Perhaps it was because people needed to sweep the tombs the next day which resulted in there being especially few people that came to offer incense to Buddha . They were probably busy dealing with the logistics of tomb-sweeping the next day . After all, tomb-sweeping during the Tomb-Sweeping Day was of grave importance . Nearly every family's relatives and children would rush here for it . Thus, the families that were nearest to the ancestral graves had to host these relatives . They had to prepare all sorts of sumptuous dishes but those could not be instantly made . They needed to make preparations .
The day passed and Fangzheng woke up before dawn . He pushed open the door and the moment he came out, Lone Wolf ran over in high alert . Monkey came over with eyes still half-closed .
Fangzheng rubbed Lone Wolf and Monkey's head before he began sweeping the temple hall . Monkey also began sweeping the ground . The bodhi tree had shed a large number of leaves overnight but Monkey remained helpless with regards to this .
After sweeping the temple hall, Fangzheng began to cook . It was already six in the morning after they had breakfast . After tidying up everything, Fangzheng took out the paper money and numerous incense sticks he had prepared the day before . There was Crystal Rice, as well as some blanched Wormwood sprouts and dandelion leaves . He opened the door to the monastery and left .
The sky was covered in dark clouds as though it was about to rain . The wind wasn't strong but it left a chill .
The moment Fangzheng exited the door, Lone Wolf, Monkey, and Squirrel followed . None of them dared to fool around when they saw Fangzheng's serious face .
Squirrel asked out of curiosity, "Abbot, why do you look so serious? Also, what is Tomb-Sweeping Day?"
"As the saying goes, 'Tomb-Sweeping Day falls on the fifteenth day after the spring equinox, when all things, including the air and light, are clear and pure . This gives the day its name . ' Its literal meaning, Clear Brightness, suggests that once the day comes, the temperature will rise and it's the best time for agriculture . This gives rise to the saying 'sow crops around Tomb-Sweeping Day . ' This is also the day when the land recovers . . . "
Lone Wolf felt puzzled . "Since it's such a great day, why do you look depressed?"
"Other than it being a day marking one of the twenty-four divisions of the solar year, the Tomb-Sweeping Day is also a day that the Chinese use to honor their ancestors and those that have passed away . How can honoring the dead be done with a smiling face? The moment you leave the door, you have to think back to your ancestors and you should not smile . Otherwise, if the ancestors were to know, wouldn't that make them think you are happy because they departed? This is a show of disrespect to the ancestors . Understand?"
Lone Wolf scrunched up his face, looking extremely stern . Squirrel also pressed his fat face and acted solemn too . Monkey imitated Fangzheng's bearing . He adjusted his monk robes and walked like an elder . He exuded the feeling of a monk .
Fangzheng felt happy when he saw the three animals' intelligent behavior . He nodded slightly and brought the three animals to Zen Master One Finger's grave .
Zen Master One Finger's grave was not far . It was situated in front of a large plain with the mountains behind it . It allowed for a wide view . Fangzheng did not know geomancy, nor did he know if it was a good place or not . Zen Master One Finger enjoyed standing here to look into the distance when he was still alive to figure out the Buddhist Dharma . Therefore, Fangzheng chose to bury him here .
When he stood in front of the grave, Fangzheng took a deep breath . "Old Dad One Finger, I'm here to visit . "
As he spoke, Fangzheng placed all the items down . He began clearing the weeds from Zen Master One Finger's tombstone . After winter, the weeds had withered, so it was not difficult to clear them .
Fangzheng took out a large stack of incense sticks .
Monkey came over to take a look . "Abbot, people offer incense sticks three at a time . Why do you hold so many? Did the old Zen Master like incense?"
Fangzheng shook his head . "No . If This Penniless Monk had come alone, three sticks would have been enough . But This Penniless Monk is not the only person in One Finger Monastery now . The three of you are also part of One Finger Monastery . Today, it is a form of familial consecration . A familial consecration needs 365 incense sticks . According to the number of males, these 365 incense sticks will be divided . Then, they are to be offered in descending order of age . This is also a rule . Since the four of us came today, it will be split in four . Since This Penniless Monk is the oldest, the additional stick will be offered by me . " With that said, Fangzheng took our 92 incense sticks and handed over the remaining 91 sticks to Monkey, Lone Wolf, and Squirrel .
When it came to Monkey, he easily held the incense sticks .
As for the poor Squirrel, he tried his best grabbing so many incense sticks with his tiny paws but found it very difficult to even hug them . He could only temporarily place them on the ground and watch them .
Lone Wolf was afraid of getting wet, so he also placed the incense sticks on the ground .
The three animals originally thought that they here to watch the development but never expected Fangzheng to say such words . He treated them as members of One Finger Monastery or relatives . They felt their hearts turn warm as they felt a little sense of pride . Look, this baldy in front of us is our boss!
Fangzheng lit the incense sticks and came in front of the tomb . He raised the incense high, "Old Dad One Finger, Fangzheng is here to visit . It's your festival today . I hope you will enjoy the consecration . "
Just as his voice faded, Fangzheng saw that the incense in his hand suddenly stir due to a gust of wind . Similarly, the smoke reached into the heavens but failed to dissipate despite the blowing wind . Although the incense smoke was thin, it could be seen clearly!
Upon seeing this scene, Fangzheng jumped in fright . He had never seen such a phenomenon before .
"There is no need to be alarmed . Since there is Buddha in the world, it would be normal for ghosts to exist as well . This ghost is not the haunting ghosts you imagine, but one that lives in your heart . The ancestors of the living do not live in the netherworld but in the hearts of their descendants . They exist because they are remembered by their descendants . They dissipate when their descendants forget . Due to the gratefulness and kindness of the descendants, the kindness that stems from the heart will bear fruits of kindness, allowing one to be rewarded with kindness in turn . On the contrary, if one forgets their parents and ancestors, their hearts have turned evil . How could anything they do be good? A problem in character will result in retribution when they do something wrong . This is what people mean by the blessing from the ancestors . . . When descendants honor their ancestors, they are not only honoring their ancestors but their hearts as well," said the System suddenly .
When Fangzheng heard that, he was enlightened . He pressed his palms together as he recalled the various scenes he had experienced with Zen Master One Finger in the past . That instant, he felt as though Zen Master One Finger stood in front of him . Fangzheng understood things he failed to understand in the past . He had an indescribable feeling of epiphany .
Fangzheng bowed with incense sticks in hand . Then holding them in hand, he used his left hand to insert them from the right into the left . He did it at an adequate pace and was done inserting all the incense sticks shortly after . As he inserted the essence sticks, he explained to the three animals, "As the living, left is regarded as the best . For the deceased, right is regarded as the best . By using our left hand to insert the incense sticks shows our utmost respect . They are our seniors . We are beneath them . By inserting from right to left, it is to conform to their logic . "
After inserting the incense, Fangzheng knelt and kowtowed . After striking the ground three times with his head, he said, "Old Dad One Finger, it's been a while . But you should be able to see that our One Finger Monastery has been renovated . The incense offerings have been increasing . We even held a Dharma Assembly of Bathing the Buddha . Everything went smoothly . You should be happy seeing all of this, right? This is something you have been hoping for all your life . It has finally been accomplished . Believe me, I will definitely make One Finger Monastery the great monastery you always wished for it to be . "
"Abbot, will the old Zen Master really hear what you say?" asked Monkey out of curiosity .
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