332: Heart Lamp Sutra

Great Brahma Sound Temple, with Buddha Power illuminating everywhere, was solemn and majestic.

The Buddha Jingkong's Dharma Proclamation, held once every thirty years, attracted believers and Cultivators from Jialuo City and even various parts of Xuan Continent.

Outside the mountain gate, people were like a tide, yet orderly, with only the low chanting of scriptures and the distant sound of bells and chimes echoing in the air, purifying the clamor.

Xiao Zhuo, dressed in a simple green robe, led Wang Xianzhi and Wang Xianyu, ascending the steps with the flow of people.

Wang Xianzhi's aura was restrained, his Nascent Soul cultivation subtly hidden, and his eyes, steady, held a hint of reverence for the Buddhist Holy Land.

Wang Xianyu, on the other hand, widened her intelligent eyes, curiously sensing the rich, almost tangible, auspicious Buddha charm around her, and the countless spiritual light points of piety, reverence, and longing in the air, as if she were in a warm sea of faith.

Entering the magnificent Grand Hall, the hall was already filled with people.

At the very front were the eminent monks and Core Disciples of the temple, followed by influential Cultivators and representatives of powerful families from various regions, and further back were the common believers.

Xiao Zhuo and the two did not reveal their cultivation auras, finding cushions near the hall entrance and sitting down like ordinary pilgrims.

A moment later, the melodious Buddhist chanting suddenly soared, and visions of celestial flowers falling and golden lotuses gushing from the earth subtly appeared in the Void Realm of the hall.

A figure appeared silently on the highest lotus platform in the center of the Grand Hall.

It was Buddha Jingkong, the current abbot of the Great Brahma Sound Temple.

He wore a simple, old kasaya, his face was lean, and his gaze was peaceful and gentle, as if it could encompass all phenomena in the world.

He did not deliberately exude pressure, but merely sitting on the lotus platform, he naturally became the center of the entire world, all sounds ceased, and everyone's mind involuntarily converged on him.

Buddha Jingkong's gaze slowly swept across the Grand Hall, pausing for a moment as it passed over Xiao Zhuo and the two at the entrance, a subtle, knowing curve seeming to form at the corner of his lips.

He did not speak, but a peaceful and clear voice already resounded in everyone's heart:

"All benefactors, good karma gathers. Today's Dharma Proclamation establishes no written words, falls into no verbal traps, but only transmits the subtle meaning of the Prajna Heart Lamp Sutra through heart-to-heart transmission, illuminating the fancloud of one's true nature."

As the voice fell, Buddha Jingkong slowly began to expound.

He did not directly expound on the scriptures, but rather used his vast and pure Buddha Power as a guide, accompanied by profound Buddhist chants, to manifest scenes of Concept in the Void Realm:

There were ordinary beings struggling and drifting in the bitter sea of the Mortal World, with anger, greed, and ignorance entangled around them like shackles;

There were monks sitting withered before ancient Buddha statues with dim lamps, chanting scriptures incessantly, yet their hearts secretly churned, clinging to the words of the scriptures;

There were Cultivators fighting in dangerous Secret Realms, their power formidable, yet Heart Demons followed them like shadows, and a slight carelessness would lead them into demonic delusion;

...All kinds of mental states, meticulously revealed.

Buddha Jingkong's voice flowed through them like a trickling clear spring:

"The sea of suffering is boundless, attachment is the boat. A heavy boat sinks, a light boat crosses."

"Chanting ten thousand volumes of scriptures is not as good as a single moment of clarity. Words are rafts, the other shore is within one's own heart."

"Subduing Heart Demons does not rely on external Divine Ability, but on realizing one's true nature and illuminating ignorant illusion. A single Heart Lamp is enough to break through the long night of ages..."

The core of his exposition was how to use introspection as the wick, and compassion and wisdom as the oil, to light the Heart Lamp and illuminate the various delusions, false thoughts, and attachments within one's heart, thereby achieving a state of clear, undefiled, and unwavering mind.

This was an extremely profound method for tempering the mind and protecting the Divine Soul, interpreting the core Buddhist Concept of "realizing one's true nature" in an intuitive and perceptible way.

Everyone in the hall listened with rapt attention, some showing joy, some shedding tears, and some falling into deep contemplation.

Bathed in Buddha Power, many people's inner knots and anxieties were soothed, and their mental cultivation subtly improved.

Xiao Zhuo also listened.

He slightly closed his eyes, and the Dao Principle of Freedom operated silently, combining his own understanding of the Great Dao to rapidly analyze and verify the subtle meaning of the Prajna Heart Lamp Sutra.

"Illuminating delusion with the Heart Lamp... This method is indeed ingenious, especially in terms of mental defense, purifying Distractions, and stabilizing the Dao Heart, it is unique." Xiao Zhuo mused, "Buddhism takes 'emptiness' and 'no-self' as its ultimate goal, and this 'Heart Lamp' is also a convenient method to guide beings to let go of self-attachment and see emptiness. However, the process of tempering the mind and condensing the Divine Soul itself contains a universal truth of mind refinement."

He quickly captured the essence within it that could be integrated and learned from his own Dao Principle of Freedom.

That method of contemplation could be used to more clearly observe the rise and fall of his every thought and emotion.

The process of lighting the Heart Lamp, condensing the spirit, and illuminating illusion, could be integrated into the Free and Easy True Intent, becoming a barrier to protect the Dao Heart and resist external demons.

Even the "compassionate" idea of guiding beings to let go of attachment could take its effect of "resolving hostility and calming the waves of the heart," making the state of freedom even more perfect and unhindered.

However, "compassion" is only suitable for the Buddhist sect and not for himself; his The Way of Freedom follows the idea of "freedom and unfetteredness" within his own heart, which can achieve similar effects.

Buddha Jingkong's Dharma Proclamation lasted for several hours.

When the last syllable containing Buddhist principles fell, the Buddha Power in the hall slowly receded, and everyone remained immersed in the afterglow, unable to regain their senses for a long time.

Just as this atmosphere of tranquility and auspiciousness was about to reach Perfection, a calm voice clearly rang out, breaking the silence:

"Buddha Jingkong's wonderful Dharma illuminates the dust of the heart, and I, Xiao, have benefited greatly. However, I have one doubt and respectfully ask Buddha Jingkong to clarify it."

Everyone's gaze instantly focused on the source of the voice—at the hall entrance, on the young man in a green robe with an ordinary aura.

It was Xiao Zhuo.

After a brief silence, the hall immediately erupted in an uproar!

"How dare you! Buddha Jingkong has finished proclaiming the Dharma, how can you make noise and question him?" A middle-aged monk standing nearby was the first to angrily rebuke.

"Where did this madman come from? How dare he be presumptuous in front of Buddha Jingkong!" An old woman in luxurious clothes was full of anger, as if Xiao Zhuo had blasphemed her faith.

"Ignorant child, Buddha Jingkong compassionately expounded the Dharma, and you, instead of being grateful, dare to speak of doubts? Hurry and retreat!" A prestigious Golden Immortal expert also frowned and spoke, carrying an aura of pressure.

"Disturbing the Dharma assembly, his heart is punishable! Where are the Protectors?" Even more radical young monks could no longer hold back, and Buddha Power surged around them.

Accusations and angry shouts surged towards Xiao Zhuo like a tide, and the auspicious atmosphere in the hall was completely gone, filled with anger and rejection.

Wang Xianzhi saw Xiao Zhuo being rebuked by everyone; although he was still weak, lightning still flashed around him, while Wang Xianyu nervously clutched her brother's sleeve, clearly sensing the strong malice and angry spiritual fluctuations directed at Xiao Zhuo from all around.

Facing a thousand accusations, Xiao Zhuo's expression remained calm, his gaze peacefully passing through the noisy crowd and falling on the lotus platform.

Buddha Jingkong raised his hand and gently pressed downwards.

An invisible, vast, and gentle power instantly enveloped the entire scene, and all the clamor and accusations were like stones thrown into still water, their ripples silently smoothed away.

Everyone felt the anger and agitation in their hearts extinguished by a cool sensation, and they involuntarily quieted down, but their gazes towards Xiao Zhuo were still filled with ill will and doubt.

Buddha Jingkong's gaze fell on Xiao Zhuo, carrying a peacefulness that saw through everything. He slowly spoke, his voice not loud, yet clearly reaching everyone's ears: "Cultivator Xiao, the twenty-year Mortal World connection in Jialuo City, today finally reaches the Buddha Jingkong. Since you have doubts, feel free to ask."

As soon as these words came out, the entire hall was shocked!

Twenty-year Mortal World connection in Jialuo City?!

This seemingly unremarkable young man, judging by Buddha Jingkong's tone, was actually known to him long ago?!

The monks who had previously rebuked him, the angry believers, and the frowning Cultivators all froze, their gazes towards Xiao Zhuo instantly filled with uncertainty and suspicion.

To be addressed by Buddha Jingkong in such a manner and to have his twenty-year whereabouts revealed, this person's identity was absolutely extraordinary!

Xiao Zhuo slightly nodded to Buddha Jingkong, as if he was not surprised by the other party revealing his whereabouts.

Meeting Buddha Jingkong's gaze, he asked the question that had become clear during the Dharma Proclamation and which he had tried to answer with his own Dao:

"The Heart Lamp Sutra taught by Buddha Jingkong is wonderful in breaking attachments, breaking self-attachment, Dharma attachment, and even breaking the attachment to 'breaking attachments,' to reach a state of empty clarity. However, as I observe it, this 'breaking' method seems to have a question: to break delusive attachments, one needs to establish a Heart Lamp; to establish a Heart Lamp, one then creates another attachment—attachment to this 'Heart Lamp' not extinguishing, attachment to the achievementof this 'illumination.' Breaking attachment and establishing attachment, like shadow following form, how can one truly 'break'? Is this 'breaking' and 'establishing' also Reincarnation?"

His question pointed directly to a deep paradox in Buddhist practice.

Does the method of breaking attachment itself become a new attachment?

This touched upon the core difficulty of the Buddhist Concept of "emptiness."

In Buddha Jingkong's calm eyes, a profound ripple finally appeared.

He looked at Xiao Zhuo, and a truly meaningful smile, tinged with approval, appeared on his face.

"Excellent, Cultivator Xiao. This question is already close to the Dao."