As a result, the Gao family is even closer to this grandson than to her.

Gao Zunhui and Gao Gongji are the best examples.

What these two guys are doing outside is actually reported to Funing Palace first and then comes to Qingshou Palace for instructions!

Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager also sighed in her heart: "The official family is a holy master with destiny."

"I've been taking care of him for two or three years, so it's time to quit..."

Even Gao's family members are closer and support this grandson.

Does anyone else need to think about it?

Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager gave the Empress Dowager Xiang a wink, and the latter understood it and said to Zhao Xu: "I heard that Sixth Brother recently issued an edict, ordering the Kaifeng Prefecture to examine the Dharma of the monks and monks in the temples in Beijing?

"

Zhao Xu nodded and said: "It is true!"

He knew that the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Xiang were both devout Buddhist believers.

Both palaces are in the palace and enshrine Buddha statues.

On every first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, we will eat fast and recite the Buddha's name.

When encountering the Ying Temple, the birthday or death anniversary of the late emperor, people will be sent to Taiping Xingguo Temple, Huguo Temple and Kaibao Temple to burn incense and pray for blessings.

He explained: "My son, this is based on the stories of our ancestors."

“The ancestors had a system of ‘Guaranteeing Ming’s Conduct’ to restrain the monks and strictly enforce the rules and precepts.”

"However, recently, many monks do not practice Dharma, and monks frequently suffer from the six impurities."

"The Secretary of the Kaifeng Prefecture reported that a monk who was given purple robes by the emperor gathered people in the bathhouse of Bianjing to have sexual intercourse. He even said that he was practicing meditation in the desire to walk. When faced with the criticism of others, he even said to himself, 'I am self-adjusted.

Heart, what do you want to do?"

"How can I tolerate Buddhism being so dirty and peaceful in this peaceful place?"

The two palaces listened and agreed with Zhao Xu's words.

In fact, they also hate the behavior of those great monks on the market today.

The monks do not chant sutras, but do business.

Instead of becoming a monk, monks hang around, even live with prostitutes, associate with officials, and pursue fame and fortune.

Almost all famous ministers and officials have a few monk friends.

The Empress Dowager nodded and said: "It is good for officials to strictly follow the Buddhist rules."

"It's just that many contemporary monks don't study Buddhist scriptures. If there are officials who use Buddhist scriptures to take exams, I'm afraid many people won't be able to pass..."

The monk does not understand Buddhist scriptures.

In other times, this might have been a joke.

Partially in the Song Dynasty, this is a social reality.

Because the mainstream of Buddhism in the Song Dynasty is Zen, which is idealistic and does not practice much Buddhist scriptures. It just talks about "wine and meat pass through the intestines, and the Buddha's heart remains".

Therefore, these great monks are all eloquent, and their mouths are full of charm.

But asking them to recite sutras? But it is blinding.

Especially the great monks in Bianjing, who live in a place as materialistic as Bianjing.

There is also Zen thought, which adds fuel to the fire.

The great monks are doing various activities under the banner of "Walking Meditation in Desire".

When faced with criticism from outsiders, it’s like, ‘I’m cultivating my mind, what do you know?’.

Zhao Xu didn't bother to care at all.

However, these great monks hold the treasure trove of treasure in their hands.

He was really hot-eyed.

But those great monks were neither willing to cooperate nor hand over the pledge.

This made him very embarrassed.

I have no choice but to increase their strength, seize their weaknesses, and repair them severely.

Zhao Xu then asked: "Mother, if you want to test monks, if you don't test Buddhist scriptures, what else can you test?"

"This is like the scholar-bureaucrats, if they don't take a test on the classics and meanings, how can they take a test on singing and dancing?"

The Empress Dowager was speechless after hearing this, and had no choice but to tug on Empress Dowager Xiang's sleeve.

Empress Dowager Xiang had no choice but to say softly: "Sixth brother, all the temples in the world were built by imperial edicts from past dynasties."

“This is especially true in Bianjing!”

"If a temple is built by decree to preside over it, the head of the monks will be the presiding officer, but the head of the monks does not practice Buddhism deeply..."

"What do people in the world think of this?"

This is true.

According to the ancestral system of the Great Song Dynasty, new temples in the world must be built with royal orders before they are allowed to exist. Otherwise, it is illegal and can be regarded as akin to obscene worship, and should be destroyed by the authorities.

The Ancestor System of the Great Song Dynasty also stipulates the "Guaranteeing the Ming Dynasty" for temples and Taoist temples all over the world.

That is to say, the abbots and monk heads of major temples must guarantee the character of the monks and nuns in the temple.

If someone commits adultery and commits a crime, he or she will be held accountable together. Generally, the blame will be shared with the offending monk or nun.

Secondly, it also regulated the source of monks.

A monk must obtain the consent of his living grandparents and parents (if not, the closest elder) and issue a document. At the same time, the temple abbot and the head of the monks must inspect the monk's body to confirm that there are no tattoos before he is allowed to become a monk.

This is to prevent criminals, deserters, and escaping into Buddhism.

Therefore, almost all temples, especially those in Bianjing City, which appeared after the founding of the People's Republic of China, were built by royal decree.

Including the ancestral temples of the Xiang family and the Gao family, the same is true.

But once the temple was built, the person in charge or the head of the monks failed to pass the exam.

The royal family would indeed be embarrassed.

It will also seriously affect the reputation of official temples - once official temples are not recognized, wild monks will rise.

Wild monks are not as easy to control and obedient as these official monks.

The mixed beliefs and schools are even more diverse.

Maybe they are people from the Maitreya Cult or even the Vegetarian Demon Cult.

That wouldn't be fun.

But Zhao Xu still insisted on his opinion. Of course, his attitude was somewhat relaxed and he said: "Mother, the son knows this."

"Therefore, the examination questions issued by Ming Seng Lu Si are also very simple Buddhist principles."

"They are mainly the contents of the Shurangama Sutra and the Diamond Sutra."

"If they don't even know this..."

The Queen Mother lowered her head as she listened.

Even she knows the Shurangama Sutra and the Diamond Sutra.

But the problem is...

"Sixth brother..." Empress Dowager Xiang had no choice but to remind Zhao Xu: "Maybe you don't know something. The Song Dynasty was not exempt from the tax of temples and Taoist temples."

"The abbots and heads of monks in each temple can only be busy with the livelihood of the whole temple..."

This is a fact!

Last year, Han Jiang presided over a review of the service law and decided to exempt households below the fifth class from the service fee, and at the same time reduce it by half for households below the third class.

However, the tax reductions and exemptions did not disappear, but were passed on to monk households, female households, single households and sons-in-law.

These four types of people were also the first choice of the Song Dynasty government for tax increases.

Speaking of which, monks also have to pay taxes, which is the result of Zhou Shizong's extermination of Buddhism.

Including, the ancestral system mentioned by Zhao Xu is also the result of the summary of Zhou Shizong's policies.

Therefore, in the Song Dynasty, eminent monks never presided over temples and appeared in monks' offices.

But those unknown old monks.

For example, none of the monks convened by President Kim's Translation Court and Sutra Translation Court were presiding or the head of the monks.

The presiding officers and monk leaders were like merchants in the Song Dynasty, far better than monks.

They are all proficient in abacus, but they don't know how to chant sutras.

Many people may remember to recite "Amitabha".
To be continued...