All five aggregates are empty

Chapter 14

At four o'clock in the afternoon, the plane landed in Chengdu, the land of abundance.Meng Lijun's seat was at the back of the cabin, and by the time he got off the plane, Minghua, who was flying in business class, had long since disappeared.

When boarding the plane, Minghua asked Meng Lijun to "be careful of everyone around him". Meng Lijun wanted to ask carefully, but the flight attendant and the guests behind him were urging him to move forward, so he had to go to the back seat first.

Speaking of the people around Meng Lijun, Mr. Zheng, Associate Professor Zhao, and Assistant Professor Zhou are all teachers of the Philosophy Department of Yanda University. Meng Lijun has been studying at Yanda University since his undergraduate studies. He does not think these teachers are dangerous people.As for senior brother Ding Weichao, although the two of them don't have much contact with each other, they are also senior brothers of the same school, and they have helped each other a few times, so they don't look like bad guys.

So what Minghua said is likely to be some people he will meet next.

When getting off the plane, Teacher Zheng and others walked slowly. Meng Lijun pretended that he was in a hurry to go to the toilet, and ran to the luggage waiting area alone.But he looked around and didn't see Ming Hua.Minghua's attire is quite special, if he is still at the exit, Meng Lijun must be able to see it at a glance.

"The elusive monk... Next time, I must ask him to add a WeChat."

After picking up their luggage and leaving Shuangliu Airport, Meng Lijun and others took the airport special line to the city, and settled at the Jin Jiang Hotel for the time being.Meng Lijun and Ding Weichao lived in the same room, Teacher Zheng and Associate Professor Zhao lived in the same room, Assistant Professor Zhou was female and lived in the same room alone.Early the next morning, the five people will take a special car to Miaoguang Temple, [-] kilometers south of Chengdu, to attend the sacred elephant consecration ceremony.

In fact, Yanda’s philosophy department is divided into several research departments, including logic research department, ethics research department and so on.The three teachers who traveled this time belonged to the Buddhist and Taoist Research Office.In addition to the three teachers who mainly focus on Buddhism, there are four other teachers who study Taoism in the research room.According to Ding Weichao, other teachers also traveled with funds from the department, but the destination was different from here.

This is Meng Lijun's first visit to Chengdu, but Ding Weichao is from Chongqing, so he is quite familiar with it.Ding Weichao took Meng Lijun to Chunxi Road for a walk, but before the two of them left, Teacher Zheng called them back with a phone call.

When Meng Lijun and Ding Lichao rushed back to the Jinjiang Hotel, Teacher Zheng immediately called them to the entertainment room on the second floor.It turned out that the teachers just had itchy hands and wanted to play mahjong. The reason for telling them to go back was very simple - three missing one.

Meng Lijun didn't know how to play mahjong, and Mr. Zheng insisted on teaching him, so he couldn't leave first, so he had to sit beside him with a small bench and watch the four excitedly playing mahjong.

After watching for a while, I probably knew the rules, but Meng Lijun didn't really want to fight.He declined Associate Professor Zhao's proposal to let him play at the poker table, and sat obediently by the side and watched.

After a while, Meng Lijun yawned, and Assistant Teacher Zhou saw that he was bored, so he started chatting with him.Assistant Professor Zhou is about 35 years old, wearing a dark red gauze skirt and a white clam bracelet on his wrist.

"Has Xiaomeng been to Sichuan before?"

"No, it's the first time."

"Are you still used to eating?"

"Very good, I can take spicy food quite well."

"It's nothing to be able to eat spicy food." Teacher Zheng interjected, "It's fine to be able to drink."

Meng Lijun would turn up whenever he drank, and he couldn't handle alcohol well, so Mr. Zheng didn't like to take him to some dinner parties.Ding Weichao can drink it. Teacher Zheng has said countless times to let Meng Lijun learn more from his senior brother.

"He's here for academics, not for drinking with you." Associate Professor Zhao complained while looking at the cards.

"You have to be able to socialize in academics. Otherwise, how can you cope with so many activities every year?"

"Speaking of which, Teacher Zheng, how did Miaoguang Temple find you?" Assistant Teacher Zhou asked.

"Their newly appointed abbot is a former student of mine, so if they don't ask me, they can find someone."

"It seems that we are penetrating deeper and deeper."

As soon as Associate Professor Zhao finished speaking, Teacher Zheng slammed the mahjong in his hand onto the card table and said loudly, "Two tubes!", as if interrupting Associate Professor Zhao's words.Associate Professor Zhao was a little embarrassed and stopped answering the conversation.

"How old is your student?" Ding Weichao took over the conversation, flattering Teacher Zheng quietly, "It must be extraordinary to be an abbot."

"That kid is over 40. He became a monk after graduating with a Ph.D. and stayed in Baiyun Temple for five or six years."

Baiyun Temple?The drowsy Meng Lijun immediately regained his energy.

It seems that the abbot of Miaoguang Temple knew Ming Hua, and it happened that Ming Hua also said that he was here to "meet an old acquaintance". Could it be that this acquaintance is him?If this is the case, then you can meet Minghua at Miaoguang Temple tomorrow, so you can also ask him what he meant by the sentence he left on the plane.

"Now the starting point for becoming a monk is really getting higher and higher." Meng Lijun interjected jokingly, Assistant Professor Zhou immediately looked up at him, and asked, "Why, Xiaomeng also wants to become a monk?"

"No, no, no." Meng Lijun quickly waved his hands, "I just feel that religion is also making progress."

"Religion cannot exist without society. Whether it is a large society or a small society, as long as society is changing, religion will continue to change."

"Yes." Meng Lijun nodded, and said casually: "Our country's attitude towards religion has also affected the development of religion."

"Then do you think it is a good influence or a bad influence?" Mr. Zheng asked suddenly.

Seeing that Mr. Zheng suddenly became serious, Meng Lijun was a little timid, and replied ambiguously: "You said before that the government was still too afraid of religion and did not guide it well, which caused the Qulunli incident that year."

"That was in the past, and now the government is making a lot of efforts." Teacher Zheng leisurely picked up a card, and while considering whether to play or not, he said, "I'm asking for your opinion."

"I think it's pretty good." Meng Lijun replied immediately.He threw out the last sentence to test Teacher Zheng's attitude. Since Teacher Zheng recognized the government's efforts, he naturally couldn't sing the opposite. "It is said that Chinese people don't have faith, but we do, that is money religion. Everyone works together for a better life, unlike some other religions that have so many taboos, so that the society progresses and the country develops. Therefore, restricting religion to a certain extent and promoting material development is also a kind of social motivation.”

Ding Weichao picked up the cup and drank tea, hiding his smile behind the cup.No wonder Mr. Zheng likes Meng Lijun, no one has such good eyesight.

"You kid, just talk nonsense." Teacher Zheng also laughed. Although Meng Lijun was obviously running the train, it was not completely unfounded.

At present, China only recognizes five religions: Taoism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Christianity and Christianity.Other religions are not recognized by the government.Most Chinese are not religious, which is a good thing for China, which has a large population.

"Then you also support the restriction of religious development, right?" Mr. Zheng said again.

"It may not be good to be too restrictive, and it is ideal to be able to manage reasonably."

"This is exactly the direction we are working on." Teacher Zheng suddenly changed the subject and asked, "I haven't had time to ask you, why did Master Minghua send you back?"

"This..." Meng Lijun scratched his head, not knowing how to answer.

"The mage said that you have your own thoughts, but I would like to hear what you think."

It turned out that the monk told Teacher Zheng that way, leaving all the troubles to himself.Meng Lijun couldn't help scolding the monk in his heart.

"I just feel a little directionless and don't know what to write."

"What did he tell you?"

"Didn't tell me anything." Meng Lijun continued to scratch his head, "Just... let me know that the world is not that simple."

"How do you say that?" Ding Weichao asked curiously.

"Hmm... It's hard to say, probably because I'm a descendant of the dragon or something." Meng Lijun said jokingly.Do you want to tell the teacher and senior brother that you have seen Xuanwu with your own eyes?I'm afraid no one will believe it.

What Meng Lijun didn't expect was that just after he finished speaking, the air became quiet. The four people on the card table all stared at him strangely, and Associate Professor Zhao's hand holding the cards stopped in the air.

"What, what's the matter?" I made a joke but no one laughed. I'm afraid there is nothing more embarrassing than this.

"Anything else?" Teacher Zheng asked.

"...there is nothing else." Meng Lijun said cautiously, "Master Minghua often goes out of town, and I rarely see him."

Having said that, the few people returned to normal and continued their dealings at the poker table.

"Forget it, since you're all out to play, don't think about school matters." Assistant Professor Zhou helped Meng Lijun out of the siege, but Meng Lijun's focus was, well, the teachers really came out to play.

After ten o'clock in the evening, the teachers finally agreed to go back to their room to rest, and Meng Lijun and Ding Weichao were also relieved.The two doctoral students didn't have any nightlife, so they had to go back home, after all, they had to go to Miaoguang Temple tomorrow morning.

After washing up, both of them lay down on the bed.Meng Lijun and Ding Weichao didn't know each other very well, but boys didn't have so many scruples when chatting. As soon as Meng Lijun lay down, Ding Weichao asked, "Are you a virgin?"

"Huh?" Meng Lijun was stunned for a moment, "Why do you ask this?"

"Curious. Aren't you tied grass?"

"I do not know how."

"I'm not polite to put on a show again."

"I really don't know." Meng Lijun said unfairly, "Who told you?"

"Who else is there, junior girl."

"Which school girl?"

"The one that invited you to dinner a few days ago."

"Oh... Li Xuemei."

"You're not interested in her?"

"What do you mean?"

"She's a flower. Didn't you say anything when she invited you to dinner alone?"

"Tie flowers?" Meng Lijun thought about it, Li Xuemei was indeed good-looking, with a small face the size of a palm, and her eyes were as clear and transparent as a deer.But Meng Lijun usually doesn't care much about other people's looks. In his opinion, writing a thesis is much more important than falling in love. "I found some information for her last time, and she invited me to dinner just to thank me."

"You're so straight." Ding Weichao said with a look of hatred, "Everyone can see that Li Xuemei is interested in you. A good schoolgirl is waiting for you, but you only hang out in the library."

Meng Lijun also teased: "Brother, do you like him?"

"Uh..." Ding Weichao didn't expect Meng Lijun to react so quickly, and said with some embarrassment: "Everyone has a love for beauty."

"Then you invite someone to dinner."

"I've made an appointment! What can I do if he doesn't come out?"

"Then I'll make an appointment for you next time."

"This is what you said, you can't go back on your word."

"no problem."

Seeing that Meng Lijun was so talkative, Ding Weichao felt like he had a good brother, and he opened up the conversation without hesitation.

"By the way, there is a professor from England next semester, do you know?"

"Professor Feng Sheng, you study New Confucianism, right?"

"That's right, it is said that the department will call in some teachers from the Chinese Philosophy Research Office who study Confucian classics and Song-Ming Neo Confucianism, and then our research office will be renamed the Eastern Philosophy Research Office."

"What?" It was the first time Meng Lijun had heard of such a big event, "Who told you?"

"I sent tea to Mr. Zheng that day. It happened to be a meeting in the department. I eavesdropped at the door for a while."

"Why did the department do this? Because of that Professor Feng?"

"I'm not sure, but I think..." Ding Weichao stopped in the middle of speaking, as if deliberately whetting his appetite.

"No matter who the senior brother wants to date, I will help the senior brother."

"Haha, I'm very specific." Ding Weichao said, and continued: "Didn't Mr. Zheng have a student who went to be the abbot of Miaoguang Temple? That must not be an ordinary person. Logically speaking, monks are not allowed to join the party, because It is written in the party constitution that party members are not allowed to have religious beliefs. But, I have met several people who are both party members and monks. Teacher Zheng’s student is probably the same.”

"What does this have to do with our department?"

"Look at you, your brain is stuck when it should be bright."

"Senior brother, please give me more pointers."

"Yanjing is the political center of China, and Yanda is the best university in China. I don't need to say more about the existence of Yanda's Department of Philosophy in the religious world, right?"

Meng Lijun nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.The Department of Philosophy of Yanda University is like the link between the government and the religious world. Religious management institutions in various places are inextricably linked with the Department of Philosophy of Yanda University.In many places where the government is not easy to come forward, the professors of the philosophy department play a non-governmental role.This is why the Department of Philosophy at Yanda University is also called the Department of Religious Studies.

"I always feel that there may be major events happening in the religious world in the near future." Ding Weichao said.

Meng Lijun suddenly thought of the Dharma-ending era mentioned by Minghua. It seems that not only the world of glass is not peaceful, but the world of mother-in-law is also not peaceful.

"Could it be that you are going to attack that lama?"

"Not sure, but that lama will have to deal with it sooner or later."

As the night deepened, Meng Lijun and Ding Weichao were both tired from chatting.Thinking that he might see Minghua tomorrow, Meng Lijun felt relieved, and soon fell into a deep sleep.