The third day.
Su Mo, the Book Sage, and Yanzhi entered the Buddhist hall as usual. As on the previous day, the many disciples of the Buddhist Sect were still seated within.
But unlike the previous day, every disciple looked at Su Mo with some fear.
Revered Master Withered Leaf no longer had yesterday's composure either. His face was somewhat pale.
He seemed to have aged considerably...
Seeing the three arrive, Withered Leaf took the initiative to activate the Demon-Subduing Pagoda, releasing the third strand of the Demon Sage's divine soul thought.
Su Mo silently put away this third strand of divine sense and looked at Withered Leaf.
He was no longer as calm and easygoing as when he had arrived on the first day. Instead, he had acquired an edge!
An edge that held back anger...
Withered Leaf looked stiffly at Su Mo and parted his lips. "What does Your Majesty wish to debate today?"
Yesterday's debate had still ended without a victor.
Su Mo had merely used formless giving to strike back at the "no-self" that formless giving sought to prove!
Su Mo's meaning was this: since people worshipped the Buddha with something to ask for, the Buddhist Sect should give in response to their requests, rather than practice some formless giving.
The "no-self" of formless giving was, in words, selflessness.
Yet how was it not a kind of "false No-Self" that turned a blind eye to worldly suffering and relied solely on "if one gives for happiness, one will surely gain peace and happiness afterward"!
"No-self" was not wrong in itself. It was a Mahayana state of mind within the Buddhist Sect.
But Su Mo had used the Buddhist Sect's formless giving to expose their notion of "false No-Self."
Su Mo looked at Withered Leaf and drew