The sudden voice left all onlookers stunned. Its uniquely ethnic character brought impressions of a distinct Asiatic origin.
The old man wore a light yellow coarse cloth robe that looked like it had been casually thrown on. The little hair left on his head was cropped closely to his scalp, and his overall appearance was peculiar. At first glance, he seemed to have pointed ears and a monkey-like face. However, upon closer inspection, his features were strangely appealing, exuding a gentle aura.
He was a monk, but different from the monks in China and Japan, bearing the distinct colors of Southeast Asia.
"Tan Yue, after all these years, your temperament remains impetuous. You seemed to lack comprehension of impurity, suffering, emptiness, and the elimination of ego. Unable to break free from attachment, you had not entered the state of ultimate tranquility. It is regrettable."
The monk spoke, not using the typical ‘Amitabha’ commonly heard from Chinese monks. Despite his appearance of mocking the elderly Chinese man, his words sounded more like counsel, bringing a refreshing and trustworthy vibe.
While Buddhist monks were often portrayed as antagonists in various works of fiction, in reality, especially with Buddhism's transformation in countries like China, the religion was known for promoting kindness.
True enlightened monks, if not hypocritical frauds, deserved respect.
This monk seemed to be a genuinely enlightened one.
Upon hearing the monk's words, the elderly Chinese man responded in a dumbfounded manner, "Maha, there’s no need to speak of these things with me. I am neither a Taoist nor a monk. I am just a mere practitioner. I don’t follow your path, so there is no need to advise me."
Maha, the monk, didn't show any irritation. Instead, he nodded and said, "Tan Yue, you indeed have your thoughts and your path. I have overstepped."
The monk's words surprised everyone. Monks were expected to showcase miraculous abilities and preach the teachings, converting people to Buddhism. However, this monk seemed different; his amiable manner was unexpected.
People thought he would demonstrate the miraculous powers of Buddhism and perhaps even try to persuade everyone to become monks. That's how novels often portrayed these situations!
High-level officials of China grabbed their nearby communication devices, seeking an explanation for the unfolding situation.
As the reception of the Christian Pope at the capital airport was being broadcasted to the public, a specialized department in the capital immediately took action, with experts from various departments already in position.
These experts and scholars, analyzing the monk's attire and speech, promptly started a systematic analysis.
"This monk is definitely not from our Chinese sects or those in Japan. You know, our Buddhist sects here are localized, and even the way he dresses is different from our monks."
"He should belong to Southern Buddhism, the Theravada tradition."
"Southern Buddhism? Theravada? What's that?"
The department's leader quickly asked.
"In simple terms, it's the variant founded by Siddhartha Gautama himself and his disciples. At that time, it was Indian Buddhism, also known as original Buddhism. Later, Buddhism spread north and south. Sects like Zen Buddhism and Tiantai Buddhism here are our localized Buddhism, referred to as Northern Buddhism. Japan's Buddhism falls into this category too."
"Then there's another part of Buddhism prevalent in Southeast Asian regions like Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. These Buddhist denominations belong to Southern Buddhism. Southern Buddhism and Northern Buddhism are vastly different. Unfortunately, our domestic Buddhism is a modified version. The true inheritor of original Buddhism is Southern Buddhism."
A calm expert, pushing up his glasses, explained. He sighed, "Actually, leaders asked me in the past why there are no signs of extraordinary beings in Buddhism, despite having many monks in our country. We should have monks, like that Zhang fellow, who possess extraordinary abilities. I had suspicions back then. Now, seeing this monk, I am convinced my speculations were correct."
Taking a deep breath, he captured everyone's attention, speaking word by word, "Let's make a hypothesis. Suppose Siddhartha Gautama truly existed and was a god that had long existed in the universe. He descended, took a human form, and spread his teachings on Earth. If that's the case, the 'Dharma' of original Buddhism, created by Siddhartha Gautama, is indeed true Dharma, the essence of Buddhism."
"Looking at the existence of Christ, Odin, and Taiyi, this hypothesis isn't far-fetched. Now, here's the key point. If the Dharma of original Buddhism is true, when it reached China and evolved into sects like Zen Buddhism and Tiantai Buddhism, it underwent localization."
"Remember, the reason these Buddhist sects localized was to meet the rulers' needs and adapt to our culture. But who made these changes? Ordinary people did, meaning our domestic Buddhism, due to localization, has forgotten the true Dharma of Buddhism. Original Buddhism is the true teachings passed down by the Buddha."
"In other words, our domestic Buddhism can't have extraordinary beings because these sects were modified by ordinary people to suit local needs. However, Southern Buddhism is different. Most of them inherited the original Buddhism. Many precepts and meditation methods are exactly the same as those in original Buddhism. This Maha must be a member of original Buddhism!"
The expert's words left the department members silent. When they thought about it, Buddhism was not originally part of Chinese culture. The ancestors of China worshiped figures like Fuxi and Nuwa.
Buddhism's true inheritance was in Southeast Asian countries.
"Have you ever wondered why this monk doesn't convert people? That's because Theravada Buddhism, which is the original form of Buddhism, focuses on self-improvement and liberation. While they do have methods to convert people, their main emphasis is on self-enlightenment. As for what you see in novels like 'Fengshen Yanyi' and 'Journey to the West,' the portrayal of Buddhism is actually our localized version and should not be entirely trusted!"
"The method of converting people is for the sake of missionary needs, but true extraordinary cultivation is about self-transcendence. How could the true teachings be casually disseminated? The doctrine of original Buddhism revolves around the Four Noble Truths, which are suffering, cause, cessation, and the path!"
The expert's assertive words hung in the air.
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