124: The Buddha's Dharma is Boundless

Seeing the appearance of these evil monks, the crowd immediately became agitated again, and the sound of curses and angry roars instantly covered all other sounds, even shaking the entire Xuanwu Gate slightly.

Tang Ku looked at all this, took a deep breath, and softly spoke one word using the Lion's Roar Cultivation Technique.

"Silence!"

Silence... Silence... Silence...

The echo spread for a thousand li, and all the sounds in the entire square were completely swept away by this faint word 'Silence'. Everyone's minds were blank at that moment.

The noisy square became quiet again.

The crowd's attention shifted from the monks back to Tang Ku. They saw this Sanzang Great Master nod, a faint smile on his face, and step out from the city wall, several zhang high, slowly floating down. That unrestrained and calm Aura made a group of people who originally believed in Buddhism gasp, and an indescribable feeling filled their hearts, as if the person in front of them was not a monk, but a True Buddha like Shakyamuni.

There were no tables in the square, nor any Magical Artifacts, not even the most commonly used wooden fish and chime. There was only a single cushion, the most ordinary kind found in temples.

"Poor Monk will preach the Buddha Dharma today, disregarding all else. Gentlemen, listen carefully. Those who gain enlightenment will achieve immeasurable merit!"

Tang Sanzang's voice was still so magnetic. With just one sentence, he had already captivated everyone's attention, as if not listening to him preach the Buddha Dharma would be a great regret.

Tang Ku did not speak a single word of grand principles. After this sentence, he recited the simplest Heart Sutra.

That's right, it was the Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra, the one Zen Master Wuchao taught to Tang Seng, which countless times in times of danger allowed him to keep his mind from wavering and maintain his composure...

It was truly simple, but also truly difficult!

Even today's Buddhist Great Masters cannot fully comprehend this section of the Heart Sutra.

"When Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, he perceived that all five skandhas are empty, and thus he overcame all suffering..."

The Sanskrit sound, full of Buddhist essence, spread throughout the square, and from there, it radiated throughout the entire Chang'an City, allowing every person and every living being in the city to clearly hear the Buddha Dharma he preached.

"Sariputra, form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness are also like this..."

With the second sentence, the sinful monks were already standing stunned, staring fixedly at the white-robed figure, not knowing what to say...

The Heart Sutra continued, word by word, striking the souls of these monks. The evil thoughts that had sprouted within them were gradually purified by the Buddha's voice. Their eyes changed from murky to clear, from full of malice to regaining good intentions. All their past deeds were vivid in their minds, and the evil sins they had committed were right before their eyes.

"...Bodhisattvas, by relying on Prajna Paramita, have no hindrances in their minds. Because there are no hindrances, they have no fear. They are far removed from inverted dreams and thoughts, and they ultimately attain Nirvana..."

Upon hearing this, the monks had all sat down cross-legged. Many monks were already in tears. Their hearts were filled with repentance and remorse, and through their faith, they gradually regained the beliefs a monk should possess.

"...Therefore, the Prajna Paramita mantra is spoken. The mantra is: Gate Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha..."

Finally, as the last sentence concluded, all the monks' faces were filled with solemnity. A certain radiance seemed to shine upon their bodies. They looked in Tang Ku's direction, clasped their hands together, and quietly ceased their chanting.

Not only them, but the surrounding common people, although they did not understand the Sanskrit sound, were subtly touched. All the hatred, all the anger, all the deluded and evil thoughts... All negative emotions were swept away at this moment.

"Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was in the Jeta Grove, Anathapindika's Park, in Sravasti, together with a great assembly of twelve hundred and fifty bhikshus. At that time, when it was mealtime, the World-Honored One put on his robes, took his alms bowl, and entered the great city of Sravasti to beg for food. After begging in the city in sequence, he returned to his original place. After eating, he put away his robes and bowl, washed his feet, spread his seat, and sat down..."

"Is this the Diamond Sutra?"

Li Shimin was indeed worthy of his imperial status, surrounded by the Luck of the entire Great Tang. Therefore, he was the least affected by the Buddhist scriptures and Sanskrit sounds. Upon hearing the scriptures recited by Tang Ku, his heart stirred.

In fact, many Buddhist scriptures are difficult even for Buddhist Disciples to understand, let alone ordinary people. However, with Tang Sanzang's wisdom, explaining the meaning of these scriptures would actually be very simple. He could even directly extend them into very easy-to-understand language, allowing everyone to know the meaning of these Buddha Dharma teachings.

But Tang Sanzang did not do that!

In a flash, Li Shimin seemed to grasp some principles of human conduct from these profound and difficult-to-understand Buddha Dharma teachings, as if he was born to understand them.

"This is truly strange..." Li Shimin exclaimed, "No wonder Buddhism has developed so quickly; it turns out they possess such abilities? True Buddha, True Buddha, haha, Holy Monk, you have truly brought a great surprise to Us!"

The Diamond Sutra is very long. Normally, even holding the scripture with someone explaining it might not be enough to fully grasp it. But now, all the soldiers and common people throughout the city were listening with rapt attention, and everyone could even understand the meaning of the Buddhist scripture.

"The Buddha told Subhuti: All forms are illusory. If one sees that all forms are not forms, then one sees the Tathagata."

As if the music had ended, everyone was immersed in the Buddhist scripture, unable to extricate themselves, truly lingering for three days with endless aftertaste.

Although evil thoughts could not be completely eliminated, they were suppressed by the Buddha Dharma. And although good intentions might not expand, they gained the high ground and the upper hand!

All the common people, soldiers, and civilians were like this.

"I am Tang Sanzang!"

A Buddha's roar shook everyone back to reality. The monks, however, looked at Tang Ku with the eyes of someone seeing the Buddha.

"I am Tang Sanzang, born in Great Tang, raised in Great Tang, learned Buddha Dharma in Great Tang, and dedicated my life to Great Tang... However, I am not a common person, but the True Buddha of these Three Realms, named: Guangdu Xin Buddha. Those who believe in me, who hold my Seal Dharma, will not fall into perdition, will not descend into Hell, will not suffer the calamity of evil poisons, and will not encounter the dens of tigers and wolves..."

He clasped his hands together, then extended his right hand flat, palm facing down, while his left hand formed a lotus gesture. The bases of both palms were joined. This was the Seal Dharma of Guangdu Xin Buddha, Tang Ku's own Seal Dharma, and also the Seal Dharma of his true form.

Immediately after, a golden light suddenly rose from behind Tang Ku. A Buddha, dressed in a moon-white monk's robe, over ten zhang tall, holding the Seal of Guangdu Xin Buddha, appeared before everyone. For a time, Buddhist chanting resounded throughout Chang'an. The miraculous scene that had once appeared in the capital of Daughter's Country reappeared: golden lotuses bloomed from the ground, the entire city was filled with fragrance, refreshing the mind yet not vying with the mundane world. The hearts of all the soldiers and common people were purified by the Buddha Dharma, and their minds were incomparably peaceful.

Within the city, the only ones who were not peaceful were the monks in the square. Because of the sins they had committed, they had only repentance!