Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 314 Investigating things through things, proving the unreal through the real.

"So, let's go back to double-slit interference."

With concrete evidence before him, Lu Beigu's voice was extremely loud and his aura was very strong.

"The white light we saw at that time was, in essence, composed of these seven colors of light! The fringes produced by the interference of white light, whether orderly or chaotic, are the result of the dance of these seven colors of light, and a true manifestation of the original state of light being disturbed by the outside world!"

“And our consciousness, our ‘intention to observe,’ can directly affect how this fundamental state of light is presented. And if I remember correctly, the Zen master just asserted that ‘the emptiness of light’ transcends all concrete forms.”

"If the 'emptiness of light' is not produced by consciousness, is constant and unchanging, and transcends everything, then why is the emptiness of the 'waves' that light naturally manifests disturbed and completely destroyed by my mere thought of 'peeping'?"

"If the 'emptiness of light' is truly as transcendent and absolute as the Zen master described, why is it so fragile at this moment, succumbing to the interference of my consciousness, forced to change its orientation, and manifesting a completely different 'appearance'?"

"This proves it precisely!"

Lu Beigu's voice was resolute, echoing like a great bell in the silent Zhenru Hall.

"The Zen master's harmonious theory of 'emptiness and existence' attempts to reconcile 'emptiness' and 'dependent origination' into one, has been shattered at this moment! The inherent fluctuation of light and the appearance arising from 'observation' cannot coexist! If so, how can there be 'emptiness and existence'? These two are mutually exclusive!"

"Further proof! The Zen master's assertion that 'emptiness is not a phenomenon produced by consciousness' has been disproven at this moment! The inherent 'fluctuation' phenomenon manifested by the 'emptiness' of light has been proven to be directly disturbed and altered by 'consciousness'! It has not transcended it! It has also fallen into the cycle of 'phenomena produced by consciousness'!"

Dead!

A deathly silence that comes after all philosophical understanding has been completely overturned!
Everyone looked at Lu Beigu, who seemed to be proclaiming the truth like a god!

Qi Song stared blankly at the seven-colored light, then looked at Lu Beigu who stood tall and proud. His lips trembled as if he wanted to say something, but he found that the Zen principles he had painstakingly studied all his life seemed so pale and powerless in the face of this magnificent seven-colored light.

Throughout his life, he adhered to the theories of "dependent origination and emptiness" and "all phenomena are consciousness-only," using them to respond to all kinds of questions with perfect harmony and unobstructedness. However, he never imagined that this "emptiness" could be so sharply "proven" in such a subtle "investigation of things" that its entanglement with "consciousness" was so strange and so inseparable!

This is no longer a debate on doctrines and principles, but a direct manifestation of the Dharma!

If emptiness is truly like this, is it still that transcendent, absolute, and ultimate "emptiness"? Or is it inherently like this, but I have never "confirmed" it in this way? Is my "attachment" precisely an attachment to a conceptualized, lifeless "emptiness," rather than this vibrant and endlessly arising "emptiness"?
Qi Song's body swayed violently, and his face turned deathly pale in an instant, as if all his energy and spirit had been drained away by the dazzling seven colors on the wall.

If it weren't for the two disciples behind him reacting quickly and rushing forward to support him, he would have almost collapsed onto the prayer mat.

"Zen Master!"

"Master of the Ming Cult!"

The monks around him were terrified, and their low cries rose and fell.

The deathly silence inside Zhenru Hall was completely shattered. The scholars were horrified and stood up, craning their necks to look.

Lu Beigu was also slightly taken aback, then immediately suppressed his imposing aura and stood silently.

His intention was to break through attachments and reveal the truth, but he never expected that this thunderous blow of "investigating things to attain knowledge" would have such a violent impact on the old monk who had been immersed in the study of emptiness all his life, almost shaking his fundamental beliefs.

With the help of his disciples, Qisong managed to sit up straight again, and with trembling hands, he raised them and waved them slightly, calming the panic of the monks around him.

His gaze, however, remained fixed on the wall, as if nailed to it. Although the dazzling seven-colored light band had been obscured and disturbed by the panicked figures of the disciples rushing forward, the trajectory of the light and the distinctness of the colors were deeply etched into his mind.

The noise in the hall gradually subsided, and everyone's eyes were focused on Qi Song, who seemed to have aged ten years in an instant.

He murmured very softly to himself, and if it weren't for the fact that the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, almost no one could hear him.

"Dependent origination and emptiness, all phenomena are consciousness-only. Is this really how it can be understood? Observing consciousness..."

Qi Song's words were fragmented and his logic was unclear, clearly indicating that his mind had suffered an unprecedented shock.

The Zen principles he had upheld throughout his life clashed and tore at the undeniable reality of light before him, almost completely overturning his established cognitive system.

Qisong then slowly closed his eyes, his brows furrowed tightly, as if he were enduring immense pain. He stopped looking at the light and at anyone else, completely immersed in introspection as his own Zen world was experiencing an earth-shattering impact.

The outcome is now decided; no further words are needed.

Zhang Zai took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and looked at Lu Beigu beside him, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Shen Kuo's gaze was also intense, staring intently at the still-present seven-colored light band and the prism. As a versatile genius with a wide range of interests, he could better understand the earth-shattering significance of what Lu Beigu had done today than others.

This goes far beyond a simple debate between Confucianism and Buddhism; it sets an unprecedented benchmark for "investigating things" itself!
The scholars below the hall looked at each other, and whispers arose again, but this time, their voices were filled with amazement, contemplation, and admiration for everything Lu Beigu had shown.

Their gazes toward Qi Song held a greater degree of sympathy.

No one questions the eloquence of the Ming Cult masters, but the foundation of their arguments has been shaken today by a method they never imagined: "investigating things with things and proving the unreal with the real."

"I am taking this liberty today not for the sake of victory or defeat, but only to seek the truth."

Lu Beigu stepped forward, bowed to the Zen Master Qisong, who seemed to be in deep meditation with his eyes closed and silent, and to the monks in the hall, his voice calm yet clear.

"The world is full of complex phenomena, but this principle of investigating things can offer some insight into them. If there is any disagreement, I hope the Zen Master and all the virtuous ones will forgive me."

After speaking, he said no more and nodded slightly to Zhang Zai and Shen Kuo.

Zhang Zai understood and bowed in the direction of Qi Song. Although he did not speak, his gesture spoke volumes.

Shen Kuo was responsible for tidying up all the things they brought.

Then, the three of them did not linger. Under the watchful eyes of everyone in the hall, they turned around and steadily walked out of Zhenru Hall.

Behind him was the still-silent Buddhist hall, the monks who were shaken and unable to recover, and the Ming Cult master Qisong, who was still sitting with his eyes closed, supported by his disciples.

Sunlight streamed through the high windows into the room. The rainbow-colored band on the wall had vanished with the removal of the prism, leaving only a white wall, as if nothing had ever happened.

But it also seems that some things have changed forever.

(End of this chapter)