Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of Tang, was one of the most prominent emperors in Chinese history.
He created a prosperous era of Zhenguanzhi, unified the Central Plains, opened up territory, and established Wenzhi martial arts, which was admired and praised by future generations.
He was not only a wise statesman and military strategist, but also a learned literati and adherent of Buddhism.
However, in Li Shimin's life, there was a strange phenomenon that when he saw Guanyin Bodhisattva, he refused to kneel and worship.
Guanyin Bodhisattva is one of the most revered and believed bodhisattvas in Buddhism, and is known as the bodhisattva of great compassion and relief from suffering.
Guanyin Bodhisattva appeared to Li Shimin many times, giving him guidance, relieving difficulties, and granting merit.
But every time Li Shimin saw Guanyin Bodhisattva, he only smiled slightly, and did not show the respect and piety he deserved.
Why is that? Didn't Li Shimin respect Guanyin Bodhisattva? Or does he have some special fate and cause and effect?
To answer this question, we must start with Li Shimin's past life.
According to the Buddhist theory of karmic reincarnation, everyone has countless past and present lives, and everyone is inextricably linked to countless sentient beings.
Li Shimin is no exception, he has played various roles in his previous life, and has formed good and evil karmic results with various sentient beings.
One of the most important past lives was that he was a disciple of Guanyin Bodhisattva.
According to the "Old Book of Tang - Emperor Taizong's Benji", Li Shimin once personally wrote the "Order of the Three Sacred Teachings of the Great Tang Dynasty".
This shows that Li Shimin has a special attention and love for this classic.
And this classic is exactly what Guanyin Bodhisattva said about the magic weapon, which can save all sentient beings from the Western Elysium.
This also shows that Li Shimin and Guanyin Bodhisattva have a special fate and cause and effect.
So, why didn't Li Shimin kneel down and worship Guanyin? This can be for several reasons:
One is because Li Shimin himself is a disciple of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and he has a master-disciple relationship with Guanyin Bodhisattva, not a believer relationship.
He has feelings of affection and closeness to Avalokiteshvara, not feelings of fear and distancing.
He considered Avalokiteshvara to be his teacher and friend, not his master and deity.
Therefore, when he saw Guanyin Bodhisattva, he only smiled and did not kneel.
Second, because Li Shimin himself is an emperor, he is the master of all the people under the world, and he has supreme authority and dignity.
He had a deep interest in and study of Buddhism, but he did not worship or obey Buddhism.
He believed that Buddhism was a teaching that could benefit the country and the people, not a teaching that could control the country and the people.
Therefore, when he saw Guanyin Bodhisattva, he only looked at eye level and did not kneel.
The third is because Li Shimin himself is a wise man, and he has a clear understanding and judgment of the Dharma.
He knew that although Guanyin Bodhisattva had immeasurable merit and power, he was only a practitioner, a bodhisattva, not a Buddha.
He knew that although Avalokiteshvara could save sentient beings from suffering, he could not replace their own efforts and practices.
He knew that although Avalokiteshvara could grant sutras and magic weapons, he could not replace the study and practice of sentient beings themselves.
Therefore, when he saw Guanyin Bodhisattva, he only asked questions and answers, and did not kneel.
To sum up, it is not surprising why Li Shimin, as a mortal, saw Guanyin but did not kneel.
This reflects his special fate and cause and effect with Guanyin Bodhisattva, as well as his independent thinking and critical attitude towards Buddhism.
Li Shimin was a disciple of Guanyin Bodhisattva Fahai in his previous life, and he formed a deep bond with Guanyin Bodhisattva in his three lives.
Li Shimin is also Emperor Taizong of Tang in this life, creating a prosperous era of the rule of Zhenguan and making great contributions to the promotion of Buddhism.
Li Shimin's behavior of not kneeling may be his respect and gratitude to Guanyin Bodhisattva, as well as his confidence and self-esteem for himself.