Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The last trial of the Thousand Buddha Grotto was to spar about Buddhism with the Buddhist Great One?!
Such a trial made many sky-prides and cultivators frown.
None of the people had high hopes for Chu Kuangren.
After all, Chu Kuangren was not a Buddhist cultivator. How much did he know about Buddhism?
In everyoneâs opinion, the Buddhist Great One had made it clear that he was partial to Huijue and wanted to give the Sarira to him. That was why he set up such a trial.
Huijue thought the same too.
Even though he was a Buddhist Disciple with a good character, he could not help but reveal a smile on his face.
âI deserve the Sarira!â
The rest of the Buddhist cultivators looked at Chu Kuangren and wanted to know how he would react.
Would he be dissatisfied or angry?
However, Chu Kuangren was as calm as usual and did not seem to be dissatisfied with the Buddhist Great One.
âChat about Buddhism? Sure.â
Chu Kuangren nodded. To everyoneâs surprise, he did not reject.
Everyone shook their heads and sighed upon hearing that.
âUnfortunately, with Chu Kuangrenâs performance, the Sarira should belong to him. Who would have thought the Buddhist Great One could be so biased?â
âIndeed. How could a Buddhist Great One spar Buddhism with a layman? Thatâs a joke.â
âHumans are selfish, including this Buddhist Great One.â
Chu Kuangren sat upright before the Buddhist Great One and said calmly, âPlease.â
The Buddhist Great One nodded with a look of shame in his eyes.
As others had said, his action was biased. However, as a Buddhist cultivator, and since there was a Buddhist Disciple here, he certainly preferred to pass the inheritance to a Buddhist Disciple.
âWhat is Buddha?â asked the Buddhist Great One.
It was a very common question in Buddhism.
In Buddhism, there were five levels of karmic beings, namely all beings, monks, Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas!
All Buddhist cultivators had the ultimate goal of becoming a Buddha.
In terms of cultivation level, the Buddha Realm was equivalent to the Embodier Realm and even the Primordial Realm. Such realms were extremely rare in the Immortal World.
After hearing the Buddhist Great Oneâs question, the rest of the people thought of those famous Buddhists who had become Buddhas.
Shakyamuni?
Medicine Buddha?
Amitabha?
Buddhist Disciple Huijue and other Buddhist cultivators were also thinking about the answer to the question. Then, they secretly answered in their hearts.
âIn Buddhism, Buddha is a concept, and itâs difficult for anyone to explain it clearly. It isnât difficult to answer this question, but it isnât easy to answer it impressively,â Buddhist Disciple Huijue thought to himself.
âBuddha is for all beings, and all beings are Buddhas!â
âThe self-nature is the Buddha, and the Buddha is the enlightenment,â said Chu Kuangren.
He was well-read in the academy, so he had also covered some Buddhist classics. In addition to some knowledge from his previous life, he was quite a scholar of Buddhism.
Upon hearing his answer, the eyes of the Buddhist Disciple Huijue and the Buddhist Great One not far away lit up.
âChu Kuangren⦠is quite something.â
âTsk tsk. I didnât expect Chu Kuangren to have studied Buddhism.â
âInteresting.â
âPerhaps he can pass the trial and obtain the Sarira.â
Many sky-prides and cultivators were amazed.
The Buddhist sky-pride, who had stopped Chu Kuangren previously, sneered upon hearing his statement. âDoes he think he can get the Sarira by answering one or two Buddhism questions? Buddhism is so broad and profound that even great eminent monks in my Pure Land of Virtue wonât dare to say they have thoroughly studied the Dharma, let alone a layman.â
In Buddhism, there were Pure Lands of the five elements, which represented the five most powerful forces in the Buddhist world.
Buddhist Disciple Huijue and the Buddhist sky-pride were from one of the Five Elemental Pure Lands, the Pure Land of Virtue.
It was said that above the Pure Land, there was a Buddhist Supreme Sacred Land, the Spiritual Mountain!
However, nobody knew where the Spiritual Mountain was and whether it still existed.
âNext question. Where is Buddha?â
After hearing Chu Kuangrenâs answer, the Buddhist Great One pondered for a while before asking another question.
âBuddha is neither existent nor inexistent.â
âAll beings are Buddhas, but they havenât been enlightened and become Buddhas.â
âBuddhas exist in every little thing in life, between the permanence and impermanence, and in all beingsâ hearts!â
âAfter attaining Buddhahood, one will enter Nirvana without Remainder, like ice that turns into water and melts into the Devastating Ocean, merging with the rest of the waters. Therefore, Buddha is neither existent nor inexistent, and it wonât exist again!â Chu Kuangren answered fluently.
It surprised the Buddhist Great One and all the Buddhist cultivators present.
Chu Kuangrenâs answer could be regarded as having reached a certain level of understanding of Buddhism.
Even Buddhist Disciple Huijue could not answer it more perfectly and profoundly than Chu Kuangren.
âIt seems Iâve misjudged Chu Kuangren. His attainments in Buddhism must not be underestimated.â
Huijueâs expression was rather solemn.
He felt that Chu Kuangren might take away the Buddhist Sarira.
âWhere to find Buddha?â the Buddhist Great One asked again.
âWe can look for Buddha in our hearts.â
âOne canât seek Buddha in the Spiritual Mountain as it only exists in oneâs heart. If one is enlightened, heâll see mountains, rivers, and all beings as Buddhas. Therefore, oneâs heart is the Buddha!â
âWhat is Dharma?â
âThe Enlightenment Technique and Broken Free Technique are all Dharma. They are like magical illusions, fogs, and lightningâ¦â
âCultivators cultivate to transcend samsara. How do Buddhists do that?â
âAll appearances are illusory. If one sees through the appearances, heâll see Tathagata eventually!â
âEverything goes through the ever-changing process of birth and death, but in fact, birth and death do not exist. Since they donât exist, samsara is also an illusion, hence there is no samsara!â
The Buddhist Great One continued to raise questions while Chu Kuangren remained sitting upright on the same spot, sparking discourse and readily accepting wise advice. Everyone was stunned at his performance.
âIs this Chu Kuangren? Surprisingly, he has a such high understanding of Dharma!â
âHis attainments in Buddhism are very impressive.â
âIs there anything else that he doesnât know? What a prodigy!â
âDo you all understand what theyâre talking about?â
âI donât fully understand.â
âLook at those Buddhist cultivators. Their dumbfounded expressions simply mean that Chu Kuangrenâs performance has astonished them.â
Wang Chentian, Cao Yun, and other academiesâ Heavenly Champions also looked at Chu Kuangren with admiration on their faces.
The Dark Fox Maiden Sage also looked at Chu Kuangren with astonishment.
âThis dude knows about Dharma?â
âWait. Doesnât Buddhism emphasize compassion?â
âWhy did he show no mercy when killing the yokai in the Great Ten Thousand Mountains? He was even more devilish than a devil!â
While Chu Kuangren and the Buddhist Great One were sparring, holy, solemn, and sacred Buddhist Light was flowing around Chu Kuangren.
At that moment, it was as if he had transformed into a living Bodhisattva.
The Dark Fox Maiden Sage could not associate the person before her with the nightmare in the hearts of the Great Ten Thousand Mountainsâ yokai.
Holy moly. The man had two faces.
The Buddhist Great One looked at Chu Kuangren before him with an ashen expression.
The young man in front of him had attained no less than him in Buddhism and Dharma, which was amazing!
âWell, enough of you bombarding me with questions. Now, itâs my turn to question you,â Chu Kuangren interrupted the Buddhist Great One and said.
The Buddhist Great One nodded. âPlease go ahead.â
The next moment, the Buddha Light on Chu Kuangren dissipated. It was replaced by a surging demonic qi that swept all directions and shook the universe.
He seemed to have transformed into a peerless great demon who slaughtered all beings!
Each of his moves and his expression looked extremely ferocious to everyone.
âLet me ask you. Do you think I look like a Buddha?!â