Zhuang Rui was too lazy to explain to Liu Chuan, as he knew Liu Chuan wouldn't understand if he went into too much detail. After thinking for a moment, he casually said, "Uh, it's similar to the ascension of an emperor in ancient times. Just think of it that way..."
In fact, the enthronement ceremony is a unique traditional regulation of Tibetan Buddhism, specifically used for the reincarnation of Living Buddhas. It is a solemn and grand ceremony performed after the reincarnated child has been found and his/her identity has been confirmed.
Holding an enthronement ceremony signifies that one can openly interact with the outside world as a "former Living Buddha" and officially become a living Buddha with authority. Compared to ordinary living Buddhas, the enthronement ceremonies of the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama in Tibet are even more solemn.
However, the Living Buddha of Jokhang Temple was also an extraordinary figure in his previous life, second only to the Panchen Lama in status and position. Therefore, the central government also sent Ouyang Zhenhua to participate in this enthronement ceremony.
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Liu Chuan nodded in deep agreement. In his eyes, the status of Tibetan lamas was indeed very high, and the Living Buddha was the head of the lamas, so he should enjoy the treatment of an emperor.
Watching a group of lamas chanting sutras in the square below the ceremony, Liu Chuan couldn't sit still any longer. He pulled Zhuang Rui aside and tried to make conversation, saying, "By the way, Zhuang Rui, could you go back to that Living Buddha and see if you can get another string of dzi beads?"
Zhuang Rui was truly exasperated with this ignorant fellow. He said irritably, "Get lost! Do you think dzi beads are as common as cabbages? This string of beads has been blessed by an old living Buddha for sixty or seventy years. It's a top-grade Buddhist artifact. You're lucky if you don't come after me for it..."
Zhuang Rui was protected by spiritual energy. His son and daughter were too young, so for the past few years, this string of dzi beads had always been worn by Zhuang's mother. Before leaving, Zhuang Rui asked his mother for the dzi bead bracelet back.
He was already prepared to return it; perhaps the old Living Buddha had already considered this day when he bestowed the dzi bead upon him.
"You can't ask for something back once it's been given away."
Liu Chuan muttered a dissatisfied remark.
"Alright, that's enough talk, the ceremony is about to begin..."
Zhuang Rui interrupted Liu Chuan and focused his attention on the entrance to the main hall in front of the square, where a child of about four or five years old appeared, surrounded by several senior lamas.
After the child appeared, the chanting in the square immediately intensified. Zhuang Rui leaned back and noticed that the same spiritual energy as before permeated the air above the square, which he believed was the power of faith.
Zhuang Rui tried to connect with the power of faith above the square using his spiritual energy, but this time he was unable to absorb it, which made him a little frustrated.
The enthronement ceremony for the reincarnated lama was proceeding step by step. First, the lama presented khatas (ceremonial scarves) to the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, Songtsen Gampo, Tsongkhapa, and other lineage masters of various schools. Then, under the personal guidance of the current Panchen Lama, he recited the "Sutra on the Accomplishment of the Four Karmas." This was a very high-level ceremony, with the previous life serving as the teacher and the next as the disciple. Perhaps this situation can only be seen in Tibetan Buddhism.
The ceremony lasted for about an hour. After the ceremony, the child was carried out of the main hall, sitting on a bed covered with yellow silk and with a yellow canopy over his head. Cheers immediately erupted from all around.
Now, the reincarnation can no longer be called a reincarnation, but must be called "Khubilhan". "Khubilhan" is Mongolian for "incarnation", which is the same as "Zhubigu" in Tibetan.
Ouyang Zhenhua, who was originally sitting on the platform in the front hall, also stood up, walked to the side of the young Living Buddha, and exchanged hadas with him. The young Living Buddha then presented Ouyang Zhenhua with a bronze Buddha statue and some gifts in a seemingly respectable manner.
Thus, the enthronement ceremony was completed. The Living Buddha was too young, so he was carried to the back hall by several senior lamas. In the following days, he would bless some believers and lay Buddhists by touching their heads.
Seeing that the ceremony was over, Zhuang Rui nudged Liu Chuan, who was dozing off beside him, and said, "Alright, let's go?"
"Huh? It's over? Come on, let's go eat..."
Liu Chuan suddenly stood up, but his words drew disdainful glances from the devout lay Buddhists around him.
"You glutton..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head helplessly, then called Qin Xuanbing and the others to stand up together. Led by Director Zhao, they walked out of the temple.
"Please wait..."
Just as Zhuang Rui and his group were about to leave the Jokhang Temple, a lama hurriedly caught up with them.
"Gegu Lama? What's wrong? Is there something else?"
Zhuang Rui smiled as soon as he saw the person. It was an acquaintance; it was this same person who had taken Zhuang Rui into the Jokhang Temple and saved him the entrance fee.
"Zhuang, Zhu Bigu requests your presence..."
Gegu Lama clasped his hands together, his attitude very respectful.
"See me? Now?"
Zhuang Rui was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. He touched the dzi bead on his wrist with some reluctance, wondering if he was being asked to return it to its rightful owner.
“Yes, right now,” Gegu Lama said, his gaze toward Zhuang Rui filled with envy.
It should be noted that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, this reincarnated Living Buddha will become the head of the Jokhang Temple when he grows up, holding an extremely prestigious position. Not to mention ordinary people, even the lamas of the Jokhang Temple may not have the opportunity to have close contact with him.
"Okay, wait a moment, I'll take the white lion with me..."
Zhuang Rui nodded. They were very close to the parking area. He brought the white lion down, intending to verify the identity of the Living Buddha. If this little Living Buddha was indeed the reincarnation of that Living Buddha, Zhuang Rui believed the white lion would recognize him.
Gegu Lama didn't say anything about the appearance of the white lion. Tibetan mastiffs are the guardian beasts of Tibetan Buddhism, and no Tibetan would doubt that a Tibetan mastiff could harm a living Buddha.
Liu Chuan and the others were left outside. Zhuang Rui, with the white lion, followed behind Gegu Lama and entered the second-floor corridor. Zhuang Rui's gaze couldn't help but fall on a corner, the place where the spiritual energy in his eyes had changed when he first came here.
"Zhuang, Zhu Bigu is in the room around the corner ahead, I can't go there..."
After escorting Zhuang Rui to the second-floor corridor, Gegu Lama stopped. It seems that the hierarchical system in Buddhism is also very strict.
Chapter 1306 Past Life and Present Life (Part 1)
Perhaps due to the young Living Buddha's age, he did not stay in the somewhat dark room that Zhuang Rui had visited, but instead stayed in a sunny room in the middle of the corridor.
The room wasn't very big, but it was filled with all sorts of books. Zhuang Rui glanced at them and noticed that the yellowed books contained an extremely rich spiritual energy, which must have been relics of the old Living Buddha.
A four- or five-year-old child, dressed in a yellow lama robe, sat upright on the bed near the window. It was not yet noon, and the sunlight from outside shone through the glass of the window onto the Living Buddha, as if enveloping him in a halo.
Hearing the sound of the door being opened, the child looked up at Zhuang Rui with a hint of curiosity. His eyes were as pure as the clear water melted from the snow on the snowy mountain, without a trace of impurity.
Looking at the white lion behind Zhuang Rui, a lama standing next to the young Living Buddha's expression shifted slightly. He silently shielded the Living Buddha with his own body. It wasn't that he was afraid the white lion would hurt anyone, but rather that the Living Buddha was too young and he was afraid the Living Buddha would be frightened.
It is important to know that the reincarnation of Living Buddhas has always been extremely mysterious. Through cultivation in this life, they pass on their souls forever. As guides of the human spirit, reincarnated Living Buddhas are also known as one of the seven mysterious phenomena in the world.
The Living Buddha in front of Zhuang Rui was not only a highly respected elder in his previous life, but going back further, he had reincarnated more than twenty times. He was a great accomplished master who came back by his own vow, and in one of his lives he was even a great Dharma King in India.
There is a legend in Tibet that the spiritual power of a Living Buddha can erase his own aura, allowing him to travel through the world without leaving a trace. He is a living Buddha in this world.
Zhuang Rui firmly believed this, as he had once received the blessing of a Living Buddha, and that mysterious power was definitely beyond the scope of scientific explanation.
However, although in people's eyes, Living Buddhas are all-powerful, it does not mean that finding a reincarnated Living Buddha means that one can directly obtain the knowledge of the previous life and Buddha-nature. Only through re-cultivation can a Living Buddha know the past and present lives and regain supreme vows.
Therefore, at this moment, although these senior lamas have the utmost respect for the young Living Buddha, they still need to make proper arrangements for his daily life and safety. For example, this strong senior lama is the Living Buddha's guardian deity.
"It's alright, let me see this Tibetan Mastiff..."
The young Living Buddha waved to the lama and jumped off the bed, which wasn't very high. In a normal family, a five or six-year-old child would be considered an undesirable age, but the young Living Buddha displayed a maturity far beyond his years.
Almost every Tibetan family keeps Tibetan mastiffs. Before coming to Jokhang Temple, the young Living Buddha spent every day with Tibetan mastiffs, so he was not afraid of the white lion. After putting on his shoes, he walked steadily toward the white lion.
“I recognize you, I’ve seen you before…”
Upon reaching the white lion, the little living Buddha suddenly uttered these words and raised his small hand to touch the white lion's head. However, he was too small and could only reach the white lion's mouth.
Just as Zhuang Rui was about to tell the white lion to lie down, the white lion, which had been staring at the little living Buddha with its intelligent eyes, actually took the initiative to lie down on the ground, its eyes slightly closed. After the little living Buddha touched its head, the white lion showed a very enjoyable expression.
After gently stroking the white lion's head, the young Living Buddha asked, "Would you like to stay?"
When the two lamas in the room heard the Living Buddha's words, they assumed he liked the Tibetan mastiff and didn't take it seriously. It was understandable that the Living Buddha, whose Buddhahood was not yet fully developed, still had some childlike habits.
However, the pronunciation of these few Tibetan words made Zhuang Rui's body tremble violently, because he had heard such a question several years ago.
Like Zhuang Rui, the white lion seemed to understand the Living Buddha's words. It shook its head slightly, stood up from the ground, and slowly retreated behind Zhuang Rui.
At this moment, the little Living Buddha seemed to notice Zhuang Rui, tilted his head, and asked Zhuang Rui, "Are you its friend?"
After the lama beside him translated, Zhuang Rui nodded and said, "Yes, I am Bai Shi's friend. Since you asked before, why ask again?"
Bai Shi was Zhuang Rui's longest-serving companion, having gone through life and death with him. He was reluctant to leave Bai Shi at the Jokhang Temple, hence his somewhat impolite words.
Did I ask?
After hearing the senior lama's translation, the young Living Buddha blinked in surprise, but then laughed and said, "Maybe I already asked. I don't know what happened either. I just wanted to ask, but if you don't want to, that's fine..."
"Uh, if the white lion is willing in the future, I'll definitely send it here..."
Seeing that the young Living Buddha was no longer concerned about the matter, Zhuang Rui quickly presented the prepared hada (ceremonial scarf) to him. Although he was facing a four or five-year-old child, this child would grow up to be the spiritual leader of the entire Tibetan region.
"This thing is mine..."
When Zhuang Rui presented the hada to the young Living Buddha, one of his words made the smile on Zhuang Rui's face freeze. It turned out that the dzi bead on his wrist had also been recognized by someone else.
However, this item did indeed belong to someone else. Although it's not very polite to take back something that's been given away, Zhuang Rui couldn't argue with a four or five-year-old child. Besides, he had already prepared himself mentally before coming.
Zhuang Rui reluctantly took the dzi bead bracelet off his wrist and said, "This was given to me by the Living Buddha, so let's return it to its rightful owner..."
However, after the senior lama translated Zhuang Rui's words, the young living Buddha waved his hands repeatedly and said, "I didn't want anything from you, I just suddenly said that..."
"Damn, you just said it casually and scared me half to death. First it was a white lion, now it's a dzi bead. This is ridiculous..."
Upon hearing the little Living Buddha's words, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but feel depressed. He was already a man in his thirties, yet he had become so hesitant and awkward in front of this four- or five-year-old Living Buddha. If word got out, Liu Chuan would definitely laugh at him.
“Master Zhuang, Zhu Bigu didn’t do it intentionally. He’s just influenced by his past life. Master Zhuang, please stay and talk to Zhu Bigu a little longer…”
Seeing Zhuang Rui's depressed expression, the lama standing next to him laughed and explained the situation to Zhuang Rui.
In Buddhism, there is a concept of sudden enlightenment. The saying "lay down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot" refers to sudden enlightenment.
Similarly, in Tibetan Buddhism, reincarnation can occasionally cause reincarnated lamas to recall fragments of their past lives, but this does not mean that the reincarnated person has mastered the knowledge of their past life.
However, such memories are also very beneficial to reincarnated living Buddhas, which is why the great lama allowed Zhuang Rui to talk to him more.
"If you need a translator for every word you say, what's the point of having a conversation?"
Zhuang Rui pursed his lips, quite disapproving in his heart, but he couldn't say these words out loud, so he could only nod in agreement.
The young Living Buddha sat back down on the bed, looked at Zhuang Rui, and suddenly began to mutter to himself, "I used to have a recurring dream about an old man sitting in a chair. His eyes were a little tired, but mixed with that tiredness was a hint of contentment that comes with a weary person getting a rest..."
But one day, the chair the old man was sitting in suddenly turned into a large lotus flower. He sat in the very center of the lotus flower facing me, but his face gradually became blurry until even the outline of his face was no longer visible.
I tried to recall the face I had just seen, but the more I thought about it, the more blurry it became. Eventually, nothing remained. The room was empty; my master and that person were gone. Only a faint fragrance wafted into my nostrils, growing more and more pleasant with each whiff, making me want to smell it more and more. It felt as if every bone in my body was melting away like ice dissolving in water.
How could I have imagined that the comfortable feeling would be like a block of ice melting? It's unbelievable. Before I knew it, I was standing on a winding road. I glanced ahead, and there stood a temple…
The little Living Buddha's voice grew softer and softer until it was barely audible, and his small body slumped onto the bed as he fell into a deep sleep.
The two lamas were taking notes with paper and pen, their faces full of excitement. Only Zhuang Rui stood in the room, bewildered, unable to understand a single word.
After recording what the young Living Buddha said, a senior lama gestured to Zhuang Rui, who quickly led the white lion and quietly left the room.
"Master, what did Zhubigu just say?"
Although Zhuang Rui couldn't understand what the young Living Buddha had just said, he could sense that there seemed to be great wisdom hidden in the words spoken in the voice of a child.
"Zhu Bigu is explaining the principles of reincarnation, Layman Zhuang, don't spread these words..."
After thinking for a moment, the senior lama told Zhuang Rui what the young Living Buddha had just said. In his opinion, Zhuang Rui was someone with great affinity to Buddhism, as he was able to evoke memories of the Living Buddha's past life from him.
"Holy crap, is this some kind of ghost story?"
After listening to the lama's words, and recalling how a four or five-year-old child had just said those things, Zhuang Rui suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. This phenomenon was beyond his comprehension.
"Mr. Zhuang, please visit Jokhang Temple more often when you have time. You are our most honored guest..."