Out of the gravel-strewn mountain pass ahead, the caravan entered the territory of the sub-kingdom.

From that to the northwest, there is an ancient road in the mountains leading to the Puli Kingdom, which is much closer than passing through the Yexi and Shache Kingdoms to the Puli King City.

I didn't know that Uncle Rong Ge was still alive, and I couldn't help but feel stunned when I thought of this.

"Young master! Puli Country is coming! That Puhou is so funny! Ha ha! ”

"The Ink River Valley of the Fork Country is our Qingluan's maiden home! It's really hard to say the fate between people and people and things in this world! ”

Qin Chong and Sha Mihan, these old guys, passed by me on horseback, and remembered the old things that passed by Puli Wangcheng a few years ago, and their faces were full of nostalgia.

"Yes! Three years ago, we were slaves on the Flying Fish Reef in the middle of the earth, who would have thought that we would be able to escape alive in this life! Two years ago we swept through Eastern Rome! One call is answered, killing people like hemp! Who would have thought that he would go back to the old business of this trader! ”

Liu smiled bitterly and said haha, the dark and lawless time in Eastern Rome is still nostalgic, especially Liu Zhen'er.

The most awesome and heroic life of his life was all left there.

"Brothers, don't sigh! There are a few mountain beams ahead to climb, so save some effort! ”

Duo'er rushed over from behind, panting, and Dawan Wuqing beside her kicked the gravel under her feet irritably.

When I first went to the plateau, I suffered from chest tightness and shortness of breath and poor hearing, both for people and livestock.

You have to go through Puli to get used to it.

The group stopped talking, and drove their horses and horses to climb towards the snow line ahead.

After exiting the pass, the terrain ahead was much smoother.

Along a small river flowing from the southern ice field, go upstream, and then walk more than 100 miles, you will arrive at the royal city of the Zihe Kingdom, Huqian Valley.

The sub-United Kingdom is now a dependency of the Shache Kingdom, which is very different from the folk customs of the Puli and Pishan countries.

The official offices of the houses are all made of mountains and stones, and the official language is Brahmin Sanskrit.

Therefore, for hundreds of years when Buddhism was prevalent in the Western Regions and Eastern Regions, there were many eminent monks who translated scriptures.

The large and small Theravada scriptures from the Tianzhu Buddha country are all engraved on the bay leaf with an iron pen in Sanskrit, and the world calls it the bay leaf scripture.

It is like a book from heaven, and it cannot be read by those who are not familiar with Sanskrit.

After coming and going, the small royal city of Huggalla Valley became a gathering place for monks and monks from all over the world.

The meltwater of the small river and mountains converges, which is clear and cold to the bone.

Patches of grassland can be seen along both sides of the river, and the wild people are gradually becoming more populated.

According to the itinerary plan, the caravan camped in the Huqian Valley at night, and it was just after noon, and there was still plenty of time.

So everyone relaxed, and the horses were left to their mounts to gnaw on the green grass on the beach.

"Big brother, look! Master Fa Xian! ”

I was sitting on my horse and dozing in a daze, and the cheerful cries of the children around me pulled me back into reality.

In front of them, a group of monks dressed in Dongtu were hurrying away.

The old man with a wooden staff in his hand and a fluttering silver beard at the head was Master Fa Xian.

"Master Fa Xian! Don't come unharmed! Where are you masters and disciples going in such a hurry? ”

I didn't expect to meet this high-ranking monk of the Eastern Soil who I admired in the barren mountains and mountains, so Duo'er, Uncle Su and others and I hurriedly caught up and dismounted and folded our hands.

"Amitabha! It turned out to be the Yi donor, hehe. The monks don't speak, I will go to the Tianzhu Buddha country to welcome the Vinaya Sutra, Amitabha! ”

Master Fa Xian's voice was as melodious and soft as the breeze, and it also showed a rare state of joy.

"My caravan is now also going to the Fulousha and Jiandra countries of Tianzhu, and we happen to be traveling together! There is also a mutual care on the road! ”

Duo'er heard that Master Fa Xian and his party were on the same road as us, so she hurriedly invited her warmly.

On the Manshang Road, there has been a tradition of monks and monks walking together since ancient times.

Giving alms and care to ascetic bhikshus on the way is a meritorious thing for us businessmen.

"Amitabha! Thank you for the kindness of the female benefactor. The summer solstice of the eastern soil has passed, and we are ready to sit and live in peace and meditate on the scriptures in the summer of this country. Wait for this autumn to be cool, and then cross the green mountains and go south, and go to the Tianzhu Buddha country. Amitabha! ”

Master Fa Xian sang the Buddha horn with one hand and saluted and thanked Duo'er.

Believers in Buddhism know that being on the same path as a monk or monk can only follow fate, and cannot be forced.

Since the master has already stated that he will sit in the summer of the royal city of Hujian Valley, we will not have the fate of going to Tianzhu together.

Because my caravan is only passing through in the United States, I can't stay that long.

"Master, we are in the Khotanese Zanmo Temple, as well as the Shache, Zihe countries of the large and small monasteries are not less than hundred, the collection of large and small Theravada Buddha scriptures is more than thousands, why should the master give up the near and far, trek through mountains and rivers to go to the Tianzhu Buddha country? If the master is in need, the little girl is willing to help! ”

Like her mother, Duo'er has always been enthusiastic about Buddhism.

The Buddhist temples of the Western Regions are a little famous, and we have a lot of money every year in Khotanyi.

As long as Master Fa Xian is willing, Duo'er can refer them to any of them in the name of the benefactor to live in any of them for a long time and study the scriptures and Dharma.

Because in the eyes of us lay disciples, almost all the scriptures of the Tianzhu Buddha Kingdom have been transmitted to the Western Regions for hundreds of years.

The people of Khotan first believed in Theravada Buddhism, and now they have converted to Mahayana Buddhism and have passed half a year.

"Amitabha, since the Tianzhu monks Jiashi Morteng and Zhu Falan came to Luoyang three hundred years ago, the Buddha's compassion and grace have begun to influence all sentient beings in our Eastern Han Kingdom. Lao Qu came all the way west to seek experience, and he did not dare to slack off. Most of the Dharma scriptures that have been handed down in the world can be found, but the Buddha's Vinaya Sutra is missing, so I can only go to the Buddha's hometown to find it. Amitabha! ”

Master Fa Xian took the water bladder from his disciple's hand and took a sip.

Seeing that the master was already in his prime, he could still be ambitious and strong, which made me admire him very much.

When Uncle Su saw that I was having a good conversation with Master Fa Xian, he didn't bother anymore and left alone to direct our horse team to hurry forward.

"Master, what is Ritsuzo?"

Duo'er's main mission on this trip with the caravan was to go to the Buddha's hometown on behalf of her mother to worship the Buddha and give alms, so she was very interested in the affairs of the Buddhist family.

"Amitabha! Legend has it that when Shakyamuni Buddha was defending the country and promoting Buddhism in the Tianzhu Temple, he set 500 precepts for me and other monks and lay disciples. Later generations of Tianzhu monks took this as the core, interpreted the system, and became a Buddhist scripture, which is a collection of laws. ”

Master Fa Xian patiently replied, quite the style of Eastern Confucianism preaching and teaching.

"Master, what is the purpose of this law collection?" Like a student who has just entered the academy, Duo'er asks endlessly.

"Amitabha! The state has a national law and a family rule, and the law is the rule of our monks and believers in Buddhism. ”

Master Fa Xian was right, and he could see that his originally calm heart had set off a trace of waves.

The disciples behind him were all dressed in Ge Ma monk clothes, dark and thin, and they were walking silently while turning the Buddhist beads in their hands, not at all burdened by the scenery and personnel outside their bodies.

It also made me feel that it was a sin to talk to Master Fa Xian any longer, disturbing their cultivation.

Uncle Su and their horse team are far and close ahead, and they seem to be waiting for me and Duo'er.

After hovering in the low altitude in front of the mountain, Qingluan swooped down and stood firmly on Duo'er's horse, staring at Master Fa Xian silently, as if waiting for the master's enlightenment.

The surrounding peaks and mountains are covered with ice and snow, reaching into the sky.

Nearby, except for small rivers and howling mountain winds, there are all lifeless pastures and rocky beaches.

I really don't

Willing to leave these ascetic Han family elders, and at the same time had the heart to ask, so he decided to accompany Master Fa Xian on foot to Hujian Valley.

"Master, at the beginning of the year, the high monk Kumarosh came to Khotan to preach the Dharma, and the Buddha told his disciples that all the Dharma is empty, and I don't know how to explain it."

"Amitabha! Buddha for compassion! Buddha for cause and effect! Buddha is emptiness! ”

After listening to my doubts, Master Fa Xian sang the Buddha's horn for a long time.

"May I ask the master, what is emptiness?"

Ever since I received the blessing and enlightenment from the monk Kuma, this question has always lingered in my heart, so I turned to Master Fa Xian to seek the source.

"Amitabha! All living beings are suffering, the world is impermanent, and after all, it will return to dust, and this so-called emptiness is also! ”

Master Fa Xian stroked his silver beard lightly and sighed slightly.

"According to what the master said, we businessmen seek profit, so what good is it for you monks to practice penance? In the end, it's all in vain! ”

It is the monk's duty to solve the doubts of sentient beings, so my chattering questions with Duo'er did not arouse the slightest disgust from Master Fa Xian.

"Amitabha! For cause and effect, for rebirth, to save others and save oneself. Two donors, the sea of bitterness is boundless, and the back is the shore! Amitabha! ”

He walked side by side with my brother and sister, listened carefully to each of our questions, and then answered them leisurely, quite in the style of a monk.

"Since everything in the world is empty, how can there be cause and effect and rebirth! Please also ask the master to solve the doubts. ”

Duo'er on the side bowed down and asked, her words very respectful.

"Amitabha! Lao Qu was three years old and has been in Buddhism for more than 60 years, and he has not yet understood the true meaning of Buddhism, and his cultivation is insufficient, which is really ashamed! Amitabha! ”

Master Fa Xian clasped his hands together and sang the Buddha's name, and Duo'er and I hurriedly apologized to the master.

However, according to the old man, all the evil in the world is caused by the fearlessness of cause and effect! People in the world believe in Buddha and Buddha do not believe in cause and effect, thinking that with the blessing of the Buddha, they can do whatever they want, which is a big fallacy! Amitabha! ”

The master's words were not hurried or slow, but they made me feel empowered and ashamed.

From the day I stepped into business, all the karma was revealed in me, and it was really unpleasant.

Although I am also a lay disciple of Buddhism, I have always spared money in giving and serving the Buddha.

"Master, is there any way to crack it?" Doll asked cautiously.

"Amitabha! The original intention of the Buddha to create the Dharma was to standardize the words and deeds of sentient beings with the Vinaya, to resolve the impermanence of cause and effect with compassion, and to return all things in the world to their true nature, which is the so-called emptiness! Amitabha! ”

Master Fa Xian stopped at this time and sang several Buddha horns in the direction of the western sky.

The process of solving the confusion of sentient beings is actually the process of self-enlightenment, and the master seems to have realized the relationship between cause and effect and emptiness.

As listeners, Duo'er and I are still in ignorance.

But he also generally understood the original intention of Master Fa Xian not to hesitate to drag his old body and go thousands of miles to Tianzhu Buddha to seek the true scriptures of the Vinaya.

The root cause of the great chaos in the world in the East Tuhan Kingdom over the past 100 years is the unancient people's hearts and fearless cause and effect.

From the standpoint of his Buddhism, it is because of the lack of the Vinaya Sutra, everyone in the world believes in Buddhism, but they don't know what things can be done under the sun, and what things cannot be done.

Because there is karma, there is this life.

Before we knew it, we had been walking with Master Fa Xian on the nameless banks of this country for more than three hours.

The sun is about to set, and it is impossible to reach the King City of Hujian Valley today.

Uncle Su and Qin Chong had already set up camp on a flat meadow in front of them, and the men were grazing horses on the hillsides on all sides.

Master Fa Xian and his disciples adhered to the Buddhist precept of not eating in the afternoon.

Despite being hungry after walking for most of the day, the group of seven only replenished a little water from the river, sat cross-legged in the setting sun, and began the day's Dharma evening class.