From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 174 Buddha Country
The poetry gathering was over, and the three of them were still in high spirits.

They discussed a few more poems under the grape tree, and when they saw that the tofu feast was ready, they gathered together to eat.

After all, Xiangling had studied in the city, so she immediately took on the responsibility of serving the dishes and persuading the guests to eat. No one knew where she learned this.

After the meal, Xiangling did just as she wrote in her poem. She fell asleep as soon as she was full and didn't take anything to heart.

It was a warm afternoon, with sunlight sparse under the grape trellis. Xiangling was lying on the table, sprawled out, soundly snoring.

Meng Yuan poured tea for Dugu Kang and asked him about academic matters.

During this trip to Hulu Mountain, Meng Yuan became more and more aware of the wonders of Tianji's supernatural powers and the number of talented people in the world.

"How much do you know about the Western Buddhist Kingdom?" Meng Yuan first asked about the Buddhist Kingdom.

"You met visitors from the West this time?" Dugu Kang was quite surprised. "In fact, the Buddhist Kingdom is not just one 'country', but a dozen or even twenty small countries, some of which are ruled by humans or demons, and most of them believe in Buddhism."

At this point, Dugu Kang said seriously: "Of course, some of these small countries do not believe in Buddhism."

"There's more." Meng Yuan became interested.

"There's nothing much to say about this. It's just like our Confucianism and Taoism. The Buddhist country is also divided into several schools due to doctrines, concepts, and geography. But generally speaking, the main schools are the sudden enlightenment school and the gradual cultivation school. Of course, most people actually practice both." Dugu Kang looked clear, "The common ancestral temple of the two Buddhist schools is Lingshan Bodhi Temple, which enshrines the Three Buddhas."

Dugu Kang pointed to the west and said in a low voice, "Nowadays, the Western Buddhist Kingdom has actually declined a lot. Their second-grade realm is to attain the fruition of Bodhisattva, and only the first-grade realm can be called Tathagata. The so-called Tathagata has no origin and no destination, so it is called Tathagata. Only the three Buddhas in Buddhism can be given the title of Tathagata, the Buddha of the past, the Buddha of the present, and the Buddha of the future. It depends on the Dharma they practiced and how early they attained the Tao."

At this point, Dugu Kang showed some yearning, "I heard that the Buddha of Freedom is the leader in the Bodhi Temple, and he is at the second level. He has always been capable."

"How many people are there under the seat of the Buddha of Freedom?" Meng Yuan asked.

"Do you really think I know a lot?" Dugu Kang spread his hands, "I actually just heard it from others."

"How is the people's livelihood in Buddhism? How are the population and households?" Meng Yuan asked again.

"The West is hot, with many hills and forests, but little arable land. In terms of wealth and population, it is far inferior to our Qing Kingdom." Dugu Kang understood it well.

"When I went out this time, I met a visitor from the West. He said that the Western Buddhist country is the paradise." Meng Yuan said with a smile.

"Just listen to them bragging!" Dugu Kang sneered, "Monks are best at bragging! Monks are the ones who can speak eloquently!"

As a disciple of Buddhism, he actually fabricated faults of Buddhism.

"As a second-grade Bodhisattva, doesn't the Buddha of Freedom take charge of the people's livelihood in the territory?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

"Mr. Meng, have you become stupid from studying?" Dugu Kang looked at Meng Yuan curiously and said, "Buddhism used to be Hinayana Buddhism, which is about self-cultivation. Then it integrated the knowledge of Confucianism and Taoism and evolved into Mahayana Buddhism, which began to talk about saving all sentient beings and saving all sentient beings."

He lowered his voice even more, "If the three Tathagata Buddhas couldn't accomplish it, how could the Free Buddha accomplish it?"

"Has the Buddha of Freedom ever tried to do it?" Meng Yuan asked.

"How should I know this?" Dugu Kang spread his hands. "The three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism all have the vision of a harmonious world. Many great people have worked hard throughout the ages, but isn't it still the same as it is now?"

"Yes. It is said that when one reaches a high level, one can be on par with gods, but that is not the case." Meng Yuan nodded in agreement. "If there really is a god or a Buddha overlooking the world, then where do all these disasters and famines come from? Where does all living beings suffer?"

"Donor Meng is close to being a saint." Dugu Kang praised him, which was rare. "Is there any connection between the Western Buddhist Kingdom and the monks in Ping'an Prefecture?" Meng Yuan asked again.

"Of course there is, after all, the ancestral home of Buddhism is in the Western Buddhist Kingdom." Dugu Kang knows this very well, "I guess there is private communication, but the two families are actually quite different, and both think they are authentic."

"So that's how it is." Meng Yuan understood.

"Why don't you ask donor Ying? She is well-versed in hundreds of classics and is well-versed in history and geography. She definitely knows more than me!" Dugu Kang suggested.

"Alas." Meng Yuan sighed and said, "I am humble by nature, how dare I bother the Third Miss about everything?"

"Then you dare to provoke Mingyue?" Dugu Kang didn't believe what Meng Yuan said at all.

"..." Meng Yuan was at a loss for words for a moment.

"She has been training outside since she was young, and has not met many people. The men she has met are either old men with white beards or uncles with black beards." Dugu Kang nodded at Meng Yuan and said, "But don't think you can provoke her just because you show some ability. The national teacher is standing behind her!"

Dugu Kang stretched out his hand, and then clenched it, "The National Master is at the third level of the Dao Sect. If I catch you, I will refine you in an instant!"

"You always judge others by your own standards," Meng Yuan defended.

"You know whether you have random thoughts or not." Dugu Kang put his hands together, "The red and pink skeleton are all appearances. If you want to realize the great way, you must give up your ordinary roots. As a gelder, you don't even understand this principle?"

"Okay, Le Kong, don't preach." Meng Yuan was really afraid of Dugu Kang, so he just asked, "Tell me more about this method of mindfulness. This time when I was outside, I almost got caught."

"What's there to say about this?" Dugu Kang took a sip of tea, acted like a great monk, and said, "When the mind is barren, chaos is easy to occur. You warriors have the ability to block out emotions and delusions, which is like erecting a fence outside your mind. With the same theme of 'eating', the poems written by two people are of different quality. Some people's fences are unbreakable, while others fall down with a push."

Dugu Kang was getting more excited as he spoke. "Of course, some magical powers that eliminate thoughts are even more powerful, like tall city walls, which are unstoppable. But if one is not at peace in one's heart, then no matter how thick and tall the city walls are, they will be full of rat holes. If one encounters a master, then it will definitely not work! To put it bluntly, the magical power of heaven is actually a technique. If one has "technique" but no "Tao", how can it last long?"

"Listening to your talk is better than reading for ten years." Meng Yuan poured tea for Dugu Kang.

"You are too greedy." Dugu Kang looked more and more like a great monk. "You want to live a better life, learn more martial arts, and harm more women. In the words of our Buddhists, you have all three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance."

"I was born a castrator, and I was a refugee who almost died outside. Isn't it normal for me to have seven emotions and six desires?" Meng Yuan smiled.

"There are seven emotions and six desires, and these desires will inevitably disturb your mind and will be detrimental to your future climb to the top." Dugu Kang said.

"But if I give up these desires, what's the point of reaching the top?" Meng Yuan made a point.

"..." Dugu Kang was stunned for a moment, and said, "You mean, as long as the saints are alive, the thieves will not stop?"

"I feel that you Buddhist disciples have gone to extremes. You are trying to abandon family affection and all causes in a vain attempt to enlighten your mind and see your nature. In fact, you are also attached to appearances," said Meng Yuan.

"Then tell me, what should we do?" Dugu Kang immediately became excited when he saw Meng Yuan was coming to debate.

"How should I know?" Meng Yuan smiled as he spread his hands. "I only know that I am a warrior. You want me to discuss great principles and knowledge? I can never do that. I only know how to act with swords and knives."

"Amitabha." Seeing that Meng Yuan talked about war every other sentence, Dugu Kang didn't know what to say.

(End of this chapter)