Chapter 235 224. On the Dao (Please subscribe!)
If Xiaoyaofang was just a simple place for transactions and pleasure, Xu Qing would not care, nor would he be willing to care.

Some people lost their fortunes in gambling, some lost their lives in fighting, and some died from drug addiction.
Without Xiaoyaofang, ordinary people would die of various reasons.

It is a personal choice to sacrifice your essence and yang energy for that thrill of pleasure, and you can't blame anyone even if you die of illness or other reasons later.

For example, when buying and selling goods, the price is clearly marked. No matter how expensive or cheap it is, as long as the merchant does not cheat, the money and goods are settled once you buy it.

The problem is that Master Yuedeng’s Xiaoyaofang is not just a place for transactions and pleasure, it is a place to test human nature.

But human nature is something that cannot be tested.

"Master Yuedeng, I have a question for you." Xu Qing said.

Yue Deng had a kind look in his eyes and clasped his hands together as he chanted the Buddha's name: "Amitabha, donor, please speak."

"Buddhism teaches that all living beings are Buddhas, that all living beings have Buddha nature, and that all living beings can become Buddhas. But is this really the case?"

When Yue Deng heard this, his brows immediately frowned.

"If you don't realize it, the Buddha is the sentient beings. When you realize it in one thought, the sentient beings are the Buddha."

"Everyone has Buddha nature, and everyone can become a Buddha. This is the great path of compassion in Buddhism, and it is also the reason why all living beings seek Buddhahood."

Xu Qing felt that something bad was going to happen.

Buddhist principles are Buddhist principles, and reality is reality.

If everyone can become a Buddha, is Buddha still a Buddha?
Mahayana Buddhism can save oneself and others, but to truly save all the people in the world and make everyone become a Buddha is nothing but a fantasy.

The Buddhist Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha made a great vow, vowing to empty hell before he could become a Buddha, but to this day, he still has not been able to become a Buddha.

Master Yuedeng clearly upholds the Buddhist principle of "all sentient beings can become Buddhas" and uses the six desires to test people's hearts and nature in order to help them become enlightened.

But is this kind of enlightenment something that ordinary people can achieve?

Thousands of troops cross a single-plank bridge. Those who cross the bridge gain great freedom and wisdom, but those who fall down and turn into corpses to pave the road are thousands times more than those who cross the bridge.

If Master Yuedeng’s Xiaoyaofang could continue to operate.

By then, it won’t be just a dozen people dying indirectly because of Xiaoyaofang, but tens of thousands of people!
"Master Yuedeng's words just now should have come from the Sixth Patriarch of Buddhism." Xu Qing considered his words and then said, "Master Yuedeng, do you know about Lü Zu, who was from the same dynasty as the Sixth Patriarch?"

"Of course I know. He is the ancestor of Taoism, the immortal who ascended to heaven ten thousand years ago." Yue Deng nodded.

"Master Yuedeng, since you know Lü Zu, have you ever heard of what Master Lü and Lü Zu said about saving people?"

Master Yuedeng looked deeply at Xu Qing with a serious expression.

What Xu Qing said now was no longer as simple as asking a question; the two were discussing the Dao.

"No, please tell me, Taoist priest. I am all ears." Not calling him donor but Taoist priest meant that Yue Deng no longer regarded Xu Qing as a junior.

Xu Qing coughed lightly and said slowly:
"Lü Zu once asked Master Zhong: 'Master, you are about 1,100 years old, how many people have you converted?'

Master Zhong replied: "I can only save you."

Lu Zu said again: "Why can you only save one disciple? It's because our Taoist sect is unwilling to show mercy and save all living beings. If Master teaches his disciples for three years, he can save more than 3,000 people in the Central Plains and revive our Taoism."

Master Zhong laughed loudly when he heard the voice: "Shut up, disciple! There are many disloyal people and many unfilial people in the world. How can unkind and unjust people become immortals? I will teach you to go for three years, but if you find one, it will also be your achievement."

Three years later, Lu Zu returned empty-handed, without having converted a single person. "

Yue Deng frowned slightly when he heard this, as this was inconsistent with his philosophy.

Xu Qing acted as if he didn't notice Yue Deng's expression and just continued speaking:

"All living beings suffer, but each has his own destiny. Master Yuedeng, you must save all the people in the world and make them all attain enlightenment."

"Isn't that too much of a stretch?"

"Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva once made a great vow to empty hell before he could become a Buddha. He went to hell alone to save all the ghosts."

"Nowadays, is there no ghost in hell? Has the Bodhisattva ever become a Buddha?"

"Lü Zu has been saving people, but he has not found a single person to save for three years. Can you compare with Lu Zu in terms of knowledge? Can you be much better than Lu Zu?" Yue Deng frowned deeply.

Xu Qing's remarks were different from those of the Confucian scholar.

When he discussed the doctrine with the Confucian scholar, he felt that all living beings can become Buddhas and obtain great freedom and wisdom. What they lacked were just some tricks.

One side believes that the emperor is the ruler of the people, and the people are ignorant and cannot live freely, so they should be educated with moral principles and restrained with rites and laws, so that everyone can get what they deserve.

However, Xu Qing did not talk about his own "Tao", he only said that one should not expect to save all the people in the world.

Yue Deng's eyes were fixed: "I am not as good as Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, nor as good as Lu Zu, but I am willing to spend my whole life to save the people of the world."

Xu Qing shook his head.

People who dwell on trivial matters are trouble.

There's nothing wrong with you wanting to save the world, but you came up with such a crappy method. If human nature were so simple, there wouldn't be so many crappy things in the world.

Besides, not everyone desires the great freedom and wisdom mentioned in Buddhism.

"Master Yuedeng." Xu Qing stared into Master Yuedeng's eyes and said in a voice like thunder, "Even though the rain is heavy, it cannot moisten the grass without roots; even though the Tao is broad, it can only save those who are destined to be saved!"

The rumbling sound spread throughout Xiaoyaofang.

Bai Lele, who was eating in the vegetarian food court, suddenly heard Xu Qing's voice. He looked at Zhong Nengshu on the table with a puzzled look.

"Did I just hear Big Brother's voice?"

Zhong Nengshu nodded: "It is indeed Xu Qing's voice. He is discussing the Dao with someone."

"Discuss Taoism?" Bai Lele shrank his neck when he heard that.

This word is terrifying to her. The principles in the book sound dizzying to her, and she has to use them to debate with others, which is countless times more tiring than fighting.

Zhong Nengshu's eyes were dim: "It seems that there is something interesting behind Xiaoyaofang."

"Is it interesting?" Bai Lele asked weakly.

"It's interesting."

"Everyone in the world is destined to be together!" Yue Deng's eyes sparkled and his voice was loud and clear when he heard Xu Qing's words.

"Then," Xu Qing said quietly, "The Great Sheng Emperor is reluctant to give up the world, can the Master save him?"

"It is rumored that a Buddhist disciple from Tianlong Temple is in love with a woman. He seeks both Buddhist teachings and marriage. He wants to live up to the Tathagata and love you. Can Master save her?"

Yue Deng pursed her lips and said, "This is different!"

"What's the difference? Isn't the Great Sheng Emperor a citizen of the world? Isn't the Buddhist disciples of Tianlong Temple a citizen of the world?"

"Master Yuedeng, your path is the grand path of Buddhism, but it is not the path that everyone seeks."

"It's possible, but not feasible!"

Xu Qing's meaning is very simple:
Your intention is good, but please don't start yet.

If it were someone else, Xu Qing would not bother to talk and would just use his fists to make his point.

There is a saying in Buddhism that goes "a wake-up call".

It's just that you're possessed by a demon. I'll hit you on the head with a big stick to open your brain and let you breathe in some fresh air, and then you'll almost be able to turn around.

The problem is that this monk Yuedeng is not a big demon at all, but a demon king. In other words, he is a cultivator with great supernatural powers in the sixth realm.

He could barely handle the fifth realm, but he really couldn't handle the sixth realm.

There is a huge difference between medium supernatural powers and great supernatural powers.

(End of this chapter)