Journey to the West: Tang Monk Conquers Everything

Chapter 43 Formless Gatha (Including Reader Group Number)

At this moment, Li Chunfeng's mood was heavy.

In recent days, the entire Chang'an City had been shaken by the news of a monk with twelve incense scars appearing, and the news had spread swiftly in all directions, like a hurricane.

Li Chunfeng just so happened to overhear his master, Yuan Tiangang, chatting about how a monk with such profound Buddhist karma had emerged within Great Tang's borders, surely a reincarnation of a Bodhisattva.

With a Bodhisattva's reincarnation, naturally, the influence of the Buddhist Sect in Great Tang would grow ever larger, and correspondingly, the influence of the Taoist Sect would inevitably be squeezed.

As one of the disciples of the Taoist Sect, Li Chunfeng felt an obligation to stand up. So, after hearing about Master Xuanzang swaggering off from Chang'an City, Li Chunfeng followed him.

His goal was simple, which was to challenge Xuanzang to a competition. If he won, he could naturally embarrass him and suppress his influence.

"Everyone says Master Xuanzang is the reincarnation of a Bodhisattva, yet he's so stingy with a bowl of food. Isn't that a bit too petty?" as he was about to eat with his chopsticks, Li Chunfeng watched Jiang Liu directly take the food away. There was no sign of anger on his face as he calmly spoke.

"There's a saying that goes, 'treat friends with a feast and enemies with weapons.' If you've come specifically to cause trouble, are you expecting me to hypocritically treat you with courtesy? I don't have such insincerity," Jiang Liu rebutted Li Chunfeng's mockery with a sneer.

After a slight pause, he continued, "If you think I'm being petty, then I think you've got a thick face indeed. You come looking for trouble and still expect to be treated well with food and drink? Where's the logic in that?"

Jiang Liu's words left Li Chunfeng momentarily at a loss for words, feeling that his approach was unconventional.

Great Tang was known as a nation of rituals, regardless of whether they were nobles or monks and Taoists. Anyone with a bit of status tended to cherish their reputation, so even in the face of an enemy, they would try to appear magnanimous and polite.

Yet unexpectedly, Jiang Liu wasn't interested in keeping up appearances at all. Not only did he admit to being petty, but he also mocked him for being thick-skinned.

And yet, what he said made a lot of sense.

"This little Taoist priest is so unreasonable. Master Xuanzang treated him well, so how can he be petty?" a female worshipper muttered under her breath nearby.

"Indeed, Master Xuanzang was very polite to him, personally cooking meals for him; yet he comes to cause Master Xuanzang trouble. Is there any sense in that? Isn't this just repaying kindness with ingratitude?" a wealthy man clad in silk also nodded and said.

"I, Tie Niu, think the master's words make sense. I can't stand those scholars who are full of pretense, smiling in the face of troublemakers. Isn't that the very definition of hypocrisy?" a dark-skinned man in coarse clothes also nodded in agreement.

...

Choking on Jiang Liu's words and now hearing these discussions around him, Li Chunfeng's face was tinged with embarrassment, feeling that Jiang Liu was quite crafty at winning people's hearts.

As a Buddhist Disciple with twelve Scars of Precepts, he personally cooked meals to entertain these folk, so it was no wonder they all sided with him.

Master Huihai, who was nearby, did not speak. The primary reasons he accompanied Jiang Liu were twofold: first, to prevent him from suddenly running away, as he was aware of his attempts to escape from the Great Buddha Temple in the previous days, and his declaration to leave the monastic life during the Incense Offering Ceremony was alarming; second, to protect Jiang Liu from any demon attacks.

As for Li Chunfeng coming to trouble Jiang Liu, Master Huihai had no intention of intervening.

The young disciple of the Taoist Sect wants to compete with Master Xuanzang? As an elder, it was not his place to interfere.

"Enough, stop wasting words."

However, Jiang Liu's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he stared at Li Chunfeng, seeming eager to start, and he stood up and said, "Since you've come looking for trouble, then let's get to it now, shall we?"

Having the ability to level up by defeating opponents, Jiang Liu gladly accepted anyone who came looking for trouble.

Considering Li Chunfeng's youthful appearance, his cultivation level couldn't be too exaggerated. Defeating him would mean obtaining Experience Points, Equipment, and even Skill Books that were handed to him on a platter, wouldn't it?

Seeing the eager glint in Jiang Liu's eyes, as if he wished they would start that very moment, Li Chunfeng tensed up slightly in his heart.

It was obvious that he had great confidence in his demon subduing techniques, and furthermore, he had been rumored to have mastered the Divine Skill of the Heavenly Dragon Zen Sound in just a few days...

"Master Xuanzang, you misunderstand. I'm not here to fight, but hearing of your reputation, I had some doubts in my heart, and so I came to discuss the Dao with you," Li Chunfeng gave a salute and replied.

"Not going to use force?" Hearing Li Chunfeng's response, Jiang Liu showed a look of disappointment, "If it's just about debating, then there's nothing worth discussing. Besides, you are from the Taoist Sect, and I am from the Buddhist Sect, each with its own biases."

If it came to a physical confrontation, Jiang Liu would naturally be happy; but if it was just a debate, wasn't that just idle chatter?

What sounds nice is debating, but what sounds bad is like shrews hurling abuse at each other, to see who can outdo whom. Win or lose, what significance does that have?

"Whether it's the Taoist Sect or the Buddhist Sect, the purpose of our scriptures is to lead people to goodness, with all roads leading to the same end. How can we not debate?" Seeing Jiang Liu's reluctance, Li Chunfeng felt a secret joy in his heart.

It seemed that Jiang Liu did not know much about the scriptures and Buddhist principles; this made Li Chunfeng believe his chances of winning were even greater. He provocatively said, "Could it be that Master Xuanzang, you dare not?"

"Right, right, right, I don't dare, you win, okay, now go..." However, Jiang Liu was not biting Li Chunfeng's taunt, he waved his hand and settled back down with an indifferent attitude.

It was like punching cotton; this feeling made Li Chunfeng very uncomfortable.

Seeing his indifferent attitude, does he not understand what it means to lose a debate to me? To concede in such an indifferent manner.

Master Huihai at his side also frowned slightly.

If Li Chunfeng left now, and it spread that he had debated with Master Xuanzang and made Master Xuanzang retreat in difficulty, admitting defeat, that would be detrimental to the reputation of the Great Buddha Temple and even the entire Buddhist Sect.

Turning alternately pale and red, to leave now would be a pyrrhic victory.

Although Jiang Liu made it clear that he did not wish to debate, Li Chunfeng still forced himself to ask, "Master Xuanzang, I only ask you one question as you are a disciple of the Buddhist Sect, you should know, what is the meaning of cultivating Buddhism?"

What is the meaning of cultivating Buddhism?

This question changed Master Huihai's expression.

The meaning of cultivating Buddhism, how could it be so easily articulated? Many monks who have struggled in their Zen practice cannot clarify it. Although Master Xuanzang bears the twelve Scars of Precepts, after all, he is a young monk, how could he clarify it?

It's like asking others, what is the meaning of life? Who can answer that?

However, Master Huihai's spirit was heavy, but many of the pilgrims were curiously looking at Xuanzang, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Indeed, what is the meaning of cultivating Buddhism? How would Master Xuanzang answer?

The meaning of cultivating Buddhism?

Of course, Jiang Liu did not have an answer to this question; until now, his whole mind had been set on returning to secular life, and he had read only a few Buddhist scriptures.

However, at this moment, a flash of inspiration crossed his mind.

Coming from a modern era that has experienced an explosion of information on the internet and being a thousand years ahead in terms of knowledge and insight, he had an advantage that people of this era could not understand.

"Brother Xuanming, please fetch me some writing materials," Jiang Liu said to his fellow monk Xuanming sitting beside him.

"Alright, I'll get them," not knowing why Jiang Liu wanted them, but Brother Xuanming nodded, hurried down his bowl, and ran out to get the writing materials quickly.

Taking the writing materials, Jiang Liu stepped outside of the dining hall.

Behind him, Senior Abbot Faming, Master Huihai, Li Chunfeng, and many pilgrims and the procession of monks followed with curiosity, not knowing how he would answer the question raised.

Without further words, Jiang Liu picked up the brush and on the wall outside of the dining hall, he wrote down only twenty characters.

The body is the Bodhi tree, the mind is like a bright mirror's stand. Be diligent at all times in wiping it, do not let it gather dust.

"Abbot, this Formless Gatha is my gift to Jinshan Temple," Jiang Liu said, putting down the brush and turning to the Senior Abbot Faming beside him.

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