A new school of thought

With his hands clasped together, the Arhat of Du'e spoke in a voice as clear as a morning bell, "Having afflictions gone, the Buddha's heart is pure and clear."

The monk, who was in a frenzy, seemed to have been hit hard with a stick. His body froze, and then he slowly sat down and sat cross-legged in meditation.

His face still showed struggle, but he was no longer as frantic as before.

Du'e Luohan withdrew his gaze, looked up at the Foshan Secret Realm, and a rare look of anger appeared on his deeply lined face.

As expected of someone who has severed their obsessions like a Bodhisattva, he seemed to have grasped something from the very concept I presented!

The Buddhist School in Kyushu seems to prioritize power and attainment, with Buddhist teachings being secondary. While this may differ from the Theravada Buddhism of my world, it is definitely inferior to Mahayana Buddhism.

At least they don't have the concept of Mahayana Buddhism.

Seeing the old monk's stunned yet seemingly enlightened expression, Xu Qi'an figured he had this hurdle cleared.

"What just happened? Why did that monk suddenly go mad?"

"Could it be because of what that silver gong said earlier?"

"How could a few words have such power? That's utter nonsense."

Ordinary people have no concept of "Mahayana Buddhism" and "Theravada Buddhism," so they are somewhat baffled by the monk's sudden outburst of madness.

Not everyone heard what the monk said before he went mad.

Just then, the old monk under the Bodhi tree opened his eyes, wearing a smile of profound enlightenment, his whole body exuding a natural Buddhist aura.

"Thank you for your understanding, benefactor. This humble monk has now attained complete enlightenment." The old monk smiled and clasped his hands in prayer.

You actually had an epiphany?! I never thought I'd be the kind of person who could enlighten a high monk with just a few random words. Xu Qi'an's feelings were complicated.

Before he could respond, the old monk continued, "Back when Wen Yin was still a fourth-rank ascetic monk, he had a question: why couldn't he become a Buddha?"

"This obsession remained hidden in his heart for countless years until his lifespan was about to end. He then had a profound realization: there is only one Buddha in the world, and that is the Buddha over there. So he severed himself from the ego and attained the Bodhisattva status."

"I have sat in this secluded place for many years, still unable to understand how to become a Buddha, and even more unable to understand why I cannot become a Buddha."

The old monk gazed at Xu Qi'an, as if looking through him and seeing himself in the distant west. Finally, he clasped his hands together and said to himself:

"I am Buddha, Buddha is me, Amitabha!"

Wen Yin's ambition is to transcend social class and become someone who stands shoulder to shoulder with the Buddha.

Now, he finally realized that being a Buddha has nothing to do with rank.

"Thank you for your guidance."

"Master's Buddhist teachings are profound; this Non-Self my achievement," Xu Qi'an said sincerely.

His words served to Aperture Opening and guide, but the sudden enlightenment was due to the profound accumulation of knowledge and profound understanding that this master of obsession possessed.

As the brief words just mentioned might not resonate with ordinary people, but for Buddhist School monks, they are like a morning bell or evening drum, because they immediately understand the meaning and even extend and comprehend it in their minds.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the secret realm, and the old monk vanished as a wisp of green smoke, disappearing without a trace.

Rustling sounds.

The Bodhi tree swayed, and surprisingly, it bore many lush green Bodhi fruits, hanging heavily on the branches.

The fruit radiates a crystalline green light, making it clear at a glance that it is no ordinary fruit.

The Buddhist realm was silent except for the rustling of the Bodhi trees, while the area outside the Buddhist realm became lively.

Upon seeing this, the people of the capital were no longer just astonished and shocked; they found it unbelievable.

If I heard correctly and saw correctly, it was this Silver Gong Master who enlightened the old monk under the tree, leading him to a profound awakening. For this, the old monk expressed his gratitude.

A martial artist enlightened a high monk, leading the monk to profound enlightenment?!

Such an absurd and bizarre scene made the people of the capital forget to cheer.

What are you talking about?

On the rooftop of the restaurant, Chu Yuanzhen asked Master Hengyuan beside him.

"Looking at flowers through the fog, looking at flowers through the fog. Master Xu, please explain it more clearly, explain it more clearly." Hengyuan ignored him and just muttered to himself.

Xu Ningyan's words had such a great influence on Buddhist School? Chu Yuanzhen was astonished.

"Has this hurdle been cleared?" Xu Qi'an was overjoyed, glancing longingly at the lush green Bodhi tree.

"Let's go to the temple at the top of the mountain first!" he thought to himself.

Just as I turned to leave, a loud voice suddenly rang out, echoing throughout Foshan.

"What is Mahayana Buddhism, and what is Hinayana Buddhism? Please explain clearly before you leave."

Outside, everyone stared in astonishment at Master Du'e. No one had expected that a dignified Arhat would interfere in the duel between the two.

But at this moment, the Arhat Du'e's face was so serious that it made people think he was facing a catastrophe, and they dared not utter a sound of cursing.

What are Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism?

I can't understand a word of it.

Ordinary people didn't understand, but some of the people at the top of the power structure in the capital had a slight understanding of it.

For example, Wei Yuan, and Chief Minister Wang.

This is the voice of Arhat Du'e. It's true that people outside can hear my voice and see my actions, but what's with directly interfering in the magical duel?

Xu Qi'an frowned and snorted coldly, "Master, what is Buddha?"

"Before the Buddha, for 723,680 years, no one attained Buddhahood. After the Buddha, for 3,491 years, no one attained Buddhahood."

"The Buddha is the Buddha; how can everyone become a Buddha?"

Master Du'e's voice carried a questioning tone.

It turns out that Buddhist School has existed in this world for 3,491 years, so why hasn't Mahayana Buddhist school of thought emerged yet?

Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment and came to a conclusion: in the world of Kyushu, strength is paramount and realm is fundamental; whoever has the biggest fist is the boss. Therefore, he suppressed his thoughts.

In his world, everyone is just a mortal being; the real conflict lies in the clash of ideas.

Different environments lead to different development directions.

Since that's the case, then I'll have to explain to you properly what Mahayana Buddhism is—well, my own understanding of Mahayana Buddhism. Xu Qi'an said in a deep voice:

Therefore, in the eyes of Buddhist School disciples worldwide, Buddha is Buddha, not Buddha being Buddha. To me, this idea is simply laughable.

This sentence was so difficult to understand that, apart from the Buddhist School monks outside the venue, no one else could comprehend it.

Monk Jingchen couldn't help but say, "What's so ridiculous about it? You must explain yourself clearly."

Master Du'e glanced at him, said nothing, then looked away and turned his gaze back to Xu Qi'an.

"Of course it's ridiculous. Take the Warlock of the Bureau of Astronomy, for example. The Director of the Observatory is a first-rank Warlock, but a first-rank Warlock is not the Director of the Observatory. Shouldn't that be a consensus? But in your Buddhist School eyes, Buddha is Buddha. Isn't that ridiculous and strange?"

"Shouldn't Buddha represent a supreme state, rather than referring to a single individual?"

This statement is utterly treasonous. The Buddha is the founder of Buddhist School, the only Buddha, and the one they should worship.

Shouldn't such a lofty, divine being be the only Buddha?

Xu Qi'an's words did indeed make sense, so the Buddhist School monks were unable to refute them for the time being.

Xu Qi'an continued, "So, I have a question for you, Master: what exactly is Buddha? Is it a way to gain power, or a philosophy?"

Master Du'e's expression remained serious, but his eyes no longer held anger. Instead, he pondered for a moment and said, "Both."

"That's why I say this is the difference between Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism," Xu Qi'an said with certainty.

The monks below looked at each other, feeling restless and anxious, eager to hear Xu Qi'an's theory in one go.

At the Star-Gazing Tower and the Eight Trigrams Platform, the supervisor stared wide-eyed, muttering under his breath, "That bastard dares to say anything! We're doomed!"

Emperor Yuanjing turned around and asked, "Supervisor, what did you say?"

The supervisor smiled and said, "Your Majesty, Xu Qi'an has given you a very generous gift."

Emperor Yuanjing frowned, indicating his confusion.

But the supervisor did not answer him.

Wei Yuan slowly stood up, his hands clenched into fists inside his sleeves, as if he had thought of something.

"Sharp."

The chief minister said in a low voice.

"Amazing?!" Miss Wang looked over in surprise, wanting to ask, but seeing her father's completely absorbed posture, she could only swallow her doubts.

"In Buddhist School today, power is revered and rank is the foundation. The goal of every Buddhist practitioner is to attain a certain level of enlightenment, whether as an Arhat or a Bodhisattva. To put it bluntly, it's about self-salvation. As for saving all sentient beings, that comes later. Master Du'e, am I right?"

Master Du'e remained silent for a long time, then clasped his hands together in prayer.

This is the default setting.

"Therefore, valuing power above all else, taking rank as the foundation, and regarding Buddha as the ultimate Buddha, I call this Theravada Buddhism." Xu Qi'an gazed at the sky and declared loudly:

"Master Du'e, esteemed Buddhist School monks, am I correct?"

One monk retorted, "If this is Hinayana Buddhism, then what is Mahayana Buddhism? Is it what you call 'all sentient beings are Buddhas'? That's utterly absurd."

"You find it absurd because you practice Theravada Buddhism, which essentially still values hierarchy, which is selfish. But what if you value the mind?"

"The heart is paramount?"

Master Du'e chanted a Buddhist prayer, then clasped his hands together and said, "Please enlighten me, benefactor."

"You think there's only one Buddha in the world, that Buddha is the Buddha, and that humans can't become Buddhas, they can only cultivate to the level of Bodhisattva or Arhat. But don't forget, was the Buddha born a Buddha?" Xu Qi'an spoke eloquently:

"I believe that everyone has Buddha-nature, but they are blinded by the defilement of the mundane world. However, after cultivating oneself, one can see one's true self and become a Buddha."

"Master, to see one's true nature is to become a Buddha!"

Boom!

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck the sky, followed by faint chanting of Buddhist scriptures.

To everyone's astonishment, Master Du'e was radiating golden light, echoing the extraordinary phenomena of heaven and earth.

In Buddhist School, this is called sudden enlightenment.

Seeing one's true nature is to become a Buddha; seeing one's true nature is to become a Buddha. Master Du'e was immersed in a wondrous state, completely absorbed.

A voice screamed in his heart: Why is Buddha Buddha? Why can't I be Buddha?

No, everyone can become a Buddha.

This Buddha is not the Buddha of a spiritual practice, but the Buddha within one's own heart.

Xu Qi'an's words might seem to make some sense to outsiders, but to someone like Master Du'e, who had practiced Buddhism for many years, they were absolutely resounding.

Is power truly the only way to venerate Buddha?

Can a Buddha truly only be a Buddha?

How narrow-minded that is.

If that's the case, then the idea of Buddha's light shining throughout the land is just empty talk. Only when everyone can become a Buddha can Buddha's light truly shine throughout the land.

This is the true Dharma.

The Buddha represents the pinnacle of the Buddhist School system, but Buddhism should not be limited to the Buddha.

The concept of Mahayana Buddhism emerged, and a new school of thought appeared.

The other monks did not experience sudden enlightenment, but they had their own insights, and some even felt enlightened, glimpsing different aspects of Buddhism and new realms of thought.

Master Jingchen was deeply moved by it, completely captivated.

In the Nightwatchers's area, the gong players suddenly heard a low laugh coming from Wei Yuan, who had stepped out of the shaded pavilion.

"A sudden enlightenment is good, a sudden enlightenment is good indeed!" Wei Yuan said, emphasizing each word.

"Excellent, excellent!" Chief Minister Wang stroked his beard and smiled.

What does this mean? What's so laughable about these two powerful ministers who hold such high positions? Master Du'e's sudden enlightenment—is it something to be happy about?

Although Buddhist School and the Great Feng are allies, the atmosphere is currently tense, with both sides vying for power and engaging in magical battles, making them practically enemies.

The civil and military officials did not see this as something to be happy about.

The Star-Gazing Tower, the Eight Trigrams Platform.

Emperor Yuanjing burst into laughter, experiencing a joy he had never felt before.

"Xu Qi'an put forward the concept of Mahayana Buddhism. It would be fine if Master Du'e did not have an epiphany, but since he did have an epiphany, he will surely spread Mahayana Buddhism when he returns to the Western Regions."

"This will inevitably lead to a conflict between the concepts of Buddhism, both major and minor. At that point, endless arguments will be the least of it; if a split occurs... hahahaha."

He hadn't laughed so heartily in many years.

Only when forces are evenly matched can they become allies. When one side grows stronger while the other weakens, they will inevitably drift apart.

This is the current state of affairs for both the Great Feng and the Buddhist School. The Great Feng's borders are being harassed by barbarian tribes from the north and south, while the Buddhist School stands idly by.

If a split occurs within Buddhist School in the future, both sides will vie for the support of a Great Feng Great Feng, as this would both elevate their status and bring them benefits.

"The Censor is right, it is indeed a great gift. Very good, I am very satisfied with the gift presented by Xu Qi'an."

Inside the pavilion, many nobles looked up in astonishment at the roof of the Bureau of Astronomy.

"Was that His Majesty's laughter?!"

"What is Your Majesty laughing at? What's so funny? It's strange that Duke Wei and Chief Minister Wang are behaving so strangely, and Your Majesty is acting so strangely as well."

Mahayana Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism

The monk Hengyuan was completely absorbed, muttering to himself, "I too can become a Buddha, martial monks can become Buddhas, everyone in the world can become a Buddha. To save all sentient beings, to understand one's true nature is to become a Buddha."

"What did that lackey say?"

Biao Biao stared wide-eyed at Huai Qing. She knew he was very capable, but she just didn't understand, so she could only ask the knowledgeable Huai Qing.

"I don't know what he said, but I do know what the consequences will be," Huaiqing said.

"The consequences?" Biao Biao blinked her peach blossom eyes.

"From then on, Buddhist School was divided into Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism." Huaiqing smiled.

At the same time, Xu Erlang explained to the monks, "From now on, Buddhist School will be divided into Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism."

The men's eyes widened instantly; without needing to explain further, they already understood the meaning behind Xu Xinnian's words.

They also knew why Duke Wei laughed.

Jiang Luzhong was overjoyed, his voice low and trembling with excitement. "This, this, the Buddhist School is in trouble! What has Xu Ningyan done? What has he done? Hahahaha!"

With just a few words, Xu Ningyan divided Buddhism into Mahayana and Hinayana, accomplishing something remarkable. Duke Wei, was all of this within your expectations?

The woman, of average appearance, suddenly brightened up. She hated Buddhist School, utterly hated it. So she specially sent a sixth-rank martial artist to fight the monk Jingsi.

The purpose was to suppress the arrogance of Buddhist School.

Unfortunately, his subordinates were incompetent; not only did they fail to accomplish anything, they also became stepping stones for the enemy.

Today, she mingled in the Nightwatchers's quarters to watch the magical duel, partly to join in the fun, but more importantly, she wanted to see the Buddhist School suffer a setback and lose their magical duel.

Xu Qi'an hasn't won yet, but this surprise is enough to make the woman roll around happily in bed when she gets home.

He really knows how to win a woman's heart.

Meanwhile, among the nobles, some slowly began to grasp the hidden meaning, their eyes widening as if they were seeing a stunningly beautiful woman undressed and waiting in bed.

The surprise and elation were hard to conceal.

When the civil and military officials looked at Xu Qi'an again, their eyes were different. Although he was a member of the eunuch faction and was disliked, they had to admit that he always managed to bring surprises.

With him handling everything, people actually feel reassured.

P. S.: These chapters were indeed written slowly, please don't scold me. You've all seen how hard I've been working. The slow writing is a matter of my ability, not my attitude. The fact that I've been working so hard every day shows my sincerity, right?

You can criticize a genius for being unambitious and spending all day having fun, but you can't criticize someone with mediocre talent who works diligently, writing day and night.

My slow writing speed isn't due to a lack of sincerity or arrogance; it's simply a matter of my personal ability. I'm actually not very good at writing grand, pretentious pieces; I'm better at writing about everyday life.

I'm trying to transform this book, so I'm not familiar with many writing styles. Plus, I don't know much about Buddhism, and I'm afraid of creating major logical flaws, so I'm writing very carefully, and it's been very difficult, really.

Moreover, starting from this battle scene, I wrote 27,000 words in three days, averaging 9,000 words a day. That's not bad, right? I feel like I've completely outdone most full-time authors.

So seeing the comments section constantly criticizing my updates makes me quite sad. Because I really gave it my all, absolutely my all.

Okay, I'll take a shower and a nap, then I have to go to work.