Xiuzi said: "It seems that Dad knows something about the life of Monk Jianzhen?"

Changsheng said: "I can't talk about knowing everything, but I also know a little about the life of Monk Jianzhen. In order to promote Buddhism, he has traveled to Japan six times, and his spirit of perseverance and perseverance will forever become a precious treasure of traditional Chinese culture......"

Monk Jianzhen was a Taoist monk who went to Japan to preach the Dharma in the Tang Dynasty. Japan often calls him "Master of Crossing the Sea" and "Tang Great Monk", which is highly respected and praised. Jianzhen's common surname is Chunyu, a native of Jiangyin County, Yangzhou, (now Yangzhou, Jiangsu) was ordained at the age of 14 in Dayun Temple, Yangzhou, and it is also said that he was ordained at the age of 16 in Dayun City, Yangzhou.

It happened that in this year, Empress Wu Ze issued an edict to let the monks of all states in the world, and Jianzhen became a monk of Zhiman Zen Master and became a small novice in Dayun Temple. To the first year of Zhongzong Shenlong (705), Jianzhen received the Bodhisattva ordination under the famous lawyer Dao'an, the first year of Jinglong (707), he traveled to Luoyang, the eastern capital and Chang'an, Xijing, on March 28 of the following year, he actually ascended the altar in Chang'an Temple to receive his court ordination, and the presiding officer was the respected Hongjing Master of Jingzhou Nanquan Temple.

After Jianzhen toured Chang'an and Luoyang and returned to Yangzhou, he repaired Chongfu Temple, Fengfa Temple and other halls, built tower statues, preached the Vinaya, promoted Buddhism, and for more than 40 years, he shaved the ordination for the laity, taught the precepts, and then reached more than 40,000 people, so pious, Jianghuai respected it as the master of ordination.

At that time, the precepts of Buddhism in Japan were incomplete, and monks could not take ordination according to the rituals. In 733 (the 5th year of the Japanese Tenping), the Japanese monks Rong Rui and Puzhao sent envoys to the Tang Dynasty and invited the monks to Japan to promote Buddhism and teach the precepts. After ten years of visiting, they decided to visit Venerable Jianzhen and respectfully invite him to preach and give lectures in Japan.

At that time, Jianzhen preached and recited the scriptures for the monks in Daming Temple, and Rong Rui and Puzhao went to Daming City to bow and worship, with the meaning of saying: "Buddhism flows eastward to Japan." There are temples and monks, but there are no people who preach the Dharma and receive ordination. In the past, there was a Prince Shotoku who prophesied, 'In 200 years, the Holy Religion will flourish in Japan,' and now that the 200-year period has arrived, I hope that the Venerable Master will be compassionate and travel east to Japan to promote Buddhism and educate the foolish people. Pudu sentient beings. ”

Jianzhen listened to the statements of the two monks and felt that they were very pious, and in order to educate the foreigners, he replied: "I have heard that in the past, after Nanyue Huisi Zen Master sat down, he was born as a prince of the Japanese king, prospered Buddhism, and helped sentient beings, and I heard that the king of Nagaya in Japan revered Buddhism. Thousands of collared robes were made to give to the monks of this country, and the edge of the robe was embroidered with four sentences, saying, 'The mountains and rivers are exotic. Wind and rain on the same day, send all the Buddhas, and form a fate. It seems that Japan is indeed a country where Buddhism flourishes. ”

Jianzhen decided to accept the invitation of the second monk. He traveled east to Japan, promoted Buddhism, and educated foreigners. I am now accepting the invitation of a Japanese noble monk to travel east to Japan to promote the Dharma, so who among my Dharma members would like to follow the old man to go to Japan to teach the precepts?"

The monks in the Buddhist hall did not know how to answer Jianzhen's question, and they fell into a cold field for a while, silent. After a long while, Jianzhen's disciple Shimihiko broke the silence in front of him and replied: "The other country is too far away, it is difficult to survive, the sea is filled, there is no one in a hundred, the body is rare, the cultivation is not ready, and the Tao has not yet arrived, so all the monks are silent. ”

When Jianzhen heard this, he was unconsciously moved: "Amitabha, good, good." We are here to promote the Dharma, to educate all sentient beings, and to educate foreigners with loving thoughts. ”

Seeing that the master went to Japan to promote Buddhism, and the will to educate the foreigners was so determined that it was difficult to change, he hurriedly said: "If the master is determined to go to Japan, I am willing to follow the master and take good care of the master all the way." Under his leadership, as a result, 21 monks including Daoguang, Daohang, Ruhai, Chengguan, Deqing, and Situo also expressed their willingness to follow Master Jianzhen to Japan to preach.

In 742 (the first year of Tang Tianbao), despite the dissuasion of his disciples, Jianzhen resolutely responded to the invitation and decided to cross eastward. The fifth time, they drifted to Hainan Island by boat, Rong Rui died of illness, Jianzhen suffered a lot due to displacement, and was blind, and in 751 (Tang Tianbao ten years), he had no choice but to return to Yangzhou.

Where there is a will, there is a way, Jianzhen still does not forget to go east to Japan to promote Buddhism, the will is firm, there is no hesitation, please after 12 years of hard work, finally in the winter of 753 (the twelfth year of Tang Tianbao), take the ship of the Japanese mission to the Tang Dynasty to cross the ship successfully, the accompanying disciples include the nuns of the three, and the Hu people An Rubao, the Kunlun people military mana, and the Cham people are good. On January 17, 754 (December 20, the fifth year of Tenpei Katsuho, Japan), Jianzhen's ship arrived in Akizumayaura, Kawabe-gun, Satsuma Province (present-day Akimeura, Kawabe-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture), and more than a month later, on March 2, 754, Jianzhen entered the capital city of Nara with a grand and grand welcome.

In that year (the sixth year of Japan's Tianping Shengbao), Master Jianzhen set up an ordination altar in Todai Temple in Nara, and the Japanese monks participated in the ten monks called the "Three Masters and Seven Certificates", funded the construction of the Jianzhen Tomb Tower of Tang Zhaoti Temple, and the Japanese Nara family was ordained, which was the beginning of Japan's formal ordination. The Emperor of Japan appointed Jianzhen as the great monk and the ancestor of the Japanese law family. In 759 (the third year of the Japanese Tenpei Hoji), the Tang Zhaodai Temple established by him was opened. Although he was blind, he was able to assist in the revision of the texts and the identification of herbs with his sense of smell. Some of his fellow disciples were good at sculpture, painting, architecture, etc., and spread the culture of the Tang Dynasty and contributed to the prosperity of the Japanese people.

In 763 (the seventh year of the Japanese Tianping Baozi), on May 6 of the first year of Tang Guangde, Jianzhen passed away, and sat down in the dormitory of the Tang Zhaoti Temple where he lived, and died in Nirvana at the age of 76. He has made significant contributions to the cultural exchanges between China and Japan, and the dry lacquer statue made by his disciples has been admired by the Japanese people for more than 1,200 years. In 1980, Japan sent this Jianzhen statue to China for a short-term return visit, which became a good story in Sino-Japanese friendly relations.

Changsheng said, "...... Since Master Jianzhen is here in Tang Zhaoti Temple, we might as well go there and have a look. ”

Hideko said, "Dad, how can you know so much about Master Jianzhen?"

Changsheng said, " I just read the literature about Master Jianzhen, because I took into account that the blood demon came to Japan to seek its old master Yang Yuhuan to help her extract the demon subduing golden hairpin on the top of her head, Yang Yuhuan was a weak woman, there is no mana to extract the demon subduing golden hairpin on the top of her head, if it is strongly extracted, the blood demon will die, will be lost, ashes, in order to save her life, Yang Yuhuan is very likely to ask Master Jianzhen for help, now I saw the Buddhist persuasion poem, as I expected, I decided to go to the Tang Zhaoti Temple to meet Master Jianzhen. ”

Hideko said: "When my father came to Japan to ask for the so-called medicine that brought back the dead to Masao Matsumoto, I also wanted to take my father to the city of Nara to see the local scenery, but I couldn't make the trip because of the reason.

"Nara City is one of the few Inland prefectures in Japan and is the capital of Nara Prefecture. It is located in the south-central part of the region and forms an isosceles triangle with Kyoto and Osaka. Nara is one of Japan's famous ancient capitals, historically known as the 'Yamato Kingdom', from 655 to 784 AD, several generations of Japanese emperors built their capital in Nara, called the capital of the capital, known as the Nara period (710-789 AD). Later, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties in Japan, Nara became the center of the Southern Dynasties.

With an area of 221.9 square kilometers and a population of about 260,000, the city of Nara is a famous tourist attraction with an area of 221.9 square kilometers and a Japanese classical style. Nara is also one of the birthplaces of ancient Japanese culture, known as the culture of the Tenpyo period in the culture market. In 1950, it was designated as an international cultural city, and it is home to many ancient Japanese Buddhist buildings and places of interest, such as the Seven Great Temples in Nara.

"Located in the western suburbs of the city, the site of Pingchengjing has unearthed nearly 20,000 cultural relics. It is a square complex of buildings imitating the Chang'an group of the Tang Dynasty of China, which has a history of 1260 years and is about a quarter of the ancient Chang'an City in China. In the north, there is the Great Imperial Palace composed of Taiji Palace, Chaotang and Chaoji Palace, and the streets and alleys centered on Zhuque Road are in a chessboard pattern, which is very similar to the ancient Chang'an City in China. ”

Hideko led Changsheng to Karashodaiji Temple in Nara. Hideko became his guide and narrator, and sure enough, there are many Japanese Buddhist buildings and scenic spots, and it is a veritable tourist attraction.

Xiuzi explained it: "This Tang Zhaoti Temple is an imitation Tang Dynasty building built by Master Jianzhen in China, and the momentum is so majestic. The statue of Jianzhen placed in the temple is designated as a National Treasure of Japan, and the tomb of Jianzhen is also here. The famous Japanese painter Higashiyama Kaii painted two murals of "The Sound of the Waves" and "Cloud Shadow" on the inner wall of the temple, which added a modern art treasure to the Tang Zhaoti Temple. On November 16, 1997, when Chinese Premier Li Peng visited Japan, he paid homage to Jianzhen's immortal achievements in Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges, and donated 76,000 yuan to Tangzhaoti Temple through the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka.

"Dad, you see, the Horyuji Temple of Todaiji Temple is the world's largest wooden Buddha temple, and it is also the place where Master Jianzhen passed on his ordination after he traveled to Japan in 754 AD, and there is the famous Nara Buddha in the temple. Horyu-ji Temple is the oldest surviving temple in Japan and one of the oldest wooden structures in the world, with valuable paintings and carvings that have been designated as a National Treasure. ”

Changsheng listened to her explanation and pondered, Tang Zhaoti Temple is so grand and splendid, how should I pay homage to Master Jianzhen and confide my wish to him......?