The Blade in One's Hand — New Book, Please Collect

The Blade in One's Hand. New Book, Please Collect

Xuanxin did not answer. He said he knew the answer.

Someone sneered, thinking Xuanxin was putting on airs.

But Lu Changsheng believed that Xuanxin had guessed the answer. What slightly surprised Lu Changsheng was that—

Xuanxin had not only guessed the answer, but also guessed what Lu Changsheng would do next.

That was what truly surprised Lu Changsheng.

Yet faced with everyone's curious gazes, Lu Changsheng began to explain.

"The answer is: the fishmonger goes to the Land of Bliss."

The moment the answer was given, everyone was stunned, unable to make sense of it.

"The fishmonger wakes the eminent monk every day to chant scriptures, while the eminent monk wakes the fishmonger every day to kill fish. Thus, the eminent monk's karmic sins deepen by the day, while the fishmonger receives the blessings of merit each day. And so, the fishmonger goes to the Land of Bliss, while the eminent monk enters hell."

Lu Changsheng explained.

Xuanxin remained calm and merely said, "Amitabha."

This answer stirred up a wave of uproar.

"So that's how it is!"

"So that's the reason!"

"No wonder it was the fishmonger who went to the Land of Bliss."

"Great wisdom, truly great wisdom!"

"So that's what it meant."

Everyone suddenly understood. They had never expected that to be the reason. Astonished, they could not help discussing it among themselves after Lu Changsheng finished answering.

"Silence!"

Another voice rang out, and the crowd settled down once more.

At this moment, the third question began.

This time, Lu Changsheng asked it.

"May I ask, Dharma Master, are there people whom the Buddhist teachings will not save?"

Lu Changsheng posed his third question.

"The Buddha saves all living beings, without regard for status, rank, or worth."

Xuanxin Dharma Master answered thus.

"Would you save a murderer as well?"

"Save him."

"Why save him?"

"If he lays down his butcher's knife, he can become a Buddha on the spot. Naturally, he may be saved."

"If laying down the butcher's knife is enough to become a Buddha?"

"Once the butcher's knife is laid down, one may become a Buddha."

"If one can become a Buddha merely by laying down the butcher's knife, then why does Buddhism possess eighty-four thousand teachings? What are they for?"

"The eighty-four thousand teachings are methods for saving all living beings. A thousand people have a thousand faces, a thousand people have a thousand teachings, and a thousand teachings lead to a thousand Buddhas."

At this moment, Lu Changsheng and Xuanxin Dharma Master were locked in a fierce debate on Buddhist teachings, one sentence after another, intense beyond compare.

"Then if I slaughtered a Buddha today, and afterward laid down my butcher's knife, could I become a Buddha?"

Lu Changsheng's gaze turned icy. In an instant, dark clouds roiled overhead, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Bolts of lightning condensed into swords, as though Xuanxin would be doomed beyond all redemption the moment Lu Changsheng gave the order.

Yet beneath such terrifying pressure, Xuanxin pressed his palms together and said, "Amitabha. So long as you lay down your butcher's knife, you can become a Buddha. Even if it costs this humble monk his life, if it can bring you enlightenment, this humble monk is willing."

"Absurd!" Lu Changsheng's voice rang like a great bell as he rebuked him.

"Why is it absurd?"

"The butcher's knife is not in my hand. How can I lay it down?"

Lu Changsheng asked.

"Where is the butcher's knife?"

Xuanxin asked.

"In your hand."

The next moment, Lu Changsheng looked at Xuanxin, his gaze unwavering.

"This humble monk has no knife."

"It is in your hand."

"I do not see it."

"In your hand."

"Still none."

"Open your eyes wide."

"Still none."

Xuan Xin said with unwavering conviction.

Yet at that very moment, Lu Changsheng gave a soft laugh. "There was none before, but there is now. Lower your head and take a look."

As those words rang out, Xuan Xin looked again. He had still intended to continue answering.

But all of a sudden, he froze!

Every word caught in his throat, unable to emerge.

At that moment, Xuan Xin fell silent. Looking at his empty palm, he finally let out a bitter laugh.

His laughter gradually grew louder, while everyone remained utterly unaware of what had happened.

Lu Changsheng and Xuan Xin's debate was steeped in Zen with every sentence, each line profound beyond measure. They could neither comprehend nor understand it.

"Many thanks to the wise one for dispelling my confusion, allowing this little monk to see the butcher's blade within his heart."

Xuan Xin rose to his feet and performed three kneelings and nine kowtows toward Lu Changsheng, the great rite of the Buddhist sect. His face was filled with gratitude.

Yet Lu Changsheng said nothing, merely watching Xuan Xin perform the great rite in silence.

"I understand!"

Among the cultivators watching in the Dao Discussion Hall, an old man suddenly came to a realization and spoke.

"Senior, what do you understand?"

"What does that mean?"

"Right, what does it mean?"

"Why can't I understand any of this?"

"I feel like I exist in this world just to make up the numbers."

The younger cultivators had no idea of the mystery within it and were completely lost in the clouds and mist. Naturally, they could not wait to ask for the answer.

The old man took a deep breath.

Then he answered.

"Changsheng asked Xuan Xin whether Buddhism had people it would not save."

"Xuan Xin was certain to answer no. Otherwise, he would be going against the true intent of Buddhist teachings."

"Yet Changsheng seized upon that point and asked whether a murderer could be saved."

"Xuan Xin still answered that he could, but Changsheng refuted him: if one could become a Buddha simply by laying down the butcher's blade, then what need would Buddhism have for its eighty-four thousand methods? If everyone laid down the butcher's blade, would they not all become Buddhas?"

"Xuan Xin answered that a thousand people have a thousand faces, a thousand people have a thousand Buddhas, and a thousand people have a thousand methods. Everyone has their own method, everyone has their own Buddha. Thus, laying down the butcher's blade can lead to Buddhahood, but not everyone possesses a butcher's blade."

"But then Changsheng used a sophistical argument, asking Xuan Xin: if he held a blade in his hand and killed him, then laid it down afterward, could he become a Buddha?"

"Xuan Xin stood firm in the Buddhist teachings he had learned. He would rather sacrifice himself to guide Changsheng into becoming a Buddha. Yet precisely because Xuan Xin kept insisting on himself, a butcher's blade had already appeared within his heart."

"But those caught in the game are blind while onlookers see clearly. Xuan Xin did not know that a butcher's blade had already emerged in his heart."

"When Changsheng said there was a blade in his hand, he was actually luring out the butcher's blade within Xuan Xin's heart."

"Changsheng said three times that the blade was in his hand."

"Xuan Xin answered three times that there was no blade in his hand."

"But at that moment, the butcher's blade was already in Xuan Xin's hand. That is why, in the end, Changsheng said: there was none before, but there is now!"

"Everything is clear. Great wisdom, great wisdom! This is true great wisdom! This poor Daoist has cultivated for a thousand years, yet never possessed such wisdom. Boundless Heavenly Worthy—Changsheng is the foremost figure of our Daoist sect."

The old Daoist spoke thus, endlessly praising Lu Changsheng's great wisdom.

"What are you even talking about? I still don't understand."

"What butcher's blade? Where is this blade?"

"I get it! I understand now!"

"I understand too."

"What do you understand?"

"I understand what a butcher's blade is."

"Then what do you understand?"

"Actually, I don't really understand. But everyone else said they understood, so I followed along and said I understood too."

"Uh..."

"You're really honest."

"Ah, stop going off on tangents! Senior, what exactly is this butcher's blade?"

People discussed among themselves.

The old Daoist took a deep breath.

Then he spoke. "The so-called butcher's blade is, in truth, nothing more than an obsession."

The moment those words were spoken, everyone understood completely.

"Obsession? I get it now!"

"I get it too."

"To be honest, this time I really get it."

"So that's how it is?"

"The butcher's blade is obsession! Obsession is the butcher's blade! Xuan Xin was too consumed by obsession. He came bearing the butcher's blade, yet he did not know that Senior Brother Changsheng had understood it from the very beginning. Thus, he answered a question with a question, and used a riddle against a riddle. Such a lofty realm, such a lofty realm!"

Everyone was utterly convinced by Lu Changsheng's great wisdom.

The third exchange of questions and answers was practically a fatal blow to Xuan Xin.

Indeed, after completing three bows and nine kowtows, Xuan Xin rose and gazed into the distance, his eyes calm.

A full half hour passed.

At last, Xuan Xin slowly spoke.

"I lost!"

Those three words stirred up towering waves.

The ten questions and ten answers had only reached the halfway mark.

Yet Xuan Xin had already admitted defeat.

It was utterly unexpected.

However, Xuan Xin continued speaking.

"However, this humble monk still has some doubts. I hope the wise one can help this humble monk resolve them."

That was what Xuan Xin said.

He had admitted defeat!

The debate on the Dao had ended in failure!

He had lost completely, lost in a total mess.

Yet he still refused to accept it.

His obsession ran too deep.

And so, the contest continued.

At this moment.

A breeze drifted in.

The maple leaves of Red Peak rustled in the wind, sweeping through the air one after another.

Lu Changsheng appeared exceedingly calm.

He did not answer Xuan Xin.

Instead, he lightly raised a hand and caught a red leaf between his fingers.

His gaze was calm, filled with wisdom.

All manner of Dao around him flickered and shone, making him seem extraordinary, like a Fallen Immortal, brimming with immortal aura.

The ancient bell of the Great Luo Holy Land rang out.

Everything seemed so tranquil, cleansing away every worry within one's heart.

He said no more, and that alone counted as his agreement.