The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 47 Returning a Favor
Du Yuan had no idea what others thought.

All he knew was that he had finally finished fixing that troublesome roof tile.

The temple renovation was finally completed successfully.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Du Yuan sat on the roof of the temple, gazing at the distant mountains and rivers, resting her muscles and refreshing her eyes.

The distant mountains were tinged with dark blue by the twilight, and the winding stream flowed through the valley like a silver chain.

The pristine beauty of mountains and rivers, untouched by the corrupt world, is truly captivating.

As the mountain breeze gently caressed her, that voice once again lingered in Du Yuan's ears:

Are you a Buddhist?

The verse “Prajnaparamita Kong” is incomprehensible to ordinary people, who cannot distinguish its origin, but this person would certainly not have misheard it.

Moreover, during the final fall that subdued all the water in the world, he personally witnessed the extraordinary phenomenon of the Buddhist kingdom being upside down.

Such methods are indeed unlike those of people from the Taoist sect.

"Buddhism is too far removed from this world, so I am not a monk."

Du Yuan could never admit that she was a monk. She had finally gotten rid of this identity, and going back would be too frustrating.

Therefore, Du Yuan offered this person a clever remark that could be extended in many ways.

'For the sake of humanity?'

It's not a question, it's an answer.

Du Yuan didn't say anything more, but simply rested on the temple.

But after a long while, Du Yuan heard this person suddenly ask a question that was somewhat unclear yet seemed familiar.

Is it truly worth sacrificing one's spiritual attainment for the sake of this mortal realm?

Du Yuan was naturally unaware that Fahai's resounding "Prajna Paramita" had no origin in Buddhist scriptures.

The owner of this voice was fully aware of this, yet possessed his own insight.

After all, the power of Buddha that hangs upside down in the Buddha Kingdom and subdues the waves of the world cannot be faked.

Therefore, this should be considered a classic approach.

Its profound meaning likely stems from the essence of the Heart Sutra:
Based on "Prajna", it draws upon the ultimate wisdom that perceives the origin of all things;

It integrates "paramita" into practice, transforming it into the supreme Dharma gate of the Bodhisattva's six perfections and myriad practices;

Ultimately, by taking "emptiness" as the seal, one enters into the supreme truth that all phenomena are without inherent existence and that all things arise from dependent origination and are empty of inherent existence.

Only when the three methods are perfectly integrated can this earth-shaking, supreme mantra be formed.

Although this method does not touch upon the fundamental principles that differentiate between Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism, it is already a profound and comprehensive foundation sufficient to establish a new school and sect!

When he transitioned from Buddhism to Taoism, he likely relinquished his perfect Buddhahood, transforming it into the foundation for his return to the turmoil of the mortal world.
Du Yuan, of course, had no idea what this person was thinking; she simply made calculations based on what he said.

Hmm, it seems I've really misled this person. As for attaining enlightenment, hehe, with my little bit of Buddhist teachings that I didn't even learn halfway through, what kind of enlightenment could I possibly achieve?

Such things should not be said, so Du Yuan did not reply.

He simply gazed at the distant mountains and rivers, then looked down at the people outside the temple and smiled silently.

Upon seeing this, the voice carried a somewhat indescribable meaning.

'If you continue to delve deeply into Buddhism, you might be able to bring it to the world. I have only heard the Buddha preach, and my understanding is far inferior to yours.'

'But since you think this way, and I have received such a great favor from you, then I will do my best to do it.'

You seem to be thinking more and more.

But I don't seem to be as tall and imposing as you imagine.

What Du Yuan didn't know was that as the man finished speaking, he was enveloped in a faint, simple Buddhist light.

It is both real and unreal, simple and unadorned, yet exceptionally genuine.

Du Yuan didn't see the change, though the other person saw it clearly. But they didn't offer any advice, after all, it was how it should be, wasn't it?

Du Yuan chuckled softly after slightly shifting her gaze, and said:

"If everyone does their duty and fulfills their destiny, the world will be at peace for ten thousand years. Your thinking in this way is truly a blessing for all people."

This was Du Yuan's response, made without knowing what the other person was thinking.

But after hearing these words, the other party said something in surprise.

'That's strange. You clearly renounced your Buddhist faith and entered Taoism, so why do you speak and think in the style of Confucianism?'

Ah, is this a Confucian idea?

I do not know.

How could I possibly explain the three teachings so clearly?

Just as Du Yuan was wondering how to answer.

The voice suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

"Do you think Taoism is also ineffective? So you want to try and understand all three major schools of thought?"

"Ah, countless people throughout history have been proficient in all three teachings, and there have even been those who were well-versed in all the schools of thought during the Warring States period. Yet, there has not been a single person who has demonstrated extraordinary abilities in all three!"

'You've indeed found the path most likely to lead you to your desired outcome, but do you really want to forge this path through thorns and brambles?'

Du Yuan's figure appeared infinitely taller in this person's eyes. Du Yuan herself was thinking: "My God, what are you thinking, old man?"

But she couldn't remain silent any longer, so after much deliberation, Du Yuan used the same words that had once been spoken to her:

"it's the same!"

At this moment, not only the mountain wind, but even heaven and earth seemed to hold their breath.

Looking at Du Yuan, who was still smiling lightly.

After a long, long silence, the voice was no longer as ethereal and illusory as before, nor as indescribable.

The voice spoke earnestly to Du Yuan:

“I can’t see through you, nor do I know how high your level of cultivation is. But since you want to do this, then I will stand behind you.”

After speaking, a soft chuckle escaped from that voice for the first time:
“If you feel too tired that day and can’t go on, you can turn back. My little temple can still make room for you. It may not be as good as the position you gave up, but it’s better than crowding next to Buddha.”

Du Yuan shook her head and smiled:

"You've become much more talkative."

The voice regained its previous ethereal quality.

'Yes, I'm feeling much better, so naturally I'm more willing to talk. So, thank you so much!'

"No need to thank me, but may I ask if you want to take these tiles?"

Du Yuan pointed to the pile of discarded tiles below.

'nature'

"Thank you!"

Feeling that she had rested enough, Du Yuan bowed towards the temple and then walked down the ladder.

The local people also gathered around.

"Taoist Master, are you satisfied with the Mountain God?"

Du Yuan glanced back at the still incomplete but serenely serene statue and smiled:

"I'm very satisfied!"

"Oh, that's good, that's good!"

The crowd burst into laughter and sprang into action. The women pushed the offerings onto the altar, while the men busied themselves adding incense to the burner. Du Yuan stepped aside.

Watching them venerate the idols.

After the villagers had finished their work, Du Yuan suddenly called them over and said:

"Gentlemen, I have already informed you in advance that you can take these replaced tiles home to make up for the missing tiles!"

The old man, presumably the village chief, waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no! These are tiles from the temple; how dare we mountain folk touch anything belonging to the mountain god?"

Before he could finish speaking, Du Yuan had already pressed down on his withered wrist, the warmth of her palm seeping through the rough cloth sleeve:
"My fellow villagers have sacrificed their own peace and tranquility in exchange for the temple's peace and quiet. They deserve a return favor!"

Du Yuan's voice was gentle and easily penetrated the hearts of the villagers.

The old village chief opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing, then suddenly turned around and shouted, "What are you all standing there for! This is the kindness of the Taoist priest and the mountain god! Quickly, kowtow and express your gratitude!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the villagers knelt down on the ground, their foreheads hitting the newly renovated ground repeatedly.

But after kowtowing only a few times, Du Yuan raised her hand to stop them from continuing.

"Hey, everyone, no need for formalities. Please come forward, and I will distribute the food to you right away!"

Upon hearing that the Taoist priest would personally distribute the tiles, the villagers spontaneously formed a queue without even needing the village chief to call out to them.

The old village chief, who was leading the group, leaned on a jujube wood cane, his frosty white beard trembling slightly with his excited breathing.

He had lived in the village for seventy or eighty years and had long been accustomed to seeing people renovating temples in various places, but he never thought he would personally receive a tile that was said to be a 'miracle of the mountain god'.

This was even peeled off the temple!
Looking at the old man in front of her, Du Yuan smiled and casually picked up a piece of tile from the pile of tiles beside her and handed it to him.

It's a bit damaged, not as good as the good tiles that we carefully selected and replaced ourselves.

But this was a gift from the mountain god. So the old village chief couldn't stop smiling.

Even his hunched back straightened, and after trembling as he pressed the tile to his chest, he first bowed to Du Yuan, then turned and kowtowed three times to the statue of the deity.

After holding the tile, they bowed to Du Yuan and the statue to express their gratitude.

The old village chief suddenly looked at the tile in his hand in disbelief.

Didn't it just get damaged in several places?!

What, what?

The tile in the old village chief's hand was no longer damaged; in fact, it even had cloud-like patterns, and its aura seemed to have subsided.

Of course, the old man couldn't see it, but he could feel that the tile in his hand was different!

The statue did not answer him, and he could only stare blankly at Du Yuan.

Du Yuan then laughed and said:

"This is a blessing and auspiciousness; you should place it carefully on the roof beam. It can ward off evil spirits, dispel disasters, and accumulate good karma!"

Thank you to reader Hua Qianshu-Ee for the generous donation!
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(End of this chapter)