bookrebus Chapter 731: Lifespan Determined by Heaven
Chapter 731: Lifespan Determined by Heaven
Song Zhuoshi is also a smart man who is not well-known. Dugu Lou has been in charge of the village for hundreds of years. There are countless passers-by, but few dare to argue with him.
But he was also a pitiful person, who struggled all his life, passed the imperial examination, and finally committed suicide among his tenants. Before he died, how would he feel if he saw that "one life was only exchanged for one flower to bloom"?
Before he died, his eyes were wide open and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. Was it because he had realized the Dharma and had seen the truth, which had brought him liberation, or was it a self-mockery that all he had been seeking for half his life had collapsed before his death?
One life in exchange for one flower blooming.
One life is only exchanged for one blooming flower.
Li Changxiao realized it after drinking the dream, and then he looked at the mountain behind Washe Village, where he saw longevity flowers all over the mountain, swaying in the wind, and the fragrance of the flowers filled his nose. It was like the exchanges of ancient times, and countless people confirmed this truth.
Are people really as cheap as grass? Li Changxiao has a deep understanding of Taoism and a strong heart. It is impossible for anyone to shake him. On the contrary, he is naturally entangled in nostalgia, but also has a bit of open-mindedness and easygoing. He never thinks that anyone is nobler than anyone else. Even if the world is divided into different levels, the world is the world, and I am myself. The world is like this, which may not be right.
Therefore, it was easier for Li Changxiao to understand the Buddhist teachings hidden in Washe Village and to comprehend the essence of them.
"All people are equal" is only the most superficial expression of the Buddhist teachings in Washe Village. "All things are insignificant" is also only a slightly deeper perception. There are much more hidden knowledge and Buddhist insights, and they are deeper and deeper.
Li Changxiao suddenly wanted to go down and meet Dugu Lou. But it was not to debate, but to discuss and communicate. He had been floating in the clouds, observing Washe Village for some time.
Wang Baobao fell to his death in the yamen. He saw the whole process clearly, but he did not reach out to rescue him. Li Changxiao did have good intentions, but he was definitely not a good person who would save anyone he saw. He also had his own preferences, and sometimes he would not save someone if he felt he did not want to. It was so simple, and it was human nature. But in the end, it also revealed a sense of indifference, a sense of being high and mighty, treating human life as worthless.
Thinking of this, Li Changxiao laughed to himself. Dugu Lou called on the villagers to work together to carry Wang Baobao back to the village, bury him, and chant sutras for him.
The matter was finally settled in the evening. Washe Village returned to peace. The four servants, Fu, Lu, Shou and Xi, remained in Washe Village without changing their names or surnames. Every day, they accompanied the village chief and villagers to the mountains to pick fruits and plant fruit trees, enjoying themselves.
The people of Washe Village never restrict themselves.
Anyone who passes by is free to come and go. Dugu Lou never deliberately promotes his "Buddhism", but his Buddhism is so profound that it has been fully integrated into his every word and action.
He had white hair and a kind face. He looked down upon all things and treated all beings equally. But whenever he saw someone hanging himself to death, he would be extremely compassionate, reading sutras to help them attain salvation and burying them.
Another person died.
Dugu Lou stood guard over his spirit, murmuring, "All living beings are equal, all living beings are despised, all living beings are pitiful, all living beings are crying out." His hair was completely white, but he clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and his eye sockets gradually became moist.
At night, the candlelight shining on his body was like the Buddha's light. Dugu Lou leaned over and kissed the dead man's forehead, his eyes full of compassion. He said softly: "If you hear the truth in the morning, you can die in the evening."
Dugu Lou continued to talk to himself: "I will also die soon. Are you satisfied with this answer, fellow Taoist?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a figure gradually appeared not far away. This person was Li Changxiao.
It turned out that Dugu Lou's last two sentences were both in response to Li Changxiao's questions. Li Changxiao only asked with his "heart". The first question was why so many people in Washe Village committed suicide.
Dugu Lou replied: "If I hear the truth in the morning, I can die in the evening." The second question, Li Changxiao asked in his mind: "What about you?" Dugu Lou replied that he would not live long either.
This was the first time Li Changxiao approached Dugu Lou. During the question and answer, they both felt that the other person was different. Li Changxiao was certain that this person must be a disciple of Nan Lao Fo. But Dugu Lou was surprised. He had a Buddha's eye, and the moment he saw Li Changxiao, he intuitively felt that this person was complicated and it would be difficult to understand at once.
Suddenly I realized that this person had been spying on me for a long time.
He had never seen such a strange person.
Li Changxiao was ready to leave. If the Extreme Evil Sect committed evil and the monks rebelled, causing chaos in the world, he would definitely intervene if he encountered them. But he had seen that what Dugu Lou did was just enlightenment, and it was difficult to determine whether it was good or bad. Li Changxiao was too lazy to intervene in things that could not be sorted out.
But after drinking three thousand dreams, he was really curious about what he had learned in Washe Village. In addition, he also had some insights in his heart, so he revealed the original work this time to verify one or two things.
Li Changxiao went straight to the point and told Dugu Lou everything he had seen and understood, and asked him for confirmation.
It turns out that the method that Dugu Lou studied was not that everyone is equal and everything is despised, but...
"A sky-high price." Li Changxiao said softly, getting straight to the point.
Dugu Lou smiled and said, "My fellow Taoist has an extraordinary Buddha nature. I have tried to teach Buddhism, but some people spend their entire lives realizing that everyone is equal or that all things are insignificant. There are very few who can see through the essence of things. Song Zhuo is only half of them."
Dugu Lou added: "But they are not stupid, they just have different experiences and perspectives. What they understand is what they gain, and they can also be considered to have attained the Tao."
Li Changxiao did not feel the slightest bit of joy after hearing the praise. Instead, he became more cautious, pinching his chin and weighing each word carefully: "Heaven is not benevolent. It sets a price for everything. The life span of a human is no more than a hundred years. No matter how noble your status is, whether you are an immortal or a Buddha, the price is still no more than a hundred years."
"The flowering period of the longevity flower is extremely long, and its price is the same as that of a human. Therefore, judging only by its price, the longevity flower and a human life are no different in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao."
"Some people realize that all things are equal, some people realize that all things are insignificant, but few people mention the four words 'life expectancy is determined by heaven'. Song Zhuo talked to me about it."
Li Changxiao was a little confused: "But why do you understand these things?" Dugu Lou shook his head and said: "It is indescribable, indescribable, absolutely indescribable."
Li Changxiao got the confirmation and understood the Buddhist principles. He turned around and prepared to leave. Buddhism can be deep or shallow. Some people can become deluded while others can become saints. The series of tragedies in Ximi City could not be blamed on this place.
Dugu Lou smiled and said, "Your comprehension is extraordinary, but you still lack a little understanding."
Li Changxiao stopped and asked: "What's missing?"
Dugu Lou said: "It is unspeakable, unspeakable, but if you don't mind, you can go with me to a place in three days. With your understanding, you will understand it by then. Even if you can't understand it at that time, you will understand it one day or one moment in the future." Li Changxiao smiled and said: "Mysterious, Buddhists love riddles the most."
Dugu Lou thought to himself: "I also want a witness."
Li Changxiao was indeed curious, so he stayed. For the next three days, on the first day, Dugu Lou dismissed the villagers, on the second day, he burned down Washe Village, and on the third day, he left with Li Changxiao.