Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 154 One person's strength is insignificant, but the strength of many is immense.
Li Jing'en was very enthusiastic about carving cave statues. In addition to fulfilling the last wish of his former master, King Wu Zhonggui of Gaoping, he was also a devout Buddhist and hoped to accumulate merit for himself through this statue-making project.

After entering the village, he took out his hand-drawn Buddhist grotto sculpture drawings, which included early plans by Wu Zhonggui as well as additions and ideas by Li Jing'en himself over the years.

After showing Zhang Dai the hand-drawn Buddha images one by one, he said, "I have visited the Buddha cave many times in my younger days and became acquainted with Abbot Huicheng of Xiangshan Temple. Abbot Huicheng also deeply regretted that the Buddha statues in this cave were abandoned halfway. He often discussed with me the possibility of continuing this project and completing this meritorious deed together!"

In the original history, it is true that in the sixteenth year of Kaiyuan, the abbot of Xiangshan Temple, Huicheng, continued the construction of the Gaoping Junwang Cave. Unfortunately, due to funding and other reasons, the cave was not completed.

This information was passed down to later generations in the form of inscriptions. It can be seen that, in addition to being laborious and costly, the carving of caves and statues also had a positive significance, as it was able to pass on the social customs and personnel information of that time to future generations, making some contributions to cultural tourism and archaeology.

Zhang Dai had already gone to conduct an on-site investigation. After seeing the paintings displayed by Li Jing'en, he waved his hand and said with a smile, "Since we are going to continue, we don't have to just follow the old ways. Modern people's ideas should be more ambitious. I have some new ideas here, so let's have Li Cheng discuss them together."

As he spoke, he instructed Ding Qing to fetch a large scroll from another room and spread it out in the hall. The scroll depicted his latest plans for the Buddhist grottoes.

The original carvings at the Gaoping Junwang Grottoes depicted a scene from the Pure Land School, known as the "Five Lotus Blossoms on a Single Branch" Buddha image. It features a lotus pedestal formed by five lotus blossoms growing side-by-side, with Amitabha Buddha seated atop the largest pedestal in the center, flanked by images of Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattvas, together forming a central theme.

Zhang Daixin's idea was to add the content of the Western Pure Land Sutra transformation to the original image of the Five Lotus Blossoms, which is also the core belief of the Pure Land School.

After this modification, the Gaoping County King Cave will be transformed from its original rather monotonous image of five lotus flowers in pairs into a Western Paradise centered on Amitabha Buddha, with Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, disciples, laypeople, and others forming the whole.

"Sixth Brother's grand plan is certainly good. If it can be accomplished, it will be a truly great merit!"

After hearing Zhang Dai's grand vision, Li Jing'en became completely energized. Compared to this ambitious plan, his previous ideas seemed incredibly small. If such a massive statue-making project could be completed, it would likely be even more astonishing to the world than the Vairocana Buddha statue in Xishan!
Thinking of this, Li Jing'en's face flushed with excitement, but he quickly became dejected and sighed, "Although this design is grand, the amount of labor and materials used must be countless!"
The construction of the old shrine and statues alone has been delayed for many years. Zen Master Huicheng estimated that it would take at least tens of thousands of strings of cash to complete it. With such a grand plan as Liulang's, it might even cost hundreds of thousands of strings of cash. Even if I were willing to help, I could only afford a few thousand strings of cash with all my savings. It's really, really..."

Upon hearing that the old eunuch had amassed a fortune of several thousand strings of cash, Zhang Dai couldn't help but look at him with new respect.

The palace servants in the inner palace all had a certain income. The lowest-ranking servants, such as the miscellaneous servants and the palace maids in the inner palace, did not have a fixed salary, but they would be given a certain amount of food according to the number of people in their household and it would be divided equally among each person. In addition, they would be given a certain amount of money during festivals and grand ceremonies.

Some institutions that could generate real benefits, such as weaving and gardening, would deposit the goods they produced into the inner treasury, which would then return a certain amount of money and silk to them, which would then be distributed by their respective departments according to working hours or other standards.

As for the ladies-in-waiting and officials with ranks and duties, they would have relatively fixed salaries and stipends. Although their treatment was somewhat different from that of officials in the outer court, if other income such as gifts and rewards were added, the difference would not be too great.

This Li Jing'en serves as the Assistant Director of the Imperial Household Department at Shangyang Palace. However, Shangyang Palace is no longer the Emperor's permanent residence. Nowadays, when the Emperor is in Luoyang, it is only used as a residence for the princes. The princes themselves are struggling to make ends meet, their finances are not independent, and they do not have much spare money to reward the palace servants.

Le Kyung An returned to the inner palace to serve during the reign of King Jungjong, which lasted for nearly twenty years. Surprisingly, he managed to accumulate several thousand strings of cash and silk with his meager salary as an eighth-rank official and other income.

It should be noted that not all eunuchs are the same. High-ranking eunuchs like Gao Lishi, not to mention their own income, probably received far more in tributes from their disciples and followers each month. But for a lowly eunuch like Li Jing'en to save up such money, he would inevitably have to be frugal and meticulous in his calculations.

This money would be more than enough for retirement, but even if he lived a slightly more luxurious life, given Li Jing'en's age, he would probably be gone before he could spend all the money.

But now he plans to use all his savings to carve caves and create statues, which reveals the spiritual emptiness of these eunuchs and their fervent devotion to illusory idols. Perhaps he has no intention of returning to civilian life and will simply spend the rest of his days in the inner palace.

Therefore, Zhang Dai's pension insurance plan takes into account both aspects. If you want to pursue spiritual fulfillment, that can be fulfilled; if you also want some financial security, that can also be achieved. "Of course, it's difficult to create a Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss by one's own strength alone. Recently, Pure Land monasteries launched the '100-coin statue-making' program, which also advocates the Buddhist principle of the Pure Land school's light shining universally, and the redemption of believers! The creation of statues in this world is too extravagant, difficult for the poor to undertake, but don't these impoverished people also need the light of Buddha and wish to be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss?"

When Zhang Dai got to this point, his expression became serious, and he continued in a slightly seductive tone: "The sands of the Ganges are countless, yet each grain is distinct even when bowed down. One grain of sand, one believer; in this vast world, countless Buddhists, together they form a tower, and together they make a robe."

Li Cheng also knew that creating this Western Paradise was a great merit, and how could he, a mere individual, dare to claim such a great merit?
This deluded thought is truly unacceptable. It should be proclaimed throughout the vast world, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. If this is accomplished, then Li Cheng will have rendered meritorious service in propagating the Dharma, in creating images, and in guiding people to enlightenment. Countless merits will be bestowed upon him, surpassing even the greatest virtuous monks!

"This...this...can I really do this? Such immense merit, can it truly be accomplished? With this merit, I can go to the Pure Land..."

Upon hearing Zhang Dai's description, Li Jing'en's eyes lit up, and his breathing became rapid. He stared at Zhang Dai with eager eyes and asked urgently, "Sixth Brother, how, what should I do to accumulate such merit?"

Zhang Dai smiled and patted the wrinkled, pine-bark-like back of Li Jing'en's hand, signaling him to calm down. Then he had an employee take out a scroll of the Lotus Society's organizational and management manual and handed it to Li Jing'en, continuing to say with a smile, "The strength of one person is insignificant; the strength of many is great!"

The Pure Land Lotus Society has a long history, but in the past it was simply a group for worshipping Buddha, with little mutual assistance. Now, the purpose of forming the society is to gather the strength of many and go together to the Pure Land. One person's liberation is not true liberation; the liberation of many is true happiness..."

Lotus societies emerged during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and with the establishment of the Pure Land School in the early Tang Dynasty, their rules and regulations gradually became more standardized.

The leaders of these societies were also called incense masters, so the relevant rituals and regulations were by no means Zhang Dai's own fabrication. He simply provided the previously somewhat loose Lotus Society with a clearer goal and a closer organizational relationship.

The collapse of the equal-field system in the Tang Dynasty, the development of land annexation, and the prosperity of commerce and handicrafts all brought new elements into the grassroots rural social organizations that were originally maintained by village rules and clan laws. In particular, the migration of people prompted the emergence of new organizational elements to allow migrants to interact in production and life.

Therefore, various associations and organizations emerged in both cities and villages during the Tang Dynasty, which was a form of diversification of social organization, and religion was also a very active element in this process.

Take these palace servants in the inner garden as an example. They may belong to different departments such as the Inner Palace Attendants Bureau or the Inner Palace Bureau. These are organizations assigned to them by official institutions, and they have no way to resist them but can only accept them.

In addition, they can join different lotus societies and Buddhist worship groups. Within these groups, their interests and pursuits are undoubtedly more unified, and their connections and interactions are closer.

Zhang Dai's main targets were the palace women in the inner garden of the Eastern Capital. The Western Paradise Sutra Transformation Cave, which he conceived based on the Gaoping Prince Cave, was a common goal he set for these Lotus Societies, and everyone worked together to realize this plan.

"One person's strength is weak, but the strength of many is great! I want to establish the Lotus Society. I thank Liu Lang, I thank Liu Lang for guiding me through this maze! I am old and frail, and have accomplished nothing in my life. I never expected to be included in this grand plan!"

Holding the Lotus Society's rules in his hands, Li Jing'en spoke with great excitement. Although he only had a few thousand guan in savings, Shangyang Palace had thousands of palace servants and officials. If everyone could contribute their resources to this grand undertaking, how could this meritorious act not be accomplished!

Zhang Dai was also pleased that Li Jing'en had grasped the concept so quickly. Winning over such a low-level leader within the inner circle was far more effective than developing hundreds of clients.

These people not only enjoy greater convenience in business promotion, but also help elderly palace residents leave the inner palace and receive supporting elderly care services.

As more and more palace officials receive these elderly care services, the Lotus Society's propaganda can naturally shift from vague religious goals to more realistic matters of life, such as health preservation and proper farewell to the dead.

(End of this chapter)