It is because of this linden tree that it does not wither all year round and that the huge canopy forms a natural dome. In addition, "Bodhi" in Sanskrit means enlightenment. Originally, this Bodhi tree was called the Bibala Tree, but since the Buddha had attained enlightenment under this tree, he has changed this tree to the Bodhi tree.

And this abnormal appearance is because although this linden tree has many branches, there are signs of hollow insects at the foundation, and there are traces of withering on some small branches. Because this is the place where the Buddha became a Buddha, although the three of them also observed these abnormalities, they did not directly explain their thoughts to Master Xuanhui.

As they looked, they came to the middle of the town built for the Bodhi tree; But seeing that there are two Bodhisattva statues, although these two Bodhisattva statues are facing east, but unfortunately, they have basically been submerged in the soil to the neck, and this point also makes Wang Xuance and others very strange?

But seeing that this always clever Xuanhui Master looked at the three of them staring at this Bodhisattva statue in a daze, and was puzzled, so he asked them: "The old monk looked at the three, did they all have a trace of doubt, why did I not clean this Bodhisattva statue when the incense was prosperous?" ”

Hearing what the Xuanhui Master said, Wang Xuance and the three of them not only nodded, but also replied in unison: "It is precisely this doubt. ”

So, the Xuanhui Master explained to them in this way: "Under the Bodhi tree, the position in the middle is called Vajra. In the past, when the virtuous tribulation was just formed, the Vajra seat appeared at the same time as the earth, located in the center of the three thousand worlds, down to the golden wheel, up to the surface, there was a Vajra composition, a radius of a hundred steps, a thousand Buddhas of the virtuous calamity, and entered the Vajra Ding on his top, so it is called the Vajra seat. It is the place where the path of sanctification is attained, so it is also called the ashram. Whenever the earth shakes, only he will not tilt and shake. So, when he was about to attain enlightenment, he traveled all over the world, and the earth tilted and shook, and then he came here, and the earth was settled. ”

I could hear his explanation, but after listening to Wang Xuance, he immediately interjected and asked: "Could it be that this Vajra Throne is still buried under this soil?" ”

The Xuanhui Master replied unhurriedly: "It should be like this, since this Buddha entered the last eon, the Dharma has gradually declined, and it has been covered with sand for a long time, and it can no longer be seen. After the Buddha attained Nirvana, the kings of the various countries marked the north and south boundaries of the Vajra Throne with two statues of Avalokiteshvara according to the specifications of the Vajra Throne mentioned by the legendary Buddha. The one on the north side is his north boundary, and the one on the south side is his south border. ”

Having said this, they still didn't feel too important, but after this Xuanhui mage said such words, their faces instantly became solemn and contemplative. But listen to this Xuanhui Venerable said: "According to the previous Buddha's account, when these two Bodhisattva statues are submerged and disappear, it also indicates that the Dharma will disappear from the land of the five Indians. More than 20 years ago, when Xuanzang was in our Dajue Temple, these two Bodhisattva statues were only submerged to the chest, and I never thought that they would be submerged so quickly in the past few years. ”

As Wang Xuance and the others pondered, they saw that Zeng had said to Master Xuanhui in a serious manner this week: "Then why don't we clean up the sand around this Bodhisattva statue?" ”

"General Zhou's idea, I also tried it back then, but unfortunately this Bodhisattva statue was cleaned up today, and tomorrow he will be restored to his original appearance, after several times, we know that this is the destiny of heaven, so we will no longer force this thing." Master Xuanhui then said to them.

"In other words, if it continues at this rate, according to this Buddha, in a few years, the Dharma will disappear from these five Indian lands?"

"Exactly, although we are very worried, and we can't see through where the direction of the development of Buddhism is, we can only obey the destiny ......of heaven, after all, this idea of changing the heavens and changing lives, it is better not to do it," Master Xuanhui said earnestly, based on his own practice and perception over the years.

"Master, there are many things that we should try, I think the purpose of building this small city around this Bodhi tree is to prevent these two Bodhisattva statues from being submerged prematurely?" Chen Maocai also asked Master Xuanhui thoughtfully.

"No, it's a long story. Since this Buddha has attained enlightenment under this tree. This Bodhi tree was ill-fated and suffered many man-made sabotages in the middle, on the one hand, by the infidels, and on the other hand, by the reigning king. Although they did this evil thing several times, but fortunately, with the blessing of the Buddha, it didn't take long for the Bodhi tree to grow again and flourish each time. Later, during the reign of the Manchu king of Magadha, monks from other ways came to destroy the Bodhi tree. At that time, the king of Manchu was also compassionate, so in order to prevent the last vestiges of the Buddha from being destroyed, he built a stone wall around it. Let this linden tree be completely hidden in the stones. Although the stone city was built, this Buddha statue is also strange, it is not that it does not decrease every year, but when Buddhism is flourishing, his body will be exposed a lot, and when Buddhism is declining, it will disappear a lot, and now this disappearance is something that has not appeared before, plus this Bodhi tree, do you see anything abnormal? ”

With the words of the Xuanhui Master, Wang Xuance and the others were embarrassed to tell all the things about the Bodhi tree they had just seen, the hollow underneath, and the withering of some branches and leaves.

"Yes, this is what we are most worried about, the Buddhism of the five India is far worse than before, on the one hand, there is no foundation for the people to believe, and on the other hand, it is suppressed by this Brahmanism, so this situation will occur, although we want to change the current situation, but we can't change it at all. Since Wang Changshi visited my five India this time, it is precisely for this matter of worshipping the Buddha. And through the news passed by Tang Fandao in the past few years, the old monk already knows that this Buddhism has flourished in your Tang Kingdom. Truth is not to be hidden, the old monk this Dajue Temple has a Buddhist treasure, since the Dharma will eventually wither in my five India, rather than let the Buddha treasure dust, it is better to give it to Wang Changshi, bring it back to the Tang Dynasty, and accept thousands of people incense offerings. Master Xuanhui looked around at the people around, so he said this.

Hearing the words of this Buddhist treasure, Wang Xuance and the three of them were stunned, and after looking at each other, they heard this Wang Xuance hurriedly excused himself and said: "Master, this must not be, I think this treasure has been enshrined in your temple for many years, how can Xuan Ce bear to take it away?" ”

(End of chapter)