Besides, the Sixth Ancestor Hui can think about meeting that strange and somewhat mysterious old monk a few times. But it didn't work out. In the afternoon of this day, the Sixth Ancestor Huineng had come to observe the spotless road in front of the mountain gate for the third time. However, he still did not see the man who swept the way.

He knew that the man must be deliberately avoiding him; He also knew that the man must be hiding somewhere not far away.

So, Huineng slowly said with his "lion's roar" saying: "The road is not the path of the heart, it is important to remove the external dust, the key is to purify oneself, so that the dust on the soul will disappear automatically." The past has passed, and the future has not yet come, so firmly grasp the present. There is nothing in the first place, where is the dust? ”

A bush by Cao Creek shook inexplicably.

Huineng smiled, and just wanted to turn around and go back to the temple, only to see a group of people and horses walking towards here at the end of the road.

It is Shaozhou Thorn Shi Weiju. Master Wei came to convey the edict of Emperor Zhongzong to Master Huineng: "...... The teacher resigned from the old and sick, and cultivated for me, the blessing of the country. If the teacher purifies his name, he will support the disease, expound the Mahayana, spread the Buddha's heart, and talk about the only two methods. Master Xue Jian instructed Rulai to know. I accumulate good and celebrate and plant good roots. The teacher on duty was born, and he had an epiphany, and he was grateful for the grace of the teacher. And enshrined the grinding robe and crystal bowl, the imperial decree Shaozhou Thorn History decoration temple to give the amount of "Faquan Temple", and the former residence of the teacher was given as "Guoen Temple". ”

In the guest hall, Wei Ju closed the edict, handed it to Huineng, and pointed to the two officials standing beside him holding things and said, "Master, this is the robe and crystal bowl that the emperor gave you, please take a look." ”

Wei Ju lifted the yellow satin covering the gift plate, the robe was luxurious, and the crystal bowl was crystal clear.

The god will not change his childhood curiosity, and squeeze forward and exclaim, "Wow, how beautiful! ”

Zhicheng grabbed him: "Be careful! If you destroy the treasures of the imperial court, you will have to cut off your head! ”

God sticks out his tongue and makes a deliberate grimace.

Huineng commanded: "Fahai, put it away." ”

Fahai and Zhicheng took the gift from the imperial court.

Huineng made a gesture of invitation and said, "Master Wei, I have worked hard for you to go up the mountain again." Please, please be seated. ”

After Wei Ju took his seat, he folded his hands and said, "Master, according to the emperor's edict, Lord Guangzhou Thorn Shi is responsible for transforming your hometown into Guoen Temple. Xiaguan was ordered to rebuild Baoling Temple. When do you think it's time to start construction? ”

Huineng said: "Master Wei, since 30 years ago, the Dharma Protector Chen Yaxian of this temple gave a large area of mountainous land in Caoxi to Baolin Temple, over the years, poor monks and disciples have built 13 monasteries in the wonders of the landscape, collectively known as 'Flower and Fruit Garden'. Although there are thousands of monks in Cao Xi now, there are still places to live. Therefore, there is no need to spend money and money to rebuild the temple. ”

Wei Ju said: "Then how can it be done? The emperor's order is hard to disobey! ”

"The imperial court ordered to build a temple, and it must be extremely magnificent, and the silver consumption is not calculated. Unwarrantedly aggravate the burden of the people of this state, and the poor monks can't afford it! ”

Wei Ju said: "The master's compassion and love for the people makes me grateful and ashamed. However, you don't have to worry, the emperor has already allocated 300,000 taels of treasury silver, and there is no need to use a penny of this state. ”

Huineng said: "The poor monk came from a humble background and came from a poor family, so he developed the habit of living diligently and thriftily. Lord Wei, if you decorate this Baoling Temple to be magnificent and luxurious, the poor monks are afraid that they will not be used to living, sitting restlessly, and unable to sleep. Therefore, you save these hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to help the poor people! Oh, by the way, a few days ago, I heard from pilgrims that there was a great drought in the areas of Lechang and Renhua in Shaobei that had not been seen in a century, and the crops were dead and the harvest was lost. Save a life, win a seventh-level floating slaughter. You will use the money used to build temples and floating temples as disaster relief funds for the government to help the victims survive the famine. ”

Wei Ju hurriedly stood up and said, "Master, you are asking me to throw away the black yarn hat on my head!" If the special treasury silver allocated by the imperial court is diverted for other purposes, the officials will lose their officials at least and be killed at worst! You spare the officials, lend me a few guts, and I don't dare to embezzle your Buddhist resources. ”

Huineng lowered his head and thought for a while, and said, "Master Wei, to put it mildly, building temples and shaping Buddha statues, poor monks are better than you. ”

Wei Ju said: "Of course. Xia Guan didn't know anything about architecture and sculpture. ”

"So, can you give the treasury money allocated by the imperial court to the poor monks, and the poor monks will preside over the good deed of building the temple?"

Wei Ju nodded: "Yes, yes, after the official returns to Shaozhou, he will immediately deliver all the silver to Baolin Temple and hand it over to you." ”

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Huineng would never have thought that the drought demon in Shaobei would be so bad!

The sun is blazing in the sky, blazing like fire. Broken rivers, cracked earth, dead seedlings, wilted trees, silent mourners, new graves...... On the long dusty road, the crowd of people who helped the old and the young walked slowly and lifelessly.

Huineng led Fada, Zhicheng, Zhiche, Shenhui and other disciples to rush around the disaster area. When they came to a small town, they saw a dilapidated cross street, with a yellow flag fluttering and the inscription: Baoling Temple soup kitchen.

Fahai, who arrived early, served porridge in a steaming cauldron. Hungry people flocked from all directions, some with broken scoops, some with clay pots, and they were huddled together.

Seeing this, Huineng boarded a grinding plate that was abandoned because there was no grain to grind, and shouted loudly: "Folks, don't crowd, don't worry!" Please line up and come in order. The porridge field of Baoling Temple, as long as the disaster does not decrease day by day, we will continue to give porridge day by day! ”

Many people in the crowd recognized Huineng and whispered: "It's Master Huineng, it's the Sixth Ancestor who has come to help us......"

Huineng continued: "The disaster from heaven is a warning to us to help each other and tide over the difficulties together. The more this time, the more we must help each other! ”

So, people automatically lined up in an orderly order.

Huineng got down from the grinding plate, walked to the back of the line, and picked up a sick old man. People are getting out of the way. Huineng said emotionally: "Thank you, thank you!" Giving way to the elderly and caring for young children is my Chinese virtue for the ages. In this time of crisis, as long as we help each other, we will definitely be able to get through it! ”

Huineng helped the old man to the side of the pot. Fahai served him porridge, and the old man immediately poured it into his mouth impatiently, choking and coughing.

Huineng said while beating him on the back: "Old man, don't worry, as long as I am able to do it, I will definitely not let you starve to death again!" ”

The old man had tears in his eyes and nodded vigorously.

Chicher takes over from the sweaty Fahai. Huineng said to him: "Fahai, the top priority at the moment is to set up a wide range of porridge farms to relieve the victims of the disaster in all directions. ”

Fahai wiped his sweat and panted and said, "Master, we have set up 18 porridge sheds on the road that the victims must pass. ”

Huineng said: "It's not enough, we need to set up more." ”

"We don't have enough people. What's more, the amount of rice noodles needed is too large to be transported. ”

Huineng thought for a while and said, "If there are not enough people, we can organize disaster victims to help themselves." As for the rice and noodles, we went to the big families to make a fortune, and used the compassion of our Buddha to influence them, and opened a warehouse to give alms. No, we will pay for the surplus food they have in stock. ”

Fahai said, "I'll handle it." "A little girl hurried to the corner with a porridge pot in her hands, and accidentally fell and the crockpot shattered. She cried loudly as she held the porridge sprinkled on the dust with her hands.

Master Huineng put porridge in his own bowl, brought it to her, pulled her up and said, "Child, don't cry, don't cry." Here, you drink. ”

The little girl took the bowl and ran to the corner.

Huineng shouted while chasing her: "Child, don't run, you can drink here." It's not enough, you can go to Sheng again. ”

The little girl said without looking back, "I'll send it to my mother first, my mother is dying of hunger." ”

Huineng hurried away with her. In a ruined corner, Huineng catches up with the girl.

On the grass pile in the corner of the wall, a middle-aged woman who was half-unconscious was lying. The little girl handed the porridge bowl to the middle-aged woman, whose lips moved, but she could not raise her head.

Huineng helped her up and leaned against the wall. God will help the little girl feed the porridge to the middle-aged woman's mouth. The middle-aged woman drank faster and faster, half a bowl of porridge was in her stomach, and she regained her vitality. She opened her misty eyes, and the smiling Hui Neng became a shining Guanyin Bodhisattva in her eyes. She muttered: "Great compassion Guanyin Bodhisattva, Guanyin Bodhisattva who saves suffering......

Huineng saw the middle-aged woman wake up and quietly left.

Little girl: "Mother, that's not Guanyin Bodhisattva, it was the Sixth Patriarch Master who saved us from giving porridge." ”

The middle-aged woman was stunned for a moment, closed her eyes and opened them again, and saw the back of an old monk.

The little girl said, "Mother, he is the Master of the Six Ancestors!" The middle-aged woman looked at the back that had almost disappeared and muttered, "The Sixth Ancestor is the Living Bodhisattva......

Huineng's worst fear has happened: the plague, this demon is dragging a huge shadow, and it is approaching step by step!

It was the fifth month of the lunar calendar, the weather was extremely hot, and the ownerless corpses who died of illness and starvation quickly decomposed, maggots crawled around, flies flew sideways, and the stench was stinking! What's even more terrifying is that the epidemic, the most murderous killer of mankind in history, has begun to spread......

Carrion is everywhere. If we don't bury it quickly, it will seriously pollute the soil, wells, and air, not to mention the ubiquity of mosquitoes and flies carrying germs, then an unprecedented plague will be inevitable!

People who are not afraid of being infected? Therefore, no one dared to bury the ownerless carrion corpses carrying the plague germs......

I don't go to hell, who does! Huineng decided to personally lead his disciples to bury the corpses.

However, something unexpected happened. It turned out that the dead bodies exposed in the wilderness were gone, and they were all buried. Moreover, those who died of the plague were cremated with firewood! Who is so compassionate? So fearless? Finally, Hui Neng saw the person next to a fire where the carrion was cremated—the old monk who had been cleaning the road in front of the Baolin Temple Mountain all year round and had a scar on his face.

He seemed to have been infected with the plague, and lay weak by the fire. When he found that Huineng and a few disciples were walking towards him, he hurriedly waved his hands to stop everyone from approaching him.

Huineng didn't stop, and still walked towards him.

With the last of his strength, he struggled to his feet, trying to hide in the distance......

"Chen Ah Si, Ah Si, Ah Si Brother-" Hui Neng let out a call full of affection! The old monk subconsciously froze in place. Immediately, his back shook violently......

"Ah Si, Shadow Hidden Zen Master!" Huineng continued to shout, and his trembling voice showed that he had burst into tears......

The old monk finally turned around - he was indeed Huineng's childhood partner Chen Ah Si, that is, the Zen master of Dongshan Temple who was disfigured and disguised by the fire!

"Shadow, I already knew it was you. For decades, I've been looking forward to seeing me as you are......"

Shadow covered her face with her hands and sobbed silently. Huineng stretched out his hands of friendship and welcome.

Ying Yin wept bitterly, and said infinitely self-reproaching: "Huineng, I, I, I...... I deserve death for my sins, I'm full of sins, I'm ......"

"Ahem-" Hui Neng shouted and interrupted him: "Shadow Hide, there is nothing in the first place, where is the dust?!" ”

Ying Yin was stunned for a moment, and then, he was already dying, and his face suddenly shot out with dazzling brilliance - under the inspiration of the Sixth Ancestor, he suddenly became enlightened! The radiance of enlightenment illuminated his life. He said like a dream: "Nan Wu Six Ancestor Master ......"

Huineng was relieved, smiled with satisfaction, and walked towards him step by step. Ying Yin hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Sixth Ancestor, Huineng, don't come here, I've been infected with the plague......"

Huineng didn't seem to hear, but still smiled affectionately and walked towards him. Shadow Yin retreated step by step, and had already retreated to the fire where the cremated corpses were cremated! Suddenly, he turned around and jumped into the flames!

"Shadow, Ahhhh In the midst of the rolling flames, the shadow sat on its knees, and a serene smile appeared on her face reddened by the firelight......

The Zen monks who witnessed all this knelt down and collectively recited the mantra of rebirth:

Nam no Amitabha Night, Dortagada Night, Amitabha Night, Amitabha Night, Amitabha Amitabha, Amitabha Amitabha, Amitabha Basket, Doga Miga, Gagana, Tsugalisa Mahara, Amitabha......, T

Hui Neng seemed to be unsteady on her feet due to excessive grief, and her body shook.

Always paying attention to the master's divine meeting, he hurriedly handed him the Zen staff. Huineng picked up the Zen staff and danced slowly......

As his staff danced, a breeze rose from under the blades of grass and slowly blew across the field...... He danced faster and faster. And at this very moment, the dark clouds rolled and the wind was fierce...... A bolt of lightning shot out of the dark clouds—a thunderclap thundered on the ground—and a torrential rain fell from the sky......

Sometimes things are really unpredictable, and Sixth Ancestor Hui could never have dreamed that he and his teenage partner Chen Ah Si finally reunited, and they turned out to be goodbye forever. It's true: the world is unpredictable!