dognovel Chapter 938 The blessing ceremony ended successfully (68 reward points plus additional content)
Chapter 938 The blessing ceremony ended successfully (68 reward points plus additional content)
Today, the senior monks of Fatu Temple came to the palace in special carriages wearing solemn robes and carrying Buddhist instruments.
Even respected monks had to abide by palace rules and go through a series of notification and inspection procedures before they could enter the palace and go to Yuhua Pavilion.
Everyone knows that the monk walking in front is Master Xingchen.
Along the way, many palace maids looked at him and couldn't help blushing.
No wonder when talking about Master Xingchen, everyone says that besides his profound Buddhist knowledge, his appearance is also outstanding!
Even... many of Master Xingchen's fanatical female followers are probably not there for the sake of believing in Buddhism, but for other purposes...
Seeing him today, I found that the rumors were indeed true.
After Master Xingchen and his party arrived at Yuhua Pavilion, the monks began to set up the altar, placing the Buddha statue in a prominent position, and then placing incense burners, incense candles, clean water, flowers and other offerings, and laying out cushions on the ground for kneeling and worshiping.
After everything was ready, Yuan Bao's voice came from outside: "The Imperial Concubine Chen is here --!!!"
Shen Zhinian got down from the sedan chair, placed his slender fingers on the back of Handan's hand, and walked inside.
The palace servants all stopped what they were doing and knelt down respectfully, "Your servants pay their respects to Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine Chen. May Your Majesty be blessed with good health!"
Master Xingchen and the monks behind him also clasped their hands together and saluted: "Empress Chen."
Shen Zhinian's gaze fell on Master Xingchen.
He was wearing a white monk's robe with wide sleeves hanging down. The fabric seemed to be stained with morning dew and had a soft luster.
His brow bones are high and his eyebrows are long and slender like ink. When he frowns slightly, it seems as if a breeze passes through his heart, bringing with it a sense of detachment from the world.
His eyes were particularly clear, with slightly upturned corners. His pupils were as black as ink, yet clear as a spring, as if he could see through the vanity and vanity of the world.
When he gazed quietly ahead, his gaze was like a deep pool, calm and yet full of endless compassion and wisdom.
The bridge of her nose was as straight as jade, and her lips were extremely light in color, almost pale. When she pursed her lips, it was as if there was an invisible barrier that isolated her from the hustle and bustle of the world.
Master Xingchen has a slender and thin figure, with an extremely straight back, like a green pine standing on the top of a green mountain, isolated from the world.
When she raised her hands and put them together, her sleeves fluttered, revealing a white wrist. She wore a string of bodhi beads on her wrist, each of which was round and smooth, with a warm luster. Her fingertips were slender and thin, with distinct joints, and seemed to carry a faint sandalwood scent, which made people feel calm.
Before the meeting, Shen Zhinian imagined that Master Xingchen was a person who looked innocent on the surface, but actually had a crooked look in his eyes. After all, which decent monk would have an affair with a concubine?
But she didn't expect that Master Xingchen's appearance and temperament were completely different from what she had imagined.
In addition to his outstanding appearance, there was also a cool aura lingering around him, like the bright moon hanging high in the night sky, shining brightly, yet just out of reach.
With his hands clasped together and his brows lowered, he seems to be showing compassion for all living beings.
This posture and expression seem to be far away from this world.
When the wind blew, the copper bells on the eaves rang softly, and Master Xingchen's sleeves fluttered gently, but his peaceful and harmonious appearance remained unchanged.
It seems that all the disturbances in the world cannot shake the clarity and tranquility in his heart. He is a clear spring in this world, cold and pure, making people unforgettable.
Shen Zhinian's first impression of Master Xingchen was that he was clean and compassionate.
At this moment, she also understood why Master Xingchen had so many followers in the capital.
Why would the royal temple, which has always been famous for its solemnity, choose him as the next abbot?
Because Master Xingchen gives people the feeling of a cold and compassionate Buddhist.
At this moment, even Shen Zhinian couldn't help but feel a little doubtful.
Would such a person really have an affair with a palace concubine and give birth to an illegitimate child?
Is it true that you can't judge a person by his appearance, or is there something wrong with the rumors from the previous life?
If Master Xingchen had not done such a shameful thing, given Nangong Xuanyu's personality, why would he order him to be torn into pieces?
Shen Zhinian had many doubts in his mind...
These thoughts flashed through her mind quickly, but Shen Zhinian did not show any abnormality on her face.
The royal family attaches great importance to Fatu Temple. Even the emperor is very polite when facing the monks. Shen Zhinian naturally would not put on airs like a royal concubine.
She also stretched out her hands and returned the greeting: "Master, there is no need to be polite."
Next, the blessing ceremony officially began.
Master Xingchen led the monks and Shen Zhinian to light incense and candles, and kneeled down to worship the Buddha statue while holding burning incense to express their respect and prayers to the Bodhisattva.
What follows next is the core part of the blessing ceremony - chanting scriptures.
They all knelt on the cushions and recited Buddhist scriptures, praying for the royal family to eliminate disasters and difficulties, to prolong their lives, and to protect the country from good weather, peace and prosperity!
Shen Zhinian does not believe in Buddhism.
If praying to Buddha works, why are there so many good people in the world who die a bad death while bad people go unpunished?
However, even though she didn't believe it, she still had a sense of awe towards the Buddha.
Listening to the monks reciting Buddhist scriptures, Shen Zhinian actually felt a sense of peace in his heart.
What followed was some complicated rituals that she couldn't understand.
Master Xingchen knelt on the cushion in the center of the Buddhist hall, his white monk robe draped like still water. His cuffs embroidered with cloud patterns lightly swept across the bluestone brick surface, raising a few wisps of sandalwood smoke.
As his lips and teeth opened and closed, Sanskrit flowed out of his throat like a clear spring.
His eyes were full of compassion, pitying all the suffering in the world.
There are also many Buddhists in the palace, the most famous of whom are Empress Dowager Liu and Concubine Zhuang.
Every time Shen Zhinian saw Concubine Zhuang, she always had a gentle smile and a dignified look.
In the past, Shen Zhinian scoffed at such behavior.
But today, when she met Master Xingchen and the monks from Fatu Temple, she suddenly realized that there seems to be a difference between true belief in Buddhism and false belief in Buddhism.
finally--
I don’t know how long it took, but the tedious ceremony was over!
Master Xingchen and the monks all stood up from their cushions.
Handan and Fuqiu also helped Shen Zhinian up, one on each side.
Master Xingchen put his hands together and looked at Shen Zhinian with a calm and thin gaze. It seemed that no matter whether the other party's status was noble or humble, in his eyes, there was no difference between him and the flowers and grass in the world.
"Today's blessing ceremony has ended. May the Royal Concubine Chen be free from all temptations, be free from worries and pollution, and be peaceful and free from troubles."
"Namo Amitabha!"
Although Handan was confused and had no idea what Master Xingchen meant by these words, she understood that they were auspicious words.
Shen Zhinian does not believe in Buddhism, but he has heard a few Buddhist terms.
"Unmoved by the eight winds" refers to the eight situations in this world: praise, ridicule, criticism, fame, profit, decline, suffering and happiness are like winds coming from eight directions, none of which can shake the purity and concentration of one's heart.