I saw that the dishes in each box were slightly different, so I wanted the fried potato one. But the lunch boxes were randomly distributed, that is, what we got was what we walked over to. The staff who served the meals ignored us and just went along.

The believer voluntarily paid 5 yuan in the box next to me. Lao Cao was in front of me. He took the meal and left. I saw that he didn’t give it to me, so I just took my share and followed him.

gone.

When I opened the box, it was eggplant which I disliked the most. Fortunately, there were also some fried potatoes, so I made do with it.

We ate slowly and waited for about 30 minutes, and the food was basically finished. Master Shi Yanxu also came to our table with his own portion of rice. I originally thought of being polite, but

Seeing Lao Cao sitting in a dignified manner, Master Shi waved his hand, but I didn't move.

The master first clasped his hands and said something to the food, and then began to eat. He ate slowly and leisurely, but not at all slow. Then he saw the remaining eggplants in my box, and the master asked: "You don't want to eat it?"

?".

I didn't expect that the master's first question was to ask me this, and he stammered: "Ah...ah, that one doesn't like eggplants very much."

The master didn't say anything. He took my lunch box and poured it into his own lunch box. Then he didn't mind it and finished it in a few mouthfuls. This made me very embarrassed.

"Donor, remember that every meal is hard-earned. Do you know why you can't specify the food in the dining hall and just take it as you go?" After the master finished eating, he clasped his hands together, as if he was facing me, but also seemed to be facing me.

Lunchbox said.

"Ah? I don't know, is there such a rule? I'm following Taoist Master Cao."

"Ordinary people tend to be greedy for delicious things; they are prone to anger when it comes to unpalatable food, which they are not used to eating; and they are in a state of ignorance when it comes to food that is neither very delicious nor very difficult to eat.

When we practice Buddhism, we must practice "passing" in our minds, which means we should not be attached to anything: not attached to greed, not attached to anger, and not attached to ignorance. As long as there is attachment, it is not called "passing". We should just walk by like us.

, walk by, pass by, nothing to cling to." Master Shi Yanxu seemed to be talking to me, or to the lunch box, without even looking at me.

"I see, I have learned a lesson. Thank you, master." I stood up and bowed slightly to the master. His words suddenly made me realize the Taoist feeling of not paying attention to external things. It seems that there are indeed similarities in spiritual practice.

"You came to me probably because of that treasure letter."

"Master, I really understand. I opened the treasure letter, but there was only a piece of wood and a piece of silk, nothing else. And I don't recognize what was written on the piece of wood. You are a great monk, so I came to ask you.", I

Seeing that Lao Cao was still chewing his teeth slowly, he had no intention of explaining, so I can only speak.

"Bring it to me and see." Master Shi lowered his head slightly and gestured to me.

I glanced at Lao Cao, and then handed over the treasure letter. The master opened the yellow cloth, touched the piece of wood, then put it down, put his hands together in front of the piece of wood and recited: "Amitabha."

"How's it going, Master? What is this?" I hope Master can explain it to me.

"This is the Bayeux Sutra, and the text on it is in Pali." Oh my, it's a new term.

"What is this you are talking about? Can you please clarify it?"

"This is a sutra written by our Buddha, the World Honored One, when he was still alive. At that time, Brahmins had no paper, so the sutras were carved on the leaves of the bay leaf tree. What is written on it is: When observing the impermanence of form, if you observe like this, it is correct observation. Right observation.

Those who observe it will be disgusted; those who are disgusted will be happy and greedy; those who are happy and greedy will be freed from the mind. These are the words in the Agama Sutra. The World Honored One is teaching you to practice and how to realize the liberation of the mind.", the master lectures on the sutra.

It was really solemn when it was said, but, I really didn’t understand it.

"...that, can you translate it?"

"The World-Honored One said: You should observe that form is impermanent. Observation that can detect impermanence is correct observation. Those who can observe it correctly will have a mind that is disgusted with impermanence. Those who can be disgusted with it will like it.

When greed and joy are eliminated, it is called liberation of the mind."

"What is impermanence?"

"Everything that can be seen and heard, everything in the heaven, earth, universe, everything, is in flux and does not last forever, so it is impermanent."

"I understand, even if you see it as emptiness, emptiness may not always be there. If you see more things that are not always there, you will understand that there is no need to persist in many things, right." I probably understood it.

"The donor is very wise and can tell the origin in just one sentence."

"Is there anything else in the treasure letter?"

"Gone."

"What kind of leaf is this? Is it so powerful? It has turned everything upside down in my house." I thought of the unlucky Zihao.

"That only means that there are too many people or things in the donor's family who cannot come into contact with the Buddha's teachings." This old monk actually laughed.

"...That makes sense. Then who gave me this leaf and asked you to bring it to me?" I can change the topic and ask.

"Can't say." I asked in vain.

"You just said that the World Honored One is teaching me how to practice. What do you mean?"

"The World Honored One hopes that all people in the world will achieve liberation of mind, correct understanding, correct awareness and correct mindfulness."

"Then the World Honored One doesn't just teach me one thing?"

"The donor is also one of the sentient beings."

This old monk couldn't ask anything. I looked at Lao Cao. He was sitting with his eyes looking at his nose, and his nose looking at his mouth. He was sitting with a straight pen and a straight pipe. You can help me say something.

I touched him and he woke up. The first thing he said was, are you done asking? Let’s go. I was so angry that my teeth were itching. You are really a pig teammate!

Seeing that I had nothing to say, I stood up and was about to say goodbye. Unexpectedly, Master Shi said something to me that had no beginning or end: "Donor, please carry this letter with you at all times!"

"Ah? Why?".

The person didn't answer, gave a slight bow, and left. I could only think silently in my heart, this is a master who has achieved enlightenment, and he just doesn't know why, it's the fault of Amitabha Buddha.

Coming out of the back door of the temple, I asked Lao Cao: "What kind of friend are you? Can you say something with subject, predicate and guest?"

"Don't underestimate this old monk. How old do you think he is?"

"How do I know? Even you cultivators can't tell, 60?!"

"We are practitioners, and so are you now. Let me tell you this, he should have passed away in 1944. Understand."

"What do you mean, he is dead?

"You're so big, he has been practicing for almost 80 years even from that time."

"Weren't you born in 1840? You are almost 200 years old now. Are you afraid of him?"

"It's not that I'm afraid. We practice different methods, so there's no need to argue."

"I thought monks didn't know how to cultivate immortality."
Chapter completed!