Killing Monks

Unable to sleep no matter what, Guangyuan simply got up, quietly left the monks' quarters, and did not disturb anyone.

He strolled through the temple, the night air cool and still. The Jinjia Temple complex was layered with winding, secluded paths.

What I saw and felt during the day lingered in my mind, clashing with the compassionate teachings I had learned in the past. Before I knew it, I had arrived in front of the Mahavira Hall.

There were still senior monks on duty inside the hall, watching over the ever-burning lamps and incense.

Upon seeing that it was Guangyuan, he merely raised his eyes and nodded slightly before closing his eyes again and sitting in meditation.

Guangyuan entered the hall.

The candlelight burned quietly in the darkness; it was an ever-burning lamp lit before the Buddha by many "blessed people," burning day and night to show their piety.

What is a blessed person?

At this moment, the two sides of the main hall were quite bright due to the numerous candlesticks, but on the Buddha altar, in front of the Buddha statue, there was only a row of candles, the light and shadow were dim, making the solemn Buddha image appear half bright and half dark.

Guangyuan looked up at the Buddha statue that was half-hidden in the shadows.

The Buddha lowered his eyes and smiled, compassionate and solemn, as if he were looking directly at him.

He stared into the Buddha's eyes for what seemed like a quarter of an hour, or perhaps a very long time.

Finally, Guangyuan's gaze swept over the gold leaf on the Buddha's body and the mudra of his hand gestures, and finally landed on the lotus pedestal.

The lotus platform has twenty-eight petals, beneath which stands Mount Sumeru, symbolizing the world.

Beneath Mount Sumeru were eight strong men struggling to lift it up!

They stood in various poses, their muscles bulging, their mortal bodies collectively supporting this majestic lotus throne and the sacred mountain of the Buddhist kingdom.

original……

At the very bottom of the Buddha statue are these strongmen supporting it.

Why have I never seen this before?

Or perhaps, why have I never noticed this before?

He fell into deep thought until dawn!

As the morning bell rang, he and his fellow disciples finished their morning prayers and ate their morning meal. Then, as instructed, he went to the back mountain to report to Guangming.

There are advantages to having a back mountain; it's peaceful.

Guangming lay under a large tree, his monk's robe askew.

He had known Guangyuan was coming yesterday, and upon seeing Guangyuan arrive, he couldn't help but say, "Junior brother, why are you talking back to your senior uncle?"

"I think he did something wrong," Guangyuan said earnestly.

"He's wrong, but he's our senior uncle." Guangming sighed. "You'll only have the final say when you become a senior uncle. With Master gone, we have to endure it."

Guangming and he were true fellow disciples, while Guangchen was merely a fellow disciple of the same generation.

Their master went out on business a few years ago and never came back.

Guangyuan had even somewhat forgotten about that rather dignified monk.

Among his fellow disciples, Guangming was considered an oddball.

He liked to watch insects, and would often stare at a single insect for half a day, so he was always lying on the trees and in the grass on the back hill.

It's called the back hill, but it's really just a hillside. Standing on the slope, you can look down at the crisscrossing paths and farmland below. Dozens of farmers are working in the fields.

Guangyuan didn't know this before, but now he understands.

Those people were all "temple households" who had sold themselves into servitude to the temple.

Their job is to make sure the farmers don't slack off and do their farm work well.

"It seems we're no different from the landlords," Guangyuan said, looking at the field and talking to Guangming, who was lying on the ground watching the insects.

"In Luohe City, which of the Wang, Zhao, Lin, or Ma families can compare to our family's wealth?" Guangming replied casually. "Sometimes they even have to borrow money from us."

After listening, Guangyuan remained silent for a long time, then suddenly put his palms together and said to Guangming, "Senior Brother's teachings are correct."

"What did I teach you?" Guangming asked, looking completely bewildered.

Guangyuan walked to the edge of the field and watched the farmers work. When they saw the strange monk, they hurriedly called him "Buddha" and knelt down to kowtow.

Guangyuan had no choice but to help them up one by one. He wanted to ask something, but the words wouldn't come out. He only said, "You...go ahead and get back to work."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, we wouldn't dare to slack off."

"Being lazy will land you in hell."

"..." Guangyuan stopped talking and silently turned back to the back mountain to practice martial arts.

He regularly practices the "Karmic Obstacle Subduing Demon Skill" and the "Weituo Palm".

The "Karmic Obstacle Subduing Demon Technique" is an introductory mental cultivation method in the temple. It involves using specific breathing techniques and postures to strengthen the body and cultivate a pure and peaceful internal force for subduing demons.

This skill focuses on cultivating internal energy. As one's internal strength deepens, it circulates through the meridians, enabling one to resist common cold, heat, illnesses, and pains.

To go further, one must combine this with Buddhist practice, using the resolve to "subdue demons" to overcome inner "karmic obstacles" such as greed, anger, and ignorance.

It was through this skill that Guangyuan transcended the Mortal Forging Realm and entered the Seeking Breath Realm.

If he can advance further to the realm of Arhat, the temple will teach him the more profound "Golden Shackles Karma Technique" to help him break through to the realm of form.

As for the "Weituo Palm," its moves are simple and unadorned, such as "Paying Homage to the Three Jewels" and "Protecting the Dharma at the Mountain Gate." It does not seek fancy moves, but only aims to lay a solid foundation for disciples and help them understand the correctness of exerting force and the purity of guarding their hearts.

In the past, when practicing these two skills, Guangyuan always achieved perfect harmony between his mind and hands, with no obstacles in between.

But tonight, when he tried to use the "Karmic Obstacle Subduing Demon Skill," he felt his internal energy stagnate. His movements in the "Weituo Palm" were no longer as fluid as before.

He also has a style called "Great Lion's Roar Fist," but the punches are so powerful and loud that they are not suitable for practicing late at night.

Guangyuan stood still, realizing that it was his own mind that was in turmoil.

He used to be carefree, only concerned with eating vegetarian food, chanting Buddhist scriptures, and practicing martial arts. He had never seen such worldly affairs before.

When have I ever been knelt down and kowtowed to someone calling me "Buddha"?

And have you ever seen that little girl hiding behind the door, watching her father kneel down?

Life in the fields behind the mountain was uneventful.

Until this day, Guangyuan saw Li Daniu.

Li Daniu, still with his daughter, eventually became a "temple householder." Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he will spend the rest of his life cultivating the land that originally belonged to him in the temple's Buddhist fields.

Li Daniu clearly recognized Guangyuan, but dared not approach her to speak.

The little girl behind him still looked at Guangyuan timidly, unaware that her fate had been changed.

Guangyuan stared at them blankly, but said nothing, only sighed!

He finally understood why his master had entrusted him with managing the fields.

This is... to destroy one's spirit.

Upon seeing Li Daniu, Guangyuan felt as if he could see Nengzhi speaking to him.

Having a kind heart requires ability!

You're incompetent; you can't do anything!

Nothing can be changed!

Guangyuan watched as they settled into a distant village, familiarized themselves with the fields, and learned the rules of the temple fields.

The words from the "Contract for Paying Off Debts with One's Own Body" flashed through his mind:

"...Men are required to perform all heavy labor such as cultivating temple fields and repairing buildings. Women are required to perform miscellaneous tasks within the temple, such as pounding rice, cooking, and sweeping. Neither should be neglected; they must begin their duties at the sound of the morning bell and cease them only at the sound of the evening drum..."

"...They shall abandon their original surname and be given a Dharma name by the temple's master, and shall not leave the temple without permission, nor concern themselves with worldly property or family affairs..."

"...their bodies, their actions, their joys and sorrows all belong to the temple. Their marriages are all decided by the abbot..."

"...The sutra says: 'Those who owe the Three Jewels money will be poor and lowly in this life, and will fall into evil realms in the next life.'..."

"...If one violates this agreement, not only will it be unforgivable under the law, but one will also suffer karmic retribution, never to be reborn. This is the law of cause and effect, which cannot be forced or avoided by human power..."