061. On the Dao
Mingci Temple is not a very famous place. Even Zhu Lezhi, who knows all about shady things, has never heard of it.
"When we were at the mountain gate, my master mentioned something." Miao Yuan recalled for a moment and repeated what his master, the abbot Huizhi, said: "The people in Mingci Temple are hypocrites, not monks. Don't interact with them unless necessary. People will think they are evil and get rid of them."
Qingling thought that he was indeed a martial monk who focused on body training, and he spoke like a bandit.
"The monks of Mingci Temple cultivate their afterlife. They talk about kindness, do good deeds, and make good connections. They are willing to do things like cutting off their own flesh to feed eagles, and even die for others." Miaoyuan frowned as he spoke, "But they can make good connections with anyone."
"No wonder Qiu Ping hid here." Qing Ling glanced at Shang Changheng, who had a gloomy face, and then looked at the long stairs winding upwards. Without hesitation, he said, "Let's go up and take a look first."
Of course the carriage couldn't get on, so Qingling carried his small bag, which contained the things he needed for self-defense.
The mountain road with steps can occasionally be very steep. Qingling felt a little tired when he was halfway up. He had been feeling lethargic for the past two days and only slept relatively well last night. He was not in good spirits and his physical strength could not keep up.
But he didn't expect that just when he took a breath, Shang Changheng grabbed his arm.
Qing Ling looked up and saw Shang Changheng looking at him. He said, "I'll carry you up."
Qing Ling paused when he wanted to agree, because he noticed that Shang Changheng's brows were slightly frowned, and he rarely showed a bit of irritability, and it seemed that he was forcibly restraining and enduring something, so he asked softly: "You don't look good, are you injured?"
"No." Shang Changheng turned around and bent down.
When Qingling came closer, he was easily and steadily carried on his back.
"Is it really okay?" Qing Ling asked hesitantly in a low voice.
"Yes." Shang Changheng walked very steadily, "It's just that the Buddha's light here is too strong, suppressing my ghost curse."
The monks in Mingci Temple are naturally all kind people, so kind that they are willing to sacrifice their own lives to cultivate their next life. Naturally, the incense is very prosperous. Qingling didn't think much of it because he was a living person, but now he remembered that Shang Changheng was an out-and-out evil spirit. No wonder he felt uncomfortable here.
"Don't be impulsive." Qing Ling whispered, "Those monks have merits."
Shang Changheng said nothing.
It took a full hour of walking before we finally arrived at the mountain gate of Mingci Temple. This Buddhist temple is not on the top of the mountain, but halfway up the mountain. It is surrounded by lush vegetation and the temple is also very grand and solemn.
It was getting dark at this time, and Miaoyuan, as a monk, went forward and knocked on the temple door.
Soon, the temple door was opened, and an old monk in a red cassock staggered out. The short, skinny monk held a Buddhist rosary in his hand, and said calmly with his hands clasped together, "Amitabha, I am Shanren, the abbot of Mingci Temple. The donors have finally come to visit us."
"Since you know we are coming, just hand the person over." Qing Ling stood beside Shang Changheng, his expression as calm as the clouds in the sky, but his words were powerful, "Qiu Ping took human lives lightly and used innocent people as food. His crimes are grave, and he deserves death."
Shanren shook his head and said, "Put down the butcher knife and you will become a Buddha. Donor Qiu has come to his senses and knows that he is to blame. He now wishes to convert to Buddhism and benefit all living beings in the future to pay for his sins. Donor Qiu, when will the cycle of revenge end?"
This is quite unreasonable.
Qing Ling knew this, but he still couldn't help but sneer. He took a step forward and said, "He killed someone, and he said he regretted his mistakes and became a monk, and that can make all the past go away?"
"The sins committed by the donor Qiu will be judged by the underworld who rewards the good and punishes the evil when he is reincarnated." Shanren still blocked the door. "The past is already determined and cannot be changed, but there is still room for the future. If he converts to Buddhism and sincerely does good deeds, he can save people in the future. Isn't it better than taking his life?"
Miao Yuan, the monk, could not help but sneer: "Since ancient times, killing someone means paying with one's life. Isn't our Buddhist sect a filthy place for these beasts to escape? The laws of the underworld are the laws, but the laws of the living do not count?!"
As he spoke, Miao Yuan's voice became louder. He was not a monk with a good temper to begin with.
Shanren disagreed and continued to shake his head, "You see the present, but I see the future. The dead are gone. Leaving this person behind can help us do more good deeds. Perhaps more dying people will have a chance to survive. It is easy to kill a bad guy, but it is as difficult as climbing to heaven to help a person become a good person."
Miao Yuan was so angry at this heresy that his face sank.
Zhu Lezhi was also amazed. It was the first time she saw someone being so unreasonable in reasoning.
She grabbed the whip and took a step forward. "Forget it. This old bald donkey doesn't understand human language. Let's rush in and pull Qiu Ping out!"
As soon as she finished speaking, many monks came out from the backyard one after another. They stood in the yard silently, with their hands clasped together, ready to die.
Zhu Lezhi was so angry that he couldn't speak: "I really..."
"Don't worry."
Qing Ling spoke again.
Taking action is only a last resort. Before that, Qingling still wants to learn from this master's Buddhist teachings.
"You look to the future, but not to the past?"
Qing Ling said, intentionally or unintentionally blocking Shang Changheng behind him, his words were full of disdain for the old monk's words, "The dead are gone, and the accounts are settled? There is no such reason in the world. Qiu Ping is just hiding here to survive, eating the flesh of his own kind and taking away his life. Whether he will truly repent is not worth considering for now. The innocent souls who died because of him have not forgiven him yet. How can you, an outsider, have the face to forgive the dead? If you really want to do good deeds, all the evil people in Yuzhou have eaten the evil dishes of the Mountain Foot Inn, right? Why don't you care? Why don't you die with these scum for the sake of the people?"
He questioned step by step, his tone sharp.
Even Zhu Lezhi found these words enlightening.
But Qing Ling did not stop. He glanced at the monks in the courtyard who claimed to be kind and uttered the last sentence.
"If you are not a match for the entire Yuzhou Yinxing, then why don't you serve those people and make yourself into a Yin dish and send it to their table?"
Thus, the last excuse was also exposed nakedly. Qing Ling's words were fierce and his tone was sarcastic. He looked down on these monks who seemed to be really kind. Maybe they had done good deeds, but they were so kind that they could not distinguish between right and wrong.
Shanren was silent for a moment, and then he said, "If my death can bring happiness to all living beings, I will naturally be willing to die, but the world still needs us to save it."
"Oh, I see." Qing Ling sneered, "So your kindness has become a knife that cuts down those who died unjustly?"
Zhu Lezhi and Miaoyuan looked at each other and gave each other the same look: cool.
Only Shang Changheng looked at Qingling's back, and his sinister and irritable eyes gradually softened.
But Shanren mentioned him at this time.
"It is against the will of heaven for the donor to associate with evil spirits." Shanren did not respond to Qingling's question, but directed his spearhead at Shang Changheng beside him, "The dead are done in the world of the living, and any grudges will be settled in the underworld. All the merits and virtues of this old monk are from doing good deeds, and whether what I did is right or wrong will be proven by the will of heaven."
"Heaven's way is just a rule. They stole people's lifespans without being noticed by Heaven. Is that right?" Qing Ling said and walked forward. "Since all the masters are doing good deeds and accumulating virtue, and are willing to give opportunities to those who have committed serious sins, they will surely not attack ordinary people. Today I am going to step through this door. If you hurt me, is it a good deed or a bad deed?"
Qingling smiled slightly when he walked in front of Shanren.
"The abbot has done good deeds all his life, but I also have merits. If you hurt me in the slightest for the sake of the evildoers, it will ruin your so-called aspiration of doing good deeds and accumulating virtues."
Shanren's expression finally changed, as if he was angry and helpless. He could only watch Qingling walk past him and step over the threshold.
Just at this moment, Qing Ling sneered softly: "Admit it, what is doing good? It's just weighing the pros and cons. You think it's not worth dying for the people and going against the Yin Xing."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Shanren took a few deep breaths and said angrily, "We are doing good for all living beings, and heaven and earth can bear witness to that!"
"Then the dead souls are not sentient beings?" Qing Ling asked indifferently, "Your sentient beings are not just those that can bring you merit, right? Otherwise, why don't you dare to fight to the death with the evildoers for the people of Yuzhou?"
Shanren always felt that as long as he was alive, he could do more for all living beings. He could always show kindness to all living beings, and he never thought there was anything wrong with it. In his eyes, all living beings were the same, whether they were good or bad people, even flowers and trees were living beings. However, Qingling's continuous questioning made his steadfast Buddhist heart waver.
Not to mention that there were some young monks in the courtyard, they looked at each other with confused eyes.
"What is good?"
Qingling walked forward slowly.
"You are eating people and taking away their lifespans, and you are just standing by and watching."
Qingling looked at the wall of monks with sharp eyes.
"What is evil?"
The seemingly indestructible human wall seemed to have invisible cracks.
"You shield the murderer and claim to be righteous. You are ashamed of all living beings."
Qing Ling stood in front of the human wall and suddenly shouted, "Get out of here!"
The wall built with people and kindness suddenly collapsed at this moment.
The monks did not dare to look Qing Ling in the eye, and they all retreated, making way for him.
Qingling turned around and looked at Shang Changheng from a distance.
Shang Changheng curled up the corners of his lips, a smile appeared between his eyebrows, and his expression was full of admiration and surprise.
"If a ghost kills someone outside of the law of cause and effect, it will no longer be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation, until its soul is scattered. This is the justice of heaven." Qingling said to him, "But if the ghost is innocent, Buddha cannot kill it. Shang Changheng, I will take you to the pure land of Buddhism."
He pointed to the dragon ring on his chest.
Shang Changheng said "OK", and his figure disappeared from the spot and entered the Huanlong Pendant.
“Buddha…” Seeing this tranquility, Shanren trembled as if he could not stand. He asked in a daze, “How can Buddha be wrong?”
“Buddha is not wrong.”
Miao Yuan answered, "Buddha advocates benevolence, Buddha advocates kindness, Buddha wants all beings to be equal, Buddha is not wrong, you are wrong."
Shanren didn't say anything else. He hunched over and sat cross-legged in front of the gate of Mingci Temple.
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