The Great Wei Music Bureau

Chapter 44 Redemption Plan

Last time we talked about Li Yi eating Luo Han Guo, his cultivation level increased greatly, and the image of Purple Gold Acala has grown to twenty feet tall, which is four times its original height. So what kind of story will happen next? Let’s continue reading.

Zhengyuan explained to Li Yi the fundamentals of practice of the four major schools of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and martial arts. Buddhist practice depends entirely on the state of mind, and the practice of Buddhism pays more attention to enlightenment. It is the ultimate idealism. The more you can understand, the more Buddhist teachings you can use.

Taoist practice is about finding the Tao. What is the Tao? It can be roughly understood as the laws of nature, which is somewhat similar to Confucian learning, that is, to master and understand the laws of nature. However, the two schools have completely opposite ways of mastering the laws. Confucianism breaks the original laws, while Taoism uses these laws.

Confucian practice emphasizes learning, which can be summarized as knowledge changing destiny. For example, "words come out and laws follow", which means that I know the original rules of this thing, but I can use my knowledge to change the original rules and achieve the goal of disrupting the law with words.

The practice of martial arts emphasizes accumulation over time, emphasis on the basics, and steady progress. One should establish oneself as a law, creating one's own world, and then use one's own laws of heaven and earth to break other laws. This is breaking the law with force.

To sum up, Buddhism cultivates the mind, Taoism cultivates the Tao, Confucianism cultivates wisdom, and warriors cultivate strength.

The reason why Zhengyuan told Li Yi all this was to make Li Yi understand the difference between practicing Buddhism and practicing other methods. For people with extremely high comprehension, practicing Buddhism is the school that will produce the fastest results.

In fact, the main purpose was to make Li Yi ordain a monk. Of course, this was completely impossible. How could our protagonist, Li Yi, and Li Xiuyuan, give up the beauty of this world? So after listening to Zhengyuan's explanation, Li Yi thought to himself: Ah, so, I have no chance of practicing martial arts. As for practicing Buddhism, I am already a Buddhist now, so I can practice it slowly depending on my mood.

Confucian bragging is still very powerful, this skill must be maxed out! As for cultivation, with my various scientific knowledge, can I crush those bull noses? It's really hard to say, who knows what the natural laws of this world are, I have to find a chance to try it out. Tianzong and Renzong both have Taoist temples in the territory of Wei, well, find a chance to test the waters first!

Li Yi thanked Zhengyuan again and again, and the two of them walked towards the main hall. When he entered the hall and saw Shiyu kneeling in front of the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva and praying, he was very puzzled, thinking: What happened to Shiyu? Why did she worship Guanyin Bodhisattva for no reason? Did the golden light that protected her before make her have some ideas? Or did the Bodhisattva want to enlighten her? Don't make a fuss, Bodhisattva, you are not being kind by doing this, you are planting spies around me! What are you doing? Do you want to see if I am sincere when I worship Buddha?

"No, I just feel that Donor Wan and I have a connection."

The voice of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva suddenly came from the bottom of his heart, which scared Li Yi so much that he almost fell to the ground. He immediately cleared his mind and said, "Bodhisattva, didn't we agree that next time we should say hello first and then talk!"

"Oh, I forgot. Besides, you just had too many questions in mind. I was afraid that if I answered you slowly, you might start to think about something you shouldn't! For example, whether I am interested in Master Wan or something like that."

"Bodhisattva, you are joking. Xiuyuan still respects you very much. How can you not think of such impossible things?"

"That's good. I'm just giving Donor Wan a chance to see her Buddha nature. If she has a predestined relationship with Buddha, she may have a chance to become my disciple in the future." "Bodhisattva, are you kidding?"

"Monks don't lie."

"Come, come, come! Bodhisattva, please give me a chance! I'm waiting!"

Shiyu was heard saying, "Thank you for the protection of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. As a member of Li Lang's family, he has become a lay disciple of Buddhism, so he should follow his husband to worship Buddha. For this reason, Shiyu wants to take a statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva home to worship. However, I am of low birth and live in a brothel. I am afraid that the Bodhisattva would not want to set up a statue in such a dirty place. So I want to ask the Bodhisattva for permission. Can I take a statue of the Bodhisattva home?"

As soon as the voice fell, the statue of Avalokitesvara lit up with golden light, shining in front of Shiyu. The golden light condensed into a six-armed statue of Avalokitesvara, which slowly fell into Shiyu's hands. Shiyu held the statue of the Bodhisattva in both hands with joy, put the Bodhisattva aside and bowed to it.

Zhengyuan smiled and took out a piece of red cloth from the altar to cover the Bodhisattva statue. He said to Shiyu, "Donor Wan seems to have a connection with the Bodhisattva. It is good, good that the Bodhisattva can personally bestow the statue."

Shi Yu stood up and looked at Li Yi with a smug look on her face. Li Yi took the Bodhisattva statue with both hands and weighed it. He muttered in his heart: "The Bodhisattva is so stingy. This is a wooden statue. It should be painted with a layer of gold paint. He was reluctant to give a pure gold one. Sigh!"

"Li Yi, if you dare to talk nonsense again, don't blame me for teaching you a lesson!"

"Amitabha! Bodhisattva, please forgive me. I know I was wrong and I will never say nonsense again!"

"Humph!"

Li Yi raised his eyes to look at the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva in the main hall, then looked at the statue of Bodhisattva in his hand and grinned.

In this way, Li Yi took Shiyu and Xingyue to leave the Vajra Temple. When they walked out of the gate, they looked back and saw that the plaque outside the gate had changed to Vajra Temple with red background and gold characters. Li Yi suddenly realized that the Buddhist practice of cultivating the mind and the Confucianism of saying what comes out and what comes out are similar in nature.

No one has ever practiced both Buddhism and Confucianism before, because they believe that Buddhism emphasizes the equality of all living beings, which is inconsistent with the Confucian etiquette of respecting Heaven, Earth, the Emperor, parents and teachers. In fact, this is a misunderstanding, because the equality of all living beings that Buddhism talks about does not mean equality between people, but equality of the weight of life.

What does it mean? It means that if you step on an ant to death, you will commit the same sin as if you killed a person, because the ant was probably a person in the previous life. Buddhism prohibits killing, because Buddhists know the six realms of reincarnation, and all living beings may be reincarnated into other things or creatures. After figuring out this truth, Li Yi suddenly understood. He didn't know how to explain to Old Silver Coin that he had joined Buddhism!

Back at the Exiled Immortal Building, Li Yi and Shi Yu had an argument over the placement of the Bodhisattva statue. Shi Yu wanted to put the Bodhisattva statue on her dressing table, which was in her bedroom, which aroused Li Yi's strong opposition! Because Li Yi knew that the Bodhisattva could observe the world through the statue, which was equivalent to installing a camera in his bedroom. Do you know when the person over there would turn on the camera to take a look!

It would be bad if the Bodhisattva saw something he shouldn't see, so Li Yi firmly opposed to placing the Bodhisattva in the bedroom. The two argued for a while, and finally Li Yi succeeded in placing the Bodhisattva in an elegant room on the grounds that the Bodhisattva statue should face north and south, and there should be a shrine and offerings.

In fact, the Bodhisattva does not care about offerings, shrines, or the direction they are facing. The Bodhisattva is in such a state that why would he care about these mundane matters? However, it was the first time for Shiyu to bring a Bodhisattva statue home and to worship Buddha. She was fooled by Li Yi and believed him and did what he said.

We have strayed off topic. Let's get back to the point. After placing the Bodhisattva statue, Li Yi took Shiyu to the bedside, held her hand and said gently, "Shiyu, I didn't think it through today and let Gongsun Chan make you unhappy. She is spoiled. Let's not argue with her! But one thing does remind me that I should put the matter of redeeming you on the agenda."

Shiyu sat in Li Yi's arms and said softly, "Li Lang, do you think you are rich now?"

Li Yi shook his head and said, "There is no money, but there is a way to make money!"

"Oh, how is Li Lang going to make money?"

"Make money from my fame!"

"Fame? Writing poems and painting? Although you can make money, it will take a long time to earn 10,000 taels."

Li Yi still shook his head and said, "It's not what you think. I'm still one opportunity away from launching the plan. When the opportunity comes, I'll tell you what to do. Besides, it's a good opportunity to make the plan more perfect."

"Li Lang, you'll have to take more care of that."

"It's not enough to just think hard, you have to work hard!" Then Li Yi threw Shi Yu onto the bed. After learning the Vajra Magic Skill, he tried his Golden Spear Magic Skill for the first time. Of course, the experiment was very successful. How did it succeed? There is a poem to prove it:

The moon is full as the drums are beating, the sky is already bright as the horns are sounding to call the troops back. The crabapple tree is angry and weak, while the pear blossoms are smiling faintly.

The next day, Li Yi looked at Shi Yu who was still lying in bed and didn't want to get up, smiled and kissed her pretty face, and after washing up, he went to Junzi Pavilion alone. When he arrived at Junzi Pavilion, the doorman of course recognized Li Yi and hurriedly came forward to greet him, "Mr. Li, you are finally here, the master has been missing you for a long time!"

Li Yi bowed and asked, "Excuse me, little brother, what did the master say about me?"

The doorman was the former waiter, and was familiar with Li Yi. He knew that Tao Zhongwen and Li Yi had an unusual relationship, so he imitated Tao Zhongwen, bending over like an old man, stroking his nonexistent beard, and said in Tao Zhongwen's tone: "Humph! Li Yi, that little bastard, actually entered Buddhism! How outrageous! Doesn't he know that after the previous dynasty destroyed Buddhism, Buddhism and Confucianism have been completely opposed!

Why did he go to Buddhism? He didn't even say he wanted to be my disciple! Although I can't teach him much, can Buddhism teach him? I'll see when this little bastard comes. When he comes, I'll definitely scold him!

Ah, he asked me to punish the Buddhist sect, but he himself joined the Buddhist sect. What is he doing? Is he teasing me? Oh! The more I think about it, the angrier I get! I really want to go to the Exiled Immortal Tower and pull him out of his gentle place and give him a beating! "

It is said that the destruction of Buddhism in the previous dynasty was led by Emperor Chengwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Tuoba Tao. Tuoba Tao believed in Taoism and specially built a Tianshi Taoist temple in the southeast of Shangjing City. He changed the reign title to Taiping Zhenjun. From then on, the Northern Wei royal family had a connection with the Tianshi Temple. In the sixth year of Taiping Zhenjun, a massive uprising broke out. The leader was Ge Wu, who had more than 100,000 followers and occupied Chang'an City. He proclaimed himself the King of Tiantai and appointed hundreds of officials.

Emperor Chengwu Tuoba Tao led his army to conquer Chang'an and found a large amount of weapons and money in the temples. This made the emperor very angry and he immediately ordered to search the temples and kill the monks. As a result, a large amount of property that the county governor and the rich people in the city had deposited in the temples was found, which became the fuse for the anti-Buddhist movement.

Situ Cui Ran at that time had never had a good impression of Buddhism, so he took the opportunity to persuade Tuoba Tao to destroy Buddhism. As a result, Emperor Chengwu ordered the joint Taoist and Confucianist forces to launch a crackdown on Buddhism. All Buddhist temples in the Northern Wei Dynasty were not spared, and even the Xishan Temple in the capital was razed to the ground, Buddha statues were destroyed, and scriptures were burned. If the monks refused to return to secular life, they would be killed, so many monks fled into the mountains and forests. If it were not for the secret protection of the then Crown Prince Tuoba Hong, Zhengyuan and Zhengjue would have fled to the Western Regions or Southern Liang long ago.

In this catastrophe of Buddhism, Confucianism performed very well. Tao Zhongwen was just a minor official in the Ministry of Rites at that time. It was because of his outstanding performance in the anti-Buddhist campaign that he entered the emperor's vision. It was not until the later years of Emperor Chengwu Tuoba Tao that he relaxed his crackdown on Buddhism. This was also thanks to Empress Xiao from the Southern Liang Dynasty, who said a lot of good things to Tuoba Tao. Empress Xiao was originally a Buddhist. After Tuoba Tao's death, Empress Xiao gave a lot of help to Buddhism when she was in power, and Buddhism slowly recovered.

Li Yi looked at the young man's perfect performance, laughed out loud, and praised: "Young man, you imitated it so well! You have really reached the pinnacle!"

"You two are talking about me behind my back?"

Tao Zhongwen's voice frightened Li Yi so much that he knelt on the ground. Li Yi turned around and saluted, saying, "Xiuyuan greets Mr. Shuide. My brother and I did not talk about Mr. Shuide behind his back. Xiuyuan just wanted to know how he was doing recently, and my brother just described some of his suggestions to the younger generation."

Tao Zhongwen: "Humph! You are a lay disciple of Buddhism. What are you doing in my Gentleman Pavilion? There is no Monk Pavilion or Seng Pavilion for you to go to?"

Li Yi complained in his heart: Oh, it seems that this person has a really bad temper. Well, just wait and see!