Chapter 677: Chapter 651: The Author of the Heart Sutra
“When the enemy challenges at the gate, I must respond. This is a challenge, how can one be confined by worldly conventions?”
In an instant, the scholars were arguing amongst themselves, faces flushed red. This is the basic demeanor of scholars; when there’s a topic to discuss, even a dead frog must be squeezed for water…
The faces of the three Buddhist Hall elders turned first green, then red.
Zhen Heaven Pavilion also has a Buddhist Hall. When monks generally visit for debates, they can also make the visitors question their lives; however, it depends on who the visitor is.
But these three, who in the Buddhist community does not know them?
Abbott Xuanfeng of Cangyun Temple, Abbott Zhideng of Da Jue Temple, and Hostess Miao Yu of Luohua Temple.
These are the three great Buddhas of the Buddhist community.
In terms of seniority, they surpass us.
In terms of cultivation, they are difficult to catch up in their lifetime.
In terms of Buddhist Path accomplishments, they are even more far beyond reach.
How to debate with them?
As soon as they step out of Zhen Heaven Pavilion and arrive at the scene, one must first offer a junior courtesy to them, and then most likely get lost in the Buddhist Path field they create, unable to extricate themselves.
At this moment, a young official stepped into the position between the three masters, raised his head and smiled, “The three masters are in high spirits. As for debating Buddhism in Beijing, this official has some research on the Buddhist Path too, why not join the debate?”
His voice wasn’t loud, yet as soon as he spoke, it reverberated throughout the venue.
Everyone present was suddenly shocked.
A person dressed in a fourth rank official uniform came to debate Buddhism?
What’s going on?
Fufeng and the Seventh Princess exchanged glances, “Is it a real debate?”
On the other side, in the Zhen Heaven Pavilion…
Zhen Heaven Pavilion Master Lei Zhen Tian furrowed his brows, “The imperial decree has just been issued, Fourth rank Inspection Envoy Li Chengnian aims to go to Jiangnan and face the Eighty-one Sects head-on, and Luohua Temple among these three sects is precisely one of the Eighty-one Sects. Does it mean his suppression of the Eighty-one Sects involves a path of Buddhism?”
The decree Your Majesty issued has already reached the Zhen Heaven Pavilion.
Because Zhen Heaven Pavilion was specifically called as the needed helper, Your Majesty also decreed, demanding Zhen Heaven Pavilion to cooperate fully.
The three high monks slightly opened their eyelids, but none paid him any attention.
Even though it’s been made clear to give the Imperial Family a stern look, they naturally need not show courtesy to the Imperial Family anymore.
Even if Your Majesty himself personally arrived, he probably could not stop this Buddhist event.
Much less this young official whom they extremely loathed?
Indeed, being high monks of the Buddhist community, they seldom detest worldly individuals, but Lin Xiaosu happens to touch exactly that impossible point repeatedly.
Their ability to restrain themselves from personally crushing him to death with his actions already counts as a triumph of Buddhist Law, keeping a peaceful mindset.
Lin Xiaosu wasn’t wasting time, sitting cross-legged.
Opening his mouth to recite the sutra!
“When the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara practices deep prajna-paramita, he perceives that the five aggregates are empty and transcends all suffering and distress.
Shariputra, form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form. Form is emptiness; emptiness is form. The same applies to perception, thought, volition, and consciousness…”
A mere sixty-something words became gradually heavier…
It was as though the Buddha was traveling, emerging from the Buddhist Hall, step by step, and gradually his presence appeared in the vast universe.
Each word carried its own Mystical Mechanism of the Buddhist Path; each word was as heavy as Mount Tai; each word brought forth Great Transcendence; each word encapsulated the brilliance of wisdom accumulated over thousands of years…
The chanting of the three great monks continued, their voices undeterred, while Lin Xiaosu’s chanting remained gentle. Yet, in the perception of the crowd, it was an entirely different scene.
Closing their eyes, the chanting of the three great monks constructed a towering Buddhist edifice, creaking, seemingly overwhelmed by the Buddhist Path grinding, whereas Lin Xiaosu’s chanting grew louder with each syllable. By the last word of these sixty-three words, there was no more noise in the world, only the purest, most profound sound of the “Heart Sutra”.
The “Heart Sutra”, the foremost of ten thousand Buddhist scriptures!
Appearing for the first time in this realm, it instantly claimed its position within the Heavenly Tao Disc.
This was unrelated to their cultivation, purely based on the weight of the scripture itself.
Thousands of believers in the crowd were greatly shaken in their hearts, feeling the Buddhist Path power conveyed through the scripture, they all turned towards Lin Xiaosu. With their turn, the three towers constructed by the great monks using the strength of the Buddhist Path suddenly ceased growing.
And beneath Lin Xiaosu’s feet, layers of Buddha light appeared, a tower base forming out of nowhere.
“A Buddhist path contention!” The Seventh Prince’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Beside him, Qing Ying’s mouth was half-open, even more incredulous.
In Zhen Heaven Pavilion, several old monks’ faces turned bright red, “Amitabha, this scripture’s profundity surpasses ancient and modern, what scripture is it?”
“This old monk has never heard… What scripture is it? Surely this scripture is the treasure of the Buddhist community!” Said another old monk.
Not only had they never heard of it, the feelings of the three great monks were much deeper, tenfold or hundredfold; they suddenly felt their scripture was crude and inferior, in terms of smoothness and depth, it was far inferior to this “Heart Sutra”.
In such circumstances, what can they do?
“Amitabha, exert yourselves fully, we absolutely cannot let our Spirit Platform collapse underfoot!” Came a voice from Master Miaoyu.
The three Buddhist Powers mobilized their entire Buddhist Law attainments, with dignified appearance, chanting their respective scriptures.
However, Lin Xiaosu’s “Heart Sutra” flowed like a vast ocean, stepping into more profound realms…
“Therefore, in emptiness, there is no form, no perception, thought, volition, or consciousness, no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind, no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or law, no realm of the eyes, until the realm of consciousness. No ignorance, nor the cessation of ignorance, until no old age and death, nor the cessation of old age and death. No suffering, origination, cessation, or path. No wisdom, or attainment. With nothing to attain, because nothing is attained…”
BOOM!
The consciousnesses of the three high monks seemed to experience a storm.
The torrent of Buddhist Path rushed down, once again deafening their chants.
The three monks’ expressions drastically changed, tightly guarding their Spirit Platform, resisting the all-pervading grind of the Buddhist Path.