The Beautiful Boss's Personal Bodyguard
Chapter 526 - 525

Chapter 526: 525

The fourth person was a man with a beard, a thick snake coiled around his neck, baring one shoulder, and wearing a gloomy expression. Ye Tian looked at this person and found him somewhat similar to the Thai witch. As for the last one, it was the Esoteric Master.

These five were only the ones currently visible. As far as Ye Tian could remember, there were still two people missing – one holding the Bodhi seed from the Bodhi Tree, and the other, the Great Zen Master. Unless these two showed up, the Seizing Body Conference was nothing more than a sham.

With this thought, Ye Tian felt slightly relieved. But the thought of the inevitable fight with these people made him feel a tinge of cowardice. After all, they were veterans with decades of Cultivation, while he had barely opened his spiritual sense two days ago. In an actual fight, he might only have the ability to parry and no power to counterattack. Moreover, Ye Tian felt a constant worry about the whereabouts of the Thai State Preceptor; an enemy in the open was not terrifying – at worst, one would only take a beating. But the idea of that person hiding in the shadows was troublesome. The feeling of a venomous snake lurking behind one was unbearable; nobody wanted to be suddenly stabbed while walking down the street.

The debate onstage had already begun, with various schools of thought taking their turns. Ye Tian glanced up and caught the Esoteric Master looking at him; he nodded slightly to signal her not to worry.

Since ancient times, there has been a tradition of Confucian Scholars writing books and establishing theories. Scholars who do not practice martial arts and cannot gain merit on the battlefield would nevertheless be indispensable for the completeness of a country. Ancient scholars attending banquets and floating wine-cups on the winding stream were all ways for them to discuss knowledge and express their refinement. Debate competitions held at fairs or temples had become another path for scholars to advance their careers, aside from the imperial examinations.

With just a word, one could talk about all things under heaven. Even if one could not be in that situation, they could still speak eloquently based on the books. Those who made sense were considered wise men; those who spoke nonsense were considered sycophants. The so-called ’scholars leading the country astray’ is the rationale for this.

The debate that was unfolding with their eloquent tongues, was fundamentally no different from the scholarly debates. The Buddhists were also part of the secular world, with none of the many monks in the audience unwilling to participate in the debate. It would be incredibly difficult to have a chance to debate with the masters, even for just a few sentences. Even if one could not become famous across the world, one would still establish a place for oneself in the realm of Buddhism. Yet, no one dared to take the stage. It was not that they did not dare; it was because they lacked the breadth of mind as vast as the universe.

Eloquent speech, although used in a derogatory sense, applied to those who couldn’t even utter a few petals of the lotus or its leaves, and should refrain from making a fool of themselves onstage.

The current topic of the debate was the relationship between Buddha and all sentient beings. A middle-aged lama, wearing a Tibetan brocade lama hat, was speaking passionately,

"Everyone believes in Buddha, but they all think that Buddha is the omnipotent god who relieves suffering and difficulty. Perhaps there are truly people who believe in Buddha, but this feeling also encompasses their own selfish motives. I pray to Buddha, hoping that Buddha will bless me to accomplish what I wish to achieve. With such a mindset, Buddha naturally becomes more distant. The more sincere one is, the more they lose the meaning of Buddha Heart. As the saying goes, ’Buddha Heart is originally without heart; human affairs are also without substance.’ That’s the principle."

The person who countered this lama was a bald monk, who looked quite young with delicate features – even somewhat handsome. The little monk brought his palms together and chanted "Amitabha," and Ye Tian understood that he was from within the country.

"The mirror does not stand; where can it collect dust? Among thousands of people, there are thousands of Buddhas. Why bother with whether one is selfish or not? All things possess their spirituality and intelligence, and the Buddha Heart is the heart. As long as one has Buddha in their heart, whether one sacrifices flesh to feed eagles or deals with mundane household affairs, one is doing what the Buddha Heart wishes to do. One is always together with Buddha, so there’s no talk of Buddha becoming distant, nor of losing Buddha Heart."

Judging by the expressions of the surrounding people, it seemed that the majority agreed that the latter monk made more sense, and their faces looked more approving. Yet, Ye Tian knew clearly that although there was a translator present, most people did not understand that phrase "The mirror does not stand; where can it collect dust?" They probably agreed with his words because of the last statement that Buddha is with us at all times.

The lama obviously noticed the audience’s reaction and brought his palms together, "Divine Monk’s words are incorrect. If such reasoning holds, wouldn’t it mean that anyone with a heart could become a Buddha? Buddha Heart is good by nature, yet it cannot prevent the emergence of many vile individuals, whose sins reach the heavens and stray far from the Buddha Heart! Divine Monk, is this what you suggest Buddha Heart is?"

There was a stir among the crowd. The statement had caused a considerable shake, as everyone present were Buddhists. Those who devoted their hearts to Buddha and heard they could not become Buddha naturally felt uncomfortable. All eyes suddenly turned towards the monk.

It must be said that the monk had grasped a topic that won the favor of the people.

The monk did not immediately retort but simply nodded and asked, "Your Excellency practices Zen, do you not?"

"One in the Buddhist community naturally engages in Zen Cultivation. May I ask what you mean by this question, Divine Monk?"

Ye Tian observed that from the beginning, the lama seemed very anxious, probably because he also felt some uncertainty about his own views?

"Then do you know what kind of Zen you are cultivating?"

"Naturally, it is the Tibetan Green Land Bodhisattva Zen."

Tibetan Bodhisattva, in comparison with Taoism’s The Three Pure Ones, also has some similarity in its essence. However, according to folk legends, the Tibetan Bodhisattva was not able to defeat any of The Three Pure Ones during the fights of old. Yuanshi Tianzun was Sun Wukong’s Master, undoubtedly very powerful; Lingbao Tianzun, who could sweep the heavens and earth with just a whisk, was an extraordinary being, and there was Daode Tianzun, noted for enlightening people far and wide. As for the Tibetan Bodhisattva, apart from the luxurious Potala Palace they resided in, there weren’t many other aspects memorable about them.

Suddenly feeling that his evaluation was quite unreasonable, Ye Tian laughed out loud, but this laughter drew the gazes of everyone around him. No one felt that it was appropriate to laugh openly in this context; it was utterly disrespectful!

Ye Tian coughed twice, trying to cover up his embarrassment with the sound, but this only made things worse. The two masters who were enthusiastically debating on the stage also turned their attention to this brazen and proud figure laughing in the audience, assuming that a formidable expert had arrived.