On the morning of January 14th, in a palace, King Jianping Xiao Daqiu of King Jianping was telling Buddhist stories to the young emperor and the empress dowager. King Poyang Xiao Fan and King Suijian Xiao Dazhi attended.

The emperor was young and actually couldn't understand Buddhist scriptures, but if he listened to Buddhist stories, it was just right: just listen to them as ordinary stories.

The Queen Mother was also happy that someone would tell her stories to her son to relieve her boredom.

Xiao Daqiu and Xiao Dazhi were under twenty years old. In the eyes of the young emperor, the two emperor uncles were not that "old", so they were closer psychologically.

As for Xiao Fan, he is just here to make up his own numbers. He has already been familiar with the story Xiao Daqiu told.

Because he received a gift from Li Li, he had not had a good sleep these days. Now he is tired, but he dares not yawn and sits in a straight posture, so as not to lose his manners in front of him and be said to be rude to the young emperor.

Xiao Daqiu talked and talked about Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is one of the Bodhisattvas. In the Buddhist scriptures of Chinese translation, the first one to mention Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is the "Ramaga Sutra", which was probably translated in Cao Wei.

Xiao Daqiu first explained the word "Ksitigarbha" and said that its meanings are three: one refers to the treasures hidden in the earth; the other refers to the Buddha nature.

Third, it specifically refers to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

In the Ramaga Sutra, there are two places where Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is mentioned. One is among the Bodhisattvas who are in the Shravas Garden of the Kingdom of Shravas and Dugu Garden, and there is the name of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Second, the bhikkhun taught the Pure Ksitigarbha Dharma to all Bodhisattvas.

Xiao Daqiu quoted scriptures and the little emperor could not understand it, so he just mentioned it and let his nephew understand that the name translated by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva came into existence hundreds of years ago.

Recently, the "Dafang and Ten Wheels of the Great Wheels of the Great Wheels" has begun to promote the faith of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. After Xiao Daqiu's careful study, he has gained some understanding of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Today, the belief in Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is not universal. In the eyes of many believers, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is just one of the many Bodhisattvas, and he is not very clear about his deeds.

However, Xiao Daqiu thought that some stories involved in Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva could be told to his nephew.

He compiled the deeds of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva that he summarized from various Buddhist scriptures into several short stories. Of course, the authenticity of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva mentioned in these Buddhist scriptures needs to be distinguished, but it is no problem as story material.

Because some of these stories emphasize "filial piety".

One of the stories is that for a lifetime, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was a rich daughter. Her mother practiced the evil path and fell into hell and suffered after her death.

This woman sold her home property, so she sought incense and flowers, and made great offerings at the pagoda temple.

Be sincere and respectful, stop your distracting thoughts, and recite the Buddha's name with all your heart.

His mother inherited her daughter's filial piety and was born in heaven for merit.

The second story is that there was a lifetime when Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was a filial daughter. His mother liked to eat fish roe during her lifetime and committed a great crime of killing.

After his filial daughter and mother die, she will fall into the evil path. He asked the Arhat to enter into meditation and observe. Sure enough, he found that his mother suffered all the sufferings and tortures in hell.

A filial daughter recites the Buddha's name with all her heart, and offers respectfully, and moves the Buddha with sincerity and filial piety, so as to save her mother from the suffering of hell.

These two stories tell the story of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva having "great filial piety".

Kings of all dynasties have to tell the word "filial piety". Of course, it is very appropriate for Xiao Daqiu to tell his nephew these two stories, but to Xiao Fan, the story is too simple.

Considering that the emperor was young, he could only listen to such simple stories. If he said it complicated, he would not understand them.

The Queen Mother thought this story was good, and the emperor's very Buddhist uncle advised her nephew to be filial to her mother, but she could not be right.

Story 3: Another lifetime, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was once a little prince.

When the Buddha visited, the prince saw that the Buddha was solemn and respectful, so he asked what kind of vows the Buddha made and got such solemn appearance.

The Buddha replied that if you want to be so solemn, you should save all suffering sentient beings.

So the prince made a great vow to save all suffering sentient beings from the sea of ​​suffering from this day to the future, and then he can achieve Buddhahood himself.

Story 4: In another lifetime, there will be a few kings from neighboring countries who make an appointment to do good deeds and benefit all living beings.

One of the kings made a vow to achieve Buddhahood early, save all living beings, and become "all wisdom to achieve Tathagata".

Another king made a vow: If you do not save all sentient beings first and escape from suffering, so that you can actually be happy and attain Bodhi, you will never become a Buddha.

This king is Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Xiao Daqiu told the following two stories to tell his nephew what kind of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is and how it is different from other Bodhisattvas.

In other words, the reason why Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has not become a Buddha is not because he has not practiced enough or has slacked off his practice, but because he uses great compassion and vows to transform sentient beings.

Therefore, although the merits are equal to the Buddha, they do not appear in the Buddha's body and always save sins and suffering sentient beings in the body of a Bodhisattva.

The little emperor was half-understood or not, and he was thinking, but Xiao Dazhi, who was listening, was a little distracted and remembered other stories in his heart.

Liu Song, founding emperor, Emperor Wu of Song, had seven sons. The eldest son Liu Yifu was deposed and killed by the ministers of the regent, and the second son Liu Yizhen was deposed and killed after being deposed as a commoner.

The third son, Emperor Wen of Song, Liu Yilong, was murdered by the crown prince.

The fourth son, Liu Yikang, was sentenced to death by his brother, Emperor Wen of Song, and his fifth son, Liu Yigong, was killed by his former deposed emperor and nephew Liu Ziye.

The sixth son, Liu Yixuan, was killed for rebellion, and the seventh son, Liu Yiji, died of depression.

Six of Emperor Wu of Song died tragically, and one died in depression.

Emperor Wen Liu Yilong had nineteen sons, the third son Liu Jun and the eleven son Liu Yu ascended the throne and became emperors. The two died well, one fled to Wei, and the three died young, and the others could not die well.

Emperor Xiaowu Liu Jun had twenty-eight sons, of which twelve died prematurely and sixteen were killed, of which Liu Jun, Emperor Liu Yu, killed the most.

Emperor Ming of Song, Liu Yu, had no biological sons, adopted twelve sons, and were all killed by Xiao Daocheng.

Xiao Daocheng usurped the throne, and for the Liu Song royal family, "every young man died in seclusion."

Emperor Gao of Qi, Xiao Daocheng and his son Emperor Wu of Qi, Xiao Zhi, and their descendants were almost killed by Xiao Daocheng's nephew, Xiao Luan, Xiao Daocheng's nephew.

Xiao Luan deposed the two emperors and usurped the throne as a vassal king, so he naturally would not let the descendants of the imperial family go.

The royal family killed all the members of Liu Song and Xiao Qi in two generations, and the one who killed the most was the uncle who killed nephew.

Xiao Dazhi read the historical materials and learned that Liu Ziluan, the eighth son of Emperor Xiaowu of Song, was sentenced to death by the emperor's brother Liu Ziye when he was ten years old. Before his death, he said in great grief and anger:

"I wish I will never be reborn in the Wang family."

Therefore, after my grandfather (Xiao Yan) ascended the throne, he treated the royal family well and his nephew well, and hoped that the children of the royal family would live in harmony.

However, the tragedy of uncle killing nephew still happened.

After Xiao Daqiu's explanation was completed, the emperor and the empress dowager left.

Afterwards, King Xiao Fan of Poyang was an elder and left first. Before he could reach the palace gate, Xiao Daqiu stepped forward and talked to his cousin.

The uncle and nephew stopped and stood in front of the palace gate.

Xiao Dazhi slowly stepped forward.

He looked at his uncle's back, his eyes flashed with anxiety, his heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and his breathing was rapid.

Two years ago, at the Lantern Festival, something happened in Taicheng. King Xiao Dacheng of Guiyang and King Xiao Daya of Liuyang who rushed to Taicheng to rescue him died unexpectedly.

Last summer, the Prince of Nanjun Xiao Dalian attempted to murder the King of Poyang and was sentenced to death.

Xiao Daqiu and Xiao Dazhi have only recently obtained evidence to prove that the death of the three uncles of the son and emperor today was due to the deliberate murder of one person.

That person, their brothers call him "Uncle" (coon uncle).

However, sporadic evidence cannot be directly convicted, and the "uncle" has great power and has no chance to punish him with clear principles.

If "Xu Tuzhi", the other party would not give them too much time.

The uncle and nephew who had happened between the royal family members, which happened in Liu Song and Xiao Qi, has happened again. The murderer would not stop until he killed all his nephews.

They either wait for death or try hard.

‘Why, why did you kill your nephew!!’

Xiao Dazhi cried out in his heart, and there was a small hammer in his hand. He trembled and raised the hammer, and smashed it to the back of the head of the cousin Xiao Fan in the shocked eyes of the palace maids and the eunuch.

After a dull "bang", Xiao Fan's head hurts, and then his eyes turn black. He subconsciously covers the back of his head and turns to look.

But I saw my nephew Xiao Dazhi holding a small hammer in his hand, with the hammer head stained with blood.

He touched the back of his head and felt wet. He was about to pull it in front of him to see why his hands were wet, but he was hugged by his other nephew Xiao Daqiu.

Xiao Daqiu hugged his cousin tightly, holding the mastermind behind the scenes who killed his three brothers, his heart full of anger and sadness.

He and his brother already knew something, so...

If I am wrong, I will bear all the fault.

If I am right, I will bear all the hatred.

Xiao Fan felt that his eyes were gradually blind and his strength was quickly lost. In his dark vision, he saw his nephew Xiao Dazhi raise the hammer again and smash it to his forehead.

After a dull "bang", a severe pain came from his forehead, Xiao Fan's gaze broke, and light shone in front of him.

After twenty years of hard work, he unified the Central Plains, ruled the world, and returned to the old capital Luoyang.

In the new palace, in the Tai Chi Hall, he wore a crown, faced north and south, looking down at the civil and military officials below the steps, looking at the kings of the two countries of Zhou and Qi, and envoys from all over the world.

The rising sun rises, shining on the earth, the emperor of Daliang...

The figure of Emperor Daliang was dismembered by the sunshine into countless pieces. The light was fleeting, and what followed was endless darkness.
Chapter completed!