From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 299 You Testify, I Testify
The weather was fine and sunny, with a clear sky and fresh air.

The Wenchantai gathering was attended by thousands of people, including monks and nuns from Ping'an Prefecture, as well as people from Confucianism and Taoism.

Seeing that Master Jiujie asked the question about "giving up", Abbot Juesheng showed no mercy and bluntly said that Master Jiujie "gave up" but "did not give up", and that he was still attached to his beliefs.

Master Jiujie is a disciple of Arhat Wusheng, and he only arrived yesterday, so everyone present naturally knows this.

However, there were quite a few people who knew the name of Monk Juesheng. Even those who did not know his name could tell that he was outstanding in appearance and had a graceful demeanor, and knew that he must be a talented and virtuous person from Lanruo Temple. With a little more inquiry, they would know that he was also known as Monk Hua.

The term "flower monk" does not mean that the person is promiscuous, but rather that he is exceptionally handsome and has a remarkable demeanor.

One of them was a Western visitor, at the fourth level of cultivation; the other was a disciple of Lanruo Temple, at the fifth level of cultivation.

Those present had anticipated a debate and witty exchange, but no one expected it to begin so soon. Moreover, Monk Juesheng displayed his sharp wit and showed no mercy.

Dugu Ying wore a bamboo hat, her petite figure hidden under a red cloak. She was well-behaved and not very tall. Her two cold laughs lacked any real power, making her seem more like a sulking girl.

Meng Yuan and Lin Yan exchanged a glance, then bowed to Dugu Ying.

Dugu Ying ignored him and simply adjusted her bamboo hat.

Meng Yuan and Lin Yan didn't rush to speak. Looking around, they saw that Master Jiu Jie had already stood up, clearly showing that he cared a lot about Monk Jue Sheng's argument.

The meditation platform was silent as everyone watched the two eminent monks engage in a contest of magic.

Lin Yan was actually all show and no substance. Although he had read Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist classics and could exchange a few meaningless witty remarks with eminent monks, he was still rather naive compared to someone who had thoroughly studied the principles of Buddhist scriptures.

Meng Yuan was somewhat better off; at least he had exchanged witty remarks with Dugu Kang and discussed Daoist principles with Jie Kaiping multiple times, so he roughly understood the meaning of Jiu Jie and Jue Sheng.

The two eminent monks held somewhat different views. Master Jiujie's previous comments on Ning Qufei's words showed that he believed the suffering of sentient beings stemmed from their attachment to "self" and "Dharma".

Buddhism teaches the abandonment of all desires, which is the reason why all things are impermanent and all phenomena are without self. It means relinquishing the five aggregates and breaking free from attachment to the body, mind, and external world.

By severing the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance, one can instantly attain Buddhahood.

However, Monk Juesheng pointed out that Jiujie's repeated searches for someone to ask about "above" clearly indicated that he had developed an obsession.

In fact, the Buddhist concept of "letting go" is essentially about letting go of attachments, not indulging in pleasures, not being obsessed with ascetic practices, and achieving a state of mental and spiritual tranquility.

But Master Juesheng has already transcended this level, going beyond the argument that "attachment is like a rope binding you, and those who let go are liberated," and delving deeper into Buddhist principles to explore the state of emptiness and non-self.

The saying "to relinquish all attachment to the Dharma and realize emptiness" already means to relinquish all desires and attachments to the Dharma. This is why Master Juesheng said, "There is no wisdom and no attainment, because there is nothing to be attained."

This means that it is not good to be attached to "giving up"; one must have no thought of "giving up" to truly "give up".

“Originally there is nothing, so where can dust settle?” Master Jiujie repeated the words of Monk Juesheng, smiled and nodded, saying, “The words of the ancients point directly to the fact that one’s nature is inherently complete and there is no need to seek it externally.”

He looked at the monk Juesheng and asked, "My friend, do you possess a complete mind and nature, without needing to seek it externally?"

“Reporting to the Zen Master, this humble monk’s practice of Buddhism is still shallow and he has not yet attained enlightenment,” Monk Juesheng replied with his head bowed.

"Then how does one 'let go'? How does one reach the state of 'letting go'?" Master Jiujie asked again.

“Kill the Buddha if you encounter the Buddha, kill the patriarch if you encounter the patriarch, and no one will call you Buddha, no one will call you patriarch,” Monk Juesheng said with a smile.

This does not mean the extinction of Buddhas and patriarchs, but rather the absence of idols and freedom from all kinds of constraints.

"Amitabha." Upon hearing this, Master Jiujie asked curiously, "How should it be done?"

“I will become a Buddha myself,” said the monk Juesheng.

“If you have this thought, you have also become obsessed.”

Master Jiujie finally found the flaw in Monk Juesheng's words, saying, "To relinquish all attachment to the Dharma and realize emptiness, how many of us have truly attained it after seeking it in countless ways and enduring countless hardships?"

His face grew increasingly compassionate, showing a deep empathy for humanity. He said kindly, “A content person, even lying on the ground, is at peace; a discontent person, even in heaven, is not satisfied. ‘Giving’ is not abandoning or clinging, but wisdom.”

Master Jiujie pointed to the sky and continued, “Bodhisattvas can give up their lives to save sentient beings. Isn’t this also the same as ‘attachment’ without giving up? We are not seeking ‘giving up’ or ‘not giving up’, but rather the path of cultivation from ‘giving up’ to giving up our own ‘giving up’.”

With these words, Master Jiujie clearly introduced a new argument, saying that "letting go" is important, but the process of letting go is even more important.

"The outcome is decided," said Dugu Ying.

"Huh?" Lin Yan scratched his head.

Meng Yuan, though lacking in knowledge, could still discern the outcome. This was because Master Jiujie had already steered the debate towards the distinction between gradual and sudden enlightenment.

As expected, the monk Juesheng remained silent, while Jiujie smiled like a spring breeze.

“To relinquish all conceptual elaborations and extinguish all afflictions is called relinquishment.” Master Jiujie began to summarize, “By contemplating the emptiness of dependent origination, one naturally develops a mind that does not cling. From relinquishing material possessions to relinquishing self-attachment, and finally even relinquishing the thought of ‘relinquishing,’ one achieves ultimate liberation.”

Master Jiujie looked kindly at Monk Juesheng and said, "My friend, this is the only path to Nirvana."

He then emphasized the word "journey".

Monk Juesheng remained silent for a long time, then bowed and paid his respects, without uttering another word.

After the Flower Monk suffered a setback, no one else, inside or outside the Zen platform, came to debate with him.

Master Jiujie no longer talks about "giving up"; if he did, it would mean he "does not give up".

Meng Yuan listened to Master Jiujie ramble on about Buddhist stories for a long time, all of which were words of encouragement to be patient, kind, and magnanimous.

After rambling on for ages, the meeting finally ended in the evening. Even the monks from the various Buddhist temples in Ping'an Prefecture insisted that Master Jiujie speak a little more.

"They didn't even give out eggs, what's so nice about that!" Meng Yuan thought angrily.

"I heard you went into seclusion." Yingmei in the red cloak finally spoke.

She was petite, but her figure was concealed by a cloak, yet she possessed an inexplicable aura.

At this moment, Dugu Ying slightly turned her head and glanced at Meng Yuan, as if she were sizing him up.

"I only emerged from seclusion the day before yesterday," Meng Yuan replied honestly. "I have many questions that I would like to ask Miss Ying for guidance."

“Come down the mountain with me,” Dugu Ying immediately agreed.

Meng Yuan naturally agreed, as this was for the sake of martial arts advancement. He was willing to do anything, let alone go down the mountain, as long as he could take another step forward.

"Senior brother." Meng Yuan looked at Lin Yan.

"I'm here!" Lin Yan waved his hand dismissively. "You don't need to worry about these trivial matters in the mountains!"

As he spoke, Lin Yan put his arm around Meng Yuan's shoulder and slipped a bottle of pills into Meng Yuan's arms, saying, "Take it with wine or water; it will make it easier to conceive."

What is all this nonsense? What kind of person do you think I am?
Meng Yuan quickly accepted the gift and followed Dugu Ying down the mountain together.

Previously, Dugu Ying had approached Meng Yuan, saying she wanted to kill Zhihe of Lanruo Temple, but more than half a month had passed and there was still no news.

The two remained silent throughout the journey. Upon entering the city, they arrived at a residence, and after walking a short distance, they found themselves in a garden.

"Miss Mingyue!" Upon seeing a beautiful woman standing by the lake with her hands behind her back, Meng Yuan called out to her immediately.

Dugu Mingyue turned around and nodded slightly to Meng Yuan. "I heard you just came out of seclusion, so I wanted to invite you to have a chat," Dugu Mingyue said.

The three sat down, and Mingyue asked about the Zen lecture given by the Nine Tribulations that day. Mengyuan then relayed what the two monks had said.

“The Ninth Tribulation is a fourth-grade realm, and it is usually used to preach the Dao on behalf of the Arhat Wusheng, but it rarely reveals its abilities.” Mingyue shook her head slightly. “Juesheng debated with him, no wonder he lost.”

“I heard that Monk Juesheng also had dealings with the Ying family,” Meng Yuan said.

“That’s right.” Mingyue readily admitted, “He used to correspond with Miss Ying Er in the past.”

"Is it Juesheng who helped Qingguangzi?" Dugu Ying asked.

Seeing that Dugu Ying also knew, Meng Yuan frankly said, "It should be him, but he probably doesn't know it anymore, yet the person behind him still managed to find him."

"There are no outstanding individuals among the 'Liao' generation, and only a few among the 'Zhi' generation. If we remove a few martial monks, they are quite easy to find. It just depends on whether Lanruo Temple wants to inquire." Dugu Ying sneered.

"I suppose the Supervisor and Abbot Zhiguan have other plans," Meng Yuan could only say.

Upon hearing this, Dugu Ying stopped mentioning it and instead said, "Let's talk about the seclusion."

Meng Yuan came for this reason and immediately began to recount what he had seen and learned during his half-month seclusion.

“I have a feeling that I should indeed seek fire. The Heavenly Fire Spreading Across the Plains passed down by the Third Miss is indeed compatible with me, but I always feel that something is missing, and it cannot be completely compatible,” Meng Yuan said.

"The mindset isn't right." Dugu Ying, a fifth-rank martial artist, immediately concluded, "Some people can reach the fifth rank from the sixth rank in a day or two, while others can never achieve it in their entire lives."

She took off her straw hat, carefully examined Meng Yuan, and said, "Miss Ying can no longer help you improve, and I can't help you either."

"Then what should I do?" Meng Yuan asked.

"No rush." ​​Dugu Ying's voice remained calm, though her petite figure and appearance gave her a touch of girlish charm. She said lightly, "We can't open all the Heavenly Fire Blazes at once, so let's open the others first. Even if we can't find a way to break through to the fifth rank, the Heavenly Mystery Divine Power will still be more powerful."

This is an implication that the assassination attempt is not over yet.

"Yes." Meng Yuan immediately agreed, then asked curiously, "Miss Ying, after breaking through to the fifth rank, is there truly any guidance that can inspire and transform living beings?"

Dugu Ying nodded slightly.

"Where is Miss Ying's transformed being?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

Dugu Ying sneered and said, "Meng Feiyuan, remember this: don't ask about this kind of thing again. No one will tell you."

So it's still taboo! Meng Yuan glanced at the red cloak and thought, "Could it be your name?"
"Don't be impatient," Mingyue gently comforted. "It's never good to be agitated."

"How is Miss Mingyue?" Meng Yuan asked Mingyue again.

"I have already broken through to the fifth rank." Dugu Mingyue smiled slightly.

Upon hearing this, Meng Yuan examined the bright moon closely but did not notice anything different. However, there seemed to be something different about it, though he could not pinpoint exactly what it was.

"What is it like to find the secrets of heaven that resonate with and harmonize with your own?" Meng Yuan pressed.

Night had fallen, the garden was quiet, and the occasional sound of fish leaping out of the water could be heard from the lake.

Dugu Mingyue pondered for a moment and said, "It is an extremely ethereal feeling."

She thought for a moment, as if savoring the moment, and said, "When you arrive, you will know you have arrived. Naturally, all the secrets will be revealed, and your whole body will be bathed in the changes of heavenly secrets."

How could it be so mysterious? Meng Yuan could only carefully memorize it.

The three of them talked for a long time and then had dinner together. Meng Yuan didn't return to Lanruo Temple, but stayed there instead, without using the medicine Lin Yan had given him.

Meng Yuan wrote the letter under cover of night, and when dawn broke, he intended to ask someone from the Demon Suppression Bureau to help him send it, but Dugu Ying took on the task instead.

"Come find me tonight," Dugu Ying said.

This is going to cause trouble!
After bidding farewell to the two women, Meng Yuan left the west gate of Ping'an Prefecture and wandered around for a while. Then, a disheveled monk dressed as an ascetic came up to him.

In just over half a month, he had let go of his hat and found that his hair had grown short. His handsome face was covered in black soot, making him look less like an ascetic and more like a beggar.

"This is for you." Meng Yuan took out a tin of tea and offered it to him. It was the same tea that Monk Juesheng had given him before. This could be considered as using someone else's gift to present something to the Buddha.

"Brother Meng is so kind!" Jie Kaiping was deeply moved, but he complained, "But I have no stove and no teacups!"

"Do you want it or not?" Meng Yuan wouldn't give him any money.

"Yes, yes, yes!" She untied the screen and stuffed the tea canister back into her bosom.

"You're also a bald monk at the fifth rank, with your own supernatural abilities, so why don't you care about your appearance? Why do you have to be so filthy?" Meng Yuan asked, frowning.

“That’s called nature,” Jie Kaiping said shamelessly.

"..." Meng Yuan was too lazy to ask any more questions.

"How's things going with Monk Juesheng? What exactly is he planning to do?" Jie Kaiping asked with great interest.

“That’s right.” Meng Yuan immediately recounted the past of Monk Juesheng and Miss Ying, as well as Wang Er’s speculation.

“I see.” Jie Kaiping listened carefully before saying, “I heard that he debated ‘letting go’ with Master Jiujie and finally admitted defeat. It seems that he is not as ‘unattached’ and ‘letting go’ as he said, but rather he has both attachments and an unwillingness to let go.”

Meng Yuan had always admired Jie Kaiping's ability to discuss Zen, so he asked, "What do you think of their debate?"

"Sit." Jie Kaiping simply invited Meng Yuan to sit down. He took out a teapot, boiled it, and served tea leaves. Then he said, "Bodhi has no tree, nor is the bright mirror a stand. Have you gained any insight from this Bodhi verse?"

Meng Yuan shook his head; he had never been particularly interested in the Buddhist concept of emptiness.

“Brother Juesheng clearly has Buddha-nature. After hearing the Bodhi verse, he realized the principle of ‘emptiness’.”

Unfastening the screen and holding the teacup, she said, "You witness, I witness, heart witness, intention witness. There is no witness, yet it can be called witness. There is nothing to be called witness, that is the state of being."

“This is not right. We have fallen into attachment again.” Meng Yuan immediately noticed the problem. “Emptiness is emptiness. No emptiness is emptiness. Existence is still emptiness. Being in existence is being in emptiness.”

Meng Yuan added, "There should be a saying: 'Only when there is no place to stand can one be truly pure.'"

“Brother Meng has Buddha-nature.” Jie Kaiping was used to saying this. “All sentient beings suffer. If there were no suffering, who would seek the gate of emptiness? But to seek emptiness and liberation in emptiness is to be attached to the appearance of emptiness and fall into the mind of attachment.”

Jie Kaiping shook her head, "Neither of them is right."

"Who is right?" Meng Yuan asked.

"Me!" Jie Kaiping said confidently, "Jiujie means that 'letting go' is cultivation. From 'letting go' of oneself to 'letting go' of attachment is cultivation. There must be countless sufferings in this process, but suffering is cultivation. Understanding that suffering is cultivation allows one to recognize and see one's true self. This is the cultivation method that Jiujie spoke of. Juesheng said that he did not see letting go, but in fact, his desire to let go was too heavy, and it had become too difficult to change."

At this point, Jie Kaiping finally stated his argument: "To let go is to release suffering, yet not to forget suffering; this is the essence of Prajna (wisdom)."

Meng Yuan was confused, but he couldn't say anything, because once he started talking to him, Jie Kaiping would just keep going on and on.

After chatting for a while, Meng Yuan bid farewell to Jie Kaiping and went to Yunshan Temple, but he couldn't find Master Xuanjizi.

As night fell, Meng Yuan, as agreed, found out where Dugu Ying was staying.

(End of this chapter)