I attained immortality in the real world.

Chapter 56 The Lamp Like a Gauze Cover
Debate the law!

Let's debate the law!

If one wants to obtain the true scriptures of the Yogacara school, one must rely on the school's ancestral skill—debate.

To defeat false teachings with true teachings, and to overcome false teachings with true teachings, one must demonstrate the magnanimity of the second Xuanzang at the Ullambana Festival. Otherwise, even if one can facilitate the unification of the Yogacara school, why should others respect you, Qianye?

In the cultivation world, the spiritual time flow is twice as fast; three days is actually equivalent to one and a half days in reality.

After a good night's sleep, Chen Jing was refreshed and the timing was perfect. He logged into the Yuan Realm, stepped on Xiaotuanshan Mountain, and activated the Spirit Realm Node to descend into the cultivation world.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Chen Jing's consciousness had just descended upon Qianye.

The large bronze bell hanging from the pagoda of Jinshan Temple rang out with a deep, dull sound.

The monk Faji led Qianye to Jinshan Temple, where he prepared a change of monk's robes and an alms bowl. He said, "Judging by the time, it's time to set off for Bianjing to participate in the Ullambana Festival. This will allow us to exchange ideas with other lineages."

The two walked up the stone steps to the main hall of the temple, where more than three hundred monks had already gathered.

There were ascetic monks tending the fire in the kitchen, old monks sweeping the floor in the scripture pavilion, strong martial monks in the discipline hall, and elders wearing kasaya robes.

In the center is an extremely old monk. Jinchi has white hair and eyebrows but does not look old. His real age is no more than sixty or seventy years old. The old monk, on the other hand, is hunched over and has loose skin that has aged beyond recognition. He is nearly a hundred years old.

This is the abbot of Jinshan Temple, whose Dharma name is Wujie. He lives a secluded life, chanting scriptures and worshipping Buddha. This is the first time I have seen him since he arrived more than a month ago.

"The Ullambana Festival on the fifteenth of the seventh lunar month was established by Emperor Taizong of Tang and is held every four years. The festival lasts for three days. On the first day, scriptures are recited to universally deliver hungry ghosts from all directions and accumulate merit. On the second day, the Dharma is preached, and the Dharma is transmitted from the preaching platform so that all beings may understand the wonders of Buddhism. On the third day, the Dharma is debated to clarify the Buddha's intention, understand the Zen principles, and thus verify what has been learned..."

"One preaching monk, two debate monks, and ten accompanying monks are needed..."

"Preaching monk: Jinchi, Debating monk: Faji, Qianye, Accompanying monks: …………"

The list was personally selected by the abbot. The monks who gave lectures were generally those who were outstanding in preaching at Jinshan Temple, while the monks who debated the Dharma were selected from those at Jialan Temple.

However, after announcing the list this time, Elder Jinchi stepped forward and said, "This humble monk has a disciple who is exceptionally intelligent, well-versed in the scriptures, and adept at debate. This humble monk believes that he can serve as the assistant Dharma debater and can debate with the Qianye lineage of the Kalan Dharma. The winner will participate in the Ullambana Festival."

Abbot Wujie opened his cloudy eyes and looked at Chen Jing: "Do you have any objections to selecting Dharma monks through debate?"

Chen Jing put his hands together and said, "This disciple has no objection, so please, Abbot, be the one to set the question."

The monk Faji of Jialan Temple was the master, but since Chen Jing proposed the theory of destroying Buddhism and promoting other schools, Chen Jing was in charge to a large extent.

Monk Faji had no objection and added, "Chiba and Kiyoto have only recently become formal monks, so let's not try to use Zen riddles. Just express your understanding in the most straightforward way, and let the monks of the temple judge."

The more than 300 monks in the temple nodded in unison. They had thought they would only see a spectacle in Bianjing, but they didn't expect to see one before they even left the temple.

Abbot Wujie glanced at Monk Faji, closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then said, "Sweeping the floor for fear of harming ants, cherishing moths and covering lamps with gauze, what is the meaning of this sentence?"

This sentence comes from the real-world version of Journey to the West, Chapter 27: The Corpse Demon Plays Tricks on Tang Sanzang Three Times, and the Holy Monk Resentfully Banishes the Handsome Monkey King.

The full poem is:
Jumping out of the three realms, not in the five elements.

Spotless, free from all worries.

Sweeping the floor, I fear harming ants; I cherish moths, covering lamps with gauze. I don't fish with hooks in the pond; I buy caged birds and release them back into the wild.

In my leisure time, I watch tigers fight behind the mountain; when I have nothing to do, I listen to birdsong in the forest.

Carefree and without worries, I have seen through the fickle nature of the world.

The single sentence means equality of all beings, compassion, and non-killing. People like to use this sentence alone, but the whole poem does not only have this meaning.

If we interpret it as equality and compassion, someone might ask: "The Buddha sees 108,000 insects in a bowl of water. If all beings are equal, there are even more creatures in a bowl of water. Why do you still drink the water? Where does compassion come from if you harm other beings to save one life?"
Therefore, the poem first states the premise: transcending the Three Realms and not being within the Five Elements.

Since humans are above the water, they can choose not to fish even if there is a hook. Since humans are not in the food chain of the forest, they can also buy birds to release.

Therefore, in addition to compassion, the poem also contains the Buddha's transcendence, since we are all mortals and have not yet reached the state of transcending the three realms and five elements.

Since we still need to eat and drink to sustain life, and are still within the great cycle of the food chain of nature, there is no need to worry about eating meat, eating vegetables, drinking water, or killing living beings. Don't add unnecessary troubles to yourself.

This poem corresponds to the third precept of the Yogacara school: "If you are troubled and do not understand, do not accept advice and apologies." It advises disciples not to be entangled in the forced killing of living beings, but to think more openly about life.

"........."

Qingdeng knew that Chen Jing was also a player, and the two of them had obtained the same information, which contained all sorts of explanations. The key was how to filter out the correct answers from the sea of ​​information.

Jinshan Temple is not a Yogacara school. To tell them not to get caught up in killing and eating meat is simply heresy and completely contradicts the philosophy of the Buddha-nature school. Therefore, they immediately rejected the correct interpretation and replied with their hands clasped together, "This disciple has seen compassion!"

Chen Jing nodded and replied, "This disciple also saw compassion."

"........."

The monks watching the spectacle exchanged bewildered glances. The abbot's question was far too easy; the answers were exactly the same!
To be precise, even if a different monk were to come up and debate, the answer would be the same.

Elder Jin Xing of the Discipline Hall spoke up, "Abbot, shall we ask another question, or let the first one to answer win?"

"No need! There are different kinds of compassion."

The old monk Wujie waved his hand and turned to Qingdeng, who had spoken first, asking, "What kind of compassion did you see?"

"Compassion comes in different kinds?" After a brief moment of panic, Qing Deng replied, "Naturally, it is compassion that respects the equality of all beings, even the lives of ants and moths."

The monk Wujie remained noncommittal, then asked Chen Jing, "What kind of compassion did you see?"

Chen Jing did not use the God of War connection to the network because he knew there would be no correct answers online.

Moreover, if this line is used alone outside the poem, it does indeed express compassion.

[The Buddha's Mind Seal, Manifesting its Power!]

Chen Jing activated the Buddhist aspect, his aura rivaling that of the abbot.

With his hands clasped together and his head raised, he replied, "In my view, all sentient beings are like ants, the Buddha's teachings are like a candle flame, and you and I are like moths drawn to it."

“All living beings live in a daze, in a mediocre way. Those who are enlightened should respond with compassion; this is mercy.”

“The Dharma is like a candle, which brings light but burns the moths that fly towards it. Covering the lamp with gauze allows us practitioners of the Dharma to feel its light without being burned. This is also compassion.”

"The abbot also wanted to admonish his disciples about the subtle application of Zen wisdom, like a lamp covered with gauze, but this disciple cannot agree with it."

(End of this chapter)