Chapter 5 Wu

At noon, monk Zicong, Yao Shu and other civil servants and generals were summoned to the tent hall.Su Wei reported: It is cheap to set up the luncheon, please invite the prince and distinguished guests to attend! In this remote place, Kublai Khan ordered the imperial dining room of the palace to prepare an extravagant banquet. The officials of the imperial dining room can be said to have racked their brains. They not only fried pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese and other livestock and poultry to make them look delicious, but also brought deer, deer, pheasants, swans, hares, and wild animals. Game such as rats, the most rare are those deep-sea fish and shells, which are even more rare in this place on the edge of Tibet. There are also all kinds of seasonal vegetables, fruits, red, green and green, all of which are fresh and tender.

As for wine, there are kumiss, highland barley wine, wine, fruit wine, rice wine, grain liquor...there are all kinds of treasures, everything that one expects to find.Considering that Monk Zicong and Basiba did not drink alcohol, Kublai Khan specially ordered some kind of juices to be prepared for them. This arrangement is all to welcome the guru Bhaspa from the Tibetan area, and at the same time to reward the generals who have fought hard for many years. Basiba picked up a pair of chopsticks and exclaimed: "This is simply a table of art, and it is unbearable to destroy it." Zi Cong smiled: "These are all the delicacies that the prince has always been reluctant to eat. It is expected that there will be distinguished guests. I don't think it will be the master."

"Come on, let's toast to the health of the lord and master and the reunion of confidants!" Yao Shu took the lead in raising the wine glass in front of him, bowing his hands to congratulate. Kublai Khan was in high spirits, lightly smoothed his beard, and smiled broadly: "It's better to say, let's toast to the friendship, friendship and harmony of the Mongolian, Han, Tibetan and other ethnic groups!" Bright to everyone, and laughed out loud. Everyone stood up and said in unison: "Thank you for your kindness! I wish you a long life!" They drank their glasses of wine before taking their seats.Kublai Khan picked up a piece of preserved hibiscus fruit and put it on Basiba's plate. He explained apologetically, "The guru is slow to use it. The conquest is a major event, and I can't treat the guru well. Please forgive me. I will return to Han in the future." Here, this king will entertain the guru with pure royal meals."

"Hmm—" Basiba asked strangely while tasting the preserved lotus fruit, "From what the lord said, is the palace meal even more luxurious than the present banquet?" Kublai Khan smiled without answering, and put another piece of vegetarian potato on Basiba's plate: "Try this. The chef's skill is good, and the heat is just right." He wiped the corners of his mouth with a towel, and looked around at the civil servants and military generals who followed him: "You can enjoy it as you like. I have been marching and fighting for a while, and I am hungry and full. Everyone has suffered."

"I would like to do the work of dogs and horses for the prince!" Everyone was deeply moved and replied in unison. "Where do you come from so many polite words today? Is it because the master is here, making you cautious?" Kublai turned his head and smiled at Ba Siba, "Although these people are my subordinates, they are familiar with me. , I usually make jokes and jokes, and there are few formalities. According to me, let’s just have a drink today, let’s open up the world, let our imagination run wild, and how about talking about Buddhist scriptures?" Everyone suddenly said yes.

"It's so wonderful. But I wonder if Mr. Zicong is interested?" Ba Siba was also very interested, and looked sideways at Mr. Zicong. "Of course. The king's order must not be violated. The poor monk has some doubts and wants to ask the master for advice. I hope the master will give us some advice." "Don't dare! Mr. Zicong, why should you be humble!" Basiba smiled slightly, "I would like to ask Mr.: It is said that the Buddha Sakyamuni received the strict education of Indian Brahmanism according to the tradition when he was young. Is there such a thing? ?”

Zi Cong knew that Basipa wanted to test him, so he put down his chopsticks and replied calmly: "The Buddha is the son of King Jingfan, the king of Kapilavatthu in ancient India 1,700 years ago. Sakyamuni is the son of the Shakya family. He did receive the education of Brahmanism when he was young, but he gradually drifted away from Brahmanism as an adult. It is said that he became a monk at the age of 29 to seek the way of liberation." The waiter served the roast goose and bear's paws again, and put a small bowl of hot and fragrant pheasant soup on everyone's table, and only put a bowl of lotus seed soup in front of Zicong and Basiba. He became a monk since he was a child, and he strictly abides by the precepts.

Kublai Khan picked up the wine glass filled with kumiss: "Come, come, let's toast to Zicong and Guru, two famous Chinese and Tibetan monks, who can discuss Buddhism here today! After three cups, you may as well talk to your heart's content, my lord." And all the gentlemen and generals here are all ears." Everyone drank the wine in their glasses in harmony.Putting down his cup, Basiba couldn't care less about humility, and couldn't wait to ask Zicong his second question: "In the Indian religious circles at that time, the practice methods of meditation and asceticism were popular, with the intention of obtaining mysterious religious experience. Reaching the so-called "neither thought nor non-thought" state of concentration, I think this is the state of liberation. Does Mr. Zi Cong think so?"

"Buddha Sakyamuni first practiced meditation from the Sankhya school of thought. It is said that he has reached a profound state of concentration, but he still can't think that he has attained liberation." Zi Cong has followed Master Haiyun for many years and has mastered the extensive and profound Buddhist classics. It came in handy. "Later, he changed to asceticism and abstinence from heretics for six years, which was even more useless. Although these statements inevitably belittled Brahmanism and heretics, in the religious environment of India at that time, Buddha Sakyamuni tried It is entirely possible to practice this method of religion. Until he was thirty-five years old, he once sat under the bodhi tree and thought hard about the way of liberation. After seven days and seven nights of hard thinking, he realized that he was completely enlightened and achieved the "Supreme Enlightenment". "

"That is to say, he discovered the mysteries of life in the universe and found a way to understand and save sentient beings from suffering." Basiba interjected. "Yes, that's right." Zi Cong's tone gradually turned deep, "For more than forty years since then, he has spread the truth he realized everywhere, won believers, formed teachings, formed a Sangha order, and established the Buddhist world. It should be said that his missionary activities were quite successful, because he has many believers, including kings, nobles, wealthy businessmen, and low-class people such as slaves and beggars."

The waiter handed over a towel, Zicong wiped the sweat from his forehead, and put a chopstick of baked potato slices on Basiba's plate himself. "Two eminent monks, this is the end of today's discussion of Dharma." Kublai Khan saw that the military officers had lost interest in listening, so he interrupted the Dharma discussion between Bhaspa and Zi Cong with a smile, and suggested, "Master, Zi Cong Cong, Yao Shu, after the banquet, the three of you might as well accompany me to appreciate the charming scenery of the Songpan Grassland and enjoy the height and tranquility of autumn." He raised his wine glass and smiled loudly, "The following For the righteousness of Buddhism, let’s save it for later discussion.” Zicong and Ba Siba still have something to say, they look at each other with a sense of sympathy and sympathy in their hearts. "Follow the order of the prince!" In the big tent, cups of wine were exchanged, and the laughter resumed, sweeping away the dullness just now.