DiploNovel #1376 - Tang Sanzang: Why don't we kill him and keep him for the New Year?
#1376 - Tang Sanzang: Why don't we kill him and keep him for the New Year?
At this moment, even Guanyin Bodhisattva, who had been secretly watching, was stunned.
What's going on?
Shouldn't Tang Sanzang be speaking up for these driven monks? They are all your colleagues!
Guanyin Bodhisattva felt it was a bit outrageous, looking frantic,
"Why hasn't Tang Sanzang paid attention to the enslavement of those monks? This is your tribulation!"
"Wait, what is he doing again!"
Meanwhile, Chu Hao silently hid behind Guanyin Bodhisattva, quietly watching Guanyin Bodhisattva's frenzy.
Chu Hao's mission today was just to wait for the wind, nothing else.
At this moment, outside Chechi Kingdom, Tang Sanzang was chatting and laughing with Daoist Xuan Yuan, watching the monks pulling carts all over the mountains.
Getting excited, Tang Sanzang didn't hide anything, directly taking out his treasured good wine,
"Come, Daoist, if you're not in a hurry, this monk has some things to chat with you about, let's drink and talk."
Daoist Xuan Yuan looked confused, looking at Tang Sanzang's very casual appearance of taking out wine,
"This… Master, you…"
Tang Sanzang suddenly realized,
"Forgive me, forgive me…"
Daoist Xuan Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. Sure enough, Tang Sanzang remembered that he was a monk? How could a monk casually be so carefree?
However, Tang Sanzang smiled and put away the wine, but instead took out a big pig's trotter and handed it to the Daoist,
"Daoist doesn't drink wine, it was impolite of me, then let's eat some barbecue. I brought it from the Blackwater River, it's extremely fragrant."
Daoist Xuan Yuan felt his head buzzing,
"Wait, Master, don't you observe the Eight Precepts? Is it really okay to eat meat and drink wine like this?"
Pig Bajie jumped out from the side, looking righteous,
"My master and disciples are all studying advanced Buddhism, with flexible moral bottom lines. Walking in the world, the Buddhist precepts of my sect are very reasonable!"
"Buddhism should seek welfare for all people in the world, and must not be a means of being self-righteous, or even an excuse to evade corvée. Buddhism must also be based on the country to be qualified to survive in this world."
Upon hearing this, the Daoist's eyes lit up, marveling. Why didn't he, a Daoist, see things as clearly as this monk!
Immediately, the Daoist put his arm around Tang Sanzang's shoulder, drinking and talking happily, feeling extremely emotional,
"I didn't expect that Master's Buddhism cultivation is so advanced. As expected, it is different from those corrupt monks who bully others. Master, feel free to ask anything you want to know, I will tell you everything I know!"
Tang Sanzang then pointed to the monks being driven and asked:
"This monk has come all the way, and many countries are manipulated by monks. What is the situation in Chechi Kingdom now? How can it be so enlightened, knowing to be people-oriented?"
Daoist Xuan Yuan nodded slightly upon hearing this,
"You are from afar, and do not know the affairs of our country. In this city of mine, let alone civil and military officials who love Taoism, rich people and elders who love virtue, the first and foremost is His Majesty the King who loves Taoism and virtue."
Tang Sanzang shook his head repeatedly,
"This monk does not care about Buddhism or Taoism, as long as it can make the people live a good life, it is a good religion."
"I just don't know why there is respect for Taoism and the suppression of Buddhism?"
Daoist Xuan Yuan nodded in agreement upon hearing Tang Sanzang's words,
"Master is indeed a person of great wisdom, indeed, regardless of Buddhism or Taoism, the original intention should be to make all people live a good life. Those monks deserve their punishment."
"Only because twenty years ago, the people suffered from severe drought, there was no rain from the sky, and the land was barren. Regardless of the monarch, ministers, common people, or large and small families, every household bathed and burned incense, and every household worshiped Buddha to pray for rain, but the monks prayed for twenty years without a drop of rain!
Moreover, those monks requested rations from the court, and the national treasury was emptied. Countless miseries were spoken of, but who knew that the monks were useless, reciting empty scriptures, unable to help."
Tang Sanzang frowned and murmured:
"Such despicable means again!"
Tang Sanzang wasn't ignorant of the previous countries being coerced by the Western Paradise. Twenty years of drought, this was obviously not a natural disaster, it was definitely a man-made disaster!
Daoist Xuan Yuan was noncommittal, only saying:
"The people of Chechi Kingdom were withering, and the people were suffering. Just as they were hanging by a thread, three immortals suddenly descended from the sky, successfully praying for rain. The heavy rain came as soon as it was said, relieving the drought and saving lives."
Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang clapped his hands and said:
"Good, good, good, this is the wonderful use of cultivation, pleading for the people, well done, well done!"
"May I know the names of the three immortals? If there is a chance, I should pay a visit."
Daoist Xuan Yuan's face was filled with a proud smile,
"My eldest master is called Tiger Power Great Immortal; the second master is Deer Power Great Immortal; the third master is Sheep Power Great Immortal."
"My master can summon wind and rain with a flip of his hand, turn water into oil, and turn stone into gold, as easily as turning around. Therefore, with such magic power, he can seize the creation of heaven and earth and change the mysteries of the stars."
Tang Sanzang nodded repeatedly,
"Well done, well done. Chechi Kingdom is fortunate to have the help of several immortals. No wonder this monk saw from afar that Chechi Kingdom is peaceful, which is also the good deed of the three immortals."
"If that's the case, this monk will ask for a pass and leave. However, speaking of those monks, I don't know what they have done wrong? If it is just revenge, private punishment is not allowed, there must be legal basis."
Tang Sanzang has always been a pragmatic person. No matter who it is, they should not be subjected to private punishment.
There should be laws to abide by, and laws must be enforced. This is also the advanced Buddhism that Chu Hao told Tang Sanzang before, which Tang Sanzang deeply agrees with.
Daoist Xuan Yuan became even more respectful upon hearing Tang Sanzang's words,
"Master is indeed a person of cultivation, distinguishing right from wrong, not just echoing."
"But Master does not know, these people have committed crimes and took an inch, so they were punished."
"I am all ears," Tang Sanzang said.
Daoist Xuan Yuan's eyes were full of sternness when he looked at those monks, very indignantly:
"You don't know this, these monks are too much. Relying on their status as monks, they have been evading corvée and taxes for twenty years, taking rations in the country to eat, drink, and have fun.
Moreover, in these twenty years, they have been bribing court officials, and even launched a rebellion before, trying to establish the Western Religion as the state religion!
Unable to pray for rain, and trying to get involved in politics, this angered the court, demolished his mountain gate, destroyed his Buddha statues, pursued his ordination certificate, and did not let him return to his hometown, bestowing him to our family to work, just like a servant.
He is the one who burns the fire in my house, he is the one who sweeps the floor, and he is the one who supports the door. Because there are still houses in the back that have not been completed, these monks are asked to haul bricks and tiles, and drag wood to build houses."
Tang Sanzang frowned and murmured:
"Keeping them alive, what for?"
Daoist Xuan Yuan was stunned and quickly persuaded:
"Master, calm down, Chechi Kingdom is only ordering them to be good according to the law, and cannot create killings at will!"
Tang Sanzang frowned,
"Too kind…"
Daoist Xuan Yuan was covered in sweat, this monk is a bit fierce.