor monk has an envoy to pick him up." The envoy got up to help Xuanzang and said: "The mage's name is so powerful that the emperor Taizong is very happy. He looks forward to seeing you soon. He specially asked me to come here with your order. Please read the imperial order." Xuanzang knelt down to receive the imperial edict, which read: Hearing that Master has traveled a long way, he went to the Western Regions to seek the Dharma, and now he is returning. I am filled with joy in my heart, and hope to meet me soon.Foreign monks who understand Sanskrit and Buddhist scriptures are also welcome to come with them.I have ordered Khotan and other places to ask all countries to escort the mages. There should be no shortage of manpower and horses. I have also ordered Dunhuang officials to welcome them in Quicksand, and told Shanshan to send people to Jumo to meet them. Xuanzang bowed to Dongfang three times after reading it, and couldn't help but burst into tears... King Khotan had to let Xuanzang go.He prepared rich travel items for Xuanzang and his party, including horses, manpower, etc., and sent Xuanzang out of the city reluctantly. After bidding farewell to Khotan, after passing through Bimo City, we entered the quicksand thousands of miles away. The quicksand zone is empty and boundless at a glance, with hundreds of miles of water and plants not growing, and suffering from heat and poison.Flying sand and rocks day and night make it difficult to walk, especially when the weather is cold and temperature is unpredictable like a baby's face, and the strong wind blows and quicksand comes at any time. In the vast desert, people and animals pass by without leaving any traces, making people confused and difficult to tell the direction. The bones piled up as symbols are often buried by sandstorms, which shows the difficulty.When the hot wind blows, people and animals often fall into a coma, they hear crying at night, and it is common to see flashes of Yin fire... When returning home, although Xuanzang was no longer alone, he had already crossed the desert many times, but this last time was very difficult for Xuanzang because of his age. Although he had brought enough water and food, The hot and dry air made Xuanzang, who was nearly fifty years old, suffer a lot. Xuanzang was riding on the horse, panting heavily with his mouth open, looking at the east longingly, hoping to overcome this last difficulty as soon as possible... Dunhuang, the west gate of the Hexi Corridor, an oasis on the Silk Road, and a pearl on the Gobi Desert.When can I enter your realm?Accompanied by the tinkling of camel bells and caravans, a series of footprints of business travelers were left on the Gobi Desert... The sky was gray and there were sandstorms from time to time, which was really miserable. After passing Loulan, Xuanzang and others walked through the desert for a while, then stepped on the broad Yangguan Avenue, and came to the tower of the pass city, which is the famous Yangguan.Yangguan is the southwestern gateway to Dunhuang, 70 kilometers away from Dunhuang, and is far away from Yumenguan, which is 60 kilometers away from Dunhuang in the northwest. This is an important pass between the Western Regions and the Central Plains for business travel, and it is also the only way for post offices. Except for barracks and post stations, there are few people and it looks very desolate. poems. Xuanzang and the others stayed at the post station and planned to go straight to Dunhuang, Shazhou the next day. After dinner, Xuanzang and a few companions stacked up on the city gate. Looking around, they saw the endless desert glowing golden under the slanting sun, the winding sand dunes undulating like waves, the sky was cloudless, and the solitary smoke and birds were high... The golden glow reflects the setting sun, and the sand dunes in the desert are waves. A solitary smoke curls up, and the sky is cloudless. "Ah, the desert is so beautiful!" Xuanzang exclaimed. The companions all looked back at Xuanzang in amazement, and one of them said, "It seems like the mage is in the desert for the first time." Xuanzang replied: "Yes, yes, although I have spent many unforgettable days and nights in the desert, I have never had the heart to watch it. How can I not be moved by it today?" Thousands." "Yeah, yeah, it's really not easy for a mage." One said: "The desert is not only beautiful in scenery, but also beautiful in people, and the skin is not tanned. When the mage traveled west and passed Qinzhou (the water area today), didn't you hear that there is a "white baby" in Tianshui?" Left and right interjected: "Yes, yes, Tianshui girls are famous for their jade face, cherry lips, black hair and peach cheeks." Xuanzang said with a smile: "Oh, oh, I remembered. I heard that there are many springs in Tianshui area, which can moisturize the skin, so the white doll comes out." Another person laughed and said, "I'm already tanned, go to Crescent Moon Lake tomorrow to drink more spring water, wash my face more, and make us whiter." "Haha..." Everyone laughed happily. After all the hardships, a small forest appeared in front of them, and finally saw a bit of natural shade. Xuanzang and his party dismounted, and everyone spread mats on the ground, and sat down on each other, fanning the wind with fans. "Master, please eat watermelon." The attendant cut a piece of melon for Xuanzang. "thanks." "We're almost at Dunhuang." "Yeah, the bitterness is coming to an end." Everyone was eating and talking.Gradually, the emotions began to become active, some even hummed a little tune from their hometown, and some fell down and took a nap. Xuanzang, who was leaning against the tree trunk, gradually fell into reverie with half-closed eyes... We are going to Dunhuang soon, Xuanzang of course thinks of painting the piano first, it has been seventeen years, how is she doing now?Already a mother!Xuanzang felt very guilty, after so many years, he was afraid that she was still waiting for him, she was too persistent. well!As a monk, she should understand, not to mention the ambition, how can you care about the normal feelings of children! Thinking of this, Xuanzang folded his palms together and prayed: I hope that Huaqin has married Ruyi Langjun, and I believe that she and her father and brother have already completed magnificent mural art in Dunhuang. Huaqin forget me! Xuanzang opened his eyes and saw that the left and right were closing their eyes and resting their minds, not paying attention to him, so he was relieved.He was afraid that others would find out his scheming... Alas, monks, although they did not violate the "Three Precepts" and the relationship has long since ceased to be related, their heart has not been completely broken! Xuanzang simply closed his eyes and prepared to take a nap, but Huaqin's sad eyes were still in his eyes, lingering... Xuanzang sighed while walking on the horse. "Master, we are almost at Sand Mountain and Moon Spring." A monk shouted. Xuanzang looked from a distance, and he saw a green forest and sandy mountains lying in front of him. The guide said: "This sand mountain is also called Mingsha mountain. When people slide down from the top of the mountain, they will make a moving sound. On a sunny day with no wind, they will also make wonderful music like silk and bamboo music. Therefore, there is also the name "Shaling Qingming". '' title." "It's amazing." Xuanzang sighed after hearing this. "What's even more amazing is the Crescent Moon Spring! It's a rare thing that the sand mountain and the spring water embrace each other!" The guide said: "There is also a legend on this hill. It is said that a general once led his troops to march west and camped here on the way. Unexpectedly, a sandstorm suddenly came in the middle of the night, and the overwhelming sand and stones buried all the officers and soldiers in the camp. Although the soldiers After waking up, they all got up and beat drums and played music to fight against the sandstorm, but to no avail. All the troops were buried alive by the yellow sand, and the scene was very tragic. Since then, the sound of drums and music has often appeared in the middle of the night on this sand mountain. Later, it was also called Mingsha Mountain.” "It's so tragic." Xuanzang sighed. The guide also said: "This sand mountain can still sing like a horse pedaling in midsummer. When the sound is loud, the sound can be heard for tens of miles." Everyone was very surprised when they heard it. After walking for a while, a blue lake appeared in front of their eyes... what!Crescent Lake!Everyone rushed over... Just like rain after a long drought, Xuanzang and everyone else led their horses to the lake to drink water to their heart's content. Xuanzang poured the lake water into his mouth with his hands, "Ah! It's so sweet." After drinking the water, he picked up the spring water and washed off the yellow sand on his face. While enjoying the sweet spring in the desert, they listened to the guide telling them about the wonders of Crescent Moon Lake. "The water in this lake is very strange. It doesn't rain all over the world, and it doesn't dry out when it's dry. It's as if there is a god in charge. This water is underground spring water. Drinking it can make you live forever!" "Great." Everyone said happily, and drank desperately. After drinking enough water, they sat down in the shade of the tree, and a gust of lake wind blew in. They enjoyed the rare coolness of the desert, and then began to appreciate the scenery of the desert spring water... I saw the crescent moon spring lake was blue, the spring water was crystal clear, and the water All kinds of pebbles can be seen below, the seven-star fish swims among them, and the small trees on the lake bank are shady. It is simply a Penglai fairyland in the desert. exactly: A local said: "Crescent Moon Spring has never dried up, nor will it overflow, especially it has never been buried by wind and sand. No matter how strong the wind is, it only disperses after a few turns around the lake." Yixuanzang sighed: "It's amazing, this is probably a gift from heaven to travelers in the desert!" Xuanzang and his party reluctantly left Crescent Lake, mounted their horses and headed towards Dunhuang. They rode on horses and walked towards Dunhuang step by step through the desert. The endless desert became golden and magnificent under the bright sun.Xuanzang felt the charm of this desert for the first time, and he flirted with him seventeen years ago when he was walking alone in the desert. Of course, he was in a different mood. At dusk, when the sun is setting, the crimson sunset glow in the western sky and the golden expanse of the desert reflect each other, making people imagine endlessly and showing the charm of the desert. The sun is always beautiful, and the sunrise and sunset are especially magnificent. If the beauty of the sunrise in the East China Sea is incomparable, then the only thing comparable to it is the sunset in the West Desert.Otherwise, how can Wang Wei's "Lonely smoke in the desert, the long river set in the sun" be compared with Bai Juyi's "The river is red at sunrise and fire, and the river is as green as blue in spring..."? Xuanzang looked back at the charming western sky with nostalgia, and then headed east resolutely, because they had to rush to a post station in front of Dunhuang before dark. At this moment, he looked back at Xiji, not because he wanted to appreciate the wonders of the desert under the setting sun, but because he was thinking that he was getting closer to Chang'an, but he was getting farther and farther away from Xitian... Yes, seventeen years of exile in a foreign country, seventeen years of hardships and hardships, how could he not be nostalgic?On the way home, it has been a year in the blink of an eye, how is Master Jiexian?How is Master Shengjun?How are the brothers and sisters at Nalanda Temple?There are also King Jieri, King Kumara, and King Baja. May the Bodhisattva bless you all!And the princess... Thinking of the princess, Xuanzang hurriedly sat upright, put his palms together and recited Amitabha Buddha... Dunhuang is a pearl on the ancient Silk Road and the west gate of the Hexi Corridor.There is an endless stream of camel caravans and caravans passing by from the Western Regions to Chang'an to do business.Xuanzang rode on the horse and saw an oasis in the distance, like an emerald in the desert. what!Dunhuang, the long-awaited Dunhuang has finally arrived. Xuanzang and the others quickened their pace, "Chirp! Chirp!" With a flick of the whip, the horse galloped quickly. Before arriving, I saw many people gathered at the gate of the city from a distance. It turned out that the envoys sent by the imperial court, Dunhuang local officials and monks were waiting respectfully to welcome Master Xuanzang at the gate. Xuanzang and his party hurriedly accelerated their riding speed, and when they reached the gate of the city, Xuanzang got off his horse and walked forward. "The mage has returned from a long journey, and I have been ordered to come to greet you." The envoy said after kneeling and saluting. "Thank you, officer." Xuanzang folded his palms together and thanked. "The mage has worked hard all the way, please rest in Dunhuang for a few days before leaving. Please go to the post house to rest first, and a fast banquet will be held to clean up the mage in the evening." "Thank you, officer." Xuanzang bowed again. Xuanzang was very excited when he set foot on this desert oasis from the vast desert. He saw the lush fields, water plants and green shade in the city walls.The shops on the street are prosperous, the yelling of business travelers and the sound of camel bells can be heard endlessly, and the inns are full of merchants, envoys and monks... Dunhuang, the ancient city in the Gobi Desert of the Western Regions, the gate of the Silk Road, gathers business travelers coming and going, the camels with bells on the streets and the Westerners in exotic costumes make this ancient city exude a unique atmosphere of the Western Regions . Since the end of the 1st century BC, the Roman emperor Caesar wore a royal robe made of Chinese silk at one of his grand expedition celebrations, and the world has regarded wearing Chinese silk as a symbol of prosperity and wealth.During the Western Han Dynasty, Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions opened the prelude to the Silk Road.Since then, the "Silk Road" has brought the Western Regions and the East closer like a beautiful Hongqiao. In the afternoon, envoys, Dunhuang officials, and Dunhuang monks held a fast banquet to wash away the dust for Xuanzang and his party. After dinner, after washing and washing, Xuanzang found out that Huaqin's father had died the year before last, and Huaqin had left Dunhuang. Only her elder brother, Huaqi, was still here to finish his Buddha sculpture. Huaqi would invite Xuanzang in two days. To see their carving art. In the evening, Xuanzang walked alone to the outskirts of the city. He looked up to the west. The sunset in Dunhuang really lived up to its reputation. It was as magnificent as the Flame Mountain on the Gobi Desert. Compared with the majestic city wall, it is even more blood red... exactly: The brown-red and yellow-red rocks of Sanwei Mountain are sometimes red and sometimes yellow under the red sunset, just like a group of bright red Buddhas wearing golden Buddha clothes. It's so spectacular, no wonder people want to build Thousand Buddha Caves in the opposite Mogao Grottoes to echo it.This Thousand Buddha Cave is indeed too spiritual. The sunset in the West Desert is really beautiful, comparable to the sunrise in the East China Sea. Watching the sunset gradually fall, Xuanzang felt a little sadness in his heart, obviously because he couldn't see the painting piano, and he couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.The sound of huqin was heard not far away, Xuanzang became more and more disturbed, and hurriedly recited "Amitabha" to calm himself... exactly: He sat down on a piece of sand, staring at the red clouds in the western sky, and the scenes of his relationship with Huaqin seventeen years ago came back to his mind... "Please smile a little." Huaqin solemnly asked Xuanzang to smile a little, then adjusted the color of the painting, and continued painting. Xuanzang, who was only used to sitting upright, became the model of the Buddha statue for her murals at the begging of Huaqin.At this moment, under her order, he had to smile unnaturally.Xuanzang thought it was too difficult for me. As a monk, under the restriction of the three precepts of Buddhism, I never look at women more, and I never want any woman to stare at me, but now I am stared at by a young girl. Xuanzang The mood can be imagined. After the portrait was finished, Huaqin looked at her artwork excitedly and praised: "It's great, it looks so much like Buddha Sakyamuni. I must paint it on the mural." Xuanzang finally stood up and breathed a sigh of relief after finishing painting the piano. "Master, look, does it look like you?" Huaqin asked Xuanzang to come and have a look. Xuanzang went to the easel and took a look, ah, it was so similar, he marveled at the skill of painting the zither! well!I don't know where the painting is now?I wonder if that painting is still there?Xuanzang sighed. Just as he was thinking, a companion came to him and asked: "What is the mage thinking here? Could it be that the mage hasn't finished his mortal feelings yet?" Xuanzang couldn't help but blushed, and hurriedly said: "I don't have any mortal feelings, I'm just admiring the sunset in the desert." "Don't be angry with those who are joking with you. Master, go to bed early, tomorrow you have to go to the Thousand Buddha Caves to see Buddhist paintings and sculptures!" "Okay, let's go back to the residence!" Xuanzang walked to the residence with several monks, and suddenly he was attracted by a white horse. He saw that the horse's hair was moist, its eyes were full of spirit, and it looked very spiritual. He was very surprised, so he went to look at it. The companion said: "This is the place where the Tianma came out. According to legend, the 'Taiyi Tianma' of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was donated from Dunhuang." Xuanzang praised and said, "Sure enough, it's a place where BMWs come out." At noon that day, Xuanzang and his entourage arrived at the Thousand Buddha Caves, 25 kilometers southeast of Dunhuang County, bathed in the unique golden light of the desert. The world-famous Thousand-Buddha Cave is located 25 kilometers southeast of Dunhuang on the broken wall at the east foot of Mingsha. There are more than 400 cave Buddha sculptures in Xixia and Yuan Dynasties, displaying various Bodhisattvas, which can be described as dazzling and splendid. The Thousand-Buddha Cave has been dug on a considerable scale from the former Qin Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty. Now it has gathered many folk artists. It is a well-known treasure house of religious art. Xuanzang asked an elder: "Excuse me, elder, why is it called Mogao Grottoes?" "Oh, according to legend, Monk Le Zun came here in a parade to preach. One day, he saw golden lights on Sanwei Mountain, as if rows of Buddha statues were joining hands. He thought that it must be the Buddha's sage showing his spirit, so he carved a hole in the opposite Sanwei Mountain's stone wall to sculpt Buddha statues. , because it is the tallest grotto in the desert, so it was named Mogao Grottoes, and later spread as Mogao Grottoes.” "Thank you, elder." Xuanzang thanked him with clasped hands. When Xuanzang and the others arrived at the Thousand-Buddha Cave, the brother who painted the piano, the chess player, had already greeted him outside the cave temple with some painters and sculptors. Huaqi, who had passed his 50s, saw Xuanzang, and hurriedly went forward to greet him and said: "Thanks to Master for visiting the Han Temple, the walls are full of brilliance." "Where, where, the poor monk doesn't understand art, so please forgive me for being presumptuous." "Please." Xuanzang followed the chess master into the cave, and saw many craftsmen concentrating on carving for her.When they saw Xuanzang coming in, they put down their work and stood up to greet him. "Disciples welcome the guidance of the mage." Xuanzang clapped his hands together to thank him. Xuanzang looked at the statues of Buddha, just like living Bodhisattvas, and was very amazed! Looking closer, you can see that these Buddha sculptures have their own merits, and their faces and eyes are extremely expressive, especially the Bodhisattva gestures in various poses and with different expressions, like talking eyes, with a lifelike expression.If you look closely at the bodhisattvas, each with its own charm, there is no similarity, which is simply amazing. Xuanzang looked at the chess player and the busy artisans with admiration. They have been carving in this cave for years and months. It is simply amazing! After looking at the sculptured Buddha statues, playing chess and drawing Xuanzang and the others to see the murals. what!fantastic! There are pictures showing the stories of Buddha Jataka before the birth of Sakyamuni, pictures of Buddha's teachings after the birth of Sakyamuni, pictures of Buddha statues, pictures of Buddhist scriptures, pictures of the transformation of the Western Pure Land... The pieces are all lifelike, making people feel like they are in a painting. In a large niche is engraved Buddha Sakyamuni, on both sides are his great disciples Kasyapa and Ananda, as well as Avalokitesvara, Mahasthama, King of the South and North, Vajra Hercules...all of them come to life, Xuanzang was amazed when he saw it. . Xuanzang stopped in front of a picture of "Five Hundred Robbers Precepting Buddha", which tells about five hundred robbers converting to Buddhism, and said to Huaqi: "The Buddha's appealing power is indeed great. On the westbound road, I had a few robbers who were influenced and turned their backs." Huaqi nodded and said: "Buddhism is indeed a remarkable study of human nature." They continued to look at it. Xuanzang pointed to a picture of "Four Gates Traveling" when Sakyamuni was still Prince Siddhartha, and said: "Prince Siddhartha decided to become a monk and practice because he wanted to relieve the great pain caused by birth, old age, sickness and death in the world." Everyone nodded in agreement. Xuanzang also looked at the pictures of the Buddha practicing under the bodhi tree, the picture of the Buddha meeting a girl feeding him milk by the Nilian Zen River, the pictures of Sakyamuni preaching scriptures, and the pictures of Maitreya teaching the teachings... Xuanzang admired it very much and sighed: "It's so good!" Xuanzang looked at another colorful portrait of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and praised it to the left and right: "The painting is so charming." Xuanzang looked at it, and suddenly stopped in front of a Buddha statue, his eyes fixed on the picture without moving. Huaqi came to see him, and he knew the reason, so he just said: "This one was also painted by Huaqin." Other monks said: "This painting is too mage-like." Xuanzang's heart was shocked, he didn't speak any more, and just followed the chess piece by piece. Xuanzang stopped in front of the picture of "Sacrifice to Feed a Tiger" by Prince Sawana, who promotes the great mercy and compassion of Buddhism, and the picture of "King Pilen Yeli with Thousand Nails Naked on the Body of King Pilen Yeli" with Buddhist spirit of humiliation and sacrifice, and looked at it very piously... Xuanzang also looked at the picture of "Sanmi Keeping the Precepts" which talks about the monk's abstinence, and also looked at the picture of the combination of the Central Plains and the Western Regions and "Zhang Yichao Travel Picture"... In the evening, Huaqi and Xuanzang strolled outside the temple, and the evening wind blows the fine sand. This is a common sight in the West Desert, but it adds a bit of melancholy to the already upset Xuanzang. Xuanzang took a breath, stared at the sunset in the western sky and asked: "Where is Huaqin now?" "Since you left, she has been here to paint every day, and she will come here every evening, looking at the red sun in the western sky, she seems to be waiting or hoping for something." Huaqi knows Xuanzang's heart , so there is no need to clarify. Xuanzang had no words when he heard this, but said silently in his heart: "Huaqin, you are too infatuated, you should know that I am a monk!" Huaqi also said: "She worked hard at painting murals with her father in Dunhuang for fifteen years. It was not until last year when her father died of illness that she carried the coffin back to her hometown." Xuanzang was shocked: So she was not married, ah!For seventeen years, she has been waiting for me, alas! , but said: "She's so dedicated to art, it's amazing." "Yes." Huaqi sat down on a stone and said, "Huaqin is indeed a woman with great artistic talent. Many of the paintings here are her painstaking efforts for most of her life. She especially likes Buddhist paintings. As soon as she paints , she almost forgot her own existence, as if she had entered another world." "Oh, no wonder the paintings are so Buddha-like." Xuanzang sat down and praised: "You artists are truly immeasurable!" At night, a crescent moon hangs over the treetops, and the moonlight is sometimes hidden by faint clouds. A ray of moonlight penetrates through the window, just shining on Xuanzang who is lying on the Zen couch.He tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep, sat up several times and clapped his hands together to recite silently, but the shadow of Huaqin still lingered... Xuanzang can't forget the devout expression with her hands on her cheeks when drawing the piano and listening to the lecture... When she painted Buddha statues, she sometimes lowered her head and sometimes looked up at him with the charm of entering the Buddha's realm... When she said goodbye, those pair of eyes Eyes full of tears, but holding back the overflow... Yihuaqin, I owe you too much, where are you at this moment? But Xuanzang never saw Huaqin again, just like Shakyamuni never found the girl beside the Nilian Chan River who fed milk to wake him up. Painting the piano shocked Xuanzang for a while, not because of her talent, nor because of her beauty, but because of her persistence in demanding the integration of art and Buddhism, which made Xuanzang deeply understand that the transcendence of Buddhism is not a no-nonsense one. In order to truly achieve the purpose of saving suffering and saving all living beings, it must be integrated with the world.This has something to do with his close cooperation with the emperors of the two dynasties and his extensive Buddhist affairs after returning to Tang Dynasty. One day, Xuanzang and several monks were walking on the street when they heard a burst of pleasant foreign music. They looked forward to the Persian music, and it turned out to be a Persian female artist dressed in Western Regions dancing, standing around. Many people were watching.Xuanzang and his companion also stood down and watched for a while.The girl's dancing posture was very graceful. The long pink shawl on her head supported her slim figure in a red dress, and she was slowly moving around in the arena, like a red peony that was about to bloom in a Luoyang garden. After the dance, everyone applauded desperately and threw coins into her bucket. The girl and her two companions collected the money and were about to leave after thanking everyone when suddenly three rascals stopped the girl and one of them said: "Little lady, don't leave, our master sees you as pitiful, and wants to accept you as his aunt!" The three of them pulled the girl with their hands.Of the two accompanying her, the older one looked like her father, begging the three: "Please let her go! Please!" "No! Come with us!" The Persian girl burst into tears, and Xuanzang couldn't stand it any longer, so he stepped out and said to the three villains: "Amitabha, robbing people in broad daylight, sin, sin!" The leader of the three scolded: "You monk, are you also interested in this beauty? If you like it, I will give it to you." Then he laughed, and the other two rascals pushed the girl on Xuanzang and said: "Yes, yes, I will give you this monk to be your wife!" Xuanzang was very angry when he heard this. He strode forward and fearlessly forced the three villains step by step. The three of them were shocked by Xuanzang's majesty and retreated step by step... At this moment, the envoy came and he He rebuked the three villains: "Who are you waiting for? Do you know who he is? He is the eminent monk Xuanzang whom the emperor ordered me to pick up!" 三人一听是玄奘，吓得扑通一声齐齐地跪在地上，向玄奘捣蒜般地磕头哀求： “法师饶命，法师饶命，我们不敢了。” 使臣令左右： “把这三个恶人给我抓起来。” "yes." 三个恶人被抓走了。那波斯姑娘和她的父亲、同伴一起向玄奘及使臣跪下： “多谢法师大人救命之恩。” 法师问道：“你们为何在此卖艺？” 那姑娘的父亲说： “我们本是西域波斯国人，因随商队到大唐学艺，不幸途中遇强盗，走散了，所以……” 玄奘听了十分同情，便吩咐随从取一些钱给他们做回去的盘缠。三人十分感激，接钱后谢玄奘而去。 使臣见了非常感动，对玄奘说道： “我原以为出家人不管闲事，没想到法师竟如此行侠仗义。” 玄奘说：“佛法的宗旨是大慈大悲、救苦救难，现遇如此灾难怎能见死不救！” 使臣忙对玄奘拜道： “下官对法师钦佩不已，回去愿跟法师学佛。” Xuanzang laughed and said: “佛界愿广纳天下仁人贤士。” "Thank you Master." exactly: