The Journey to the West, a novel, describes the story that Tang Priest and his disciples finally got the scriptures from the Tathagata Buddha after 8 1 difficulties. Because there was a famous monk named Xuanzang in the Tang Dynasty who went to India to "learn from the scriptures", which played an important role in the history of Buddhism in China. Therefore, some people will inevitably confuse the characters in the novel with those in reality. In fact, although the mythical novel The Journey to the West is based on the story of Xuanzang's learning from the scriptures, Xuanzang described in the book has been deified, and the plots of learning from the scriptures are almost fictional. As for Xuanzang's three disciples, the Monkey King, Pig Bajie and Friar Sand, they are all fictitious.
Although the real Tang Priest didn't meet any monsters along the way, his journey was extremely thrilling.
Why did you become a monk?
In Wu Cheng'en's novel The Journey to the West, the birth of Tang Priest had a legendary experience: Tang Priest's parents were killed by an adulterer on the boat, and Tang Priest was almost killed after his birth. Fortunately, his mother secretly put him in a wooden basin and drifted away along the river, so that he could be considered as a temporary survivor. When the young Tang priest drifted to Jinshan Temple, he was saved by a monk named Faming. He named his milk Liu Jiang, and when he became an adult, he took the legal name Xuanzang, which made him have an indissoluble bond with the Buddha.
The real experience of Xuanzang's birth is still a mystery. When and where he was born has not been determined. It is generally believed that Xuanzang was born in Luozhou County in the second year of Sui Renshou. Before becoming a monk, his surname was Chen, and after becoming a monk, his legal name was Xuanzang.
So, was there any unusual sign when Xuanzang was born? There is a story in Journey to the West, which tells that when the master was born, his mother dreamed that a white wizard said goodbye to her. The wizard said, "In order to seek Buddhism, we will go to the west." This white wizard is Xuanzang. Although this is only a legend, Master Xuanzang's performance as a child was really different from that of ordinary people.
There is also a saying that Master Xuanzang was born in his parents' later years, when his father was about fifty years old. I got a son in my later years, which made my parents cherish it. Xuanzang was very clever when he was young and never forgot things. He wrote a thousand diaries.
Master Xuanzang is a genius of Buddhism, so how did he become a monk? Recorded in 2006, Xuanzang was the reincarnation of the elder Jin Chan under the Tathagata, and was destined to go to the West. During the period of The biography of Master Sanzang and Journey to the West, Xuanzang's motivation to become a monk was interpreted as his belief in Buddhism. In contrast, "The Behavior of Master Tang Xuanzang" in
According to The biography of Master Sanzang's records, Xuanzang's family started well. His grandfather and father are both knowledgeable intellectuals. His father is a county magistrate, his mother is the daughter of Sui Luo Taishou Shi, and Master Xuanzang is the fourth son. Xuanzang's mother died when he was five years old. Before the age of eight, his father resigned because of his old age and illness, which caused Xuanzang's childhood hardship.
Xuanzang's second brother became a monk at first and his reputation spread far and wide. He lives in Jingtu Temple in Luoyang, and Xuanzang often studies Buddhist classics with him. At the age of thirteen, Xuanzang also became a monk. As an adult, Xuanzang traveled around the world and visited famous monks. He learned a lot.
So, who prompted Xuanzang to learn from the West? What is the real purpose of his trip to the west to learn from the scriptures? It is said in the novel that Guanyin Bodhisattva asked Tang Priest if he would like to talk about Mahayana at the Land and Water Law Meeting. Tang Priest, suffering from being unable to learn Mahayana at home, humbly asked the Bodhisattva for advice. Bodhisattva took the opportunity to show him how to go to the western Mahayana and win over all beings. So Xuanzang volunteered to Emperor Taizong and embarked on a long journey to the West.
However, the fact is that in the history of China, long before Xuanzang, many people learned from the West, which made Xuanzang yearn for it. Among them, the success of Fa Xian, a eminent monk in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and his book "Continued Tang Dou Hongzhi Biography" directly inspired Xuanzang's determination to learn from the scriptures. Another important reason for Xuanzang's voyage to the West is that during his study of Buddhism, Xuanzang found that there were great differences in the interpretation of the same classic in the Buddhist circles at that time, and this ambiguity could not be unified and coordinated, which was an obvious hidden danger for the development of Buddhism.
In the ninth year of Tang Wude, Xuanzang met Boromidoro, a monk from central India, in Chang 'an. He is a disciple of Jie Xian, an authoritative Buddhist in Naranto Temple, India, and can recite 100,000 hymns. Xuanzang got the most valuable thing when he heard the news. He went to the door in person and asked the Indian monk for advice. After hearing this, Xuanzang said that Jie Xian was familiar with Buddhist classics 100 and was giving lectures at Nalantuo Temple, so he made up his mind to go to the West to seek dharma.
The real obstacle to going west.
Anyone who has read the Biography of the Continued Monk knows that the biggest obstacle to Tang Priest's westward journey comes from monsters. In the novel, Tang Priest was personally appointed by Emperor Taizong to go to the west to learn from the scriptures. Before he left, Emperor Taizong personally handed the customs clearance documents to Tang Tang monk, and became sworn brothers with him, giving him great support. However, at the beginning of the real journey to the west, the main obstacle came from the court.
In the early Tang Dynasty, the country was initially established, and the border was unstable, so China people were not allowed to leave the country. In the first year of Zhenguan, Xuanzang repeatedly applied for "crossing the country" and went west to seek the dharma, which was not approved by Emperor Taizong. This incident did not dispel Xuanzang's idea of going west to seek dharma. He is determined to look for opportunities to go west. According to the regulations at that time, the punishment of private crossing was heavier than that of private crossing, so his decision was very dangerous. In the third year of Zhenguan, Chang 'an suffered a great disaster, and the government let the people find their own way out. Xuanzang took the opportunity to sneak into the victims and go through the customs. That year, Xuanzang was just 27 years old. From this day on, he embarked on a road full of unknowns.
The real Xuanzang has firm courage and extraordinary courage, which is completely different from the timid Tang priest in the novel.
Although Xuanzang's journey to the west was not as difficult as 8 1, it was also full of dangers, and he was almost arrested many times, but he finally passed the customs smoothly.
Xuanzang went to Liangzhou and lived there for more than a month. As a local Buddhist temple, it is very popular. Liangzhou is a metropolis in Hexi Corridor of Gansu and an important town on the Silk Road. At that time, Li Daliang, the governor of Liangzhou, received an imperial edict to block the border and prohibit people from going west to guard against the invasion of Jie Li Khan's Turkish army. When Xuanzang planned to continue westward, the officers and men of Liangzhou Customs dared not switch on and off privately, so they had to report to Li Daliang for decision. Knowing Xuanzang's reputation, Li Daliang asked his men to convey his orders: Don't go west to learn the scriptures, and return to Beijing immediately.
Xuanzang is in a dilemma. Maybe God won't close one door, but he will open another. A monk named Wei Hui in Liangzhou helped him. Wei Hui, a Buddhist leader in Hexi region, has great authority. Wei Hui learned of Li Daliang's restrictions and decided to help Xuanzang. He Sen
Under the escort of Hui Lin and Daozheng, Xuanzang camped all the way, stayed during the day and walked at night, and arrived in Guazhou a few days later. Gu Zunfa, Governor of Guazhou. I heard that Master Xuanzang had come and treated him warmly. At this time, Governor Li Daliang of Liangzhou followed Xuanzang's official document. They have doubts about Xuanzang's identity. An official named Chang Li showed the official document to Xuanzang privately and asked, "Is this a master?" Xuanzang hesitated to answer. Chang Li said, "please tell the truth, master. If you are Xuanzang, I'll think of a way for you. " Xuanzang had to tell the truth. Chang Li, who knew the truth, was moved by Xuanzang's behavior and spirit. He tore up the documents in front of Xuanzang and told him to leave as soon as possible. After leaving Guazhou, in order to avoid the interrogation of the government, he dared not take the official road openly, so he could only rely on it to avoid getting lost, but he was in danger of encountering officers and men at any time.
Xuanzang met with difficulties before Guazhou, but it was basically smooth sailing. From Guazhou to Yiwu, the 900-mile journey is the most difficult part of Xuanzang's journey to the West.
The biggest natural features of Guazhou are desert and strong wind. After Xuanzang bid farewell to Chang Li, the situation was very bad. First of all, the horse he rode died, and two monks in Liangzhou left him one after another. Besides, the road ahead is difficult, and no one is willing to risk showing him the way. Xuanzang is very worried. Just then, Shi Pantuo, a semi-finalist of the conference, was willing to go with him. However, the conference semifinals are not loyal partners. After entering the desert, they left Xuanzang halfway and went back because of fear. Helpless, Xuanzang had to bite the bullet and break through five beacon towers alone and enter the 800-mile desert-Moheyan moraine desert. During the crossing, he was almost shot and killed by a guard soldier. After entering the desert, although there is no threat from officers and men, the danger from nature is even more terrible. The unique mirage phenomenon in the desert haunts Xuanzang from time to time like a ghost, and the desert yellow sand that covers the sun passes by him from time to time. At this time, the only water bag unfortunately fell to the ground, not a drop of water left. Xuanzang thought of retiring, and really retired. He walked back more than ten miles, but in the end he turned back and headed west. Five days later, without water and lost his way, Xuanzang miraculously walked out of the desert and reached Yiwu, the first stop in the Western Regions. A few days later, he arrived in Gao Changguo.
In Gaochang's hometown, Xuanzang was banned again.
When King Tai of Wen Qu heard of Xuanzang's arrival, he sent a special envoy to meet him and became brothers with Xuanzang. He hopes to keep the learned monk in a hospitable way. Xuanzang's journey to the west was once again blocked and he went on a hunger strike to show his determination to go west. On the fourth day, Xuanzang was already very weak, so Ju had to agree to let him go and provide unimaginable wealth of materials. Before leaving, Wen Qu asked Xuanzang to stay in Gao Changguo for three years after he came back from India. He also asked for a month's leave, and Xuanzang promised one by one.
When he left Gaochang, Xuanzang had his own Buddhist scriptures team for the first time, with a total of 30 people. The team only existed for a short time, and then a big avalanche and altitude sickness killed most people. Only two disciples and Xuanzang survived.
In 6 1 year, Xuanzang traveled through more than 20 countries and finally set foot in India and saw the Nalanduo Temple.
Since then, he has studied at the earliest Buddhist university in the world for more than ten years. During this period, Xuanzang became famous at a national debate held by the King of the Forbidden City. Since then, Xuanzang's reputation in India has spread far and wide, and no one can match it.
In 6 1 year, Xuanzang bid farewell to the king of the Anti-Japanese War and prepared to return to China. He decided to return to Chang 'an along the northern line of the Silk Road through Gao Changguo. According to his agreement with Ju, Xuanzang should stay for three years, but on his way back to the East, he learned that Gaochang Royal House was no longer alive, and this agreement was not fulfilled. Two years later, Xuanzang returned to China and was warmly welcomed by the ruling and opposition parties.
Disciple Yu Bai
In the novel, Xuanzang not only took the Monkey King, Pig Bajie, Friar Sand and Xiaobailong on the road, but also brought the three treasures of Guanyin: the golden bat cassock, the nine precepts, three golden hoops and the golden bowl given by the royal family. The fairy clears the way, and the white dragon goes to the palace. This is awesome, but in reality, Tang Yan is not so lucky. It's not just misfortune, it's simply misfortune.
Xuanzang went west all the way and got a lot of help, but he was not an apprentice. If you must find an apprentice, the savage hippanto is barely one. Only he took the initiative to ask Xuanzang to be ordained for him.
To sum up, it can be seen that there was only one Tang priest in reality at first, and he had to walk 50 thousand miles to reach the Western Regions. A local monk named Wei Hui sympathized with Xuanzang and sent his disciple Hui Lin and Daozheng to escort him westward. They arrived in Guazhou day and night, and the two monks went back. Xuanzang bought a horse in Guazhou, and no one led him. At this time, Ren Hu came to ask Xuanzang to be ordained for him, and volunteered to be Xuanzang's guide. Some scholars believe that this stone pan head is the embodiment of the year of the Monkey King recorded in Buddhist scriptures. Shipanto was Xuanzang's first disciple, and his identity was a guide, which was very consistent with that of the Monkey King. Moreover, since Xuanzang shaved his head, the head of the stone plate in the semi-final of the conference has become a monk Hu, and his pronunciation is very close to that of the Monkey King, commonly known as Monkey Brother. It may be that there is a sound change in the process of communication, but it is not impossible. But the conference semifinals did not stick to the end like the Monkey King, nor did they give up halfway.
From this moment on, Xuanzang was left alone, and the vast desert was just around the corner. Xuanzang got lost in the desert, which was a terrible thing. Unexpectedly, it never rains but it pours. His last water bag was knocked over. After four days and five nights of endless dripping, Xuanzang was dying. Devout Buddhists lie in the desert and meditate against Guanyin. For Xuanzang, Guanyin is only the spiritual pillar to maintain his life, and it is a purple and thin horse that really helps him out of the predicament. Obviously, this is an old horse with rich travel experience. Xuanzang came to a spring. Compared with the handsome white dragon, this horse is not even a prototype.
Who did Xuanzang meet in the west?
In the year of Journey to the West, Tang Priest's destination was Daleyin Temple in Tianzhu, where he would meet the Tathagata. In reality, there is no Leiyin Temple or Tathagata in Xuanzang's westbound destination. The real Tathagata, that is, Sakyamuni, was born in the sixth century and was 80 years old, while Xuanzang's journey to the west was already in the sixth century, separated by thousands of years. Xuanzang will definitely not see the Tathagata there.
Xuanzang was going to Nalanduo Temple, which was a Buddhist holy place that fascinated all Buddhists at that time. It was the highest institution of Indian Buddhism at that time, mainly Mahayana Buddhism. When Xuanzang arrived here, he received a grand reception comparable to that of a novel. When the monks of Nalanduo Temple heard that Xuanzang had arrived in King Kong, they sent four elders to meet him. More than 200 monks and 1000 sandalwood trees came to meet them. Surrounded by admiration, Xuanzang was welcomed into Nalanduo Temple.
When Xuanzang arrived at Nalanduo Temple, it was the venerable Master Jiexian who lived in this temple. At this time, Xie Xian is over 0/00 years old, and it is said that he has been waiting for Xuanzang for a long time, which shows that he attaches great importance to Xuanzang. Xuanzang studied in Nalanduo Temple for five years, traveled around the world, traveled to dozens of countries, and humbly asked for advice from famous teachers. Then he went back to Nalanduo Temple and reported his study to his teacher Xie Xian, who praised him.
In the sixteenth year of Zhenguan, the Indian king who gave up Japan held a Buddhist debate in Qunnvcheng and invited Xuanzang as the main speaker. The participants were 18 kings from five India, 3,000 Mahayana Buddhist scholars and 2,000 pagans. At that time, Xuanzang said that anyone could ask questions at will, but no one could beat him. This debate made him famous. Mahayana respected him as "Mahayana Heaven" and Mahayana respected him as "Free Heaven". The King of Japanese Buddhist Rings insisted that Xuanzang attend Dafa once every five years, which lasted for 75 days. After the meeting, Xuanzang decided to return.
After the news of Xuanzang's return to China spread, he recalled that the King of War tried his best to keep him. Kumara of Gamoran said that as long as he stayed in India, he would build a hundred monasteries for India. However, these generous treatment did not shake his determination to return to China.
Grand occasion of returning home
In the novel, the story of Tang Priest's return to Tang Dynasty is briefly introduced, and King Kong under the Tathagata seat is directly escorted back to China by Xiangyun. It is mentioned that the four masters and apprentices were greeted with unprecedented pomp when they returned to the Tang Dynasty.
In reality, Xuanzang's trip back to China was really smooth, unimpeded and escorted, but he was not a fairy, but was escorted back to China by the kings of several countries in the form of a relay. On the 25th day of the first month of the 19th year of Zhenguan, Xuanzang returned to Chang 'an and met him like never before. "The Taoist temple rushed to meet, and the capital went on strike." Whether the monk or the customs came to pick him up, the whole capital market stopped. On the second day after Xuanzang returned to Chang 'an, he displayed the Buddhist scriptures and statues he brought from India in the south of Suzaku Street.
Finally, it is said that Tang Priest and his disciples sent the scriptures back to the Tang Dynasty and were brought back to the west by King Kong, and the Tathagata gave them several places respectively. The truth is that after Xuanzang returned to China, Emperor Taizong asked him to return to the secular world and assist in the administration of state affairs, but he was politely refused by the master. He was absorbed in translating the scriptures he brought back.
Xuanzang spent most of his time translating after returning to China. In his life, he translated 75 Buddhist scriptures, 1335 volumes, which was unprecedented in both quantity and quality. He also creatively invented a new translation. The former translation method is called the old translation method, which is represented by "true meaning" and "Kumarajiva". Most of the old translators are foreigners, and China people are often difficult to understand because they are not proficient in Chinese or put too much emphasis on free translation and literal translation. Xuanzang solved these problems well. He is proficient in Sanskrit and Chinese, and his translation of classics is fluent, which is easy for China people to read.
After returning to China, Xuanzang also wrote an important book, The Journey to the West, which recorded the social and historical changes of countries and regions in West Asia and South Asia and the situation at that time. There are some materials in Xuanzang's book that are not found in other books. Therefore, this not only broadens the horizons of Chinese people, but also provides a lot of historical materials for Indian archaeology. Now almost all books about ancient India will quote this book.
In the first year of Linde, a generation of Buddhist masters died one after another. On the day of Xuanzang's burial, more than one million people went to the funeral, and more than 30,000 people slept beside the tomb. Where the master's body was sent after his death is still a mystery.