socalfunplaces Page 565
Page 565
That stingy woman really doesn't care about the bigger picture!
A woman pursuing a man is easy; if you take the initiative, I don't believe Li Chang'an can resist.
Master Jinlian shook his head, feeling like a pimp, and decided to change his name to Master Pimp.
Then, Master Jinlian took out a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone and began writing a letter to Li Chang'an.
A few days later.
Li Chang'an successfully received the letter from Master Jinlian, but the letter did not explain why he could not come in person.
In fact, Jinlian was worried that Luo Yuheng's mind would sense something and that it was a consensus among Taoist masters not to criticize Taoists with powerful primordial spirits.
Li Chang'an was very clear about the conflict between Heaven and Man, so resolving this conflict was a natural thing for him.
Li Miaozhen certainly couldn't be injured. Since the pimp had spoken, she could spare Chu Yuanzhen's life.
Of course, if Luo Yuheng were to ask for it at that time, that would be fine too.
Not long after he finished reading the letter, a servant announced that a tall monk had arrived at the door, claiming to be Hengyuan.
Is Hengyuan back?
He accompanied his junior brother Heng Hui to Chuzhou more than a year ago. Could it be that his exile was ended early?
"Let him in."
A moment later, Hengyuan, a burly monk with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a bitter and resentful expression, and wearing large Buddhist beads, walked in.
"This humble monk has met Benefactor Li. Benefactor Li's cultivation has greatly improved, which is truly a great blessing for the nation."
The moment the senior monk opened his mouth, he showered Li Chang'an with praise, elevating the issue to a national level.
"Thanks to the help of the Changqing Trading Company, the children of Yangshengtang are living a good life. People like you deserve to attain the Great Dao and live a long and healthy life."
Hengyuan is not the mainstream among monks. According to the teachings of Dafeng Buddhism, they are focused on saving themselves, not on saving others.
Therefore, Hengyuan's narrow-mindedness is essentially the same as Li Miaozhen's.
This may be one of the reasons why Master Jinlian valued Hengyuan.
"Hengyuan, why are you back from Chuzhou? How is your junior brother?"
Hengyuan put his hands together and said, "Chuzhou is located on the border and has been fighting against the northern barbarians for a long time. As long as we help the Prince of Zhenbei defend against the enemy, we can reduce our sentence."
“This humble monk and several fellow disciples helped the border troops defend against the enemy. The northern barbarians are showing signs of weakness. We also helped Heng Hui accumulate a lot of military merits, so he has been released.”
Hengyuan's concern for Henghui is truly admirable, and this kind of behavior is in line with the image of a martial monk.
The northern barbarians are showing signs of decline, but they will not be completely wiped out. If the barbarians are wiped out, how will the King of Zhenbei shift the blame for the massacre that lasted for three thousand miles?
Speaking of the massacre that ravaged three thousand miles, Li Chang'an had entered the Life-Establishing Realm, so he could no longer sit idly by.
Moreover, Li Chang'an has the strength to deal with the Prince of Zhenbei.
Once we've dealt with the current issues of the Western Region Buddhist delegation and the conflict between the celestial beings and humans, we can set off for Chuzhou.
Judging by the time, we should be able to reach Chuzhou before the Bloodbath of Three Thousand Miles.
Before that, Wei Yuan needs to send more people to Chuzhou.
“Benefactor Li, this humble monk has come to ask you a question.”
Li Chang'an guessed that Hengyuan's visit was related to the Buddhist sect in the Western Regions, and that the Buddhist sect in the Western Regions came for the body of Shenshu.
"Tell me about it."
"The Mahayana Buddhism that you mentioned to Abbot Panshu has been reported to the Buddhist community in the Western Regions, and the Buddhist community there is quite furious about it."
"However, this humble monk believes that what you said is very profound, but it is indeed inconsistent with Buddhist principles, which is why I am very confused."
Hengyuan's actions are more inclined towards the Mahayana Buddhist principle of universal salvation.
There is no superiority or inferiority between Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism; it depends on which one the practitioner's mind leans towards.
Abbot Hengyuan was naturally drawn to Mahayana Buddhist teachings.
In fact, his words and actions have already paved a new path, but it has not yet been systematically summarized and refined.
"Hengyuan, I ask you, why do Buddhist monks practice?"
Hengyuan said in a deep voice, "To attain enlightenment and transcend the sea of suffering."
"Then you should devote yourself to Buddhist practice. After all, spiritual cultivation only benefits oneself and not others. Why do you help the children at the orphanage, and why do you treat your fellow disciple like a brother?"
In response to Li Chang'an's question, Hengyuan said with shame, "This humble monk simply couldn't let go of his attachments, which is why he chose the path of a martial monk. If he were to cultivate Buddhism, he would be unable to comprehend it."
Li Chang'an smiled slightly and continued, "The eminent monks of the Western Regions only cultivate themselves, which is Hinayana Buddhism. But to save all sentient beings and rescue them from the sea of suffering is Mahayana Buddhism."
"Salvate all living beings..." Hengyuan was somewhat dazed.
"Let me ask you again, how many Buddhas are there?"
Hengyuan looked puzzled. "There can only be one Supreme Buddha."
“Hengyuan, have you ever thought that all sentient beings in the world are Buddhas, and there are countless Buddhas in the three worlds and ten directions? This is the true Mahayana Buddhism.”
"You clearly have more than one Buddha in your heart, so why force yourself to believe that there is only one Buddha in the world!"
Hengyuan's gaze was fixed, his mouth dry, and he kept muttering, "All living beings in the world... are Buddhas..."
Hengyuan's long-standing confusion about Buddhism was suddenly illuminated by a ray of light.
“Hengyuan, you chose the path of the martial monk, not because you are incapable of comprehending Buddhist principles.”
"It's because the principles and fruits of Buddhism are too small to contain your Buddhist heart."
The senior monk seemed to have been struck by lightning, standing there dumbfounded, as if petrified.
Chapter 345 Monk Hengyuan attains enlightenment, Mu Nanzhi betrays her best friend
“In my hometown there was a great monk who spent his life helping the needy and the weak, fighting against evil and helping the vulnerable. The world was corrupt, but he was born with a heart of Buddha.”
"He killed countless people, hated evil as if it were his enemy, and was indiscriminate in his eating and drinking habits. He killed many corrupt officials and tyrants, but in the end he also attained enlightenment."
"Hengyuan, that master left behind a Buddhist verse before he died. Would you like to hear it?"
Li Chang'an's explanation of Buddhist principles had already greatly shocked Hengyuan.
The story of Lu Zhishen stirred Hengyuan's heart even more, as if an indescribable shackle was being torn away layer by layer.
He had been practicing Buddhism diligently since childhood, but the Buddhist principles he could never comprehend seemed like a mountain weighing down on his head.
And now, this majestic mountain is crumbling piece by piece.
Hengyuan could feel his mind being cleaned inch by inch.
"Benefactor, I hope you will not hesitate to offer your guidance."
Li Chang'an slowly said, "In my life, I have never cultivated good deeds, but only loved killing and arson. Suddenly the golden rope is broken, and the jade lock is torn apart."
Hengyuan's gaze suddenly sharpened like lightning, and a faint aura of Vajra emanated from his body, as if a clay Bodhisattva was being pierced by Buddha's light.
The Buddha statue beneath the clay sculpture is slowly emerging from the ground.
He seemed to be possessed, muttering to himself, as if nothing in the world existed, only these four Buddhist verses resonated in his mind.
"Break the golden rope... tear the jade lock... What is my golden rope, and where is my jade lock?"
"Golden ropes and jade locks, aren't they precisely those Hinayana Buddhist doctrines? They are precisely the shackles of the one and only Buddha in the world!"
Why can't martial monks practice Buddhism, help the needy and the weak, and fight against evil to become Buddhas?
"The world is shrouded in darkness, yet why can't those ten thousand Buddha lamps, high above, pierce through the darkness?"
"The world is full of hardships, and people are suffering. Why can't the Buddha save them?"
Hengyuan followed the path of a martial monk, cultivating only superhuman strength and not Buddhist mind. After reaching the eighth rank of martial monk, he went straight for the third rank of Vajra realm.
The actual combat strength of an eighth-rank monk can even surpass that of a sixth-rank martial artist with copper skin and iron bones.
Meanwhile, Monk Hengyuan was at the stage of achieving the Great Perfection of the Eighth Grade.
Seeing Hengyuan's reaction, Li Chang'an finally confirmed his guess: this great monk was fully capable of forging his own path.
This is the Vajra Path that cultivates both supernatural strength and the Buddha's mind. Its Buddha's mind is not the small Buddha's mind that is exclusive to the Buddha, but the great Buddha's mind that all sentient beings can become Buddhas.
“Hengyuan, cultivating Buddhism is about cultivating the mind. It is people who cultivate Buddhism, not the other way around.”
Li Chang'an spoke slowly, and Hengyuan's expression became serene, but his Vajra aura intensified, unleashing a powerful Buddhist energy.
Countless scriptures drifted out from the golden light, and intermittent Buddhist chants began to emanate from above Li Chang'an's residence.
The golden light expanded, and the faint Buddhist chants gradually enveloped the entire inner city.
"It is not that Buddha cultivates people, but that people cultivate Buddha; cultivating Buddha is cultivating the mind..."
Amidst the radiant light and resounding Buddhist chants, Li Chang'an uttered the final two lines of Buddhist verse.
"The tide comes in on the Qiantang River, and only today do I realize who I am."
This last sentence was like a heavy hammer blow, completely shattering the golden rope and jade lock of Monk Hengyuan!
Hengyuan was surrounded by a great golden light, and the sound of Buddhist chants surged and spread like the tide, enveloping the entire capital city in the sound of Buddhist chants.
"My mind is the Buddha's mind; I am the Buddha, and the Buddha is me. Everyone can become a Buddha!"