NOVEL NEXT Chapter 63 - Buddha of This World
The poetry gathering continued unabated!
It had now reached its third phase—Princess Yaoguang herself took the stage, presenting several topics for on-the-spot composition: poetry, essays, lyrics—any literary form was permissible.
Yaoguang’s appearance caused a surge of excitement among the numerous scholars present—this was, after all, the princess; were it not for this Literary Gathering, they would ordinarily have no chance whatsoever to come into contact with her…
“Amitabha!”
From the corner, a Buddhist chant reached Xia Chen’s ears.
He was slightly inebriated—having spent the entire morning drinking with Xuan Zhenzi.
“Master Tianhai!”
Though his body bore the effects of drink, Xia Chen’s mind remained fairly lucid; upon seeing the great monk before him, he rose and nodded in greeting.
“Is Young Master Xia not joining the Literary Gathering?”
Tianhai’s eyes gleamed with the light of wisdom, their depths profoundly unfathomable.
A smile played at his lips, exuding an air of refined elegance.
“The Literary Gathering is nothing more than a hollow title, is it not? The teachings of Buddhism emphasize the emptiness of all things—could it be that the Master too harbors an interest in this fleeting vanity?”
“Young Master Xia has evidently studied our Buddhist ways as well—truly remarkable!”
Tianhai’s eyes brightened; he slowly brought his hands together in a gesture of reverence, offering Xia Chen a bow.
“I heard the words you spoke—‘lords as lords, vassals as vassals, fathers as fathers, sons as sons’—and felt that within them lies a profound truth, yet it seems somehow incomplete. Thus, I have come to seek your guidance.”
Tianhai’s demeanor was humble, his bearing genuinely distinguished; though his appearance lacked Jingxuan’s striking allure, standing amidst the crowd, he drew attention no less compellingly.
“Master Tianhai is an eminent monk—yet why cling to the mundane? I’ve heard that Master Tianhai possesses a heart of Buddha, a mirror untainted by the dust of the world; yet now, upon observing you, Master, it appears you have become somewhat attached to appearances!”
Xia Chen offered no direct reply—instead, he sat back down, smiling as he spoke.
Upon hearing Xia Chen’s words, Tianhai’s face—heretofore marked by a constant, refined smile—shifted subtly.
“What does the young master mean by these words?”
Tianhai pressed his palms together, reciting a Buddhist chant.
“Confucianism extols engagement with the world, Buddhism champions transcendence from it, and Daoism advocates withdrawal from it! Yet, Master, you have persistently wandered among the secular elite; a decade of refining your heart has not cleansed you of worldly grime—rather, it has given rise to a heart of demons!”
Xia Chen’s eyes shone brightly, gazing directly at Tianhai; those eyes seemed capable of piercing through Tianhai’s mortal flesh to behold the demonic heart concealed within his frame.
At these words from Xia Chen, not only did Tianhai’s expression alter, but even Xuan Zhenzi’s bleary, drunken gaze turned toward them.
“Who can truly distinguish between a heart of Buddha and a heart of demons? I have my own path!”
Tianhai regained his composure, a smile gracing his face once more; his hands came together again in a gesture of refined confidence.
Tianhai cast a deep, lingering look at the young man before him—this youth had pierced his condition with a single utterance. A decade of heart-refinement had indeed gone awry; when he returned, the resplendent Buddhist light that bathed Tianlong Temple was not born of an immaculate Buddha heart, but rather his master, Abbot Long Shu, chanting sutras to suppress the demonic heart within him.
This secret was known to scant few even within Tianlong Temple—yet he… knew it!
“A Buddha may save lives in the hereafter, yet it cannot deliver the beings of this present world; I possess a heart of Buddha, and I vow to become a Buddha of this world!”
Tianhai bore a radiant smile upon his face, a smile dazzlingly brilliant; indeed, his entire being exuded an aura of compassion for all under heaven, as if he were poised to transform into a Buddha, delivering salvation to the people of this age.
In those years, during his decade of heart-refinement, he had journeyed to the Eastern Wastes, traversed the lands of the Nanman, arrived in Daqing, beheld the mountains and rivers of Dafeng, and finally traveled westward along the way, making a pilgrimage to the Western Regions…
Along this path, he had witnessed far too many suffering beings—lives in this world racked with unbearable pain, struggling amidst the dust of existence, plagued by ceaseless wars, rampant banditry, human lives as lowly as blades of grass…
From that moment onward, he resolved to no longer transcend the world—he would do something for the beings of this age. If the Buddha could not save them, then he would be that Buddha.
He sought power; he aimed to end this age of chaos!
I possess a heart of Buddha, and I vow to transform this world into a pure land divine kingdom!
…
Xia Chen cast a profound gaze at Tianhai—Tianhai’s Buddha heart had already strayed from the doctrines of contemporary Buddhism.
From Xia Chen’s perspective, this could not be deemed erroneous; indeed, he held great admiration for it.
Yet in this era, it was something Buddhism could not countenance.
This was a Buddhist heretic!
“Let your mind arise without fixating on anything!”
Xia Chen spoke slowly, and Tianhai froze where he stood, murmuring to himself.
“Let there be no fixation?”
“Let your mind arise without fixating on anything” is a famed verse from the Diamond Sutra, conveying that the mind should not cling to any thing.
For instance, it should not cling to external fame, wealth, material pleasures, nor to one’s own notions, opinions, or emotions.
For such clinging begets vexation and obstruction, binding the heart.
Tianhai harbored boundless compassion, yet he had developed an attachment—an obsession with appearances.
This was precisely why Xia Chen had said he had given rise to a demonic heart.
“Then pray tell, benefactor—what mind should arise?”
Tianhai lingered there for a long while, his lips ceaselessly murmuring, repeating the words Xia Chen had spoken.
At last, he earnestly posed his question to Xia Chen.
“A mind of purity, a mind of compassion, a mind aspiring to enlightenment—unswayed and un fettered by the myriad appearances of the external world, giving rise to a mind of wisdom and awakening.”
Xia Chen replied with serene calm.
Tianhai gazed at Xia Chen with profound gravity—did this Xia Chen possess such a deep understanding of their Buddhist teachings?
From afar in the main hall, numerous eyes turned toward Tianhai, Xia Chen, and Xuan Zhenzi—these two, hailing from Tianlong Temple and the Celestial Master’s Mansion—how could anyone overlook them?
Both lineages boasted First-Rank titans of this age.
“What’s happened to Master Tianhai? Why does he keep bowing with hands clasped to Xia Chen?”
“What are they discussing? Who’ll sneak over to eavesdrop?”
“Why does it feel like Master Tianhai’s gaze upon Xia Chen is so peculiar—almost reverent, filled with admiration?”
…
The crowd buzzed with speculation.
“Is the benefactor suggesting my path is impassable—urging me to relinquish the obsessions in my heart?”
“Master harbors a heart of compassion for all under heaven; in the future, I may be dispatched to govern beyond the capital. Should Master Tianhai be willing, you could come visit me—perhaps then, Master, you will discover your true path!”
Xia Chen too brought his hands together, as if he were a Buddhist sage, his face adorned with a smile.
Fine steel must be forged for the blade’s edge—to play the literary plagiarist, it must serve practical ends.
Tianhai had cast himself into the net seeking him—then Xia Chen would invite him into the trap.
With his opening words, he seized the initiative, stunning Tianhai outright.
Then, wielding the profound maxim from the Diamond Sutra, he delivered a resounding jolt to Tianhai’s convictions.
He refrained from dismantling Tianhai’s Buddha heart entirely—at least aiming to shake it.
He said no more—for fishing requires patience. Tianhai was a sharp mind; too overt an aim at the outset, and this fish would slip the hook.
At present, Xia Chen was still unable to point out a clear path for Tianhai; however, should he truly be dispatched to govern outside the capital in the future, once Tianhai stepped onto his territory, then he would possess abundant means to ensure Tianhai remained.
First, lure the fish over—whether it could be sated was a matter for later.
Tianhai’s curiosity was indeed piqued by Xia Chen’s maneuvers—this Xia Chen, so versed in Buddhist principles?
“Young Master Xia shares a karmic bond with our Buddha; should you find the time, you might visit Tianlong Temple, where we could explore the Dharma together!”
Tianhai offered a bow.
“I have heard that Young Master Xia possesses the talent to weave the heavens and thread the earth, bearing the stature of a great scholar—so much so that even His Majesty has sung your praises; I am deeply impressed. The Literary Gathering is soon to conclude—might I have the privilege of witnessing the young master’s literary prowess?”
Just as Xia Chen and Tianhai conversed amiably, someone could bear it no longer—rising to their feet, they declared aloud.
It wasn’t impatience—Xia Chen was simply too adept at lying low. The Literary Gathering had stretched past half the day, yet he remained seated in that corner, drinking and chatting; that nook seemed a world apart from their own.
They had originally been biding their time, awaiting an opportunity; yet, as they observed this Literary Gathering drawing imminently to a close with no chance yet presenting itself, they were left with no choice but to resort to such a stiff and forceful manner to compel Xia Chen to make a move.