Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 184 [The body is a Bodhi tree, the mind a clear mirror.] The Buddha's enlightened form!

The top scholars from Jingchu, including Song Chuwang, Qin Wen from Guanzhong, and Liu Chun from Bashu, were all dumbfounded.

They had also considered that Jiang Xingzhou might know some Buddhist scriptures and could discuss Buddhist verses and doctrines with the monk Shihuai.

Most likely, Jiang Jieyuan was more capable than those Confucian scholars from the Imperial Academy!
Even if we lose, it won't be a humiliating defeat!

but!

The monk Shihuai was shocked when Jiang Xingzhou's Buddhist verse "My mind is Buddha" broke his ten years of arduous practice of the "Wrathful Vajra" verse. He vomited blood and knelt on the altar!
That was something they never expected!

"Dangdang!"

Song Chuwang, the top scholar of Jingchu, was so excited that his face turned red. The amber-colored spirit wine in his cup spilled out, splashing into a shower of starlight on the blue bricks.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a sound. He could only mechanically raise his hand to rub his eyes—as if to confirm that the figure kneeling in the pool of blood was indeed Abbot Shihuai of Baima Temple.

"happy!"

Song Chuwang, the unrestrained and talented scholar from Jingchu, tilted his head back and drank the wine down his neck, soaking his clothes: "Let's drink a big cup!"

He pointed at the altar with bleary eyes, "Did you see that? The monk's prayer beads all burst—"

One hundred and eight Bodhi seeds were swirling in the pool of blood, much like the blue lotuses before the Buddha that had been knocked down by a rainstorm.

"This"

Qin Wen from Guanzhong snapped his folding fan shut and stared intently at the figure in blue robes on the altar. "So, Brother Jiang's words about knowing a little about Buddhism are true. He knows even more than the eminent monks of the White Horse Temple!"

His gaze toward the altar now held awe. "So there really are Confucian disciples who can use Buddhist verses to break Buddhist teachings!"

Bashu Liu Chun unconsciously stroked the jade pendant at his waist with his fingertips.

He recalled the humble manner with which the top scholar from Jiangnan spoke of Buddhism earlier—the young man, with his eyelashes lowered, clearly said, "I only have a superficial understanding."

"What a superficial understanding!"
Brother Jiang's 'fur' is even thicker than the golden silk robe of the head disciple of the White Horse Temple!
I have also studied some Buddhist teachings, and consider myself learned, but compared to Brother Jiang, I am but a novice!

Bashu Liu Chun shook his head and sighed.

"boom--"

The old scholar Xun You suddenly slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacups on it to rattle loudly.

This dignified old scholar from the Imperial Academy was now so excited that his beard trembled, and he waved his withered hand heavily in the air:
"Well done! Jiang Jieyuan's analysis is brilliant!"

Dozens of students from the Imperial Academy behind him responded with a roar, their blue robes billowing like waves.

Some even had tears in their eyes—they had been holding back their frustration for too long over this debate between Confucianism and Buddhism!
to be frank,
In this debate between Confucianism and Buddhism, the Confucian scholars of the Imperial Academy suffered a hidden loss!
They were busy preparing for the imperial examinations in the spring of the following year, and they studied diligently in the classics of Confucianism, agriculture, military strategy, and other schools of thought.

Buddhist studies questions will not be included in the provincial examination.

They are naturally unlikely to be engrossed in studying a Buddhist scripture, as they have little understanding of Buddhism.

However, the monk Shihuai did not have the pressure of taking the imperial examination. In the past ten years, he not only studied Buddhist scriptures in depth, but also had ample time to read through the classics of various schools of thought and study the shortcomings of each school. He spent three years preparing for the debate between Confucianism and Buddhism.
The Confucian scholars naturally suffered a great loss, being beaten so badly by the monk Shihuai that they couldn't even lift their heads.

"happy!
Jiang Jieyuan has avenged us!"

A young scholar clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white. "That monk, relying on his familiarity with Buddhist scriptures and classical texts, keeps spouting 'karmic reincarnation,' but he doesn't know that the true essence lies in the 'righteous spirit' of Confucianism!"

The classmate next to him nodded vigorously: "We study hard for years for the sake of learning the practical skills to govern the country and bring peace to the world!"
Who has the time to argue with him about 'karma and reincarnation'?

The old scholar Xun You took a deep breath, his copy of the Analects in his sleeve already crumpled from being clutched.

He gazed at the upright figure in blue robes on the altar, his face filled with excitement.

"What a fine scholar Jiang Xingzhou is!"

The old scholar stroked his beard and sighed, "He was a Confucian disciple, yet he was well-versed in all schools of thought and had even studied Buddhism."

Suddenly, he turned to the assembled scholars and solemnly said, "Have you all seen clearly? This is what it means to 'know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated'!"

With his withered, twig-like fingers pointing towards the altar, he said, "That monk was able to decipher my Confucian classics simply because he had studied the Analects and Mencius."

We were busy preparing for exams and hadn't read many Buddhist scriptures!

now"

The old scholar suddenly burst out laughing, his wrinkles revealing a triumphant joy: "Our Jiang Jieyuan is not only well-versed in the various schools of thought, but also proficient in Buddhism!"
This is a true seed of reading!

He used Buddhist verses to break the Vajra Dharma form of the monk Shihuai!
The difference in skill is immediately apparent!

"clang--"

The morning bell at Baima Temple suddenly rang out of tune.

Abbot Huiri, along with several senior elders and numerous monks and novices, walked out of the temple with solemn expressions.

His snow-white eyebrows trembled slightly, and the nine-ringed tin staff in his hand struck the bluestone steps, producing a string of sparks.

The thirty-six monks behind him stopped in unison, the sound of their robes rustling like a cold wind sweeping through a bamboo forest, perfectly synchronized.

On the high altar.

But then, the head disciple, Shi Huai, knelt down, casting a long, thin shadow in the sunlight.

Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth onto a torn page of the Diamond Sutra, staining the eight characters "All phenomena are illusory" a glaring scarlet.

"[Clay and wood sculptures are not true Buddhas; only by being free of attachment can one see the true heart of Shakyamuni.]"
It turns out I had fallen into the trap of believing that "all phenomena are illusory!"

The monk Shihuai gave a bitter smile.

Ten steps away, Jiang Xingzhou stood with his hands behind his back.

His green robe fluttered in the morning breeze, yet his hair ribbon remained perfectly intact.

The boy still had a faint smile on his lips, as if what he had just broken was not the supreme Dharma form of Buddhism, but merely a speck of dust on his sleeve.

"Amitabha."

The abbot Huiri chanted the Buddha's name three times in his throat before finally uttering it.

His aged eyelids lifted slightly, his gaze like a stone thrown into an ancient well, stirring an invisible ripple on Jiang Xingzhou—

The young man in the blue robe showed no trace of Buddhist power; he was as pure as an uncarved piece of jade.

But it was precisely this "unpolished jade" that effortlessly shattered the most dazzling "wrathful Vajra" of their White Horse Temple in nearly a century.

Clearly, the Buddhist chant battle just now was a piece of cake for Jiang Xingzhou; it was an easy thing to do.

The difference in their levels of Buddhist cultivation between Jiang Jieyuan and the monk Shihuai is obvious.

A soft "click" sound suddenly came from the direction of the main hall.

Abbot Huiri knew without turning around that a hair-thin crack had appeared between the eyebrows of the sixteen-foot-tall golden statue enshrined in the hall during the violent tremor.

"call--"

A temple breeze carrying the scent of sandalwood swept across the altar, dispersing the still-dry bloodstains on it.

Abbot Huiri's gaze slowly shifted between the two, finally turning into a long sigh.

The sigh seemed to carry the weight of a hundred years of history, and even the copper rings on the nine-ringed staff in his hand trembled slightly.

"Benefactor Jiang"

The old monk clasped his hands together, his long, snow-white eyebrows fluttering slightly in the wind. "Truly a pillar of Buddhism."

In my early years, I traveled all over the country for fifty years, debating scriptures and doctrines with others. I have met countless eminent monks from both the Southern and Northern schools of Buddhism. It is truly rare to see a reclusive master like Benefactor Jiang!
"You are a rare master of Buddhist spiritual cultivation, a highly enlightened being!"

As soon as he said that, all the monks behind him changed color.

The term "dragon and elephant" refers to pillars of Buddhism, individuals of great virtue and talent.

The abbot actually used such an honorific title to describe a Confucian youth who was not even twenty years old!
Upon hearing this, the monk Shihuai trembled, and his already pale face turned even more ashen.

The master once called himself a "once-in-a-century genius" of the White Horse Temple, but never called himself a "dragon and elephant of Buddhism"!
He looked at his trembling hands—hands that could once form the perfect Vajra Mudra, but now couldn't even complete the simplest wai (hands clasped in prayer).

"Let it go!"

"You encountered Jiang Jieyuan, and your practice of the 'Wrathful Vajra' was shattered—no wonder!"

Abbot Huiri stepped forward slowly, his withered hand gently pressing on his disciple's shoulder. "Let alone you, even when I was young, I encountered a prodigy like Benefactor Jiang."

He suddenly smiled, his wrinkles revealing untold emotions, "I'm afraid I'll have to kneel on the Diamond Sutra for three days and three nights."

I repent for my lack of thorough study of Buddhist scriptures and my insufficient diligence in practice!

"Master!
"Your disciple is incompetent and has failed your decades of unwavering teachings! Today's defeat has disgraced the White Horse Temple!"

She looked up abruptly, her eyes red-rimmed.

He saw his own disheveled appearance reflected in the old abbot's cloudy eyes—

Is he still the most talented head disciple of Baima Temple?
It was clearly a withered lotus, defeated by a single word from a Confucian disciple and battered by a torrential rain, too ashamed to show its face!

Relieved, I lowered my head in shame, my heart aching as if being torn apart.

That is incorrect!

The battle of Buddhist verses is only halfway through!
How can there be a defeat?!

Abbot Huiri's staff suddenly stopped, and the nine copper rings froze at the same time, creating a string of golden afterimages in mid-air.

The old monk's voice suddenly became clear and melodious, and beneath his snow-white eyebrows, his eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

"Just now, Benefactor Jiang broke the Dharma form of my chief disciple of Baima Temple!"
Now it's Jiang's turn to present a Buddhist verse, and Shi Huai will break it!
Mr. Jiang is a master of Buddhist spiritual cultivation; why not offer a Buddhist verse on the theme of "state of mind"?
This will also allow us, this old monk, to witness the profound level of your spiritual cultivation!
"Relax. If you had also broken Master Jiang's Buddhist verse, then the two of you would at most be evenly matched, with neither gaining the upper hand!"

An uproar immediately erupted in the crowd below the altar.

The senior monks exchanged glances, all seeing surprise in each other's eyes—the abbot wouldn't let them admit defeat and insisted on continuing the Buddhist chant contest.

"A tie?"

Shi Huai swayed abruptly, as if struck by a thunderbolt from the voice, and roused himself to stand up from his kneeling position.

His blood-stained monk's robe fluttered in the wind, yet he slowly straightened his back.

A drop of blood dripped from his fingertip, and his rich Buddhist aura bloomed into a small red lotus on the bluestone slab.

A draw?

He repeated the word in a hoarse voice, then suddenly chuckled.

Amidst his laughter, he raised his hand to wipe the blood from his lips. This simple action carried a hint of ruthlessness—just like the resolute determination he displayed when he first comprehended the Vajra Bodhisattva's form on a stormy night.

That's right!

If he could also recite the Buddhist verse about sailing across the river, then it would be a draw!
He still has a chance to turn things around!

"Benefactor Jiang! Please present the Buddhist verse—!"

"Relief," he said in a deep voice.

The young novices and monks below the altar unconsciously held their breath.

They saw that in Shi Huai's pupils, the dying flame of Buddhism was being reignited with fighting spirit.

Jiang Xingzhou raised his eyebrows slightly and looked intently. He saw that the monk Shihuai's robe was fluttering in the wind, and his hunched back was straightening inch by inch like an ancient pine tree in spring.

"it is good!

Master Shi Huai was defeated but not broken; he fought with increasing courage!

This reminded Jiang of a line from the Vimalakirti Sutra: "A lotus flower blooming in fire is truly rare."

They were reborn from the ashes; their spirit is commendable!
Then I will compose a Buddhist verse for cultivating the mind!

A sharp glint flashed in Jiang Xingzhou's eyes.
He picked up a piece of Xuan paper, wrote in mid-air, and his talent flowed out like a spring, drawing mysterious trajectories in the void.

"The Bodhi Verse"

[The body is a Bodhi tree, the mind a bright mirror. Constantly wipe it clean, lest dust settle!]

The twenty-character symbol appears in mid-air:
Each ink character shone with golden light, taking root and sprouting in the void, transforming into illusory Bodhi trees.

As the final stroke was completed, the entire sheet of Xuan paper burst into flames with a "boom," blossoming into fiery lotuses and transforming into a Buddhist literary treasure.

When this Buddhist verse was uttered, the world fell silent.

In an instant, the altar trembled.

Behind Jiang Xingzhou, golden light surged like a tide, and the twenty-character Buddhist verse on the Xuan paper suddenly transformed into a pillar of light that reached the sky!
Within the pillar of light,

A towering Bodhi tree rises from the ground, its branches twisting like dragons, its canopy blocking out the sun and casting down thousands of golden rays of light.

A mirror-like platform appeared out of thin air, its entire surface as clear and flawless as crystal, reflecting all things in the world.

Jiang Xingzhou stood under the Bodhi tree, surrounded by bursts of Buddhist light, like smoke and mist, making him seem like an ancient Buddha descending to earth.

He holds a vase in one hand and a willow branch in the other, his appearance solemn and dignified.

He dipped a willow branch in clean water and gently brushed it against the mirror stand; wherever he passed, no dust remained.

"Keep a close watch on it, lest dust settle on it!"

The mirror became increasingly clear, reflecting the boy's deep, unfathomable, and jet-black eyes.

Like the Buddha, whispering.

Before the words were even finished, the Bodhi tree branches and leaves moved swiftly without any wind.

The sound of chanting filled the air, as if thousands of Buddhas were softly reciting, and the entire altar was bathed in endless Buddhist light!
When the Buddha's verses are spoken, the Dharma arises!
At Baima Temple, tens of thousands of people were awestruck, and the entire place fell silent!
"This is... the manifestation of the Buddha's enlightenment?!"

Hundreds of young monks looked up at the sky.

Their pupils reflected the majestic image of the Buddha beneath the Bodhi tree, and for a moment they were so shocked that they forgot to breathe.

"Click——"

A sharp crack suddenly pierced the silence.

It is unclear which young novice monk was startled, but the teacup in his hand fell to the ground, and the broken porcelain shattered on the bluestone slab, like the first bell tolling, shattering the tranquility of meditation.

"Look! It's the image of the Buddha's enlightenment!!"

"Plop~!"

"Plop~!"

Amidst the continuous sounds of kneeling, hundreds of young novices raised their hands high, eagerly receiving the sweet dew that rained down from the altar.

Beneath the Bodhi tree, the Buddha wiped the mirror stand with a willow branch, and the water that spilled transformed into golden nectar, sprinkling across the altar.

"This is holy water from the pure bottle, sweet dew from the willow branch—it can cleanse the heart of all defilement!"

Tick ​​tock!

A drop of sweet dew fell between his eyebrows, and the young novice trembled violently, a lotus flower phantom appearing on his forehead.

The young novice monk looked completely captivated.

His heart was instantly cleansed!
Tick ​​tock!

Tick ​​tock!

Amidst the rising and falling cries of sudden enlightenment, some wept tears of joy, while others chanted mantras of truth.

Every drop of the holy water that cleanses the body is like a sudden awakening, and several days of arduous cultivation cannot compare to the cleansing effect of a single drop of pure water!
"The Buddha has manifested! It really is the Buddha manifesting!"

The sound was like a tidal wave, and hundreds of thousands of people looked up at the sky.

In their pupils, they saw the ancient Bodhi tree that stretched to the heavens and the earth—its thousand-foot phantom image supporting the heavens and the earth, the Buddha's light flowing through its branches and leaves dyeing the entire altar into a golden ocean.

"Puff-"

First came a few scattered sounds, then like autumn wind sweeping through wheat fields, the dark mass of people knelt down one after another.

The old woman clasped her trembling hands together, the child innocently imitated the adult's actions, and the merchant dropped his abacus and prostrated himself in deep worship.

The Bodhi leaves sway gently, each swaying leaf tip adorned with dew-like rays of light.

The robes of the five senior monks of Baima Temple fluttered in the Buddha's light.

They all gazed up in awe at the towering Bodhi tree on the altar, their turbid tears streaming down their deeply lined faces.

Trembling, they removed their gilded hats, symbols of their status, and knelt down in unison beneath the towering Bodhi tree.

"In this world, there is actually someone who can condense—the Dharma image of the Buddha Tathagata who attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree!"

Behind Jiang Xingzhou stands an ancient Bodhi tree.

The gnarled tree trunk is naturally engraved with Sanskrit scriptures, and each Bodhi leaf is shimmering with the golden light of the swastika symbol.

Its canopy blocks out the sky, and its drooping roots gently caress the altar like jewels—this is the very Bodhi tree under which Shakyamuni attained enlightenment and became the Buddha!

The Buddha can be vaguely seen sitting in the lotus position, his hands forming the lotus mudra, washing away the dust from the mirror stand with pure water, and attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi tree!

"The body is a Bodhi tree, the mind a clear mirror."

The elder's voice trembled so much it was almost broken.

He prostrated himself, his forehead pressed against the ground, as if trying to merge himself into this Buddhist land: "This old monk has cultivated for sixty years, and today I have seen the Buddha's enlightened form under the Bodhi tree. I have no regrets even if I die now!"

"What immense happiness it is to be able to attain enlightenment and cultivate oneself under the Bodhi tree where Buddha attained Buddhahood!"

The other four elders were already sobbing uncontrollably.

"The Great Sun Tathagata!"

"Buddha, have you come to the mortal realm to guide your disciples?"

They let their graying heads strike the blue bricks again and again, weeping and bowing in worship.

Dark red bloodstains gradually seeped onto the bricks and stones, yet no one felt the pain—under the Buddha's light shrouding the Bodhi tree, the bloodstains transformed into golden lotuses, rapidly healing.

In this lifetime, to witness the Buddha's enlightenment under the Bodhi tree is enough for them!

Around the altar, thousands of monks went into a frenzy.

Someone tore open their monk's robe to receive the sweet dew from the willow branch!
Someone ground their treasured Buddhist prayer beads into powder and offered them to the Bodhi tree.

Below the altar.

"Amitabha--!"

Abbot Huiri was stunned, his whole body trembling. His nine-stamped staff clattered to the ground, and his aged body bowed deeply toward the altar, his forehead striking the bluestone slab heavily.

The thousand monks behind him knelt down in unison like a tidal wave, their robes billowing like clouds, and the sound of their chanting shook the heavens and the earth.

All eyes were fixed on the towering Bodhi tree behind Jiang Xingzhou—the phantom of Buddha was attaining enlightenment there!

"This is actually—the enlightened form of the Buddha!"
"The Buddhist practice that Benefactor Jiang cultivates is the very same method that the Buddha Tathagata attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree?!"

Abbot Huiri's voice trembled with excitement, almost breaking, and turbid tears rolled down his cheeks.

The Dharma form is the foundation of Buddhist disciples' practice.

It signifies the methods and paths of cultivation, as well as the highest level of attainment that can be achieved through cultivation.

For example, the "wrathful Vajra" form that the monk Shihuai cultivated meant that his upper limit in this life could only be the "Vajra" realm in Buddhism.

And at this moment——

The Dharma form that appeared behind Jiang Xingzhou's Buddhist verse was actually the Dharma form of the Buddha's enlightenment!
what does this mean?
This means that there is no upper limit to the highest achievement he can attain in his Buddhist practice!

Because the Buddha himself is the supreme being!
Above the altar, the chanting of Buddhist hymns was silent.

The monk Shihuai's face was ashen, staring blankly at the scene before him—

Jiang Xingzhou sat upright under the ancient Bodhi tree, his body radiating a Buddha-like light that poured down like moonlight, making the entire altar shine with golden brilliance.

The boy held a clean bottle in his left hand and a willow branch in his right, using sweet dew to cleanse the mirror stand.

The glistening water droplets falling onto the mirror surface resembled large and small pearls falling onto a jade plate.

Each time the sweet dew of willow branches is sprinkled, it cleanses the Mirror Platform until it is spotless.

"puff--!"

The monk Shihuai's face turned ashen. Suddenly, he spat out a mouthful of blood from his heart and slammed his knees heavily onto the bluestone with a thud.

That pure water is holy water to others, like sweet dew from a willow branch!
For him, however, it was like the still-damp blood on the tip of the Vajra pestle—shattering his Buddhist heart, cultivated through twenty years of arduous practice, into pieces.

At this moment, he was so desperate that he wanted to die!
He trembled in the light emanating from the Bodhi tree—like a firefly in the moonlight.

His Vajra form, cultivated through arduous practice, is but a faint, flickering light; how could it possibly rival the radiant form of the Great Sun Tathagata?

Jiang Xingzhou's Buddhist verse is clearly describing the scene when Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment!

Once this Buddhist verse is uttered, it is like the decree of Mount Ling; how can he possibly break it?
How dare we break through?

The fundamental problem is that it's unbreakable!

This is a realm he can never reach!
Clutching the blood-stained prayer beads, he recalled his arduous practice amidst the morning bells and evening drums of the White Horse Temple, and the pride he felt when the abbot hailed him as a "once-in-a-century genius."

I spent the first ten years diligently studying Buddhism!
He then spent the next ten years studying the works of various philosophers and schools of thought!
The pride of the once-prodigious talent of Baima Temple, now shattered inch by inch under the oppressive power of the Buddha's image.

who ever thought,
A young scholar from Jiangnan, a Confucian disciple, was defeated by a Buddhist verse in the sacred Buddhist temple of Baima Temple, in the field of Buddhism, which was his forte.

"This humble monk has been defeated!"

At this moment, he was like a fool, kneeling before the young man from Jiangnan, head bowed in shame, not even having the courage to look up and gaze directly at the divine light of the Buddha's image under the Bodhi tree.

Below the high altar.

The Confucian scholars of the Imperial Academy were shocked and remained completely silent.

The scholars and top-ranking officials were deeply shocked, and for a moment no one dared to speak loudly.

They don't worship Buddha!
Yet he was also deeply moved by this Buddhist verse!

Jiang Xingzhou's Buddhist verses, like the morning bell and evening drum, resonated in everyone's hearts, lingering for a long time.

"The body is a Bodhi tree, the mind a clear mirror."

Keep it constantly clean and dry, lest it accumulate dust!

Song Chuwang, the top scholar of Jingchu, put down the wine pot in his hand. He had completely sobered up and began to recite in a low voice. Suddenly, he closed his eyes and concentrated, as if he had gained some enlightenment.

"As a disciple of Confucianism, why do I feel such empathy and deep emotion?"

When he opened his eyes again, tears streamed down his face, and he said in a trembling voice, "I...I finally understand!"

He looked up at Jiang Xingzhou on the altar, his expression filled with utmost reverence, his voice choked with emotion: "The meaning of this verse is to take Bodhi as one's body and a clear mirror as one's mind, to wipe it clean every day, so as not to be stained by dust..."

Isn't this precisely the great path of "cultivating oneself and rectifying one's mind" that we Confucian scholars seek?!

These words caused an uproar among the candidates.

"Not bad!"

"If we replace the Buddhist sacred object 'Bodhi Tree' with the Confucian sacred object 'Leather-bound Book'!"
This verse also holds true!
This becomes the essential method for us Confucian scholars to cultivate ourselves and seek the Dao!

The scholars of the Imperial Academy suddenly realized that Jiang Xingzhou's verse not only pointed directly to the true meaning of Buddhism, but also conformed to the Confucian principles of "investigating things to acquire knowledge and cultivating sincerity and rectifying the mind"!

Song Chuwang bowed deeply and sighed, “Brother Jiang’s verse is no longer a debate between Confucianism and Buddhism!”

It transcends Confucianism and Buddhism... and points directly to the true nature of the Great Way!
Their level of understanding is far beyond our imagination!
-
(End of this chapter)