"Son......" The great monk raised his eyes and glanced at Gu Weijing.

"If you don't mind, you can still call me a layman, or my surname is Gu, just call me Xiao Gu."

Gu Weijing said.

"Well, to be honest, I actually think it's a bit strange to call people's sons all over the street."

The monk was also relieved and scratched his bare scalp.

Gu Weijing noticed that the monk wearing an orange monk's robe.

Although he is burly, his face is slightly childish.

When talking face-to-face.

Gu Weijing found out that the other party was also quite young.

Maybe in terms of age, it is similar to those two Australian tourists, and it should not be much older than Gu Weijing.

But this is not surprising in Yangon.

Many locals follow a special custom, when the boy in the family really wants to set foot in the society, he must first send him to the temple to become a monk, so as to show that "he has really grown up." ”

It's like an African tribal child grows up, and he has to hunt a lion to represent formal qualifications to step into adult society, a reason.

are all part of the national cultural tradition.

However, in Southeast Asia, he became a monk.

Whether you are a monk or a layman, the local procedures are very convenient. Therefore, in Thailand, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, the culture of monks and the lives of local residents are very close.

Young monks can be seen in the streets and alleys.

Even a little novice who was only five or six years old, but wore a monk's robe, walked on the street.

Even some celebrities, dignitaries and nobles, have ever been monks.

This is somewhat similar to that in Japan's Heian period, the emperor and the minister would go to the temple at every turn to become a monk and become the emperor.

"After my personal research, I think it is more appropriate to call it benefactor (believer) or donor, but Venerable Huihua of the local Buddhist college said that the former is too formal, and the latter is suspected of begging for offerings, and there is a copper smell, so it is better to call it SON directly, foreigners sound ...... it," the monk explained with some shyness.

"Master, you live in a golden palace worth more than a billion dollars, and you still talk about copper stench?"

Gu Weijing had a strange mind and thought silently.

Of course, he didn't have the low emotional intelligence to say such things in other people's religious settings.

He just looked up at the pagoda not far away, which was even more gorgeous than the Grand Palace of Thailand, and felt that the world was a little magical.

However, the young monk next to him noticed the change in Gu Weijing's expression.

Probably guessing what was going on in his mind, he replied calmly.

"Gu Jushi, even if the gold on the tower is 120,000 taels, it is only an offering to the Buddha by good men and women. We monks have been taught from a young age that we do not cling to property, do not accumulate wealth, and do not hoard salaries and food. All that is needed is a meditation room, where I practice every day, and even eat two meals a day. ”

Gu Weijing smiled and put it away.

Whether this statement is sincere, the purity of the Dharma, or the sophistry of gathering wealth.

has nothing to do with Gu Weijing.

He didn't come here to argue with others.

"So creating a scenic spot here and being a tour guide for tourists is also part of the master's daily practice now. Does it say anything? ”

Gu Weijing was a little curious.

So he gestured with his palm to the "Buddha Protector Map" in front of him and asked.

"This is a joint work created by Mr. Cao Xuan and a local artist of ours, which is very precious and represents a testimony of the friendship between the two countries, and it is ...... at the beginning of the year."

Hearing the question about the murals, the monk's eyes immediately lit up and he entered the state of explanation.

Gu Weijing listened to two sentences and felt bored.

He shook his head slightly.

It's just a regular introduction.

As an anonymous "local artist" in the mouth of the great monk, he said to himself that I know much more about the creation of this painting than you do.

Do you see the lotus platform at the bottom? That's what I painted.

Gu Weijing took out a wallet from his pocket and pulled out a banknote of 1,000 kyats.

He folded his hands and handed them to the other party to express his gratitude for the explanation.

Wild tour guides in many places are this number of roads.

According to Miss Sandnu, she once signed up for a Dulwich summer camp to see the pyramids in Egypt.

When she arrived at the foot of the pyramid, she casually chatted with the simple-looking local aunt next to her and asked if she could take a photo for her.

The other party chattered and gave her five minutes on the spot.

From alien legends to the curse of the Valley of the Kings, including how archaeologists Champollion and Bihas "disturbed the phantom of the pharaohs" and hung up the family dog after returning home, they all pinched their arms and imitated the sound and color.

It's as if the aunt spied on her in the kennel.

Shocked by the erudition and hospitality of the Egyptian people, Mona thanked her with pomegranate juice and prepared to leave, but her aunt pulled her sleeves and prevented her from leaving.

Only then did the man smile slyly and stretched out his hand - "Money, Money, Money!" ”

Gu Weijing didn't wait for the monk to ask for money this time.

Automatically very sensible, he took out a thousand kyats and handed it over.

Behold.

The thick-eyed monk on the other side even refused.

"I only brought 1,000 kyats, so I don't have it." Gu Weijing frowned.

Remind this guy that he can't get an inch.

Although Miss Mona paid 5 dollars in the "explanation fee" that time before she successfully got out.

But after all, the girl's family is not familiar with the place in Egypt, and she doesn't dare to let the other party entangle like this.

Taking into account the average income level in Yangon.

As soon as the upper lip touches the lower lip, and if you say a sentence or two, you can earn 1,000 kyats, which is really not less.

"You misunderstood, don't take money. This is a spiritual practice, but this is not a scenic spot, and explaining to tourists is just a good deed. Next year, I will go to the Maha Chulalongkorn University Buddhist College in Thailand to study for a master's degree in religious studies, which is a bilingual teaching environment in English and Chinese. The monk explained.

"Practice?"

Gu Weijing was a little skeptical.

How smooth the commentary was just now, and it was said that it was not a tour guide for scenic spots.

But.

If only the other party hadn't lied and lied.

Maha Chulalongkorn University in Thailand is one of the four universities in Thailand and is ranked around 100 in the QS world rankings.

The other party is still a highly educated monk.

There shouldn't be any need to fool people around for a few dollars.

"The barrier here is just to stop people from touching inconsciously to damage the paint on the surface of the mural."

"Prevent tourists from carving it here?"

"That's right."

The young monk smiled: "Actually, most of the people who touch this painting are not malicious, they are just inadvertently attracted and want to reach out and touch the bodhisattva on it. Even the very existence of the barrier itself is not only a barrier to tourists, but also to ourselves. ”

"What are you doing to stop yourselves?"

Gu Weijing was puzzled.

"It's a soulful painting." The monk said firmly.

"Will it appear?" Gu Weijing shrugged his shoulders, wanting to hear what the other party was talking about.

It's a great picture, but it's too fantastic to say that it can manifest.

That's not a master of art.

That's the magic pen Ma Liang, Gu Weijing doesn't believe this kind of statement.

"It's not the apparitions, but since the restoration of the mural this year, it has been common to find the little novice rubbing his fingers on the surface of the sculpture, and the creator of this mural is a well-known art master, whose work can easily cost millions of dollars on the market. So the elder was angry. ”

But after standing in front of the painting for a moment, the host said, 'This is a spiritual painting, and my mind will be unconsciously attracted to them, let alone children?' It's not their fault. Since then, the painting has been individually put on a separate strip. ”

The monk scratched his head again.

"Even so, there are still many senior brothers, junior brothers, who like to run here unconsciously and look at this mural for a long time. I think of it as a practice. ”

"Practice."

Gu Weijing had just noticed that the monk had used this word many times when mentioning this painting.

Spiritual practice – it's fun.

Because it's a statement that almost never appears in any art criticism or art appreciation.

Gu Weijing never realized that there would be monks who would regard painting as a way of practice.

He suddenly remembered that that day, when he saw Mr. Cao putting the finishing touch, the Bodhisattva opened his eyes, and there were monks who chanted the Buddha on the spot, sitting cross-legged and sitting cross-legged, as if he felt something.

Then.

Gu Weijing only felt that this scene had some indescribable Zen, just like the indescribable Zen contained in this painting.

But it didn't really go to heart.

At this moment, I heard this kind of appreciation that I had never seen before.

Gu Weijing was really interested by the monks.

"This painting has Buddha nature and Zen mind, so when you can understand this painting, you will also have Buddha nature, and cultivate Zen mind, of course, is a kind of practice."

The monk replied in a tone of reasonableness.

"Can you even understand this painting?"

He couldn't help but ask curiously.

What he is referring to is not whether the other party can understand the wonderful details of those brushes and brushes in the eyes of those art practitioners.

Gu Weijing asked another kind of understanding and understanding-

"Even if it's really spiritual, it's zen. Well, I'm sorry, I don't know if this statement will offend you, but I have some knowledge of Mr. Cao Xuan, although he is a very famous Buddhist believer in the world, but ...... I have to point out that maybe the same Buddha may have a certain difference between his understanding of Buddhism in his heart and your understanding of Buddhism in your heart. ”

"Whether it's good or bad, whether it's high or bad, but the difference should be the difference." Gu Weijing asked in an inquiring tone.

Buddhism has a series of differences such as Mahayana, Hinayana Buddhism, Southern Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, etc.

Before the Tang Dynasty, Theravada Buddhism had been introduced to China.

In "Journey to the West", Guanyin Bodhisattva asked Tang Seng and said, "You are talking about 'Hinayana Buddhism', do you know 'Mahayana Buddhism'?" ”

Venerable Sanzang then made a grand wish, willing to bring Mahayana Buddhism into the Tang Dynasty and overcome all the sufferings in the world.

So there is a story of 9981 difficulties in learning scriptures from the west.

Mahayana Buddhism pays attention to "saving people".

Purify all sentient beings, educate the world, and all sentient beings will become Buddhas and achieve great liberation.

Theravada Buddhism, on the other hand, focuses on "self-discipline".

Emphasis is placed on personal liberation and nirvana, and attention is paid to personal growth and enlightenment. In Buddhist theory, monks should uphold strict precepts and eventually attain the status of "arhat".

It feels a bit similar to the feeling of cultivating immortals, cultivating divine skills to cover the world, and attaining the Tao to ascend.

Nowadays, most of the monasteries in Eastern Xia speak of Mahayana Buddhism.

The vast majority of monasteries in Thailand speak Theravada Buddhism.

There will be a few other branches in Myanmar, but as a whole, like Thailand, it is based on Theravada Buddhism.

Theravada and Hinayana Buddhism.

Analogy to art.

It is similar to the traditional Chinese painting of Dongxia, the traditional silk painting of Myanmar and Vietnam, and the difference between Fushi and Yamato in Japan.

They are of the same origin and same stream in temperament as a whole.

The details that can be painted and the way in which lines and colors are expressed have also been varied over a long period of history.

The differences in Buddhism are not only in the texts, the way of practice, and the perception of "Buddha".

The artistic expressions they extend are actually two very different art systems.

It is all Buddhist statue art.

However, when visitors approach the monasteries of Thailand and the monasteries of Eastern Xia, they can feel very strongly that they are entering two completely different artistic environments.

Gu Weijing knows that the detailed and profound articles can tell several books.

He also didn't know much about it.

Gu Weijing only learned it briefly in the course of art history.

Theravada Buddhism pays more attention to the statues, focusing on the Buddha accurately according to the Buddha rituals, and focusing on the expression of intricate and colorful decorative beauty.

Mahayana Buddhism, on the other hand, focuses on the subtle, ethereal, and sparse artistic aesthetic to be recruited.

The plastic art of Jiandra is just in the middle of the transition from Hinayana Buddhism to Mahayana Buddhism.

The simplest way to put it.

Myanmar and Thailand, in fact, there may be more effort into the art of sculpture than murals, and the temples attract tourists more with their golden pagodas and sculptures.

Since the Tang Dynasty, religious murals have developed to the fullest extent of beauty and exquisiteness.

Wang Wei, the owner of "The Records of the Maha Sutra", is a master of Buddhist painting and poetry recorded in history, and is called "poetic Buddha" by the world.

Of course, this kind of thing cannot be generalized.

Myanmar itself also has a lot of murals, Bagan is known as the city of ten thousand Buddhas, the city of ten thousand towers, the city of ten thousand paintings, and there are many murals around Yangon.

However, as is the case with the restoration project of this international collaboration.

These remnants are historical monuments from hundreds or even thousands of years ago.

Gu Weijing felt that Cao Lao and the great monk in front of him belonged to different sects of doctrine.

History has proven time and time again that in many cases, peers are the real enemies.

Often two branches of the same religion that are close to each other may be more life-and-death than between them and pagan religions.

Gu Weijing felt that he was gradually approaching the origin of this painting.

But he still couldn't understand what was inside this mystical Buddha nature.

Wouldn't different versions of the "system" be incompatible?

The monk was silent for a few seconds.

His eyebrows were lowered, as if he was thinking quietly.

"Mr. Gu, what you said makes sense...... But in the same way, no matter whether it is good or bad, no matter how high or low, Buddha nature is Buddha nature, and Zen mind is Zen mind. ”

The monk finally raised his head and replied in a very profound way.

"I don't understand."

Gu Weijing frowned and shook his head slightly.

"Mr. Gu, may I ask you a question? You shouldn't be a Buddhist, right? The monk seemed to see something, and he was called him in a hurry, and he changed from a layman to a gentleman.

"Yes, I'm not, I'm not a believer in any religion."

"Why not? People like you are so rare in this country. ”

"Religion...... Because I think religion will teach me to accept everything in the world in peace. Gu Weijing said slowly, "I don't want to do this." ”

(End of chapter)