Standalone Northern and Southern Dynasties

Chapter 373 Red Robe Monk

"Master, today a great master named Bian Kong will be at Yongle Temple to preach the Dharma."

Monk Huike returned to the monastery and said to Bodhidharma who was meditating.

This master and disciple pair were also an anomaly in Yongle Temple.

Bodhidharma meditated and practiced every day. It was said that he was trying to comprehend some Buddhist principles, while Huike wandered around Yongle Temple and Yongle City, and sometimes took part in small debates in the temple.

Hui Ke listened with a smile most of the time, but the angles of his questions were sometimes very tricky, which could make everyone stop debating and not know how to respond to his questions.

The Yongle Temple gave the two men nicknames: Bodhidharma was called "the silent monk" and Huike was called "the problematic monk".

Generally speaking, Bodhidharma did not participate in Buddhist activities in Yongle Temple.

But this time, Bian Kong's background was more prominent and attracted the attention of the monks in the temple.

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there were special regulations on the robes worn by monks.

First of all, high-end materials such as silk cannot be used, and secondly, a whole piece of cloth cannot be used. According to Buddhism, the robes should be collected by monks from every household and then pieced together to form a patchwork robe.

However, starting from Xiao Yan, the Southern Dynasties began to grant purple and red robes to monks of high moral character. These were the purple-robed monks and red-robed monks. This custom also spread to the north, and Emperor Xuanwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty also once granted red and purple robes to famous monks.

Being able to receive rewards from the rulers is also what Buddhist disciples pursue in terms of secular status.

This Master Biankong was also the first monk whom Su Ze personally bestowed with a red cassock.

Huike also wanted to go and listen to Biankong's lectures, and he was also feeling a little dissatisfied. Many of the so-called famous monks he met these days could not even read the Buddhist scriptures, let alone comprehend them. And General Su Ze did not revere Buddhism as much as the rulers of other places. Were the monks he recognized really virtuous?
Hui Ke just wanted to inform his master, but he didn't expect Bodhidharma to say:

"Then go and have a listen."

Huike looked at his master in confusion. Could it be that his master was tired of meditating and wanted to go for a walk?
Yongle Temple gave enough face to this red-robed monk. It built a high platform in the temple and invited all the famous monks who were staying in the temple to come to the temple to preach Buddhism.

On the day of Biankong's lecture, important officials of the Council of State including Su Cho were also present.

Su Cho was also very confused. Su Ze, who had never been interested in Buddhism, was so impressed by this Master Bian Kong. What role would his Buddhism play in rectifying the trend of worshipping Buddhism in the local area?
When Biankong climbed onto the high platform, everyone's eyes lit up. They saw that he had a solemn appearance and dignified manners, and looked like a truly eminent monk.

Biankong wore the red cassock given by Su Ze, held a seven-ring staff in his hand, and climbed up the platform step by step.

After he sat on the cushion, he turned his staff three times, making crisp sounds, and then began to preach his Buddhist teachings.

When Bian Kong opened his mouth, he talked about a less popular Buddhist sect. He said:

"In the time of Emperor Xiaowen, Master Facong lectured on the Four-Part Vinaya in Pingcheng and dictated to his disciple Daofu to write the Four-Part Vinaya Commentary, which is the Buddhist code of conduct."

All the monks frowned. Facong was a Buddhist master during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, but the Buddhist rules and regulations he advocated were too strict and many monks were unwilling to abide by them.

To put it bluntly, Facong only studied the Buddhist precepts. Any organization, a country has its own laws, a family has its own rules, and it is natural for Buddhism to have its own precepts. This has been something that has existed since the birth of Buddhism.

However, just organizing the Buddhist teachings in the scriptures and preaching to other monks, Facong's theory was too "daddy-like" in today's terms. Moreover, just keeping the precepts was of no benefit to the practice of Buddhism. Facong's Buddhism was only spread on a small scale in the Xiangzhou area.

When Bian Kong came up and started talking about the rules and regulations of the Vinaya, no one seemed to be interested.

After Biankong finished his eloquent speech, the monks felt that life was even more boring. If they really practiced according to the precepts that Biankong talked about, then what was the fun of being a monk?
Su Cho and other important officials nodded one after another. He finally understood why Su Ze admired the Buddhist teachings of Bian Kong so much.

If all monks practiced according to the precepts of Biankong and observed so many complicated precepts, then Buddhism would no longer be a scourge.

Su Cho thought even more darkly that General Su asked Master Biankong to go to Liangzhou to be the abbot in order to require the monks in Liangzhou to observe the precepts.

If a monk does not observe the precepts, he can be classified as an evil monk and be eliminated by official force.

It’s really a great idea!
But Su Cho looked at Bian Kong on the high platform and felt that there was something wrong with Su Ze's plan.

The reason is that Bian Kong is too unknown.

If Bian Kong was really a great master of Buddhism, then the monks would respect him for promoting precepts. However, he did not have such a high reputation. How could he gain the approval of all the monks just by looking up the precepts in the Buddhist scriptures?
Su Cho sighed. The general was still too anxious. Perhaps it could be said that although Master Bian Kong might be truly flawless in terms of morality, he could not be considered a great monk in terms of Buddhism.

Sure enough, after Biankong finished explaining his Buddhist theories, not many monks below the stage were convinced.

Some monks are already rubbing their hands in anticipation of a debate with Monk Biankong.

Su Cho couldn't bear to watch it. In his opinion, how could a monk who studied the precepts well beat those monks who spent the whole day debating Buddhist teachings and showing off their eloquence?
As expected, the monks below the platform began to ask questions.

Biankong on the high platform was polite and waited for the monks below to raise questions, then he began to speak eloquently. He could easily quote the theories of various schools of Buddhism, recite the original texts of various Buddhist scriptures and the annotations of ancient sages on the spot, and quickly refuted the monks who asked questions and made them speechless.

This time, Su Cho looked at Bian Kong in surprise. He didn't expect that the master respected by General Su was really so capable.

Bian Kong debated from noon to evening. The more the monks in the Yongle Temple debated, the more excited they became. The abbot of the Yongle Temple, Bian Cai, had to light a brazier and let the monks continue to debate.

As a result, at midnight in the evening, Biankong was still sitting firmly on the high platform, but the monks below the platform were speechless.

At this moment, Hui Ke suddenly stood up and asked:
"Master, may I ask, keeping the precepts and practicing is indeed what is mentioned in the Buddhist scriptures, but how can one become a Buddha just by keeping the precepts?"

This sentence was so eye-opening that it made the monks wake up immediately.

Yes, I am entangled in the precepts, but what Huike asked is the most crucial thing. We become monks to practice. You just say that we should observe the precepts, then why is observing the precepts a practice?

This sentence can be said to hit the nail on the head. The reason why Buddhism is divided into various sects is actually due to the differences in the path of practice.

For example, Bodhidharma's Zen Buddhism believes that everyone has Buddha nature, and that one only needs to have a sudden enlightenment to see the Buddha nature and become a Buddha directly.

Another example is the Pure Land Sect of Bian Ji. His theory is even simpler. It is that by chanting the Buddha's name and reciting Buddhist scriptures, one can accumulate merits and go to the Buddhist Pure Land after death. Therefore, his theory is more easily accepted by the lower-class people. After all, just chanting Buddhist scriptures is much easier than practicing in a temple.

There are various ways of practice in Buddhism, why is keeping precepts also considered a practice?
Su Cho cried out that it was not good. The brazier illuminated Huike's appearance. This one-armed monk was an expert. This question could be said to be straight to the heart. If Bian Kong could not answer it well, all previous efforts would be in vain.

All the monks looked at Bian Kong on the high platform.

Biankong put his hands together, chanted the Buddha's name, and then said:
"Observing the precepts is a process, a method of practice. What is important is not the rules and regulations."

Everyone was confused. You have been talking about the precepts and rules for a whole day, and now you say that the important thing is not the precepts and rules?

Biankong said:

"In the law of cause and effect in Buddhism, receiving the precepts is the cause, and practicing is the result. When you receive the precepts, you should think about where the precepts are, think about the consequences of not observing the precepts, and understand why the Buddha gave these precepts. Only then can you understand the origin of the precepts and see the light of your original mind."

As soon as he finished speaking, Hui Ke felt as if he was struck by a loud bell and stood there in a daze.

Among the monks present, those who could understand the empty talk were all stunned. The ingenuity of the answer made it impossible for them to come up with any rebuttal.

Although Su Cho did not understand Buddhism, the theory behind this sentence of Bian Kong was still easy to understand.

After careful consideration, he also felt that there was profound Buddhist philosophy in these words. This Master Biankong was indeed a great master of Buddhism!
Moreover, he is a great master who is not only proficient in Buddhism, but also good at spreading Buddhism!
Su Cho couldn't help but sigh, wondering where did his general find so many talented people from?

He seems to have a treasure bag and can always take out the person you need when you need him.

No one among the monks asked any more questions, and then Biankong came down from the platform.

Just like when Bian Ji became famous in one battle when he competed in "supernatural powers" at Longhua Temple, Bian Kong also became famous in one battle and immediately became the top figure in Guanzhong Buddhism.

After everyone left, Hui Ke came to his senses. He said to Bodhidharma with his head down:

"Master, I lost."

Bodhidharma smiled and said:

“Is winning or losing so important?”

"I didn't expect that there are such great monks in the Middle Earth who have turned the observance of the law into a method of practice, enlightening the mind and gaining enlightenment. It is similar to what I do."

Bodhidharma didn't know that the last few words of Bian Kong were actually taught by Su Ze.

In fact, in the Ming and Qing dynasties, all things returned to one, and the Pure Land Sect, Zen Sect, and Vinaya Sect were finally merged together. Bian Kong's answer, which was full of Zen meaning, was the answer after all things returned to one.

For the Northern Wei Dynasty, when Buddhism was still in its development stage and even the concept of sects had not yet emerged, this was naturally a dimensionality reduction attack.

The next day, the General's Office appointed Biankong as the Grand Abbot of Liangzhou, responsible for issuing Liangzhou ordination certificates, verifying the identities of monks, etc.

In addition, Su Ze also gave Bian Kong a power. For monks who did not observe the precepts, he could forcibly revoke their certificates of ordination and order them to return to secular life. For temples that did not observe the precepts, he could identify them as practicing obscene worship and destroy them.

After becoming famous in Yongle City, Biankong embarked on a journey to the west.

(End of this chapter)