Ringing bells~ Li Mengying's little trip

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

The summer sun is always scorching. From the depths of the core, where fusion reactions are constantly taking place at 15 million degrees Celsius, the heat radiates outwards after
a long journey. Although most of the heat is blocked by the Earth's atmosphere, its residual power remains, still baking the entire
northern hemisphere facing it.
In such weather, animals listlessly hide in the shade, only cicadas enthusiastically singing, vibrating their eardrums to
produce the intermittent "zhi...liao, zhi...liao..." sounds.
Humans, the most intelligent beings on the planet, are just as
helpless as lower creatures under the omnipresent power of nature, forced to stay indoors with air conditioning, a cold drink, and comfortably enjoying the benefits of human civilization. Even when
unavoidable business trips are necessary, plans are made to leave early and return early, avoiding prolonged exposure to the scorching sun.
To prevent obstruction of vision, the trees along the roads have been completely cut down. The asphalt road on the country lane, directly exposed to the high-hanging sun
, had softened under prolonged exposure. The black asphalt emitted an unpleasant odor.
"Dad, why did you come out in this heat? It's annoying, and you had to drag me along," a woman's voice complained petulantly.
In the driver's seat of the speeding white BMW, a middle-aged man in a suit with a buzz cut smiled apologetically, "Oh, my dear daughter, don't be angry. It's
a holiday, you know, so I took you out for a drive and to see some tourist attractions." The girl was unmoved, retorting, "Nonsense!
We're clearly here to fulfill a vow. If you want to fulfill a vow, you can go by yourself. Why did you have to bring me along? I was planning to go shopping in Hong Kong with Mom and the others."
The man, unperturbed by his daughter's retort, smiled patiently and said, "Don't..." "Well, the scenery at Zangling Temple is quite beautiful. You even brought
a camera, right? You could take more pictures and send them to your classmates. I see young people these days all like to go to places like Tibet, Qinghai, and Yunnan for
some kind of spiritual journey, but they don't even know to look around. I think the scenery at Zangling Temple is much better than that damn Tibet." "Pshaw, what's so great
about it? Temples are just Buddhist buildings, plus a bunch of flowers and plants, and then there's this so-called 'spirit pond.' It's just a way to rip you off with your incense money,"
the girl muttered.
After all, she was his own daughter, so the man remained gentle and kind. "Buddha above, please don't say that. Zangling Temple is very efficacious; everyone who's been there raves about it.
I heard a great monk attained enlightenment there and became an Arhat. Master Lin personally recommended it to me. See, what did he say? I only went there
to offer incense for a few days, and when I came back, I got a big project from the municipal government." The man became more and more excited as he spoke: "That's really powerful; Buddha is protecting me." The girl curled her lip
dismissively , "Hmph, what? It's clearly..." "My uncle works for the government and helped you smooth things over, what's with all this talk about Buddha? That's superstition." "Kids don't understand,
don't talk nonsense. I have connections, but Old Chen and his group don't. It was all Buddha's blessing that I got this deal. I heard last week that Old Chen and his group
had a bit of a falling out over getting the money they'd given away back from Mayor Zhang. Guess what? They had to be pulled out by security. Heh... that big oaf,
doesn't he understand the principle of not fighting with officials?" The man said with a hint of schadenfreude.
"By the way, I heard Master Lin and President Chen have been getting close lately." The girl suddenly remembered something and casually mentioned it.
"It's alright, a feng shui master is naturally all smiles. It wouldn't be right if he didn't accept Old Chen's money just because he's on good terms with us." The middle-aged
man replied casually, showing the magnanimity of a successful person.
While driving, the man grumbled, "And another thing, didn't you say you were going to take the accounting exam? When we get there, we'll offer incense to the Buddha and pray for
good luck." "Fine, fine, I'm not interested in that," the girl waved dismissively, picked up her phone, and plopped down on the soft sofa in the back seat, scrolling through
the internet.
"Be careful, don't lie on the sofa, fasten your seatbelt," the man reminded her through the rearview mirror.
"It's okay, it's okay, you're not driving fast anyway, there are no traffic cops to fine you in this small town, what's there to be afraid of?" His daughter waved her hand, giving him a "you're so annoying"
look.
Even a successful businessman who commands respect and inspires awe in countless others is just like any other father in front of his daughter.
Unable to persuade her, the man could only smile helplessly and try to be as careful as possible to avoid making the car too bumpy.
Seeing her father's helpless expression in the front seat, the girl, secretly playing with her phone, chuckled, stuck out her tongue, and made a mischievous face.
"Namo Amitabha Buddha, greetings to you two benefactors." As soon as they parked their car, a welcoming monk approached to greet the father and daughter.
The girl frowned, surveying the surroundings. Unlike the usual clean, hard concrete parking lots, this "parking lot" was clearly
just a few chalk lines drawn in cleared woodland. Dissatisfied, she said to her father, "What? There's not even concrete in this place
! What if the car gets stolen?" Just as the father was feeling embarrassed, the welcoming monk clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha is merciful.
There's only one road in and out of here, and our fellow monks are guarding the entrance. You've traveled a long way to worship and make offerings; it would
be . Moreover, theft is a serious crime, subject to many karmic consequences. If our negligence causes you to lose your belongings and also incur the karmic consequences of theft, it would violate
the principles of Buddhism." This explanation gave the man, who was still pondering how to respond, a way out. He immediately reprimanded his unruly daughter sternly, saying, "Yes, yes. Daughter,
don't speak carelessly in this sacred Buddhist place. This is... this is the Venerable Master's Dharma assembly, where great deities reside. Our belongings will naturally be well taken care of by our masters;
you don't need to worry about it." Then, he quickly changed his expression, smiling as he said to the welcoming monk, "My daughter has always been this willful; please don't take offense, Master.
I am Li Xuezhi, and I have visited your temple many times. I wonder if the Abbot is here?" "A monk has renounced worldly desires; what is there to take offense at? You are too kind, benefactor. The
Abbot is always in the temple; please follow me." The welcoming monk still did not lower his clasped hands as he spoke.
"Hmph..." Li Mengying pouted, no longer complaining. Knowing her father's habits well, she knew that he was serious now, and
if she continued to argue and embarrass him, she would only make him angry. Moreover, as the daughter of the Li family, one should do things to the best of one's ability. It would
be undignified for outsiders to see her arguing with her father, even if he was just a monk.
Unexpectedly, the real Cangling Temple was located even deeper inside. From the parking lot at the foot of the mountain, one enters the temple halfway up the mountain, where long, steep steps lead upwards...
It took almost another hour to get there. Fortunately, the mountain path was shaded by lush trees, with verdant vegetation blocking most of the intense ultraviolet rays.
A mountain breeze occasionally blew by, bringing the fresh scent of the mountain plants, which was quite refreshing. The welcoming monk was quite experienced, leading the way while
chatting , telling Buddhist stories and anecdotes about the temple's origins, a mix of topics, making the journey a bit tiring but not too difficult.
"Ding-dong... ding-dong... ding-dong... ding-dong... ding-dong... ding-dong..." "Huh, what's that sound?" Li Mengying asked curiously.
"Our temple is called Cangling Temple, which, as the name suggests, is related to bells." As the welcoming monk, he was naturally adept at handling such common questions.
The man, who rarely exercised and was already panting, perked up. "Yes, yes. It's Zangling Temple, you know from the name, it must have lots of
bells . The first time I came, I made a special trip to the Bell Pavilion. Wow, the eaves and walls were covered with wind chimes. Whenever there's a slight
breeze, they make a tinkling sound. It's very beautiful." The welcoming monk smiled and chimed in, "That's right. Speaking of Tibetan bells, it's a long story.
It can be traced back to the very beginning of the temple's construction, when the then abbot, Venerable Baixin, received them from Namgyal Monastery. " A priceless heirloom of the temple: the Vajra Bell. Seeing the beautiful scenery and
tranquil atmosphere of this place, the temple took its name from this. It is said to ward off all evil and possess countless supernatural powers. It is said that back then, the temple didn't have so many wind chimes.
The Bell Pavilion that Benefactor Li mentioned was built during the time of the previous abbot. The man, still panting heavily, added, "Yes, the
successive abbots of Zangling Temple, to commemorate the first abbot, all adopted 'White Heart' as their Dharma name after assuming the position." Compared to the profound and difficult Buddhist stories, the girls
were much more interested. Everyone was interested in such urban legends, and Li Mengying's eyes lit up instantly. "Oh, that's quite interesting. That Vajra
Bell is your temple's signature treasure, huh? I'll definitely take a good picture of it when we go up later." Presumably, this wasn't the first time he'd heard something like this
, as the welcoming monk simply clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha, I'm ashamed, I'm ashamed. Actually, the Vajra Bell disappeared after the first abbot passed away. Besides,
why seek supernatural powers elsewhere? When you're hungry, a bowl of rice and vegetables will quench your thirst; when you're cold, a warm coat will quench your hunger." Clothes, warding off the cold, are manifestations of supernatural powers. Supernatural
powers are not elsewhere; they are right here and now. Why seek them externally? Without curiosity or greed, supernatural powers cannot overcome the cycle of karma, nor can they compare to pure morality and
the wisdom of non-attachment. Seeing the monk's serious expression, the girl couldn't help but laugh, her laughter like silver bells,
even more charming than the ethereal sound of a bell: "Oh dear, I was just saying. Why so serious, spouting all those grand principles?" The welcoming monk simply smiled, clasped
his hands together, and remained silent.
No matter how long the mountain path, as long as one perseveres, there will eventually be an end. The temple's imposing gate was now close at hand.
"Brother Fazheng." A monk beside the gate was sweeping the ground; seeing the group approaching, he went to greet them.
"Senior brother, these two are benefactors who have come to fulfill their vows. Please take them to the main hall to rest first." After speaking with the welcoming monk and the sweeping monk, the monk
turned around and said gently, "Benefactors, I still need to go to the inner chamber and inform the abbot. The mountain path is tiring, so let Junior Brother Fayu take
you to the main hall to sit and rest for a while before you go to fulfill your vows." Walking for nearly an hour on the mountain path was
quite a test for city dwellers who were used to a life of luxury. The man, who was already panting heavily, couldn't wait to find a place to rest. "Alright, then thank you, Master Fazheng. And please trouble
Master Fayu as well." "Please follow me." The sweeping monk put down his broom and beckoned the two to follow.
"Huh, what's this?" In the main hall, Li Mengying, who was lying on the sofa, looked curiously at the bell that the monk had just handed her.
It was a small bell that could be held in the palm of one's hand, entirely silver. Sunlight filtering through the trees shone on it, reflecting a rather dazzling light.
The monk named Fayu, like his senior brother, first clasped his hands together and chanted Buddhist mantras before calmly replying, "Our temple is called Cangling,
naturally famous for its wind chimes. We present a wind chime to every benefactor who comes to our temple. Since Benefactor Li has already visited, there's no need for another one."
This Benefactor Li naturally referred to the middle-aged man.
"Hmm?" Li Mengying curiously picked up the bell and shook it, but there was no sound. "Why doesn't it ring?" Fayu calmly replied, "It
will naturally ring."
Hearing this witty answer, the girl smiled slightly and examined the silver bell more closely. Its silvery, bell-shaped exterior felt cool to the touch.
Inside was an octagonal, jet-black metal object; shaking it didn't move the black octagon at all. A hint of mockery appeared on the girl's beautiful face
: "Could it be a bell bought in bulk from a small commodity market? No wonder it doesn't ring." The monk remained unfazed: "It's all due to the arising and
ceasing of conditions, Amitabha!" "Jingle bells... jingle bells... jingle bells... jingle bells... jingle bells..." The sound of bells from afar never
ceased , occasionally vibrating through the air.
The middle-aged man beside her couldn't stand it any longer and quickly pulled his daughter back, scolding, "I told you down the mountain not to be naughty anymore, and you still dare to offend the master like this." After being scolded by her father,
Li Mengying stuck out her tongue, made a face, and didn't argue back.
The man quickly apologized to the monk, "I'm sorry, my daughter just likes to talk nonsense. Please don't take offense, Master." "It's alright, it's alright. A monk
is detached from worldly desires, so what is there to talk about joy
or sorrow? I still need to continue sweeping the courtyard, so I'll take my leave now." This monk was noticeably more introverted and quieter than the previous welcoming monk. After saying a few simple words, he simply put his palms together, chanted some scriptures, and left.
After resting for a while, being young, Li Mengying quickly recovered her strength and jumped up, looking around aimlessly and
touching . The middle-aged man had said a few words to her at first, but the girl clearly didn't listen. However, later, due to exhaustion and the fact that only the father
and daughter were inside, he stopped saying anything. Soon, the room was filled with soft snoring.
"What does the female patron think of our temple?"
"Huh? Who is it?" Hearing the voice behind her, Li Mengying, who was taking pictures of the temple's main hall wall, jumped back in surprise.
She turned see a smiling old monk with white hair and beard, wearing a bright yellow monk's hat, looking like a kind and approachable old man.
Seeing the old monk's easygoing nature, Li Mengying relaxed and replied casually, "Well, to be honest, the environment is nice. It's just that the road is a bit difficult to walk on
; it's exhausting. Also, this place is so far from the city! The nearest town, Cangling, is dozens of kilometers away..." "Amitabha, well done."
"Excellent... No pain, no gain. Travel a thousand miles first, then explore the tower." The old monk listened to Li Mengying's complaints, neither angry nor annoyed, and
replied with a smile.
Facing a man of her grandfather's generation, Li Mengying wanted to argue, but after thinking about it, she had nothing to say, so she could only smile, her bright eyes and white teeth shining.
"Master, Master, you've arrived..." The man woke up at some point, and excitedly stood up from his seat.
He hurried to the old monk, grasped his hand tightly, and introduced him to his daughter, saying, "This is the abbot,
daughter come here." After the introduction, the man excitedly added, "Thanks to the master's guidance! I didn't sell the stocks I got stuck with, and sure enough,
they rebounded, and I even made a profit. And the project I inquired about before also succeeded!" Faced with the man's excited reaction, the monk remained
calm, his smile unchanged: "All things arise from causes and conditions; the cause is the result, and the effect is the outcome. Every thing arises from causes and conditions; every cause has an effect."
"Your virtue and fortune are profound; how could it be attributed to this old monk's efforts?" However, the man was clearly unaffected by his words. "Master, you are too modest. Those matters
were initially unresolved, causing me a great deal of trouble. My subordinates were incompetent, always consulting me for instructions; they had no ability whatsoever. It was your
words, Master, that cleared the clouds and gave me confidence. So, taking advantage of the holiday, I came to fulfill my vow and hope to hear more of your teachings, and also to bring
my daughter to broaden her horizons. Thank you, Master." "Amitabha, very well, very well. The Buddha's salvation is boundless, and the path to enlightenment is clear and strong."

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