In modern times, speaking of past and present lives feels somewhat superstitious, but in the current Song Dynasty, the concept of reincarnation seems credible to many.
Since the white horse carried scriptures during the Han era, the Buddhist concept of reincarnation has been widely prevalent in Chinese culture.
Throughout dynasties, many emperors worshiped Buddha to seek blessings, building grand temples to promote Buddhism; whether their intentions were sincere or not is debatable, but their desire to earn merit for Buddha's protection is blatantly obvious.
If they didn't truly believe in reincarnation, why would emperors act with such "devotion"? Why would they go to the extent of inviting great practitioners and monks from afar to preach the scriptures at their residences?
Yet, when emperors enjoyed these privileges for too long, they failed to understand a simple truth—the correction of behavior requires action, not just listening.
