Chapter 399 The Buddha Opens His Eyes
Chapter 399 The Buddha Opens His Eyes (6k)
Huhu——
The cold wind blew up the flag on the high platform, and the gold-painted word "Challenge" was particularly eye-catching under the reflection of the Buddha's light in the sky.
"Zhao Duan?!"
On the high platform, the Red Sect master and the monk Bian Ji, who were sitting cross-legged in meditation, looked stunned. The latter even rarely lost his composure and called out his name.
There was an uproar in the square.
The plump nun who was left out and sitting in the front row of chairs was stunned for a moment, and her "wise eyes" stared at the young man who looked like a god descending from heaven, and her expression became extremely strange.
Prajna Bodhisattva turned his head and glanced at Abbot Xuanyin beside him.
Well... As expected of the great abbot of Shenlong Temple in the Heaven Realm, the old monk Xuanyin just frowned slightly and did not express any opinion.
With Xuan Yin's identity, he would not make any statement about such a change.
“Zhao Duan!” With a roar that sounded almost like a tiger’s roar, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva suddenly stood up, and a majestic look appeared on his beardless face:
"Today I am having a Buddhist debate with the East and West, and you are disrupting the meeting. What do you want to do?"
After Zhao Duan's arrogant rebuke, he looked down at Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, whose muscles were muscular and who was holding a crescent-shaped Zen staff in his hand.
It was the first time for the two parties to meet, but they already knew each other's portraits by heart.
"Bodhisattva Nagarjuna asked a good question. I would like to ask another question, what did your Shenlong Temple want to do when I went south before?" Zhao Duan asked with a cold face.
Long Shu felt suffocated for a moment, and then he heard Zhao Duan continue to speak loudly:
"Also, the Shenlong Temple promised to arrest the monk Da Jing who assassinated me. After so much time, where is he now? Is he missing or is he hiding?"
"Envoy Zhao!"
On the stage, Bian Ji could not help but stand up, raised his hand to stop the angry Nagarjuna, put his hands together, and said seriously:
"Your Excellency is right to be angry. Our Shenlong Temple is also deeply ashamed of Dajing's inappropriate behavior. The abbot has already ordered monks from various temples to go out and track down this person and compensate him accordingly. Our Shenlong Temple has also taken the responsibility...
Today is a debate, please leave first, and come back to the temple to discuss anything after the debate is over."
The other monks, including the nobles who were watching, also spoke up to persuade them.
Everyone thought that Zhao Duan was still furious after being assassinated before, so he launched a sudden attack on this critical day.
In front of the people from the Western Regions, he denounced the Shenlong Temple to vent his anger.
The latter was humiliated.
"You all seem to have misunderstood. Do you think I came here today just to disrupt the debate and bring shame to the Shenlong Temple?" Zhao Duan smiled. "Everyone in the capital knows that I am a broad-minded person. How could I do such a stupid thing?"
Broad-minded...Everyone was choked and couldn't say anything.
Zhao Duan held the flag beside him, looking serious:
"I came here today not for personal revenge, but to reason!"
He glanced at the monks and said loudly:
"You may not have heard me clearly just now. Let me reiterate that I came here today only to debate the sutras! In my opinion, those who have misunderstood the true meaning of Buddhism and are still arrogantly fighting for the so-called 'orthodoxy' are simply laughable! I am not targeting anyone, but I am saying that you... and you..."
Zhao Duan raised his hand and pointed to the Shenlong Temple, then to the Five Monks of the Western Regions, with an arrogant look:
"It's all rubbish!"
boom!
As soon as he finished speaking, there was an uproar in the square. The Red Sect master's smile froze and his eyes were filled with confusion.
This male favorite of the empress, a military officer of the State of Yu, publicly declared that both Eastern and Western Buddhism were wrong? And he wanted to come to debate the sutras?
One on two, refute both of them together?
"Insanity!"
"This thief is despicable!"
"Get him out of here!"
Many hot-blooded monks were furious and shouted loudly, but Zhao Duan remained motionless, as if telling them to attack him if they had the guts.
"Abbot...what do you think we should do..." Monk Nagarjuna was stunned for a moment, and he didn't know what he was thinking about, but his anger dissipated.
He turned around and asked Xuan Yin for instructions.
He was angry at first because he thought Zhao Duan was looking for trouble with him.
Now that he found that this madman had ignored him, he suddenly realized that there was no need for him to get involved in this matter and should leave it to Xuan Yin to give him a headache.
Prajna Bodhisattva was happy to watch the fun, so he suppressed his curiosity and said:
"Abbot, please make a decision."
The old monk Xuanyin glanced at the two of them and suddenly spoke, his old voice suppressing the commotion in the square:
"Buddha is not the Buddha of one person, but the Buddha of the whole world. Debate on sutras is not just the view of two schools, but can also include everything. Since Mr. Zhao has a different view, why not give it a try?"
Many people were stunned. They didn’t expect that Abbot Xuanyin would agree!
However, upon closer thought, it is not surprising.
Zhao Duan's identity is too special, and not long ago, the empress destroyed the Shenlong Temple with a sword for Zhao Duan. At this juncture, conflict must be avoided.
Moreover, the traditional rules of Buddhist debates do not have any restrictions, and it is not uncommon for non-Buddhists to participate in Buddhist debates throughout history.
"Holy monk... look..."
Bian Ji's expression changed and he looked a little uneasy.
He had personally witnessed the last time when Mr. Zhengyang surrendered without a fight and the birth of the School of Mind, and he knew that Zhao Duan was a very evil person.
But the abbot had already spoken, so he could only look at the Western monks expectantly - if the other party rejected it, it would be best if the Western monks came forward to drive Zhao Duan away.
However, after the initial surprise, the Red Sect Master's old monkey-like face suddenly stared at Zhao Duan for a moment, and nodded unexpectedly:
"I have also heard that the envoy Zhao of Yu State is well-educated and has opened up a new path for Confucianism. Now that Abbot Xuanyin has spoken, what if we postpone our debate between the East and the West for now? I also want to hear what the envoy Zhao thinks first."
The Saint Monk from the Western Regions also agreed?!
Bian Ji took a deep breath, suppressed his anxiety, brushed his sleeves and sat cross-legged again, and said coldly:
"Your Excellency said that my Eastern and Western Buddhist teachings are completely wrong. Why do you think so?"
Zhao Duan smiled slightly, and when he saw that the square had quieted down, he threw out his first sentence, which made the monks look surprised.
"I heard that this is not the first time that Eastern and Western Buddhism have debated on Buddhist scriptures. The so-called orthodox differences are nothing more than the 'method of practice'."
"The Buddhist teachings of the Western Regions have a long history, originating from the worship of the Buddha by ignorant people... From the worship, it evolved into many rituals...
Therefore, the monks of the Western Regions Zu Temple pay attention to "sticking to the appearance" when practicing, that is, strictly following the rituals of worshiping gods. Whether casting spells or meditating in daily practice, they all follow the ancient method...
Later, Buddhism spread eastwards. Thousands of years ago, Maya travelled from west to east, and there were Buddhist believers all over the Central Plains... This was the source of the Shenlong Temple lineage. After Maya travelled eastwards, the understanding of Buddhism also changed..."
"The opening chapter of the Contemplation Sutra records that someone asked: If someone aspires to seek the Buddha's path, what method should he practice to be the most concise and essential?"
"The practitioner Maya replied: Only the method of observing the mind can summarize all actions and is the most concise. What is observing the mind? The mind is the root of all things. All things are born from the mind. If you can understand the mind, all actions will be complete..."
Zhao Duan stood on the high platform and talked eloquently, and began to explain the process of the evolution and divergence of Eastern and Western Buddhism in this world.
"What do you mean? Maya practitioners believe that the essence of Buddhism lies in meditation and observing the mind, distinguishing good from evil, and using the wisdom bestowed by the Buddha to eliminate evil and cultivate good, so as to achieve 'seeing the nature of the mind' and obtain 'Buddha nature'...
The most important thing about chanting Buddha's name is the effort of chanting. It is not about chanting Amitabha Buddha verbally, but about thinking and feeling in your heart, getting close to Buddha nature...
The clearer your mind is, the less your wisdom will be obscured by the secular world. The more profound the Buddhist teachings are, the closer you are to the ‘Buddha’s God’... and the more powerful the practice power you gain will be..."
“Therefore, the so-called dispute over orthodoxy between the Western Regions and the Shenlong Temple is nothing more than a struggle between two cultivation methods.”
After saying this, the nobles around were a little surprised:
Is Mr. Zhao really here to debate? These words clearly show that he has studied the history of Buddhism.
Bian Ji frowned and interrupted:
"What's the point of talking about all this history, sir? A scripture debate is not the same as listening to your history talk."
Zhao Duan smiled and ignored him, but suddenly changed the subject:
"Well, if we say that a few hundred years ago, when the two factions first started arguing, it was still a dispute over ideas, but over the past few hundred years, with you and others having countless debates, the so-called debate has long since changed from a dispute over ideas to a verbal battle!"
After a pause, Zhao Duan angrily criticized:
"The current Buddhist scholars... those who lecture and compile, therefore, have a lot of chapters and notes... the upper class will be able to do it when they are old, while the middle and lower class will not be able to do it until they are old. The Vinaya texts are naturally forgotten, and reading the commentaries takes a lifetime, and the master and his disciples pass it on, using it as a model.
When discussing chapters and paragraphs, the rules are repeated; when describing the conclusions, the sentences are repeated. ... Moreover, the author intends to make it easy for people to understand, so how can he deliberately make secret words and then make fun of them..."
In the past few days, after Zhao Duan carefully studied the Buddhist teachings of this world, he found that it had many similarities with a period of history in the world he was familiar with.
There have also been similar long debates between localized doctrines and original doctrines.
This is not surprising, because the development of things follows certain laws.
Although the world is different, certain general laws, such as the law that dynasties will eventually unite after a long period of division, and will eventually divide after a long period of unity..., are still there.
His criticism was the exact words that had been refuted by Yijing, a great monk who had gone to India to seek Buddhist scriptures.
The general idea is that in the process of evolution, Buddhism gradually became more and more "academic", and Buddhism was confined to temples and could not go beyond the temples.
It's a bit...heartbreaking...
Sure enough, when they heard Zhao Duan suddenly open fire and attack the Buddhist Dharma of the Jin Yu Kingdom, the faces of the people from the Shenlong Temple changed.
But besides being angry, there was also a sense of guilt.
Yes, guilty conscience!
Because what Zhao Duan said was indeed a real problem.
The Red Sect master narrowed his eyes, said nothing, and observed the monks of Shenlong Temple with great interest.
Monk Bianji's face was as gloomy as water. After Zhao Duan finished his attack, he said in a deep voice:
"According to what you said, Buddhism is now trapped in temples. You think that is not right. Well, regardless of whether what you said is right or not, we would like to hear your opinion. In your opinion, if Buddhism is not in temples, where else can it be?"
"Yes, where is it?" a monk in the audience echoed.
"You said it's wrong for us to study Buddhism in the temple, so why don't you tell me where we should study it?"
Everyone was indignant.
Zhao Duan stood facing the wind, smiling slightly at the voices of doubt. He had anticipated the current reaction. When the voices of doubt gradually subsided, he spoke, uttering five words calmly and forcefully:
“Dharma is in the world!”
……
Buddhism is in the world!
Inside the Guanshui Tower, all the civil and military officials of the imperial court gathered. After Zhao Duan came on stage, a riot broke out.
Because the empress was slow to express her opinion, the officials had to endure it even though they were curious like a kitten scratching its head.
Then, they were shocked to see that Xuan Yin and the Red Sect Master actually agreed to Zhao Duan’s unreasonable request to participate in the debate.
Then, Zhao Duan's long attack was clearly heard by everyone, and everyone was relatively calm at first.
Until these words “Buddhism exists in the world” were uttered.
In an instant, the expressions of several officials changed suddenly!
The most obvious change in expression was that of Yuan Li, the Imperial Censor with gray hair and a clear demeanor.
As a rare court official who was well versed in Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, Yuan Li was a bohemian man in his youth and made friends with monks and Taoists. Therefore, he realized the murderous intent contained in these five seemingly ordinary words before other officials!
"Mr. Yuan?" Mo Chou looked at him in surprise and humbly asked for advice:
"Is there something wrong with what Lord Zhao said?"
brush--
In an instant, everyone, including Xu Zhenguan and Princess Wenzhu, looked at Yuan Li.
Although the empress had profound cultivation and was no less knowledgeable than any other man in the world, Xu Zhenguan ultimately devoted most of his energy to spiritual practice and government affairs.
As the saying goes, every profession has its specialties. She is very familiar with Buddhist magic and supernatural powers, but she may not be proficient in Buddhist theories.
As for Princess Wenzhu, although she has been in the Western Regions for a long time, to be honest... she only has a rough understanding of these difficult things.
"Could you please help me solve this puzzle?"
Xu Zhenguan's heart moved and he asked.
Based on her understanding of Zhao Duan, after her initial surprise, she guessed that Zhao Duan's sudden appearance must have some purpose.
It was this almost blind trust that prevented her from asking for a stop.
Yuan Li came back to his senses and looked at the empress. He was very serious, even with a hint of excitement: "Your Majesty, if my guess is correct, Lord Zhao is doing something very important right now, which will benefit the country and the people, and even have an impact on future generations!"
Xu Zhenguan was stunned. That guy...
Princess Wenzhu looked suspicious, wondering if the king and his minister were playing a role. Wasn't it agreed that the concubine was just a gilded straw bag? Why are you all so serious?
"What's the big deal?"
Xu Zhenguan subconsciously asked, but Yuan Li shook his head, looked forward, and held the armrests of the chair tightly with both hands:
"I am still unsure. I need to hear what Lord Zhao has to say next."
Xu Zhenguan pursed his lips and looked forward again.
……
"Is Buddhism in the world?" The Red Sect master frowned and asked:
"What do you mean by this?"
A qualified supporting actor...
Zhao Duan smiled slightly and gradually entered the speech state. He said loudly:
"For thousands of years, the core issue discussed in Buddhism is nothing more than 'how to become a Buddha'. Let's not talk about practitioners. Let me ask you, how do Buddhist believers become Buddhas?"
Bian Ji and the Red Sect master frowned and did not answer immediately.
However, a monk in the audience could not stand it and shouted: "We should give alms and accumulate merits!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Zhao Duan smiled:
"There is a story recorded in the "Tan Lun". In the previous dynasty, Emperor Liang was building temples. One day, Maya was talking to Emperor Liang. The emperor asked, 'I have built temples, ordained monks, and given alms and held vegetarian feasts throughout my life. What merits have I gained?' Maya said, 'No merits at all.'"
"Emperor Liang built countless Buddhist temples, was so good to Buddhism, and made so many donations, but Maya said that he had no merit... It can be seen that the merit cultivation in Buddhism is not about cultivating blessings, but about the Dharma body."
The monk was confused for a moment.
Zhao Duan joked: "It seems that you, a monk, are not serious in reciting the sutras. Even a layman like me can't read the sutras as well as you."
The monk blushed.
Zhao Duan smiled and said, "To become a Buddha, one does not need to cultivate merit. In my opinion, becoming a Buddha is just a thought away. If you are not enlightened, you are just an ordinary person. When you are enlightened, you are a Buddha!"
One thought leads to Buddhahood!
Before anyone could react, Zhao Duan's speech speed suddenly increased. He pointed to the sky:
"Just as rain does not come from the sky, it is the Dragon King who uses his body to draw the water from the rivers and seas, so that all living beings, all plants and trees, all sentient and non-sentient beings are moistened. ... The wisdom of Prajna of all living beings is also like this."
Translated, everyone has an equal opportunity to become a Buddha, just as all living beings have an equal opportunity to receive rain.
Bian Ji questioned loudly and interrupted forcefully: "No, why do you think that sentient beings only need to be enlightened and do not need to practice hard to become Buddhas?"
Zhao Duan spoke without pause, sonorous and powerful: "The nature of the world is pure, just like the clear sky!"
He said loudly:
"The nature of the world is pure, like the clear sky, wisdom like the sun, intelligence like the moon, and wisdom is always bright. When people are attached to the outside world, their false thoughts cover them like clouds, and their true nature cannot be clear..."
"According to this Dharma, from the beginning on, all of them, suddenly and gradually, have established no-thought as the main principle, no-form as the essence, and no-dwelling as the root."
“What does ‘no thought’, ‘no form’, and ‘no dwelling’ mean?”
Zhao Duan asked and answered his own questions:
“One who has no thoughts of dharma sees all dharmas, but does not cling to any dharma.”
He looked around at the crowd and sneered, "Both Eastern and Western Buddhism emphasize meditation, believing that this method can calm one's mind. I don't agree with that. If one's mind is calm, why bother observing the precepts? If one's conduct is upright, why bother practicing meditation?"
"…At all times, whether walking, standing, sitting or lying down, always practice a straight mind."
"In this way, concentration has nowhere to enter, and wisdom has nowhere to rely on; when you move your hands and feet, you are always in the place of the path."
……
Water Viewing Tower.
As Zhao Duan spoke with all his might, his voice overwhelmed the entire audience, turning the entire debate venue into his own podium.
The thoughts of the court officials, who had been barely able to keep up, gradually became out of touch and their eyes became increasingly confused.
"Mr. Yuan... I can understand what Lord Zhao just said, but what does it mean now?" an official couldn't help asking.
Xu Zhenguan also looked over.
She was also having trouble keeping up!
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Yuan Li's face became increasingly rosy, and she became increasingly...excited! Thrilled!
"His Majesty……"
Yuan Li swallowed his saliva, first glanced at Princess Wenzhu, then organized his words and said:
"You don't need to understand the specific meaning of what Lord Zhao said, and it's not important. Your Majesty just needs to know that what Lord Zhao said is somewhat similar to the Zen Buddhism of Prajna Bodhisattva. However, the doctrines that Prajna Bodhisattva has upheld in the past are far less complete and perfect than what Lord Zhao said."
Xu Zhenguan was stunned: "Prajna... the theory of sudden enlightenment that she upholds?"
Yuan Li nodded and said:
"There are two types of Buddhist practice: gradual enlightenment and sudden enlightenment. The Western Regions Zuting and Xuanyin Abbot both believe in gradual enlightenment, and believe that if people want to practice Buddhism, they need to practice hard day by day. However, the sudden enlightenment theory that Prajna Bodhisattva prefers emphasizes spirituality, and that one who suddenly realizes is a Buddha...
However, Lord Zhao took it a step further, believing that ordinary people worshipping Buddha, in their daily lives, every move can be a practice. Sudden enlightenment is not limited to monks in Buddhist temples. Even monks who work in the fields are practicing Buddhism and can also have sudden enlightenment..."
He quickly explained the general meaning, and then said excitedly:
"However, these are not important. I just said that Lord Zhao is doing something big. The real meaning is that this theory of sudden enlightenment is of great benefit to the court! It is also good for the Western Regions!"
Princess Wenzhu's ears pricked up immediately, and Xu Zhenguan's face turned serious:
"Mr. Yuan, please speak!"
Yuan Li said seriously:
"Your Majesty, do you know that after the imperial court banned Buddhism some time ago, many voices of dissatisfaction with the imperial court arose among the people?"
Xu Zhenguan nodded and sighed, "The court forbids the people to worship Buddha, so naturally there will be complaints."
Yuan Li sighed:
"That's right. The custom of worshipping Buddha has lasted for thousands of years and it cannot be stopped by a decree from the imperial court.
Your Majesty banned Buddhism not because you were dissatisfied with the gods, nor with the people who worshipped Buddhas, but because the monks of Shenlong Temple acted recklessly, and Your Majesty was just punishing these monks with impure intentions...
But the people don't know this, and will only be dissatisfied with the court... If this matter is not handled properly, it will inevitably alienate some people...
Lord Zhao has obviously realized this, so he used today's debate to promote the idea of becoming a Buddha with just one thought and sudden enlightenment... Once it spreads, the people will no longer need to go to the temple to worship Buddha, and monks from all over the world will no longer have to gather in temples to practice..."
Yuan Li said it cryptically.
But the officials present were all smart people, so how could they not understand?
What is the most feared thing about Shenlong Temple? Is it the group of powerful practitioners headed by Xuanyin? Yes, but also no.
Because those who practice strong cultivation can provide checks and balances.
What the imperial court feared was that the monks gathered in temples across the country, and that they had gradually become an uncontrollable force.
It is precisely because of this force that Shenlong Temple has the confidence to think about swallowing up the Western Regions and promoting integration.
Only Bodhisattva Nagarjuna and Master Mahajan had the courage to take action against the imperial court.
Therefore, after the empress realized this, she took advantage of the opportunity of Zhao Duan's assassination to ban Buddhism.
But this word "ban" will cause big trouble if it is not handled properly. The Shenlong Temple is easy to control in the capital, but what about the numerous temples in the nine provinces and eighteen prefectures of Dayu?
Can't we just block it forever? If we forcibly disband it, it will become another restless force and will be used by the Eight Kings.
The solution proposed by Zhao Duan was to complete the existing but imperfect theory of Prajna Bodhisattva.
Because the idea that "everyone can become a Buddha through sudden enlightenment" is too tempting to believers, once it is promoted, people will accept it on their own.
Once this theory becomes popular, it means that monks can practice at home and do not have to practice in the temple, which will greatly weaken the prestige of temples headed by Shenlong Temple.
The authority to practice Buddhism will be dispersed from being controlled by temples to everyone.
Moreover, Zhao Duan's high-profile criticism today is equivalent to telling everyone that the court's ban on Buddhism does not mean that you cannot worship Buddha or practice, but it is intended to disintegrate the small group of people who control the temples.
The worship of Buddha in temples was suppressed, but folk sacrifices were allowed.
It will also greatly ease the people's hostility towards the court.
"So... Lord Zhao's move this time was very well-intentioned. It was to resolve the hidden dangers for the court and calm public opinion. It was also a disguised support for Prajna..."
Yuan Li stopped there.
The escape of Master Dajing meant that there was one less person who could check and balance Xuan Yin in Shenlong Temple.
Therefore, as long as Prajna is supported, it is equivalent to filling the position of Dajing, so that the power in Xuanyin's hands will still be divided.
Moreover, the emergence of a new theory will make the already difficult things merge and become even more impossible...
"Master Zhao, this is killing two birds with one stone."
Yuan Li sighed with a complicated look in her eyes.
Who could have thought that the little chess piece that he casually promoted a few months ago could now be sincerely addressed as “Sir” by him, the party leader?
The empress's beautiful eyes lit up when she heard this.
Princess Wenzhu next to her was already stunned.
"Now, the only thing missing is the most crucial step, which is whether this set of words can gain the approval of the Buddha. If not, I am afraid that the effect of his hard work today will be greatly reduced, or even wasted."
Yuan Li suddenly became worried.
Only then did everyone realize what was happening.
Yes.
This is not preaching, but a debate. If Zhao Duan loses, then no matter how well he speaks, it will be of little significance.
Thinking of this, everyone looked towards the square again.
……
At this moment, Zhao Duan's long speech has come to an end.
Bian Ji's expression had completely changed. With his intelligence, how could he not guess Zhao Duan's sinister intentions? He couldn't help but interrupt.
"Zhao..."
"Ahem," suddenly, the Red Sect master spoke up, asking before Bian Ji could: "As you said, how should ordinary monks practice?"
This supporting actor...is he cooperating with me so well?
Zhao Duan looked at the old monkey in surprise, thought for a moment, and then recited in a serious tone:
“Love means caring for one’s parents, and righteousness means compassion for superiors and subordinates.
If you are yielding, the high and the low will live in harmony; if you are patient, there will be no noise from all the evils.
If you can lock the wood and bring out the fire, red lotus will surely grow in the mud.
Bitter medicine is good medicine, and unpleasant to the ears is always honest advice.
Correcting one's mistakes will lead to wisdom, while protecting one's shortcomings is not a sign of virtue.
In daily life, one should always do good deeds; enlightenment is not achieved by giving money. "
After a pause, Zhao Duan looked around at everyone and said calmly:
“Thus have I heard, if one sees all things as not being things, then one sees the Tathagata.”
The words fell.
There was silence.
Suddenly, without any warning, ripples appeared in the sky. Everyone looked up in surprise, only to remember that there was a huge Buddha head floating in the sky.
The next moment, someone exclaimed, "The Buddha... opened his eyes!!!"
-
The typos will be corrected first and then replaced. The main content of the debate has been completed in this long chapter of 6,700 words.
(End of this chapter)