The shadow of the country

58. Sumeru

For the past two days, Yi Lan and Mu Yan have been traveling continuously overnight, but they don't seem to be nervous about running away.The world is so big, there will always be a corner for them to shelter.From then on, throwing one's own heart into this vast world, no longer having to be constrained by any status or identity, is already a blessing from heaven.That night, when the moon was clear and the wind was clear, the two of them rode side by side. Mu Yan turned his head and asked him, where are we going to escape?Yi Lan was startled for a moment, then smiled and shook her head.In the past twenty years of his court life, every step was full of weighing and calculating, and this was the first time he had taken such a risk without a retreat plan.After hearing this, Mu Yan smiled relievedly, saying that was fine, even if he didn't know where he was going, how could the Yulin officers and soldiers sent by the emperor guess it?

After driving for several days, the two had already left the capital city, but because they had no plan or route, they didn't know where they were. In the afternoon of that day, they entered a mountain forest unknowingly.The mountain road in the forest was deep and rugged, and it was very difficult for the two of them to ride horses among the ravines and rocks.After traveling in such a difficult way for about half an hour, the sky has gradually turned gloomy, with gray clouds forming one piece.After a while, the pouring rain has poured down.The mountain road was slippery in the rain, and the two had no choice but to hold an umbrella and lead the horse forward.Crossing a Banqiao over the stream, one can see an ancient Buddhist temple hidden among many bodhi trees, with three copper characters "Pudu Temple" engraved on the door.Seeing that the rain was too heavy, Mu Yan took Yi Lan to hide under the eaves of the temple.The little novice monk outside the temple only regarded them as travelers passing by, so he tied up their horses for them and invited them to enter the temple to shelter from the rain.

Perhaps because of the downpour, there were surprisingly few pilgrims who came to Pudu Temple to make meritorious deeds today.Yilan and Muyan entered the temple, the novice who was guarding the gate just now immediately served two cups of hot tea to warm them up.It was difficult for the sensitive tongues who were used to drinking tribute tea in the royal palace to accept the rough tea in the mountains without paying attention to the taste, but after the two thanked them, they drank the cup tacitly and slowly.

Yi Lan turned her head to look at the golden Bodhisattva statue in the center of the temple, although she looked down at the world with compassionate eyes, but with a slight detachment.He got up and handed over the incense money, and said: "Since you have entered the Buddhist temple, let's take the incense sticks by the way."

The novice at the gate took the incense money, bowed and guided Yilan to the Buddha statue, and then called another novice from the temple to come out to deliver incense.The little novice who came out later saw the two new pilgrims who were dressed in high-quality clothes and were traveling on horses, so they thought it was some noble merchant's son who was enjoying the scenery.Usually he can't get used to this kind of dude, when he went up to offer incense to Yi Lan, he said in a half-frivolous and half-showy way: "Buddhism is the most taboo of greed, love, ignorance and hatred. If a benefactor asks for a wish, it is better not to make a wish." In front of the Buddha, pray for wealth and good marriage. There is a saying in the "Miaofa Lotus Sutra": "There is no peace in the three realms, just like a house on fire." Don't be fooled by the enjoyment of the three realms, and don't know how to leave. If you want to reach the bliss as soon as possible, you must You must focus on the Buddha, practice meditation, and cut off all thoughts."

Yi Lan stepped forward to take the clean bottle on the stage, and skillfully poured some water from the clean bottle into the palm of her hand, while smiling lightly at the little novice, "Buddhism emphasizes universal love and compassion. But if you cut off love, what's the point?" Universal love? The Buddhist school of Buddhism says to get rid of greed, ignorance and hatred, but if you are so greedy for Buddhism and Zen, isn't it another kind of "greedy obsession"? This is a paradox and cannot be solved. The Buddha is Dao, Tao follows nature, so why force it? I wish today, I just want the name of Pudu Temple to pray for my blessings. I only hope that the new king will be wise, perform diligent and benevolent governance, and save all living beings, so that the people of the world can be peaceful and happy. "

The little novice was still inexperienced, and even half-understood what Yilan said, he was speechless for a moment.At this time, Yi Lan lifted the lid of the incense box, took out the incense and lit it, put it into the incense burner, and bowed to the Buddha statue three times.While Rui Yan was curling up, Yi Lan turned her head to look at the rain curtain outside the temple, and said to Mu Yan, "It's raining lightly, let's continue on our way."

Mu Yan got up and nodded, and when he was about to walk out of the temple with Yilan, he heard the little novice behind him suddenly trembling: "Dare to ask the name of the benefactor? The little monk was rude just now and I hope the benefactor will forgive him... The benefactor is so proficient in Buddhism. Profound, can you allow the little monk to introduce the almsgiver to the abbot of our temple?"

Before Yilan opened her mouth, she heard a solemn and steady old man's voice behind her, "Fazhao, don't be rude to Tanyue."

Just now the little novice took a step back, lowered his eyes and said, "Yes, Master."

Seeing that the abbot of Pudu Temple had already left, Yilan turned around and gave a slight bow, still smiling: "Thank you for the warm tea in the temple, now that you have added incense to the Buddha, let's take my leave first."

The old abbot looked neither humble nor overbearing, he put his hands together and said peacefully: "Tan Yue is easy to go."

Yi Lan didn't pay attention to the western bliss painted on the murals of the Buddhist temple, bowed her head and smiled lightly, and said softly to Mu Yan: "Let's go." Then she left the Pudu Temple.In this life, he has fallen into ignorance, greed and love, and he still has many thoughts and nostalgia.But this person right now is his Xumi Bliss.What's the harm in spending the rest of my life with this person by my side, freeing myself from the suffering of not being able to reincarnate in the six realms?

After the two of them walked out of Pudu Temple, the old abbot still stood there for a long time looking at their backs, his benevolent eyes seemed to have seen everything.The continuous rain curtain outside the door separated the two of them from the temple, separating them into two completely different worlds.The old abbot closed his eyes and said lightly: "These two are absolutely extraordinary."

The little novice wondered at the side: "Master, can you tell who they are? Since they are extraordinary, why don't you persuade them to stay in the temple for a while?"

The old abbot shook his head lightly, and sighed quietly: "Our temple can't keep it, let alone them. All things have their own benefits, all animals have their growth, and all living beings have their lives. If you run away at risk, you will pass through our temple. It is destiny, and it cannot be violated."

The little novice was even more puzzled, and wanted to ask again, but the abbot of the temple turned around and went back to the temple, closed his eyes and said nothing.

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☆, 59. Fayi