Jinting Han people

Chapter 723 First Encounter with Fotucheng

In the following months, A-Die's condition indeed worsened. Liu Xian asked Li Xiu and others to take care of her, but to no avail; she only became more emaciated. Li Xiu privately told Liu Xian that this was a sign of emotional distress, and that even the best medicine would be useless if he couldn't resolve his inner turmoil. Upon hearing this, Liu Xian felt rather lost, for he had already said everything he could and didn't know how else to comfort her.

At this moment, Gu Miaoyu, who had entered the palace the previous year, said to Liu Xian: "Your Majesty, I have heard that a divine monk from the Western Regions has just arrived in Yi'an. He can resolve people's troubles with just a few words. Why don't you invite him to the palace to preach Buddhism? Perhaps it will have some miraculous effect!"

The divine monk Gu Miaoyu spoke of was Fotucheng, who had traveled from Ningzhou.

Liu Xian had naturally heard of Fotucheng's name. Long before, after Liu Xian entered Shu, Liu Kun had written to him, saying that a highly accomplished man had arrived from the Western Regions, whose profound understanding and eloquent words were unparalleled. In the case of Huangfu Chong and Wei Bo's rebellion, Li Feng had also submitted a report detailing the events, stating that Fotucheng was treated with great respect by Huangfu Chong and his son, yet had no connection to the rebellion; on the contrary, he had made numerous prophecies beforehand, many of which had come true. After the Ningzhou rebellion case was closed, Fotucheng immediately led his disciples to Yi'an to preach, attracting throngs of scholars and women from the capital, who all praised him highly.

This naturally included Gu Miaoyu, who came from Jiangzuo, a region steeped in Buddhism, and the vicissitudes of life deepened her faith. Therefore, her initiative in recommending Fotucheng to Liu Xian was purely out of good intentions.

In this situation, Liu Xian had no other good options, so he decided to try anything, even if it seemed hopeless. He set up a simple altar by the lotus pond and sent someone to invite Fotucheng to the palace to preach. He also allowed interested officials and ladies in the palace to listen in.

This was, in fact, Liu Xian's first time encountering monks from the Western Regions up close. During his childhood in Luoyang, Zhang Ximiao often visited the White Horse Temple to pray for blessings, and Liu Xian had met many monks from the Western Regions there. However, at the time, he felt these monks looked different from ordinary people and therefore dared not approach them. Later, as he grew older, he visited the White Horse Temple less often, but seeing these monks travel thousands of miles to China to spread Buddhism, he still felt great admiration for them.

Fotucheng was the quintessential example of a foreign monk in the common imagination. He was old, thin yet tall, and dressed very simply, wearing only a hempen robe, clearly indicating his dedication to asceticism. Yet, despite his simple attire, his demeanor was astonishing. Even when facing hundreds of nobles and dignitaries, Fotucheng remained calm and composed, chanting Buddhist mantras.

After he took his seat, since many people were hearing Buddhist scriptures for the first time, he began with the most basic scriptures, the Lotus Sutra and the Universal Light Sutra.

This was Yang Hui'ai's first time listening to Buddhism, and it must be said that in terms of subtlety and comprehensiveness, Buddhism is indeed unmatched by Laozi, Zhuangzi, Confucius, and Mencius. All the questions that Liu Xian didn't know how to answer could be clearly answered by Fotucheng.

After the sermon, Yang Hui'ai kept Fotucheng behind and asked him, "Where does the soul go after a person dies?"

Fotucheng replied, "Go into the six realms of reincarnation."

Yang Hui'ai then asked, "Why do people experience birth, aging, sickness, and death?"

Fotucheng replied, "It is all due to the convergence of causes and conditions, and the retribution of karma."

"Retribution? What is retribution?"

"Good deeds have good causes, and evil deeds have evil consequences. Once a good deed is done, karma will naturally follow, and there will eventually be retribution."

Yang Hui'ai was puzzled and pressed on, asking, "Master, is this really true? If a child dies shortly after birth, what cause and effect is there? I haven't done many good deeds in my life, so how can I enjoy wealth and status?"

Fotucheng replied, “Since Your Highness knows about reincarnation, you can understand that people have more than one life. So-called birth and death are merely the consciousness leaving the body and entering the sea of ​​suffering of reincarnation again. Therefore, the retribution in this life is not necessarily the result of what you have done in this life, but may also be the result of the karma from the previous life. The death of a child is due to a lack of blessings in the previous life, while Your Highness, as an imperial concubine, must have had great merit in your previous life, probably due to cultivating seven fields of merit over ten lifetimes!”

At this point, Fotucheng said to Yang Hui'ai, "Is Your Highness worried about the Fourth Prince's fate? You can send people to build temples and ask monks to chant sutras and pray for him day and night to increase his blessings. Perhaps the Fourth Prince will be able to reunite with Your Highness in the next life after experiencing calamities."

After hearing this explanation, most people were deeply impressed by Fotucheng. Although Fotucheng did not talk about profound Buddhist teachings, he was able to discuss matters of ghosts and gods so concisely and succinctly, and his words were so logical and flawless that no one could find fault with them. Only a highly accomplished monk could do such a thing.

After listening to Fotucheng's explanation, Yang Hui'ai's mood and complexion improved significantly. She repeatedly asked about the precautions for building a temple for blessings, and then requested Liu Xian to build a temple in the east of Yi'an City to pray for her deceased son, Liu Yu. Liu Xian couldn't refuse her, so he agreed and unusually allocated a sum of money from his private treasury to build a temple covering two acres. Yang Hui'ai still felt it wasn't enough, so she donated another two thousand taels of gold from her own private wealth to properly construct the temple.

Regardless, Fotucheng's guidance seemed to have a miraculous effect. When the meeting ended, Liu Xian personally went to thank the Western Region monk and invited him to have dinner together.

Unexpectedly, Fotucheng politely declined, bowing in return and saying, "Your Majesty, this humble monk is a practitioner who has always refrained from drinking alcohol and eating after noon. Please forgive me."

Liu Xian gazed at Fotucheng's gaunt face and, seeing that his expression was natural and not feigned, smiled and said, "Very well! Master, you are an enlightened person, I truly admire you." He then made a gesture to escort Fotucheng out of the palace.

However, Fotucheng shook his head slightly, showing no intention of leaving. Instead, he asked Liu Xian, "Your Majesty, this humble monk has some matters he would like to discuss with you in detail."

Liu Xian was taken aback upon hearing this. Seeing that Fotucheng's face was serious, his expression also became slightly serious. He then said, "Alright, please follow me to the study, Master."

Not far from Jianchang Palace, the two walked a few steps to Liu Xian's study. Fotucheng curiously looked around the study of the Han emperor and found it to be very simple. Apart from the bookshelves and scrolls filling the room, there were only two desks, a simple bed, and a Chixiao sword hanging high on the wall. It was hard to imagine that most of the country's decisions were made here.

At this moment, Fotucheng became a very rare visitor. He said to Liu Xian with emotion, "I have been to India and have seen all the countries in the Western Regions, but I have never seen a monarch as simple as Your Majesty. It has truly broadened my horizons."

"You flatter me, Master." Liu Xian was quite direct. He slowly said, "Because I know that even for an emperor, worldly affairs cannot be done at will. If you have anything to say, just tell me directly, and I will not blame you."

“It seems Your Majesty has already made preparations.” Fotucheng’s shoulders twitched slightly. He lowered his head slightly and stated, “I have two things I would like to say to Your Majesty.”

"Please speak."

“One matter concerns Her Highness the Imperial Consort.” Fotucheng looked up at Liu Xian and sighed, “Your Majesty, this humble monk examined the Imperial Consort’s face today. Her good fortune in this life is nearing its end. I urge you to make preparations as soon as possible.” Although he had a premonition, Liu Xian still found it hard to accept when he actually heard Fotucheng’s words. He asked with a hint of hope, “So, Master, you are also skilled in medicine?”

Fotucheng shook his head and said, "This humble monk is not skilled in medicine, but as I said before, I can see good fortune."

"Can't one's fate be changed?"

Fotucheng continued to shake his head, and said, "Everyone has their own destiny, which is already preordained. Others interfering will only increase their own karma. Your Majesty, you are a knowledgeable person and should understand this. A person's destiny comes from their nature. If a person's nature is not changed and they cannot realize that the five aggregates are empty, then nothing can be changed. And the only one who can change a person's nature is themselves; this is something that others cannot help with."

"This is the second matter I wish to discuss with Your Majesty." At this point, Fotucheng raised his head, looking directly at the emperor with his calm, unwavering eyes, and asked Liu Xian, "Does Your Majesty wish to practice Buddhism?"

"Buddhism?" This was a question Liu Xian had never considered before, but he instantly realized that this was the true purpose of the high monk from the Western Regions meeting him.

In his youth, Liu Xian studied metaphysics under Master Ruan. Although he primarily studied Laozi and Zhuangzi, he also read many Buddhist scriptures and had some understanding of Buddhist principles, though he wasn't particularly devout. The reason was simple: Liu Xian had too many worldly affairs to handle and too heavy a responsibility to bear. He couldn't abandon his current duties to indulge in some profound and mysterious reverie.

When faced with Fotucheng's request, his first reaction was that it was absurd, because he did not understand how Buddhism could change the world and people. Therefore, he bluntly said, "I do not understand what you mean, Master."

Fotucheng, undeterred, smiled and said, "Your Majesty is very frank. I am asking Your Majesty, do you desire lasting peace and stability for the world?"

It sounded like this eminent monk from the Western Regions was about to impart his views on governance. This was the first time Liu Xian had heard such a topic from a foreign monk. He was quite interested and said, "This is certainly my wish. Please enlighten me, Master."

"Has Your Majesty heard of the Wheel-Turning King?" Seeing Liu Xian shake his head slightly, Fotucheng explained, "The reason why the World-Honored One left behind the Dharma was because he saw that poison was rampant in this Saha world, evil was rampant, and countless people were suffering endlessly, causing war to rage and famine to be difficult to eradicate. So, with great compassion, he left behind the Dharma, hoping that the Sangha could use it to liberate sentient beings and eliminate suffering."

"But the Buddha also knew that it would be impossible to thoroughly spread the Dharma through words and deeds alone, because in the world, apart from one's own practice, one is sometimes disturbed by impermanence, which in turn obscures one's true nature. Therefore, a Chakravartin king is needed to propagate the Dharma."

"The Wheel-Turning King possesses four virtues and seven treasures. The four virtues are longevity, physical strength, handsome appearance, and abundant wealth. The seven treasures are the Wheel Treasure, the Elephant Treasure, the Horse Treasure, the Jewel Treasure, the Jade Maiden Treasure, the Layman Treasure, and the Commander of the Army Treasure."

"He will create a Pure Land with the Four Virtues and Seven Treasures, and use the Four Means of Attraction to gather sentient beings, govern the Sangha, and propagate the Dharma. At that time, the land will be flat and clear as a mirror, and within the Pure Land, food will be plentiful and cheap. The people will be prosperous, and there will be many treasures. Villages will be close together, and the crowing of roosters will be heard everywhere. At that time, the people will generate the aspiration for a Pure Land, be born from lotuses, attain the fruition, and ultimately enter Nirvana. The Chakravartin king will have accumulated immeasurable merit, and when his blessings are fulfilled in the next life, he will see the true fruition, which will not be far off."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian couldn't help but feel a longing for the Chakravartin (universal monarch) in Buddhism. He laughed and said, "If that's the case, isn't the Chakravartin no different from the Buddha?"

Fotucheng nodded and said, “Yes, when the World-Honored One has a son, he will be a Chakravartin (universal monarch) or a flying emperor; when he leaves home to study the Way, he will become a Buddha and liberate all beings in the ten directions. These two are complementary. Since I began practicing Buddhism, I have only two wishes in this life: one is to help the Buddha spread the true Dharma, and the other is to find a Chakravartin (universal monarch) so that we can truly eliminate the chaos of the world and liberate all sentient beings.”

At this point, Fotucheng bowed to Liu Xian and said, “Your Majesty, this humble monk has traveled eastward from the Western Regions and has witnessed the decline of morality in the world. The wise deceive the foolish, the rich oppress the poor, and the powerful abandon the weak. How can this be tolerated? If we want long-term peace and stability, we must rectify people’s hearts.”

"In my humble opinion, you now possess the Six Treasures. The only thing missing from becoming a true Chakravartin is the Dharma Wheel. I am willing to forge a golden wheel for Your Majesty, so that you may use it to accumulate merit, spread the Dharma, and illuminate the entire world. At that time, why should we worry about unrest in the world or unrest among the people?"

This was indeed a lengthy discourse, but Liu Xian still astutely grasped Fotucheng's true intention: this Western Region monk wanted to convince him to make Buddhism the state religion and Buddhist scriptures the true scriptures. For this, he could help Liu Xian achieve the supreme position of Chakravartin King, and even be willing to call him the reincarnation of Buddha.

It must be said that this was indeed a tempting offer, but Liu Xian didn't even think about it and quickly shook his head, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Master, but I really don't think I am some kind of Buddha reincarnation. You are really too kind to say that."

Fotucheng was not discouraged by this rejection. He was well-prepared; persuading a monarch like Liu Xian to establish a new state religion would not be accomplished in one or two attempts. Over the past two years, he had thoroughly investigated the emperor's past and privately speculated that the reason for the refusal might be that the emperor relied on the Celestial Masters sect and feared that favoring Buddhism would incur their displeasure. Fotucheng was well-prepared for this, confident that, in terms of doctrinal refinement alone, the Celestial Masters sect was far inferior to Buddhism.

However, he still wanted to confirm this, so Fotucheng said half-jokingly, "Your Majesty doesn't actually believe in Taoism, does he?"

Unexpectedly, Liu Xian shook his head and said, "Master, I believe in neither Taoism nor Buddhism."

"Then what does His Majesty believe in?"

"Faith in the present moment," Liu Xian replied casually.

"At this moment?" Fotucheng asked with slight surprise, "Please elaborate, Your Majesty."

"Actually, it's quite simple." Liu Xian revealed a nostalgic expression and slowly said, "Master, in my opinion, Taoism emphasizes forgetting oneself and the external world, and letting the spirit roam beyond the material world. Buddhism emphasizes escaping the sea of ​​suffering and seeking the next life, but these are all too ethereal and unrealistic."

“My teacher, Mr. Ruan, taught me from a young age not to regret the past or to fantasize too much about the future. As long as I calmly focus on catching each fish and fulfill my responsibilities, that is enough. I have always believed in this. I am not elated by external gains or saddened by personal losses. No matter how many obsessions I have, they are nothing but delusions to me.”

"Excellent, excellent." Fotucheng put his hands together and sincerely praised, "Although Your Majesty says you do not believe in Buddhism, your words and deeds have already abstained from the three poisons and extinguished all appearances. You have quite attained the Samadhi of the Land of Bliss. This is enough to show Your Majesty's wisdom. The path to Nirvana is already within it."

That's what was said, but Fotucheng also knew that once a person's mind had reached this level, verbal persuasion was no longer possible. The vision of spreading Buddhism and establishing a Buddhist kingdom through Liu Xian was likely unattainable. (End of Chapter)