svetikya Page 596
Page 596
Suddenly, Monk Jingchen turned pale, slumped down weakly, and clasped his hands together.
"Your disciple is attached to appearances."
The Buddhist sect from the Western Regions came to question the sins of Shen Shu's severed hand seal, and they were already filled with anger.
After the contest began, the people's curses never stopped.
Moreover, Hengyuan easily passed two rounds, putting them under great pressure.
At this moment, Xu Xinnian, with a megaphone and sonic waves, launched into a tirade of insults, including personal attacks.
Even the Buddha had a temper, let alone his disciples.
Xu Xinnian lifted his long robe, turned around and bowed in a gesture of respect, winning cheers from the crowd.
Under the Bodhi tree.
"I will shatter your Dao heart."
Hengyuan, who had been silent all along, spoke up leisurely after Xu Xinnian finished cursing.
His tone was calm, yet it made the old monk feel considerable pressure.
"You want to break the Bodhisattva's resolve?"
Hengyuan ignored him and instead asked, "Master, do you know what Mahayana Buddhism is?"
When he came on stage, he introduced himself as a follower of Mahayana Buddhism.
"That's what I want to learn."
"I asked the master how Buddhist monks in the Western Regions practice their faith."
"Attaining enlightenment and transcending the sea of suffering."
"This is Theravada Buddhism, which only cultivates oneself, and the attainment of enlightenment is also the same, benefiting oneself but not others," Hengyuan said eloquently.
The old monk under the tree was taken aback, pondered for a long time, but did not get angry.
"Hengyuan, may I ask what Mahayana Buddhism is?"
“Master, you should not just be a monk from the Western Regions, but a monk from all over the world.”
“Monks should not only practice to escape suffering for themselves, but also to help all sentient beings escape suffering.”
Why did the Confucian school of the Great Feng Dynasty persecute Buddhism in Sichuan over the past century?
“They did not destroy Buddhism, but Hinayana Buddhism, specifically your Western Regions Buddhist sect.”
"Theravada Buddhism is limited to one sect or school, while Mahayana Buddhism aims to save all sentient beings."
The old monk's breathing became rapid, and his voice became noticeably erratic.
How can we save all living beings?
Hengyuan stared into the old monk's eyes, his gaze sharp and penetrating to the heart.
"Master, why is there only one Buddha?"
Upon hearing this, all the monks from the Western Regions, including the old monk, were momentarily speechless.
The impact of this statement far surpassed that of Xu Xinnian's insults.
Du'e Luohan suddenly stood up, as if he knew what Hengyuan was about to say.
Hengyuan slowly said, "All sentient beings in the world are Buddhas, countless Buddhas throughout the three worlds and ten directions."
"I am Buddha, you are Buddha, all sentient beings are Buddha."
"This is Mahayana Buddhism. Why? Because there is only one Buddha in this world!"
These words struck like a bolt from the blue; the old monk was stunned, as if petrified!
“All sentient beings under heaven are Buddhas, all sentient beings under heaven are Buddhas… Mahayana Buddhism…” Monk Jingchen murmured to himself.
The truth he believed in had been challenged all along.
"If we practice Mahayana Buddhism, then all sentient beings are Buddhas. How could Confucianism possibly destroy Buddhism?"
“I practice Hinayana Buddhism, hahaha... So all sentient beings can become Buddhas... Sentient beings are Buddhas, this is Mahayana Buddhism.”
A monk went mad; he charged into the crowd like a madman, his expression frantic.
The Buddha's heart is broken.
The Arhat Du'e clasped his hands together, like a morning bell or evening drum.
"Having renounced worldly life, one's heart is pure and clear."
The monk, who was in a frenzy, seemed to have been struck on the head with a blow to the head. He slowly sat down and sat cross-legged in meditation.
Du'e Luohan looked at the secret realm of Foshan, and a rare look of anger appeared on his deeply lined face.
Under the Bodhi tree.
The old monk had clearly had a sudden realization.
In the Western Regions, Buddhism prioritizes power and attainment, with Buddhist teachings being secondary.
This kind of Buddhist system is definitely inferior to Mahayana Buddhism.
The old monk opened his eyes, a smile of profound enlightenment on his face, his whole being exuding a natural Buddhist aura.
"Thank you for enlightening me, benefactor. I have gained complete understanding." The old monk smiled and clasped his hands in prayer.
“Back when Bodhisattva Wenyin was still a fourth-grade ascetic monk, he had some doubts.”
Why can't he become a Buddha?
"This obsession had been hidden in his heart for a long time, and he only realized it when his lifespan was about to end."
"There is only one Buddha in the world, so he cut me off and attained the status of a Bodhisattva."
"I sat in the secret realm for many years, still unable to understand how to become a Buddha, and even more unable to understand why I could not become a Buddha."
Then the old monk gazed westward and said with a sigh, "I am Buddha, Buddha is me, Amitabha."
The Bodhisattva Wenyin was determined to transcend his rank and become a figure on par with the Buddha.
But now, he has finally realized that Buddhahood has nothing to do with rank.
"Thank you for your guidance."
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the secret realm, and the old monk transformed into wisps of green smoke, while the Bodhi tree bore Bodhi fruits.
Just then, Arhat Du'e personally stepped down.
"Hengyuan, what exactly is Mahayana Buddhism, and what is Hinayana Buddhism?"
Hengyuan lowered his gaze, "Is the so-called Buddha a supernatural force or a Buddha-like heart?"
"Both!"
"In that case, there are Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism."
"In my humble opinion, the Theravada Buddhist teachings prioritize power and rank."
"Master Du'e, am I right?"
Du'e objected, "If this is Hinayana Buddhism, then what is Mahayana Buddhism? Your claim that all sentient beings are Buddhas is utterly absurd!"
Hengyuan continued, “You think it’s absurd because you practice Hinayana Buddhism.”
"The Lesser Accomplishment of Buddhism, in essence, values rank and superhuman strength."
"What if...we take the Buddha's mind as the highest priority?"
The Arhat Du'e chanted the Buddha's name, his hands clasped together, and asked, "What is the supreme meaning of the Buddha's mind?"
"You all believe that there is only one Buddha in the world, and that the Buddha is the Buddha. It is impossible for a person to become a Buddha; one can only become a Bodhisattva or an Arhat."
"But was the Buddha born a Buddha?"
"I believe that everyone has Buddha-nature, but it is polluted by the mundane world. After cultivation, everyone can become a Buddha."
Hengyuan clasped his hands together and slowly said, "This is what is meant by 'seeing one's true nature and becoming a Buddha.'"
Boom!
A thunderbolt struck the sky!
Du'e was bathed in golden light, echoing the extraordinary phenomena of heaven and earth.
"Why is Buddha the Buddha, and I cannot be Buddha...?"
"No, everyone can become a Buddha."
Hengyuan stood up from under the Bodhi tree, then put his hands together and bowed to Du'e.
“Master Du’e has already attained enlightenment regarding the Mahayana Buddhism of my Great Faith.”
"You will be the founding disciple of my Mahayana Buddhism."
"It is hoped that after the Master returns to the Western Land, he will guide sentient beings and promote Mahayana Buddhism."
In the audience stands.
Wei Yuan spat out a mouthful of tea. "Hengyuan not only founded a sect, but also converted the Arhats of the Western Regions into disciples of Mahayana Buddhism?"