Chapter 56: Law of Potential and Equality
"Can you tell us of any other Universal Laws you've observed through your eyes?"
Cai Qing was really stretching his luck as he asked that final question. As if they hadn't already benefited a lot just from hearing about the monk's view on immortality and impermanence.
Mo Yangling smiled when hearing that question, his gaze shifted towards the scholar as he slowly stood up from his cushioned chair.
Universal laws.
That was what all of the Sutras he had read and memorized for years spoke about. Even if the Enlightenment he had gained during his death was somewhat related to impermanence, it was not just that.
But he had never even talked about what he had experienced during his enlightenment. The King had just assumed he had mastered the concept of impermanence due to the Diamond Sutra he had cited in front of everybody.
But such profound texts were seemingly unheard of in that world. The former Buddhist sect didn't seem to have progressed in the same way as the one that Mo Yangling was familiar with.
"I shall give you a small glimpse at yet another concept that you may refer to as a 'Universal Law'..."
The monk smiled as he put his hands behind his back and slowly cleared his throat.
In a moment, everyone's eyes were peeled at the monk, their breaths hitched in expectation. The Royal Family was no different, especially the Princes, who all got in meditative positions with varying degrees of excitement on their faces.
"All sentient beings possess within themselves
the enlightened one's wisdom and virtue,
but because of their delusions and attachments,
they fail to realize this."
The monk recited a passage of the Lotus Sutra to them, one that portrayed the very simple concept of the universal potential for enlightenment of all living beings.
He, of course, avoided using the name of Buddha or the Tathagata.
'Amitabha, better to avoid naming him directly until I find out why the previous Buddhist Sect was dismantled...'
From the fallen Buddhist Sect's name, the Monk could easily assume that the Buddha was also a figure in the Zhu Continent, so he decided to avoid any links to that name for the time being.
It was impossible to guess how many forces were involved in the destruction and cover-up of the Buddhist Sect.
Still, it was easy to realise that they were a massive force, large enough to hide themselves even from the eyes of a Beast King who had interacted with the Buddhist Sect's leaders in the past.
The Monk looked at the reactions of the people in the hall with a glint of excitement in his gaze.
Shock had enraptured the vast majority of them, the Royal Family included. This was especially so for the Scholars who were hearing a Sutra for the first time.
The Princes and the King had already seen and heard him when he had imparted his enlightenment onto others during the last time he exposed a Sutra, but they weren't expecting it to happen once more.
The King blinked a few times, as he could see that the Sage's words had a different effect from the last time.
Instead of inspiring tranquillity, they seemed to send all those who listened into a contemplative state.
It seemed to be a method not to bestow upon others enlightenment, but to help them focus and reach their own forms of it, minor or otherwise.
'Once again, Mo Yangling's words encourage people to work towards their own conclusions...'
The King scowled a bit as he looked around the hall as well.
Many of the Scholars remained standing even as some of them started meditating, they quietly started debating with each other, furthering their own questions and understandings through conversation.
Even the King was affected by the contemplative state imposed upon him.
His azure eyes glinted slightly as he turned towards Mo Yangling, the source of it all.
'In the times long past, Sages weren't said to be able to constantly and consistently do such a thing...'
In the first place, it was unheard of even for the ones who had comprehended Universal Laws to be able to impart their knowledge to others in such a way.
At most, they were known to write down their experience and allow others to study them over the years.
But Mo Yangling's very words seemed to have an effect on the world and universe around him.
'What... What are you exactly, Sage Mo?'
The King's eyes narrowed into slits as he looked at the burly figure of the 'young man' on stage.
Despite just standing there with his hands behind his back, his figure seemed to become more and more shrouded in the King's mind.
Unfortunately, he couldn't just go on the podium and ask him that question face to face. Their relationship was already stretched thin from the previous arm-breaking incident.
Meanwhile, the Monk on stage was mentally making notes of the reactions to the Lotus Sutra he had just cited.
He judged its effect to be a bit weaker than that of the Diamond Sutra, but it was still quite an interesting result.
From hearing the dozens of conversations breaking out through the hall, the Monk couldn't help but smile.
'They all seem to have gained some sort of limited understanding of the concept of universal Access to Enlightenment.
But it doesn't seem to be that big of an improvement when compared to the effects of the Diamond Sutra... No one will be going through a breakthrough today.'
It was a tad disappointing to the Monk, but the fact that his Sutra had affected others was still very much true and easily verifiable.
He slowly brought his palms together in prayer as he usually did in such moments, as he was about to announce his departure.
But just before he spoke, something else happened.
A fly. The little black creature buzzed away from its comfortable spot on a pillar nearby and landed right on his pressed-together middle fingers.
The monk blinked a few times before his gaze focused and bore into the many eyes of that strange fly.
Within it, the Monk could now see an uncharacteristic amount of intelligence.
Only then did it click for the Monk as well. The Diamond Sutra spoke about the potential of enlightenment for ALL living beings. Not just mammals or humans.
'Amitabha... This... Its effects may just be a lot stronger than the Diamond Sutra after all...'
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Heyoo, today's chapters as late as usual ;(
Sorry bout yesterday, still trying to write and catch up on my other story, that coupled with 2 jobs is kinda eating my time a bit. Anyhow, will try my best to keep up with the schedule I've set
If you want to support me and read up to 24 chapters ahead you can find me on Patr_eon by looking up 'VeganMaster'
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