Royal road

Hu monks are indeed not uncommon in this era.Because the Dharma originally came from the Western Regions, monks came from afar to spread the scriptures and preach the Dharma in Tianzhu, Anxi, Kangju, and Dayuezhi.But Buddhism is not yet prosperous enough, and among the disciples of those masters, there are also many barbarians.Therefore, it is not surprising that there is a Hu monk.

But the strange thing is that this man was brought by the monks of Huai'en Temple.Is it possible that today's meeting is for this person?

Suspicions flashed in his stomach, Liang Feng invited the two to sit down and served tea with his usual expression, and then he said: "I never missed the visit of Master Fa today, maybe I haven't seen the host for a long time, I should have visited at home."

People in flower sedan chairs carried people, and the governor of Yizhou said this, which really gave Huai'en Temple enough face.He recited the law together and said: "The envoy first came to Jinyang, and there must be a lot of official business to be dealt with. It is the little monk who is presumptuous. But today there is indeed an important matter, and I need to explain it to the envoy."

As he spoke, he turned slightly and introduced, "This is Master Zhu Fada, a direct disciple of Zen Master Zhu Fahu. He just came from Chang'an."

Zhu Fahu? !Now that he has played the banner of the Buddha, Liang Feng will not be ignorant of Buddhism at this time.This Zen Master Zhu Fahu was the most famous eminent monk in the Jin Dynasty.His ancestral home is Yuezhi, he lives in Dunhuang, and he is a teacher of eminent Indian monks.In order to study and promote the Dharma, he traveled around the Western Regions with his teacher, and became proficient in more than 30 languages. Afterwards, he settled in Chang'an and interpreted the scriptures.It can be said that before Kumarajiva, he was the greatest translator of scriptures.How could such a disciple of an eminent monk come to Jinyang?

Liang Feng showed a slightly surprised look on his face: "I never thought that I was a disciple of an eminent monk, so I would be disrespectful and disrespectful! It's just that I heard that Zen Master Zhu Fahu is teaching the Dharma in Chang'an, how could Master Zhu Fada come to Jinyang?"

The Hu monk clasped his hands together and proclaimed the Buddha's name: "What the envoy asked is the reason why the little monk came here. Within half a year, Chang'an was attacked by rebels several times, and the temple enshrining the family teacher was also attacked by soldiers, so I wanted to leave Chang'an , look elsewhere."

Although he was a barbarian, the monk's accent was quite authentic, and he spoke Luoyang official dialect without even the slightest Guanzhong dialect.However, the meaning of these words is not so simple.Obviously this group of monks wanted to move to Jinyang!Is it because of his name as a Buddha?

Sure enough, the monk Hu just paused, seeing that Liang Feng didn't answer, he continued, "The teacher's intention is to return to his hometown, Dunhuang, and continue translating the scriptures and teaching the Dharma there. I don’t know how many years it will take to return to this chaos. It’s better to change the city to keep this spark. I don’t know if the envoy can take in the little monk and others?”

Liang Feng pretended to ponder for a moment, and then said, "May I ask how many people accompany Zen Master?"

"It's less than a thousand." Zhu Fada replied flatly.

1000 people!And it is a thousand Buddhist believers!This power is enough to change the religious beliefs in Jinyang and even Bingzhou, especially with the support of his governor.

Meifeng frowned slightly, and Liang Feng sighed: "I never thought there would be so many people. Jinyang has been besieged for a long time, and the Huns are staring at it. I'm afraid it's not suitable to settle down."

Zhu Fada seemed to have guessed what Liang Feng said, and smiled slightly: "The Lord may feel that the monk and others are cumbersome, but Hu and Han are mixed in Bingzhou, so it may not be impossible to transform the Hus with Buddhism."

Liang Feng's eyes sharpened immediately.The meaning of this Hu monk is too clear, he is going to use the banner of Buddhism to pry the Huns camp!Under Liu Yuan's command, there are countless miscellaneous Hus.These people's status is not high, they are servants of the Huns.After Liu Yuan established the country and started the battle for the deer, they became cannon fodder for the front line.

He also lived in Bingzhou for 30, 50, or even a hundred years, and was assimilated by the Han people long ago. Why should he fight for the interests of the Huns?There are probably not a few people who think this way.

And if Buddhism is used, or even Zhu Fada personally comes forward to contact these miscellaneous tribes, the possibility of them returning to Jin is not small.And when these low-level people fled, the foundation of the Xiongnu Han Dynasty was shaken, and it became a daydream to want to occupy Bingzhou.

This is a way to draw fire from the bottom of the pot.Unlike other Jin officials, Liang Feng maintained an attitude of discriminating against Hu people and even enslaving and suppressing them.If it is the same as Liang Xi did back then, remove the chiefs of these people, incorporate them into the folk, and enforce the customs of the Han people.Maybe ten or twenty years later, they will be like the Han people around them, with the same customs and customs, and wipe out everyone.

Liang Feng tried this method on Yiyan's group of Jie people, and the effect was not bad.This cultural advantage may not be weak when applied to other races.

If the monk Hu in front of him can really do what he said, the situation in Bingzhou will even change.But on the contrary, what if he attracts those barbarians, and then uses religion as a prop for them to use?

Liang Feng's face darkened: "What the mage said may be feasible. But what if the Xuzhou Ruorong incident happened?"

Those who can be familiar with Chinese and preach the scriptures will of course also understand the past history.Ruo Rong is a counterexample that can be engraved in history.

Ruo Rong was a character in the Three Kingdoms period at the end of the Han Dynasty. He spared money and gave alms, and believed in Buddhism.When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, he brought hundreds of villagers to seek refuge with Xuzhou Mu Taoqian.Tao Qian appreciated his talent, and at the same time had a good impression of Buddhism, so he handed over the duties of taxation and transportation in Guangling, Xiapi, and Pengcheng to Ruo Rong.Unexpectedly, this son actually built a Buddhist temple and pagoda in Xiapi, and held a grand Buddhist bathing meeting.The Buddha statues are painted with gold, thousands of people chant scriptures, and the banquet stretches for more than ten miles for everyone to enjoy.Even in order to accept more Buddhists and exempt believers from corvee and taxes, Buddhism flourished in Xiapi and even Xuzhou.

But such a person is also an extremely brutal murderer.After he was hated by others in Xuzhou and fled in a hurry, he successively killed the prefects of Guangling and Yuzhang who took him in, seized the city, and continued to spread out on Buddhist affairs.In the end, he was defeated by Liu Yao, the governor of Yangzhou, and killed by the mountain people.

Such an extremely contradictory guy has left a strong mark in history.It can be said that the method of courteous treatment of Buddhism in later generations all came from him.Is he a Buddhist?No one will deny it.But believers are not necessarily good people.The same thing is brought into full play by Zhang Jiao, the founder of Taipingdao.If the ambition is too big, religion will not only fail to play a restrictive role, but will catalyze people to become demons and hegemons, control their believers, and seek greater benefits.

These words were a bit harsh, but Zhu Fada did not change his face: "The little monk and others came to serve the envoy precisely because of the envoy's Buddha name. The "Diamond Sutra" dream book is elegant and wonderful, and it should be spread widely. If there is no envoy's prestigious name , I am afraid that even a small monk will not be able to make the Hus submit."

This is an indirect acknowledgment of Liang Feng's Buddhist status.Huai'en Temple's endorsement is not enough, will Zhu Fahu's disciples also stand by his side this time?However, this layer of deified identity can also be used as a leverage for Buddhists like them.Even the stronger Liang Feng's power was, the more beneficial it would be for them to develop their religion.

Just like the branches and tendrils that cling to a big tree, they can take root without knowing it, grab nutrients, and grow themselves.

This is a good way, if it is for the true believers or careerists of this era.But Liang Feng was not either of the two.

Tapping his finger on the table twice, Liang Feng finally said: "Buddhism is good, but in my opinion, monks should not enter the world. Only by receiving precepts and becoming a monk can they get close to Buddhism. And real monks should not It is enough to be ordained, and one must understand the scriptures and pass various tests before one can become a monk. If one does not have the determination to abandon one’s external possessions, how can one achieve the Dharma and Taoism?”

The topic changed direction inexplicably, seemingly casually, but Zhu Fada's eyebrows twitched slightly.This means that the Bingzhou governor in front of him is going to supervise Buddhist temples and monks?The reason why Buddhism is strong is precisely because its method is simple, which allows many people to join Buddhism and escape the torture of military service and taxes.But if one is qualified to become a monk, the imperial court must inspect them one by one and register them in the same book as the household registration?And throwing away the external objects is even more fatal.Could it be that a monk cannot enter the officialdom, occupy land, or cross the golden body?

Zhu Fada is an ambitious guy.He is not like his master and senior brothers who devote themselves to preaching the scriptures.Compared with scriptures and Dharma preaching, he hopes that Buddhism will have a strong support from the upper echelon, just like Taoism, because it has become a common practice.But if you want to achieve such a goal, you can't do it alone.Then, he needs to find a reliable supporter, a person who is passionate about Buddhism and has great achievements.

Logically speaking, he should choose Liu Yuan.The Xiongnu were originally Hu people, and most of them liked Buddhism. If they got the support of the king of Han, they might not be unable to promote Buddhism.But can Han really win the world?Even if he is also a barbarian, Zhu Fada doesn't think so.This Central Plains, this vast country, will eventually return to its own hands.Just like Daqin, like Dahan, like today's Dajin, the torch is passed on from generation to generation.And temporarily relying on the Hu Lord of the first rank, maybe after the short-term collapse of the dynasty, even the Dharma will disappear completely.

And this new governor of Bingzhou is by no means a mere talent in one state.After seeing the grand occasion that was empty for thousands of people, he made up his mind.This Liang Zixi is a person who can be effective and will certainly carry forward the Dharma.

However, after laying out all the things at hand, the other party still had no intention of moving.On the contrary, it directly draws the road and gives the boundary.To follow, or not to follow?

After just a moment of effort, Zhu Fada came to a conclusion: "What the envoy said is true. After all, the Great Jin Dynasty is not a Buddhist country, and Bingzhou cannot tolerate a Buddhist country."

The three characters of non-Buddha country mean everything.Buddhism is not an offensive religion. Any country that worships Buddhism throughout the country will eventually be completely defeated under the iron heels of the invaders.That was the case with the mighty Guishuang Empire back then.The legal system of the Jin Dynasty was Confucianism.The geography of Bingzhou made it even more impossible for Liang Feng to lay down his weapons.Conquests, taxes, and manpower are all required, all of which mean that the "Buddhist country" model cannot exist.He let the monks be born, it is precisely to let the common people enter the world.This can only be achieved by controlling access conditions.

This is a way to draw fire from the bottom of the pot, and it is also a means to control the congregation and not make it too large.This method means restriction, but at the same time, it also represents official approval.And this is what Zhu Fada needs.He never expected to do it overnight.

Unexpectedly, the Hu monk hit the point in one sentence.Liang Feng showed some smiles on his face: "The mage is proficient, and he is worthy of being a disciple of an eminent monk. If what the mage said is true, I should welcome the Taoist to pray for disaster relief for the people of Jinyang."

This is the second condition. First achieve the naturalization of Zhuhu, and then talk about the follow-up.How could Zhu Fada fail to understand what Liang Feng meant, and clasped his hands together: "Your Majesty is benevolent, and I will do my best."

Talking to smart people has this advantage.Having said all that needed to be said, Zhu Fada got up to leave without delay.Nianfa followed and stood up, but before he could move, he heard Liang Feng say: "Master Nianfa, please stay still, I have something to say and I want to pass it on to the host."

This is not what Zhu Fada can listen to, he left the study obediently.Nianfa bowed and said, "May I ask what your emissary has ordered?"

Liang Feng smiled slightly: "I just want to ask the host, if Chan Master Zhu Fahu comes to Jinyang, where will he live?"

There was also a little smile on the face of reciting the law: "My teacher has already ordered me to live in Huai'en Temple."

This one sentence revealed enough news.What is the identity of the old monk, and what is the status of Zhu Fahu?If such a powerful person came to Jinyang, the pressure on Huai'en Temple would not be small.In particular, Huai'en Temple practices Mahayana, and Zhu Fahu is the translator who has translated the most Mahayana Buddhism.In this case, how to deal with the primary and secondary relationship?

Unexpectedly, the old monk not only acted as a broker for Monk Hu, but also let them live in Huai'en Temple, wouldn't he be afraid of encountering doves occupying the magpie's nest?

And the answer of reciting the law exactly expressed the old monk's attitude.He is not afraid.

It can even be said that the old monk wants to find a more favorable position in this general trend.A plan that can annex and digest the thousand followers, and even incorporate Zhu Fahu into the Huai'en Temple system.

And this answer shows that the two groups of monks are not of one mind.

This is the answer Liang Feng needs most.If the two are of one mind, then he will worry about whether the religious influence is too strong.And if there is still intrigue between the two, then as the mediator in the middle, he is also a "Buddha child" that both agree with, and Liang Feng's control will also increase accordingly, achieving a real check and balance.

No wonder the old monk put so much effort into making him enter Jinyang, and no wonder that on the first day he took over as the governor, Zhu Fada was attracted by his thoughts to connect them.This might not mean that Huai'en Temple is increasing its investment and expressing its loyalty.If you don't ask, the other party may have to give a hint to make yourself feel at ease.

Liang Feng is actually not afraid of ambitious people, as long as this ambition appears in a rational way, he can always find a way to control it.And the few monks he faced all had a seven-aperture exquisite heart.

Smiling slightly, Liang Feng nodded: "Then I'll take care of it. I'll come to listen to the Fa when I'm free some other day."

Nianfa thanked him again, and withdrew respectfully.

On the side, Duan Qin let out a long sigh: "My lord really wants to use Buddha?"

This is indeed a big change in his position. When the banner is really played out, it will not just be the current situation of borrowing the name of the Buddha.

"Buddha, Dao, and Confucianism can be used. As long as the three are used, they can be used in the right place." Liang Feng can think clearly. The world is still in the uncivilized stage. Use the Confucian worldview to look at everything in the world.What is the difference between the unity of heaven and man and the old Buddha?This is true for Confucianists, let alone those ordinary people in the head of Guizhou who can't read big characters.

This world is not a world that can pay attention to science and truth.On the contrary, religion is the eternal theme.So controlling religion is better than letting it grow wildly.As long as religion is integrated into part of enlightenment, the people can also be pacified.

This is like the religious management of later generations. On the surface, all religions are equal and free, but in essence, they are under the unified control of the government.In fact, this was not the case in ancient times. The situation in China is too special. Any other-worldly religion cannot compare with the vitality of Confucianism that has entered the world.When discussing worldviews and methodologies, it depends on who has stronger fists and more methods, or in other words, adapts to social development.

Even Duan Qin's heart trembled when he heard such a statement.But I have to say that it is better to be calm and sharp than to be trusting and confused.

"It would be a good thing if that Hu monk can really leverage the Huns under the Xiongnu's command." In the end, Duan Qin whispered.

you do not say.At any time, disintegrating the enemy's power and expanding one's own power is a good thing to be thankful for.After a day of official duties, Liang Feng rubbed his forehead wearily: "I only hope that Zhu Fada has the ability of Su Qin and Zhang Yi."

Seeing Liang Feng's pale face, Duan Qin couldn't help but feel a little worried: "My lord has been exhausted all the way, and he has worked hard all the way. Don't hurt your body again. It's better to rest as soon as possible. Do you want to call Jiang Jien here?"

Liang Feng was silent for a moment, then shook his head: "It's not necessary for Ji En, I'd better call... Boyuan to come."

Calling Yiyan to come in, nine times out of ten it's still business.But how can Duan Qin let Liang Feng let go?With a sigh, he quietly backed out.