True Demon, Heavenly Demon: Minor Paths!

"May I ask, Buddhist disciple, since all people suffer, where is Thunderclap?"

This question came abruptly.

The person asking the question wore a brand-new monk's robe, and his eyes were clear and insightful, as if he had read through all the scriptures in the world and was just waiting for someone to verify it.

He gazed quietly at the young novice monk before him, a smile on his face, his eyes conveying not urging, but a serene compassion.

The young novice monk in the alleyway looked solemn, seemingly sensing that the person before him was no ordinary person. He clasped his hands together and slowly said:

"Thunderclap is the true nature of the mind. When the heart is compassionate, Thunderclap is everywhere; when the heart is filled with greed, even on Spirit Mountain, not a single utterance of the Buddha's name can be heard."

Mietian shook his head, greatly disappointed.

"The words of this Buddhist disciple are disappointing."

"I have heard the Diamond Sutra say, 'If one seeks me through form or sound, that person walks Evil Dao and cannot see the Tathagata.' Therefore, people generally believe that Thunderclap Temple is in the Western Heaven Spirit Mountain, on the golden Buddha's lotus throne, or in the chanting of sutras by eminent monks, but they do not know that Thunderclap is never sought externally."

This man, whose identity is unclear—whether he should be called an enlightened monk or Demonic Monk Evil Dao —raised his hand to his heart and began to speak eloquently, as if he were resolving the doubts of the Buddhist disciple before him:

"Instead, look inward."

"Sentient beings are deluded about their own true nature and seek things outward, just like chasing their shadow while carrying the sun on their backs. No matter how fast they run, they will never catch up. It is not that the Thunderclap cannot be caught, but that the defilements in the hearts of sentient beings are too heavy."

"Does the Buddhist disciple agree?"

"Does my answer conform to Buddhist School scriptures?"

Having said that, before the young novice could speak, Mietian spoke again with great interest, as if he had been preparing for this meeting for a long time, scouring through the scriptures, all for this debate—

I have also heard the Ekottara Āgama say, "The Buddha cannot save sentient beings; one must save oneself."

The Infinite Life Sutra also states. "One is born alone, dies alone, comes alone, and experiences suffering and joy alone; no one can take one's place."

Who in this world can take your illness for you, or breathe your last breath for you? Even if the Buddha were alive, he would only do one thing: proclaim the Dharma and point out the Mingyue path. You must walk the path yourself, eliminate your karma yourself, break your attachments yourself, and escape the sea of suffering yourself—no one can do it for you in the slightest.

"In the past, Venerable Ananda was so revered that he thought the Buddha could grant him samadhi, so he didn't need to practice asceticism himself. As a result, he was given a sharp rebuke."

"Therefore, one should not seek liberation outside Thunderclap, but only through self-salvation—do Buddhist disciples agree?"

The young novice gazed intently for a long while before finally saying, "Your words, benefactor, demonstrate a profound understanding of Buddhist principles."

"Oh?" Mietian's eyes showed emotion. "But I have also heard that when the Buddha attained enlightenment, he said that all sentient beings Tathagata the wisdom and virtues of the Tathagata, but they cannot realize it because of their delusions and attachments."

Therefore, it is not that the Buddha does not save people, but that sentient beings, with their delusions and attachments, isolate themselves from the Buddha.

"It's like everyone holding a lamp, the oil still hot and the wick still burning. A single spark is all it takes to make it shine brightly. But because of wishful thinking, they can't see that the spark is in their other hand. They're holding the lamp, yet they're still asking others for a light."

"But I've always been curious, is it that this lamp can only be lit by sentient beings themselves? And does lighting it allow one to see the location of Thunderclap?"

"May the Buddhist disciple enlighten this humble monk?"

The young novice remained silent and did not answer.

But Mietian seemed completely unconcerned. He merely stepped aside slightly, clearing half the path, flicked his sleeve, pointed forward, and smiled:

"May I ask if you, my disciple, would be willing to accompany me on a tour, and first take a look at the sacred site that I have set up?"

The young novice monk pursed his lips slightly, his face a little pale, but his gaze remained resolute as he followed.

As we passed a shallow puddle, the water rippled, reflecting a corner of a dusty gray monk's robe.

The two strolled slowly along the long street, observing the myriad aspects of life unfolding amidst the everyday hustle and bustle, each with their own toil, their own fleeting joys and sorrows.

More than anything, it's the unique inversion and absurdity of the Turbid Kingdom—

A woman at the alley entrance threw a tantrum, all to take up half a foot more of her neighbor's land; bystanders praised her for being shrewd and capable.

Several teenagers chased and beat a lame beggar, snatching the last half of his dry rations. The beggar looked miserable. An old man passing by not only did not try to comfort him, but spat and cursed him for being useless, unable to even hold onto his food, and deserving to starve to death.

In a humble alley, the patriarch of a family lay ill in bed, his body emaciated and near death. His wife stayed by his side day and night, preparing medicine and feeding him with utmost care. Yet, neighbors passing by would point and whisper, saying the man was wasting food and the woman was stupid and foolish, and that she should quickly take the family property and run away to remarry...

As the scenes unfolded before his eyes, the young novice felt a heavy weight in his heart.

Mietian, standing to the side, clasped his hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer:

"Buddha's disciple, this humble monk has seen far too many people in this world. They come into this world crying, and they leave crying, spending most of their lives in between crying."

"The poor weep for a mouthful of food, the rich weep for not being able to hold onto their wealth, emperors and generals weep for power, scholars and writers weep for not achieving fame and fortune, and even the eminent monks of Buddhist School often toss and turn, unable to sleep, Liaowu a few lines of scripture."

"It's so bitter, so incredibly bitter."

Mietian turned around to face the young novice, clasped his hands together, and looked on with compassion in his eyes. "The Buddha spoke of eight sufferings in life: birth, old age, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, encountering those one hates, not getting what one desires, and the burning of the five aggregates. But in my humble opinion, these eight sufferings are ultimately just one suffering."

He paused, then sighed, "The pain of being sober."

"Humans suffer because they know they are suffering. Animals do not know suffering, therefore they do not suffer; plants do not know suffering, therefore they do not suffer. Only humans are born with a mind capable of perception, thought, and self-reflection."

"This heart makes one aware that one will grow old, get sick, and die; that loved ones will eventually leave; that desires will ultimately vanish; that everything is empty—to know this, yet be powerless to change it, is the greatest suffering."

"Therefore, I made some changes so that these people no longer have to suffer because of this."

Mietian's gaze slowly swept over the boys chasing and playing in the alley, and the old man spitting and cursing at the beggar. There was no contempt in his eyes, only a deeper pity, as if he were looking at a group of stumbling children.

He turned to look at the young novice monk, his gaze gentle.

"People are foolish and cannot bear the Thunderclap. They only want a meal and a night's rest. Therefore, being clear-headed is suffering, while being confused is a blessing. Look at the people of this Turbid Kingdom, how carefree they are after breaking the precepts!"

The young novice monk took a deep breath, seemingly Ignorance. Of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, Ignorance is the foremost!"

"The Buddha's disciple has finally spoken." Mietian smiled and said with emotion, "I have heard that the Buddhas of Spirit Mountain Ling sit on their lotus thrones, watching sentient beings rise and fall for thousands of years. Those who are enlightened are but a grain of sand in the Ganges, while those who are deluded fill the Three Realms. It is only a pity that sentient beings have different capacities."

"Those with superior spiritual capacity can understand a thousand things upon hearing them and can save themselves; but the vast majority of people in this world are dull-witted ordinary people, deeply foolish, and with strong attachments. If you talk to them about emptiness, the original mind, or seeking within, they will not understand and cannot do it."

Therefore, the Vimalakirti Sutra says, "First lure them with desires, then lead them into the wisdom of the Buddha." For beings of dull faculties, expedient methods must be used, first satisfying their desires, and then gradually guiding them.

"They worshipped the clay statue with gold, praying for worldly blessings, and the humble monk granted their request, bestowing upon them blessings;"

They offered Incense and Fire Prayer Power, seeking liberation from suffering. This humble monk then gathered their attachments and solidified this net-like Buddhist realm.

"All beings feed me with greed, and I respond to the world with my Divine Ability, each taking what they need; thus, cause and effect are both cleared."

The young novice monk said in a deep voice, "You are cleverly misinterpreting the meaning of the scriptures! The expedient means are meant to guide sentient beings towards goodness, not to let you take advantage of their ignorance to fill their own desires and lure them into even deeper desires!"

"You receive offerings from them, which fuels their greed. Today they ask for a penny and get a penny, tomorrow they ask for gold; today they ask for the safety of one person and tomorrow they ask for a position above ten thousand—their obsession will only grow stronger, how can they find liberation?"

"What liberation?" Mietian laughed heartily, his laughter filled with indescribable joy. "Once I devour them all, I will naturally be liberated!"

He stood with his hands behind his back, looked across the entire Turbid Kingdom, and said leisurely:

"Buddhist scriptures teach people to save themselves, but sentient beings may be unwilling or unable to save themselves, so the deity has no choice but to personally save them."

"When I attain Nirvana, this Turbid Kingdom will be free from the eight sufferings and the cycle of rebirth. All sentient beings will enter my Buddha-land, become one with me, and be forever freed from the sea of suffering."

"The Buddhist disciple asks, is this kind of Thunderclap truly Thunderclap? Is this kind of Buddha truly a Buddha?"

The young novice monk's chest heaved violently as he sternly declared, "You use the name of Buddha to commit demonic deeds, and you use karma as a pretext. Even if you search through all twelve divisions of scriptures, you will never become a true Buddha!"

Mietian showed no anger whatsoever; instead, he smiled and said:

"The Buddha said earlier that the Thunderclap resides in the mind, but can mortals, whose minds are clouded, wipe away the dust from their hearts? They cannot. So the deity wipes it away for them—swallowing up their greed, anger, ignorance, and thoughts, along with their suffering and joy."

"Isn't this better?"

The young novice monk shook his head repeatedly, his face showing struggle. "It's not like that... this is... this is..."

"Magic!"

Mietian shook his head. "Whether it's Buddha or demon, as long as one can resolve the doubts of sentient beings, one is a 'Buddha' in their eyes. This statement from the Buddha's disciple is truly disappointing."

"Buddha is Buddha, and demon is demon. How can there be no difference between the two!" the young novice retorted sharply.

"The Buddha said that all sentient beings Tathagata the virtues and characteristics of the Tathagata, but he dared not say that all sentient beings are without the Root Bone of demonic obstacles, for Buddha-nature resides in the human heart, and so does demonic nature," Mietian smiled. "May I ask, Buddhist disciple, what is a demon?"

"What is a demon?" the young novice murmured, "Indulging in bloodlust, taking pleasure in destruction, slaughtering cities and destroying nations, staining mountains and rivers with blood..."

Mietian laughed loudly, his laughter shaking the dust in the long street. "Buddha's disciple still doesn't understand people's hearts, doesn't understand the Heavenly Dao, doesn't understand the rules. To please the world is to be a Buddha; to go against the world's will is to be a demon! The demons of this world are not just those who crave blood?"

"When Buddhist disciples look at the people of this world, they see greed, anger, ignorance, pride, and doubt—all five poisons. Are they 'children' of Buddha or 'children' of Mara? As the saying goes, ultimate goodness is close to Buddhahood, while extreme goodness is close to Marahood."

The young novice murmured, "Extreme pursuits lead to demonic possession..."

Mietian shook his head slightly. This Buddhist disciple's performance was truly disappointing to him. He turned his head to look at the location of the royal capital.

Jingchen and the others, who came from Little Formless Temple, arrived three days earlier than expected, but were still a step behind him.

These people followed a road cleared for them deep into the Turbid Kingdom, only to find that all the temples along the way had been destroyed. They arrived at the capital without any difficulty.

This surprised and delighted them, and they then stormed into the capital, stormed the Grand Preceptor's residence, and encountered two gatekeepers.

With everyone working together, the two supreme-level gatekeepers were quickly captured. Led by Jingchen, the group didn't hesitate for a moment and continued their assault deeper into the Imperial Preceptor's mansion...

Mietian took in all the commotion in the distance, but instead of being angry, he sighed softly, his eyes filled with even more sorrow.

People are always foolish.

Unable to distinguish between reality and illusion, unable to tell whether the path beneath one's feet leads to life or death.

Always rushing headlong into despair as if it were hope will only lead to a deeper fall into despair.

All living beings suffer.

Mietian clasped his hands together and sighed:

"I have heard the Samyutta Nikaya say, 'The suffering of birth, the suffering of old age, the suffering of sickness, the suffering of death, the suffering of separation from loved ones, the suffering of being with those one hates, the suffering of not getting what one wants, and the suffering of the five aggregates burning intensely.'"

People suffer from the eight kinds of pain, writhing and wailing, complaining about the injustice of heaven and the lack of salvation from Buddha. But have they ever considered where these eight kinds of pain come from?

He took a step forward, approaching the young novice. The hem of his robe gently brushed against the pristine bluestone ground, Wuchen spotless. His eyes were filled with compassion as he spoke.

"It is not that the Buddha is uncompassionate and unwilling to send down the Thunderclap to save beings; rather, all suffering is self-inflicted by sentient beings, caused by greed and attachment, clinging to things and forgetting to return. The moment a thought arises, cause and effect are already created; the moment a thought ceases, karma is already formed."

People always say that the sea of suffering is boundless, but they don't know that every drop of water in that sea of suffering is scooped up by their own hands.

"This is the cause of yesterday, the effect of today; the cause of past lives, the effect of this life—the Buddhist principle of cause and effect, which permeates the three lifetimes, encompasses all sentient beings, and no one can escape it; it is the root source of all suffering."

Mietian looked at the Buddhist disciple before him, his every word revolving around the scriptures, each utterance filled with sincerity:

"The Buddhist disciple's performance today has truly disappointed this humble monk, but it has also strengthened my resolve—"

"This humble monk wishes to ask the Buddhist disciple for something. Buddhist School takes the Great Dao of Cause and Effect as its foundation, yet it is unable to resolve the doubts of sentient beings. Why not have the Buddhist disciple entrust this Dao Path to this humble monk, so that this humble monk may find an answer for sentient beings?"

"Please, Buddha, grant my request."

The moment the words fell, the world deep within the Imperial Preceptor's mansion suddenly went dark.

A dark golden glazed Buddha palm slowly opened from the ground, and countless golden Bora Flower bloomed in the surrounding Void. Each flower contained a world, and the palm covered the universe, actually holding Abbot Jingchen and the others who rushed into the mansion in the palm.

Between heaven and earth.

A dark gold Buddha statue sits serenely on a lotus platform of karmic fire, with a halo of light behind its head shining like the sun in all directions.

He held the power of all the strongest beings in this world, yet his gaze traversed thousands of mountains and rivers, landing on the young novice monk, his eyes filled with both pity and greed.

A magnificent voice emanated from His mouth, resounding throughout heaven and earth, layer upon layer, as if it were something all living beings were eagerly anticipating:

"Please, Buddhist disciple, grant my request!"

"Please, Buddhist disciple, grant my request!"

"Please, Buddhist disciple, grant my request!"

The young novice monk standing on the street was already stunned.

They seemed extremely frightened.

He gazed at everything before him, and asked in a daze:

"Do all sentient beings Tathagata and characteristics of the Tathagata, yet also harbor the Root Bone of demons?"

Mietian smiled and nodded, "Indeed."

"Buddha-nature resides in the human heart, but so does demon-nature?"

"Indeed."

"Are all people children of Buddha, or children of Mara?"

Mietian laughed heartily, "The Buddha's disciple has finally attained enlightenment!"

"Are you a demon?" the young novice asked in a low voice, looking at him.

Mietian sighed, "If a Buddha cannot save the world, then this humble monk can only humble himself and fall into the demonic path."

"Then... am I a demon's child or a Buddha's child?" the little novice monk in Mietian's mouth murmured.

Mietian was about to burst into laughter, praising the Buddha's disciple for finally seeing through illusion and returning to his own path, he suddenly...

There was no sound.

In the capital city.

The towering Buddha suddenly opened his "wisdom eye," looked at the "little novice" in front of him, and his expression changed for the first time.

Because what appeared before his "eyes" was not a Buddhist disciple, but a figure in a gray robe.

The gray-robed monk looked back and saw a street full of people in a state of utter chaos, a scene of absurd suffering.

These people live happily amidst breaking the precepts, as if they are no longer suffering, while he stands here, looking like an oddity.

But am I really an oddball?

Women, children, the elderly, beggars, bandits...

He could not mock any of them, for he possessed all the same foolishness, greed, resentment, and weakness they had.

In the child who was being killed, he saw himself as he had raised a stone and killed other refugees on his escape route;

From the mouth of that woman who was spouting nonsense, I heard the lies she herself had told during the wave of refugees years ago;

In the eyes of that thieving beggar, he saw his own reflection as he squatted in the cowshed, secretly changing his clothes.

He stood on the long street of the Turbid Kingdom, looking at the chaotic crowd, trembling as he raised his hands, clasped them together, closed his eyes, and tears streamed down his face.

From the moment he stepped into this Buddhist kingdom, he felt an indescribable pain.

At that moment, he finally understood the reason for his suffering.

The one who killed was "me";

The one who made that false statement was "I";

The thief was "me";

That one, indulging in sensual pleasures and stubbornly clinging to delusion, is "me";

I am the one who upholds the precepts, and I am also the one who breaks them;

I am the one who does good, and I am also the one who does evil;

I am Buddha, and I am also demon.

It's all me.

The suffering of all beings lies in their inability to recognize themselves, and even more so in their inability to accept themselves as they are not in line with expectations.

This moment.

The "young novice monk" raised his head, his gaze falling on the path he had walked step by step in the distance.

At the end of the road, amidst the swirling dust, a weathered gray figure trudged along on foot.

His monk's robe was torn and tattered by the wind, but his face showed no sign of dishevelment, only a serene calmness that had been washed away.

He walked step by step down the long street, past shrewish women, chasing boys, and sick people; all the absurdities and joys flowed past him like light and shadow passing through a crack, untouched by the dust of the world.

That was Deng Canglan's "true self," which he had severed from himself since childhood.

It was from the very first time his master saw him that he praised him for being able to be "crazy" to this extent, which was truly a rare find in the world.

After traversing countless mountains and rivers and witnessing the myriad aspects of human life, He finally returned.

He looked at the figure that had stood beside him since childhood, yet remained silent in response to his cries, questions, and demands, and suddenly smiled.

But as I laughed, tears started falling again.

He knew that from now on, he no longer needed Him.

That moment.

Two figures in grey robes intertwined and merged in the light and shadow, like water droplets returning to the sea, like lights being rekindled.

then.

Deng Canglan slowly opened his eyes.

The fear, struggle, and shock of the past had all faded away. In my eyes, there was neither the compassion of Buddha nor the ferocity of demons, only a clear, still well.

He didn't look at the Mietian, nor did he need to look at this world anymore. He simply looked down at his own hands and spoke softly:

"People say that demons are vicious criminals who slaughter cities and kill people, wicked villains who indulge in unrestrained lust, and the root of all evil who disrupt order and bring ruin to the world."

"But these cannot be considered True Demon."

"They are nothing but puppets led by their inner demons, pitiful worms fed on greed, anger, and ignorance."

"They are trapped in desires, trapped in greed, ignorance, and anger. They may appear fierce and unrestrained, but in reality, they are still 'following'—following their instinctive evil and their own madness. They have never escaped the cage of cause and effect, nor have they ever truly established their own path."

He raised his head, looked at his "master" whose face had become cold and fierce, and said with a smile:

"Master intends to use the Heavenly Demon Path to enlighten three thousand 'selves' and help them Heavenly Demon, but in my eyes, the Heavenly Demon Path is ultimately just a minor demonic path."

"Though I am naturally dull-witted, I have seen the true demonic nature in the myriad forms of humanity and found the true demonic path."

"The True Demon does not recognize any predetermined path."

Mietian stared intently at the young man before him who addressed him as Master, then suddenly smiled and asked with interest, "Are you the disciple of 'me' from the Upper Realm?"

"Master and Master, similar yet different." Deng Canglan did not deny it, but sighed softly, "If it were Master, he wouldn't pretend to keep me calm on the surface while secretly searching frantically for the true Buddha's disciple."

"If it were Master himself... he would probably be genuinely happy if he lost."

Mietian suddenly sneered, "You little brat, impressive skills! This deception actually fooled your master. But judging the winner now is a bit too much..."

"Master, you've lost."

Deng Canglan interrupted him, smiling, and repeated,

"Master, you've lost."

At this moment, the smile on Mietian's face vanished once again.

In the distance, the beggar whose food had been stolen looked up, his face a mixture of sorrow and joy. "Master, you lost."

The bedridden man looked up, his expression sorrowful. "Master, you've lost."

The woman who had been throwing a tantrum turned around and smiled brightly, "Master, you've lost."

A boy chasing a beggar, an old man spitting and cursing, a peddler at the alley entrance, a weaver under the eaves...

Countless figures throughout the entire long street, the entire capital, and the entire Turbid Kingdom raised their heads at the same moment.

Countless voices, young and old, male and female, spoke in unison, converging into a rolling wave of sound:

"Master, you've lost!"

This moment.

Who is...?

magic?

Mietian's expression was cold. He reached out to grab Deng Canglan and search his soul. How dare a mere Divine Ability Realm play tricks on him?!

Once he has swallowed this child and completely destroyed his Primordial Spirit, nothing—whether it be the path of True Demon or the traces of a Buddhist disciple—will escape his "wise eyes"!

But before he could unleash his Divine Ability, he suddenly stopped, unable to distinguish which one was the real Deng Canglan!

seem...

The devil has no fixed form; he dwells within the hearts of all beings.

"There is something I have lied to my master about for a long time."

Deng Canglan looked apologetic.

"When I established my Immortal Foundation in the past, I received Dao-Bestowed Divine Ability called ' Indestructible,' which is my Indestructible Primordial Spirit. Therefore, for many years, I have been able to temper my physical body at will."

"After attaining Divine Ability, the Dao Path manifests as 'Mahaprajna, the True Emptiness of Self-Nature.' Therefore, what I excel at is all in the realm of the Primordial Spirit, which is why I can deceive my master, whose abilities are close to those of Dharma Aspect body, by using deception to pass for the real thing."

"But there is one thing I must explain—"

"Master, you have mistaken the person. Although I deliberately lured him, that Buddhist disciple has never concealed his whereabouts. It's just that your State of Mind is clouded, Master, and you cannot see the true Buddha."

He spoke sincerely.

Mietian, however, laughed in anger. Just as he was about to question his own clouded State of Mind, he suddenly felt a faint golden light swirling around him.

I don't know when it started.

A faint golden light swirled around them.

That was not the Incense and Fire Prayer Power, but rather the remnants of Buddha-nature that still remained and scattered in this Buddhist land, but had long been polluted and dimmed, shining brightly again at this moment for some unknown reason.

Deng Canglan smiled and said, "The ancient Buddha has returned to the world, and I have achieved my goal of delaying the situation. If Master has anything else to discuss, please go and consult with the Buddha's disciple."

No longer caring about wasting words with this wicked disciple, Mietian suddenly looked up at a corner of the sky.

The true "Buddha's disciple" raised his head, his eyes reflecting an endless sea of golden lights.

He stretched out his hand, his palm slowly opening.

A faint, almost imperceptible golden light shone from his palm.

The flame was small, like the faint glow of a struck match, yet it was enough to light a lamp, and then the light spread from one lamp to many, until all the lamps were lit.

This day.

[The Ancient Buddha Dipankara, reborn into the mortal world, Dingguang ordinary beings in this Saha World.]