[Xi 'an Little Wild Goose Pagoda Xuanzang Statue]
Wang Jueren, the author of The Power of Faith, collected a large number of historical records and vividly described the moving story of Xuanzang's westward journey 19. After reading it, people feel: touching and accurate, inspiring, fresh in memory, penetrating and unforgettable.
Xuanzang (602-664 AD), a famous monk in the Tang Dynasty, was the founder of Faxiangzong. Born in Luozhou (now Yanshi, Luoyang City, Henan Province), his common name was Chen Yi, and his legal name was Xuanzang. He was honored as "Master Sanzang" and later called "Tang Priest".
Xuanzang (the Tang Priest) went to Jingtu Temple to study Buddhism with his second brother, monk Chang Jie, when he was 1 1 2. In 6 15 AD, Zheng, secretary of Dali Temple, sent someone to become a monk in Luoyang. Xuanzang, who was only 13 years old, went to attend the class when he heard the news, and then learned from the teacher.
At that time, Xuanzang was too young to become a monk. Xuanzang's persistence and devotion to Buddhism helped Zheng. He made an exception by accepting Xuanzang as a disciple and shaving him as a monk. Since then, Xuanzang has worked harder and devoted himself to studying Buddhism. Zheng predicted that the young man would eventually become a "great interpreter" and a generation of monks, but he never imagined that his decision at this moment would affect the Buddhist history of China 1000 years.
After becoming a monk, Xuanzang visited famous teachers all over the country during1o. At this time, he has become a highly respected monk. During his years of study, Xuanzang found that many famous teachers had different understandings of Buddhism, and there were many contradictions among various Buddhist scriptures, which made people feel at a loss, so he sprouted a strong desire to go to India to seek more original Buddhist scriptures, especially Mahayana classics.
In 627 A.D., a severe drought occurred in Chang 'an and Guanzhong areas, which triggered a large-scale famine, starved countless victims and made it difficult for the people to survive. The court cannot allow the victims to find their own way out. Realizing that the time was ripe, Xuanzang secretly crossed the border among the refugees and went west to seek the law.
? The future of this trip is uncertain, and life and death are unpredictable. When he set out, Xuanzang had nothing but a simple bag and an ideal of seeking dharma. The road to Tianzhu is full of twists and turns that ordinary people can't imagine. Along the way, although there is no Bai Gujing, no pansi cave, no cows and flaming mountains, and no ghosts and dangers like 9980, there are endless desert sand, a deserted Gobi desert, troubles of interrogation, arrests of officials and historians, and dangers of disorientation and lack of water and food. All these are enough to bury the Xuan Prize in an unknown place.
【 800-mile desert beach map without water and grass 】
? However, all this did not stop and shake Xuanzang's determination and steps to seek the Dharma in the Western Heaven. As early as the moment Xuanzang stepped out of Chang 'an, he swore that his trip was not for money, not for fame, but for supreme Buddhism. Don't go back to the East until you reach Tianzhu (India). I would rather die in the west than live in the east.
【 Xuanzang's Road Map of Seeking the Dharma in the Western Heaven 】
Xuanzang set out from Chang 'an and passed through Qin Zhou (Tianshui, Gansu), Lanzhou, Liangzhou (Wuwei, Gansu), Guazhou, Zhangye and the five peaks outside Yumenguan, all of which were heavily guarded. It entered the Gobi Desert in Moheyan in 800, where there were no birds, no animals, no water and no grass on the Shahe River. Overcoming the suffering of four days and four nights without dripping water, I finally crossed this terrible death zone and arrived in Gaochang (Turpan, Xinjiang) via Yiwu (now Hami).
Xuanzang's knowledge, ideals and actions moved Wang Wentai of Gaochang, and he insisted that Xuanzang stay in Gaochang to preach the scriptures. He used the temptation of high officials, money and beautiful women and the means of combining hard and soft, but they could not change Xuanzang's determination to seek the Dharma in the west. In desperation, Xuanzang had to go on a hunger strike for three days. Wen Tai was moved by Xuanzang's sincerity and proposed two conditions for his release: first, to become brothers with him; Second, stay in Gaochang for three years after returning from seeking dharma. Xuanzang agreed that Wen Tai was overjoyed and prepared a lot of food, clothes, boots and socks, 30,000 yuan, 65,438+000 taels of gold, silk and so on. For him, it supplemented the funds spent on studying law for 20 years. Give 30 horses and 25 guards. In addition, Wen Tai personally wrote 24 letters of credentials, ordered the ministers who escorted them to the king along the way, and presented a big silk horse as a gift. It provided all-round help for Xuanzang's successful trip to 24 countries.
Xuanzang left Gaochang, crossed Yanqi, Qiuci and other countries, crossed Lingshan and reached Broken Leaf City (now Kyrgyzstan). Will he protect Khan with leaves? With the help of Hu Khan's letters and envoys, Xuanzang successfully passed through the western countries, crossed tiemenguan (now southern Uzbekistan), entered Tuholo (northern Afghanistan), crossed Kashmir and entered Indian territory.
In the autumn of 63 1 year (the fifth year of Zhenguan), Xuanzang finally came to Nalanduo Temple, a Buddhist holy place he had longed for and dreamed of for a long time. Here, Xuanzang worshipped Jiexian as a teacher, devoted himself to studying Sanskrit (Hindi) and painstakingly studying various classics, which lasted for five years. Since then, Xuanzang has visited Wutianzhu (ancient India: East Tianzhu, South Tianzhu, West Tianzhu, North Tianzhu and Middle Tianzhu) and met all the masters of Buddhism, and his footprints are all over India.
[Xuanzang pays homage to Indian sages]
In 642 A.D. (the 16th year of Zhenguan), Xuanzang defeated all the opponents of Wutianzhu at the open meeting of the group of women's cities held by Jieri Wang, and became more famous, almost replacing Jiexian and becoming the most accomplished and prestigious Buddhist leader in India.
Xuanzang realized that his mission had been completed. In 643 (the seventeenth year of Zhenguan), he bid farewell to the master of Jiexian and the King of Jieri and returned to China. After two years, Xuanzang finally returned to Chang 'an, which had been away for nearly 20 years, on the 24th day of the first month in 645 AD.
No one knew that after 19, this lonely "thief" would come back with great achievements, which was welcomed by the people of the whole country and personally received by Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong.
? If you want to make a great career in life, you must start from a young age and have a firm belief. As long as we persist in doing one thing seriously, we can achieve certain results.
[Illustrated by the great mathematician Chen Jingrun]
? If a person can put life and death aside for lofty ideals and career, there is nothing to be afraid of! With such tenacious spirit and belief, the world will give you a brave way forward!
? Wei Lisheng
2018 may 2 1 Fuzhou
? [Author's illustration]