Chapter 121 Monk Miaohua
The monk untied the cloth bag. Seeing Chen Chang'an with his eyes open, he showed no surprise. Instead, he said with a pleasant expression: "So the benefactor was already awake."
Chen Chang'an ignored him, stood up directly, and walked to Lao Lu. He reached out and placed his fingers on Lao Lu's wrist. As his True Essence probed, he immediately frowned.
Lao Lu's vitality was depleted, showing signs of natural aging. It was as if he had lived through several decades in just a few short days. Chen Chang'an's expression darkened with concern.
"Who are you?" Chen Chang'an asked coldly, staring at the monk. "What did you do to him? Why did you do this?"
The monk pressed his palms together, his demeanor solemn. "This poor monk's Dharma name is Miaohua. As for why this happened..."
His tone was compassionate, but his words were horrifying. "This benefactor harbored anger toward this poor monk and spoke viciously. The Buddha said: 'One thought of anger opens a million doors of hindrance.'"
"This poor monk merely helped him eliminate his karma. By letting him experience the suffering of aging prematurely, he could understand the harm of rage."
Chen Chang'an laughed angrily. "He merely refused to give you food, and this is his fate? Then what about me? How have I offended you?"
Monk Miaohua sighed and shook his head. "The benefactor deceived this poor monk."
"What did I deceive you about?"
"When you interpreted the characters, dare you claim you weren't speaking nonsense?" Miaohua's gaze was sharp. "The character for Buddha clearly signifies light, yet you spoke falsely of ominous signs."
"The sin of false speech deserves the punishment of ignorance. This poor monk intends to let the benefactor experience the suffering of being unable to see or hear..."
Chen Chang'an's old face flushed red. He argued stubbornly: "How can you call it deception when it's a scholar's affair? Divination through characters is..."
He suddenly trailed off, realizing even to himself that this defense was untenable. Seeing this, the corner of the monk's mouth curled into a confident smile.
Chen Chang'an stared at Monk Miaohua, the chill in his eyes growing. "Buddhism emphasizes compassion. Even if Lao Lu cursed you, you could have cursed him back."
"Why deprive him of several decades of life?" He then looked at the several withered corpses on the ground, asking coldly: "And them? What crimes did they commit?"
Monk Miaohua remained unhurried, even revealing a hint of pity. He walked slowly to the first withered corpse and pointed. "This female benefactor did indeed give this poor monk a vegetarian meal."
"But she insisted this poor monk pray for her family to eliminate disasters and ensure her husband's promotion and wealth." He shook his head and sighed. "Charity should be selfless giving, yet she acted with greed, treating the meal as a transaction."
"The Buddha said: 'Greed is the root of suffering.' This poor monk merely helped her sever her desires."
Chen Chang'an's eyebrows twitched—could such twisted reasoning actually be self-consistent? The monk then strolled to the second withered corpse and continued.
"This benefactor saw this poor monk cultivating and insisted on becoming my disciple, pestering me daily, speaking of 'seeing through the mortal world.'" He pressed his palms together, his face showing pity.
"Yet he hadn't even let go of his ego-attachment—it was merely the ravings of a deluded man. Buddhism teaches: 'Delusion is the cause of reincarnation.'"
"By sending him early to Sukhavati, sparing him the suffering of rebirth, is that not great compassion?"
Chen Chang'an: "..."
This bald donkey's twisted reasoning came in one set after another! He stared at the monk's sanctimonious face, suddenly finding it both ridiculous and pathetic.
These people might indeed have had greed or delusion, but did they deserve such a fate? This monk was clearly using Buddhist principles as a pretext for demonic deeds!
"By your logic," Chen Chang'an sneered, "my nonsensical interpretation of characters counts as 'false speech'; Lao Lu cursing you counts as 'anger'; these people were greedy or deluded—so everyone in the world is guilty, and only you are pure?"
Monk Miaohua smiled slightly: "The benefactor truly possesses wisdom roots."
Chen Chang'an: "..."
Monk Miaohua pressed his palms together, his face revealing a mix of compassion and helplessness: "The benefactor misunderstands. This poor monk did not impose punishment immediately, but gave them opportunities for self-redemption."
Chen Chang'an glanced at the dying Lao Lu and the withered corpses, sneering: "Oh? So they should thank you instead?"
"That is unnecessary." Monk Miaohua shook his head, his tone as calm as discussing the weather. He walked slowly to the female corpse who died from greed, saying softly: "This female benefactor, this poor monk let her choose between her family's lives and herself. Though she chose to save her family, she still begged this poor monk for forgiveness."
He sighed, a flicker of pity in his eyes: "The Diamond Sutra states: 'Abide nowhere, and the mind will arise.' Having made her choice, she still clung to having both—this is greed within greed. The Buddha said 'Greed is the chief of the five poisons.' Releasing her in Sukhavati was truly compassion."
Chen Chang'an frowned deeply—this monk could make twisted reasoning sound so noble!
Miaohua moved to the second withered corpse: "This benefactor, so devoted to Buddhism, this poor monk offered him entry into cultivation if he severed his worldly ties by cutting off his own hands. Yet he recoiled." The monk shook his head. "The Vimalakirti Sutra says: 'To seek the Pure Land, first purify the mind.' If he couldn't let go of his hands, how could he release his ego? Such delusion would only prolong his suffering in reincarnation. Sending him onward was truly liberation."
Finally, he approached Lao Lu, his withered fingers brushing the old man's wrinkled face: "As for this benefactor... to quell his anger, this poor monk burned him with lotus fire, telling him he could leave if he endured one incense stick's time without a sound. Each cry would cost him one year of life."
Miaohua's gaze suddenly turned profound: "The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom states: 'The harm of anger destroys all virtuous dharmas.' Had he endured momentary fury, he could have left unharmed. Alas..." The monk shook his head regretfully, "He cried out thirty-seven times."
Chen Chang'an's blood boiled—the monk's so-called "self-redemption" was nothing but a death trap!
"What fine 'self-redemption'!" Chen Chang'an sneered. "Every choice you gave them led to death!"
Monk Miaohua remained calm: "Life and death are but illusions. This poor monk merely showed them how one mistaken thought leads to boundless suffering."
Chen Chang'an laughed: "And me? Did you prepare a chance for my redemption too?"
Monk Miaohua nodded slightly, a hint of admiration on his face: "The benefactor truly understands—infinitely superior to these ordinary people."
He pressed his palms together, his tone peaceful yet unyielding: "Since the benefactor deceived me with knowledge, let us compete."
Chen Chang'an's lips curved into a playful smile: "Oh? Do tell—how shall we compete?"
Monk Miaohua pressed his palms together, his demeanor solemn: "The Vimalakirti Sutra says: 'With the sword of wisdom, cut the thieves of affliction.' Since the benefactor used false speech against me, you planted the seed of delusion. This debate today shall sever that root of ignorance."
He walked slowly to the temple's center, his kasaya fluttering without wind: "Buddhism uses right view to shatter wrong views. Should the benefactor defeat this poor monk in debate, it proves your true learning—your earlier words were merely skillful means. Should this poor monk prevail by chance..."
The monk left the sentence unfinished, merely glancing meaningfully at the withered corpses. Moonlight filtered through the broken roof, casting mottled shadows across his face.
Hey readers! If you're eager to dive into advanced chapters, consider joining our Patreon. By joining, you'll get access to 20 chapters ahead and enjoy 8 new chapters per week. Plus, we have 2 more exciting fics with the same chapter release rate, giving you a total of 32 chapters per week! Join now and keep the adventure going!
Patreon: https://patreon.com/Alex_Cruise