Yan ZK

Chapter 325 Using Mahayana to Break Mahayana

Chapter 56 Re-enter the Mortal World

A single sentence, "Take you back into the mortal world," resonated like a thunderclap. Dai Yingwei, for reasons unknown, felt his heart surge. Seeing Yuanjue stride towards Tiantai Temple, he hurriedly urged his colleagues to shoulder the equipment and follow closely. The other reporters, onlookers, and monks also quickened their pace.

In front of the oldest Great Hero Hall of Tiantai Temple.

Monks with aged, simple, or profound faces sat cross-legged on prayer mats.

Each wore a different robe, yet all evoked a sense of solemnity. Adorned in kasayas (patched robes), they were disciples from various Buddhist schools, excluding the Zen sect. Zen focuses on Buddha-nature, while the Yogācāra school cultivates Buddhist teachings. Yuanjue carried the traditions of both schools.

He gazed at the group of elderly monks, numbering at least twenty.

Further back, younger disciples, not yet entitled to wear kasayas, stood holding wooden fish.

The dense crowd exuded an overwhelming pressure.

Yuanjue's nine-ringed tin staff struck the ground heavily. With a resounding thud, the faces of the elderly monks remained serene, while the younger disciples instinctively took a half-step back, awed by the great monk whose Dharma power could seemingly move mountains. Yuanjue simply adjusted his robe and sat cross-legged on the ground with composure.

One man facing hundreds of monks.

The sudden surge of tension sent shivers down Dai Yingwei's spine.

The nine-ringed tin staff seemed to sense the familiar atmosphere and trembled abruptly.

The clanging sounds mingled with the wind.

Reporters and cameramen chose their angles to capture the scene. Dai Yingwei opted for a diagonal shot, capturing Yuanjue, the hundreds of monks, the ancient temple, and the enormous Buddha bell. Overhanging clouds pressed down from above, creating an atmosphere of impending doom.

From the Tiantai sect, an elderly monk opened his eyes and slowly intoned:

"Amitābha…"

The Dharma debate commenced.

These images were transmitted in real-time by modern cameras. Many who felt the Daoist-Buddhist debate was insufficient and those accustomed to reciting Buddhist scriptures tuned in to the broadcast on their televisions and computers.

An old woman, rosary beads in hand, chanted the Heart Sutra.

She was just reciting the lines, "Form is no different from emptiness, emptiness is no different from form."

Her eyes were glued to the broadcast.

Her fingers flew over the rosary beads. Even while watching television, she recited the Heart Sutra flawlessly, her movements perfectly synchronized with the beads. This was the result of thirty years of chanting. According to the masters, she had accumulated immense merit, dispelling all calamities and ensuring she would not fall into the underworld.

However, she only felt a brief moment of pride in her heart.

Then she began to chant even more diligently.

This was to pray for blessings for her son and grandson.

She was very serious.

She had even bought an automated chanting machine blessed by a Buddhist master, which constantly recited the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra, effectively accumulating merit at all times. Her son couldn't dissuade her, so he bought one for her to keep at home.

Many old women like her lived throughout Shenzhou.

They were devout and earnest, genuinely believing that this would bring blessings to their families.

And now, on the live broadcast screen, the 'Buddhas' debated the Dharma.

First, a monk from the Fahua sect spoke.

As he spoke, golden lotuses bloomed from the earth and flowers rained down from the sky.

Yuanjue closed his eyes slightly, offering no response.

However, the flowers could not penetrate three zhang (approximately ten feet) around Yuanjue, shattered by the nine-ringed tin staff.

Then came monks from the Pure Land sect and the Tiantai sect.

As they spoke, Buddha-light flowed, and within it, one could seemingly see countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas reciting scriptures, solemn and dignified, stirring the emotions of those who witnessed it. However, despite the vastness of the Buddha-light, as if capable of saving all beings, it could not encroach upon Yuanjue.

The Buddha-light fell, but could not obscure the soft sunlight.

The Buddha-sounds could not drown out the cicadas and the wind in the ears.

Finally, many high-ranking monks of the Buddhist faith spoke to Yuanjue in unison, but Yuanjue remained unmoved, his expression serene and gentle, not the slightest bit swayed, his concentration extraordinary. After about half an hour, Yuanjue spoke, asking slowly: "Buddhist disciples, why do you cultivate?"

"What is the purpose of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of Mount Sumeru?"

This was a question that a Mahayana Buddhist disciple would answer without hesitation.

"Naturally, to bestow compassion widely and deliver all sentient beings."

"Deliver all sentient beings…"

Yuanjue repeated, then suddenly raised his eyebrows and rebuked:

"Deliver all sentient beings, what qualifications do you have to deliver all sentient beings?!"

A hint of astonishment and anger flashed in the monks' eyes.

Yuanjue said frankly: "Actually, I don't quite understand. If it is said that the human world is a sea of suffering, and all sentient beings are sinking, and delivering all sentient beings means pulling people from the sea of suffering to the shore, then isn't it necessary that you yourself must already be on the shore, having transcended the sea of suffering?!"

"When we say we are saving people, then the rescuer is naturally in a safe place."

"When we say we are giving alms, then the giver should naturally have something to spare."

"Then, have you masters already transcended the human world, escaped the sea of suffering, and attained the state of nirvana where the six senses are pure?!"

The monks frowned, but none could answer.

Yuanjue said slowly:

"Since you yourselves are impure in the six senses and sinking in the sea of suffering, how can you say that you are delivering all sentient beings?"

An old monk scoffed: "Cultivating only oneself and neglecting the masses is Hinayana Buddhism."

"Xuanzang of the Great Tang Dynasty was proficient in the three baskets of Buddhist scriptures. Has only a small portion of self-centered Hinayana Buddhism remained after being passed down to you?"

Yuanjue shook his head and said:

"There is no need to argue about Mahayana and Hinayana. May I ask, what is meant by the sea of suffering?"

Another old monk said slowly: "A person walking in the world is like walking through a thicket of thorns. One wrong thought will immediately cause much pain. And the world has eight sufferings: birth, old age, sickness, death, unfulfilled desires, meeting those one hates, separation from those one loves, and the flourishing of the five aggregates. Therefore, it is called the boundless sea of suffering."

Yuanjue asked: "Can you deliver people from the sea of suffering?"

"How can they be delivered?"

The old monk was silent for a moment, then asked in return: "Then how does the Yogācāra school cultivate?"

At this time, the camera focused on this seemingly simple monk, and those watching the live broadcast were slightly stunned, because this monk looked very familiar.

A worker on a construction site who took a break from handling steel to watch the live broadcast, a staff member leaving work at the Hope Project station, the owner of a grocery store, a worker in a bakery, and the owner of a breakfast shop making buns while watching the live broadcast were all stunned.

This was a worker from their construction site.

The big guy who would come to the Hope Project to donate money and books.

The customer who came to the grocery store to find things.

The thrifty man who came to buy bread that was about to expire on time.

And the stubborn man who refused to be treated to a meal.

Unlike those high monks who seemed to be filled with the scent of incense, with lowered eyes, finding peace and joy, this person was full of life, someone who was right next to them. Looking at him, they felt somewhat unfamiliar, yet inexplicably familiar. They always felt that one day, when the sun was just right, they would see him on the streets near their hometown, a person who was ordinary and simple, vivid and real.

This honest man who did not seem like a high monk at all, said peacefully and quietly:

"Eat when eating, walk when walking, sleep when sleeping."

"If the mind is at peace, that is cultivation."

The old woman reciting the Heart Sutra paused.

The people watching the live broadcast frowned slightly.

That's it?

Just like that?!

Where were the golden lotuses blooming from the earth? Where was the Buddha-light shining forth?

How could cultivation be so simple? How could cultivation be so plain? How could cultivation be so… ordinary that it made people feel dislike in their hearts?

Yuanjue glanced at the monks who looked like Buddhas, sorting out his thoughts, and said:

"There are indeed eight sufferings in the human world, and even more hardships, but where do these come from? In fact, they all come from our own existence. This is 'form.' It is because of the things we experience, this is 'sensation.' It is because of the things we think, this is 'perception.' It is because of our chosen actions, this is 'volition.' It is our awareness, 'consciousness.'"

"But these are all external. What truly causes suffering is our mind."

"The Daoists have a saying, 'Excessive colors blind the eyes.' If one's eyes cannot see the light, one will not be harmed by excessive colors. But we do not want to abandon our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body. Then, we can only cultivate from our mind, which is intention."

He reached out and pressed his hand on the ground, his voice calm and gentle, and said:

"We, these beings with form, if magnified to look at time, will surely return to 'emptiness.' The birth of humans and life itself is an accidental miracle. 'Emptiness' itself does not have the existence of the eight sufferings, but people have such concepts, because we are aware of these things."

"It is cognition itself that leads to suffering."

"If we place our self-awareness at a higher level, to overlook the passing of time, knowing that all things, all phenomena, will eventually turn into emptiness, and calmly overlooking the mountains and rivers for eternity, then we will know that birth, old age, sickness, and death are only natural laws, and everything will eventually return to emptiness."

"Go and question your inner heart, recognize the reasons for suffering, recognize the essence of death."

"Terror and fear are because there are things in your heart that you are terrified and afraid of."

"When you can achieve a state where there is nothing to worry about in your heart, not fearing birth, not fearing death, a state of clarity, then you will have no fear; when there is nothing you do not understand or cannot let go of in your heart, you will not be troubled by these things, and you will be able to stay away from those manic dreams and delusions, and settle within yourself."

"Body and mind unite with oneself, lacking nothing, and gaining nothing."

"Suffering will not remain long, and worries will not arise, the self is unique."

Yuanjue's voice paused slightly, and he smiled: "Too difficult, right?"

His voice was too ordinary, as if someone next to you was asking about what happened this morning. The people watching this scene nodded subconsciously. The great monk said: "Because this is already the realm of the awakened and the Buddhas."

Everyone was taken aback.

An old monk suddenly felt something was wrong, his expression changing drastically.

"Yuanjue, what are you going to do?!"

Yuanjue put his hands together, performing the Lion's Roar of Buddhism, directly suppressing the old monk's voice!

But to the ears of the crowd, it sounded gentle and peaceful:

"The world does not need so many awakened ones and Buddhas, but everyone can walk on this path. Look, eat when eating, walk when walking, sleep when sleeping, live when living, body and mind as one with the self, with nothing to worry about in the heart, and lacking nothing. In this state, it is the highest cultivation, it is the realm of the Buddha."

"Isn't it also very simple?"

"There will be sadness, there will be happiness, there will be anger, but just remember that these emotions should be like wind, rain, thunder, which will obscure the sky, but will eventually dissipate. Do not forget that your heart should be a clear mirror in the long sky, not anger and sadness. The wind and rain will come, and should also dissipate, only the mind remains unchanged, always clear. If you can do this, you are already a very powerful cultivator."

The words resonated deeply in the hearts of the crowd.

The monks were horrified.

They finally understood what this honest monk was going to do.

He was not trying to promote the Yogācāra school.

He was directly digging out the roots of the worship-Buddha Mahayana Buddhism!

Directly explaining the most simple Buddhist Dharma.

No need to worship Buddha, there is a path that can guide you to the awakened state of mind.

This was no longer Buddhism.

This was cultivation!

A high monk of the Pure Land sect suddenly stood up and shouted angrily:

"Spreading heresy to confuse the masses, Yuanjue, shut up!"

Finally, he could not bear it any longer. The Buddhist beads in his hand flew out, and each bead suddenly became huge, crashing down towards Yuanjue. The dull sound of the wind was almost like muffled thunder, giving the illusion of shaking the earth when heard in the ears. Another sect's old monk threw up the monk's alms bowl in his hand, which suddenly became incomparably huge, hanging upside down above Yuanjue's head, slowly rotating, the golden light inside bright, as if to directly take him into the alms bowl.

The great monk's sleeves fluttered and shook, his expression becoming even more serene, neither avoiding nor retreating.

Today, he had come to debate the Dharma.

He did not use any supernatural powers to resist.

His face gradually paled.

He simply faced the crowd, his voice peaceful, and told the final Buddhist Dharma of the Heart Sutra.

"The Buddhas of the three worlds attain Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi by relying on Prajna Paramita."

"Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi is indeed the state of nirvana and awakening."

"The Buddhas of the three worlds are not some gods. This sentence of Xuanzang refers to people in the past who have comprehended such principles and achieved enlightenment, people who are now comprehending enlightenment according to such principles, and people in the future, even in the future after I have died, who will definitely have a state of mind that reaches emptiness."

"And 'Therefore know that Prajna Paramita is the great divine mantra, is the great bright mantra, is the supreme mantra, is the unequaled mantra, which can remove all suffering, truly and not falsely.' This sentence is not to make you chant scriptures. The meaning of this sentence is —"

"After the above demonstration, it can be proved that this method and wisdom of pursuing inner clarity is the great bright mantra, the great divine mantra, and is a method and principle that can eliminate all suffering in the human world, truly and not falsely. This sentence is not a mantra, but a conclusion obtained by Xuanzang. To eliminate suffering, one does not rely on the Buddha, but on one's own heart."

"In fact, it is not a problem to write a word 'explanation' in front of this sentence."

The abbot of the Pure Land sect felt his scalp tingle and shouted angrily: "Yuanjue, are you going to be Mara?!"

Yuanjue ignored him, his expression serene, and his voice peaceful said:

"Therefore, it is known."

"The sea of suffering is boundless."

"Use the mind as a raft!"

"No one is qualified to deliver all sentient beings."

"And sentient beings, self-deliverance, self-deliverance…"

Suddenly, there were bursts of thunderous sounds around, surrounding the monk, resisting the opposing Buddhist Dharma. Dai Yingwei felt a tremor throughout his body. A trace of blood flowed from the corner of Yuanjue's mouth. He said gently:

"As for therefore saying the Prajna Paramita mantra, that is, saying the mantra: gate gate pāragate pārasamgate bodhi svāhā… the meaning is…"

The old Celestial Master Zhang Ruosu, watching this scene on Mount Longhu, sighed and spoke together with Yuanjue, saying:

"This sentence is not a prayer mantra at all."

"But Xuanzang said when translating the scriptures, probably hoping that all beings could achieve the state of mind of the enlightened, even that one was excited and wrote this sentence, meaning 'Therefore, go, go, hurry up and pursue the wisdom of a clear state of mind, that is the other shore, may all beings attain supreme enlightenment.'"

"It is obviously an earnest exhortation from the predecessors, just like a teacher telling you, hurry up and learn, this thing is very good, you must also do this. As a result, it was misinterpreted by later generations with ulterior motives and used as some kind of exorcism mantra. It reminds me of the broken thing of repaying grievances with virtue."

"It is clearly a classic that guides people to cultivate their state of mind, but it is regarded as something that can bring blessings as long as you recite scriptures. Buying the casket and returning the pearl is the act of a fool. These bald donkeys who only know how to recite scriptures and chant the Buddha are harming people."

The old Celestial Master's face was full of displeasure.

Wei Yuan frowned as he looked at Yuanjue on the screen.

Zhang Ruosu comforted him and said: "Don't worry, according to this, he must have obtained the true teachings of Xuanzang. The nine-ringed tin staff may not have liked to pay attention to him before, but now it is probably recognizing its owner. Since ancient times, the translation of scriptures has always tested the translator's level."

"Because the translator's understanding is always mixed in when translating and explaining."

"And the Heart Sutra that is now circulating in the world is exactly the version translated by Xuanzang."

"A mere two hundred and sixty characters, expounding the five aggregates, the three categories, the four noble truths, and the twelve links of dependent origination, contains all the core of Prajna Buddhism and the doctrine of the emptiness of nature. Therefore, even if the Yogācāra school has been lost, as long as the Heart Sutra is circulating, the Yogācāra Buddhist Dharma may be enlightened by later generations at any time."

"The three worlds Buddha he said, Sakyamuni in the past, I am afraid he was directly referring to himself at that time."

"Neither self-praise nor arrogance, just a plain narration."

"The predecessors of our cultivators are so respectable and awe-inspiring."

Wei Yuan said: "Two hundred and sixty characters, all the core of Buddhist Dharma?"

Zhang Ruosu said: "Yes… so, Yuanjue can be said to have directly thrown out all the Mahayana in Mahayana Buddhism. Hinayana Buddhism saves oneself, and Mahayana Buddhism saves the world. The Pure Land sect found the Pure Land of Mount Sumeru, and established the high and mighty Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to lead the world, using the theory of the afterlife to deliver all sentient beings."

"And the Zen sect insists on smashing the clay Buddha statues, saying that the Buddha is in the heart, but the Zen sect has very high requirements for Buddha-nature."

"But Tang Xuanzang is different. He hopes that everyone can reach the state of mind of the enlightened, and directly opened up a practical path. It is a pity that it has been lost, and now, Yuanjue is doing this, using Buddhist Dharma to shatter the roots of Buddhist Dharma. The incense of Buddhism may become much weaker… but, I am afraid that true monks will appear."

"Really compassionate monks are a good thing."

And the old woman who was reciting the Heart Sutra just happened to recite the last sentence of pāragate, and heard Yuanjue's explanation, her voice suddenly stopped, her mind went blank, and it took a long time to come back to her senses. She suddenly thought of when she was persuading her son, she told him that this was a good thing, good for you, and you must do it too.

At this time, as if spanning the voices of the times, the emotions that Xuanzang left in the text burst forth, 'This is a method that can lead to the state of mind of the enlightened, you cultivate your inner heart, and you can achieve Buddhahood, may all beings achieve supreme enlightenment.'

Thinking of the decades she had recited this sentence, but turned a blind eye to the true meaning.

The true meaning of this sentence, and the scene when she persuaded her son, constantly appeared and intersected in front of her.

An indescribable feeling suddenly grabbed the old woman's heart.

Making her feel uncomfortable for some reason, especially uncomfortable.

At this time, the automatic scripture-chanting machine next to her was reaching the part about the state of mind, accompanied by the sound of wooden fish, the monk's voice sounded solemn and vast, as if it could really bring boundless blessings to all beings.

"Therefore saying the Prajna Paramita mantra."

"That is, saying the mantra: gate gate pāragate pārasamgate bodhi svāhā."

"Therefore saying the Prajna…"

The old woman could no longer bear the uncomfortable feeling in her heart, and she hurried over and turned off the noisy and ear-piercing machine.

The room that turned off the machine suddenly became quiet and empty. She stared blankly at the Buddhist posters and Buddha statues pasted in the surrounding room, thinking of her son and grandson whom she had not seen for a long time, a feeling of heartache and annoyance floated in her heart, and she shed tears sadly.

On Mount Tiantai.

The monks were furious, and the oldest monk stepped forward and scolded: "Yuanjue, turn back quickly!"

"You are committing the grave sin of slandering the Buddha!"

The blood at the corner of Yuanjue's mouth seemed to be golden. He raised his head slightly, laughed freely, and said, "Buddha?"

"Where is the Buddha?!"

"There?"

He raised his hand and pulled out the nine-ringed tin staff, and threw it out violently.

The tin staff turned into a stream of light and flew into the main hall.

A loud crash!

In full view, under the gaze of countless people, the clay Buddha statue directly disappeared, leaving only smoke and dust flying. Then, even these smoke and dust disappeared. On the lotus platform, it was actually empty.

For some reason, not only the bystanders, but even the younger monks, felt a tremor in their hearts. That Buddha seemed to be directly broken from the bottom of their hearts, leaving only a void, a sense of panic, but also a feeling of pleasure, a feeling of self and truth.

The old monk's face turned red with anger, and he roared:

"Yuanjue, you are presumptuous!"

The great monk who had been lowering his eyebrows and being agreeable suddenly raised his eyebrows and said, "Presumptuous?!"

"It is you who are presumptuous!"

The old monk was frightened and took a step back.

Yuanjue laughed loudly, took seven steps forward, raised his hand and pointed to the front, and suddenly shouted angrily: "Clay statue!"

Raising his palm, his expression softened: "This is the human world."

Pointing to the distance: "The Buddha is an enlightened one, all sentient beings can become Buddhas!"

"What are you? Monks and nuns guarding the clay statue and serving it?!"

The sound was as deep as thunder, but it made people feel at peace in their hearts.

Dai Yingwei couldn't help but think of a sentence: The Buddha speaks the Dharma, his voice is like thunder.

Yuanjue felt a fishy taste in his throat. He was carrying the Buddha-nature of the Zen sect and the Buddhist Dharma of the Yogācāra school. It is said that the Zen sect can suppress the other sects in debating the Dharma, and the ancestor of the Yogācāra school, Tang Xuanzang, was a figure who suppressed the Buddha-land alone, but Yuanjue actually spoke very little usually. He felt that he seemed to have finished speaking all the words of his life today.

He knew that what he wanted to do was finally done.

He put his hands together, and the nine-ringed tin staff appeared.

He held the tin staff, like the young monk a thousand years ago who walked out of the Great Tang Dynasty alone, facing the Buddha-land with composure and fearlessness. He chanted a Buddha's name in a low voice, and the nine-ringed tin staff turned into a light and wrapped the monk, rising into the sky, without a kasaya, only an old monk's robe, with his hands clasped together.

As the rainbow light left, there was a sound of reciting the Heart Sutra in the heavens and the earth.

On this day, the Mahayana Buddhism was broken by the Mahayana of the Mahayana.

Among the seven sects, hundreds of inner disciples turned away from their sects and abandoned the 'Buddha'.

ps: Today’s first update……… is a combination of yesterday’s second update and today’s first update, six thousand four hundred words.

Regarding the things of Buddhism, it is a little bit of my own thoughts on the Heart Sutra. I originally wanted to skip it, but I felt that skipping it would be too empty.

Without these things, it would be difficult to express where the devastating blow to the Buddhist faith is.

Understanding history, I really feel that Tang Xuanzang can really be called a saint.

Sneaking out of the border of the Great Tang Dynasty, crossing I don’t know how many countries, one person suppressed the Buddha Kingdom, and ran back and forth. It is reasonable to guess that he is not only good at convincing people with reason, but also good at convincing people with reason.