Wu Shattered Star River

Jiang Han had simply come to watch the excitement, but now he felt like he was being roasted over a fire.

The key issue was that Jiang Li had become a Buddha's disciple, but hadn't yet received enlightenment from the Buddha or been granted a Bodhi leaf. Jiang Han couldn't afford to offend the Wanfo Temple.

He hadn't read any Buddhist scriptures and couldn't fake his way through it. After hesitating for a moment, he stood up and said, "I believe there is no absolute good or absolute evil in this world, only good deeds and evil deeds."

"A tiger eats a sheep. It looks cruel, brutal, and ferocious. From the sheep's perspective, the tiger is evil. But from the tiger's perspective, it will starve to death if it doesn't eat. How do you judge whether its behavior is good or evil?"

"For example, a rich man has a heart of great compassion and can't bear to see the poor suffer. So he gives alms every day. Gradually, countless poor people wait at his door every day for him to give out porridge and rice, and they don't work."

"The rich man gives alms for a while, but then runs out of money and can't continue. His family members starve to death as a result. From his family's perspective, is the rich man doing good or accumulating evil?"

"Those poor people develop a lazy and gluttonous nature, and eventually completely transform from poor people into beggars. Some people even starve to death. So, is this rich man ultimately doing good or evil?"

"Therefore, I believe that good and evil cannot be completely judged in a meaningful way. Depending on the position and perspective, the criteria for good and evil are different."

Jiang Han's words caused many cultivators to fall into deep thought. What Jiang Han said made some sense, and some cultivators, while not agreeing, didn't know how to refute him.

A group of cultivators turned their gazes towards Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, wanting to see how he would evaluate Jiang Han's argument.

Samantabhadra turned his gaze towards Jiang Han and asked with a smile, "Benefactor Jiang's viewpoint is unique, great good!"

Samantabhadra didn't continue to make things difficult for Jiang Han. He turned his gaze towards Shen Wuhun and asked, "Benefactor Shen Wuhun, what are your insights?"

Shen Wuhun was unlike Jiang Han, and seemed to have a judgment in his heart already. After standing up and bowing, he began to speak eloquently.

After Shen Wuhun finished speaking, Samantabhadra continued to call on Xue Qingtian, then Shen Wushuang, then Lu Xingyu, and so on. A group of top young masters and young ladies from the Divine Clan, Demon Clan, and Human Clan each expressed their views.

Each time, Samantabhadra gave comments like "Good," "Great good," and "Supreme good." What Jiang Han and the others found strange was that so many people had expressed their views, but none of them had been able to touch the Buddha Lotus, and none of them had become a Buddha's disciple.

However, the Buddhist debate was to last for two months, and only one day had passed, so there was no need to be so anxious.

After listening for a while, Jiang Han simply allowed his main soul to enter the Heavenly Beast Cauldron to comprehend the runes in his mind. He had no interest in the Buddhist debate and let it go in one ear and out the other.

After Samantabhadra called on some people, he allowed those present to speak freely. No matter what everyone said, no matter whether it made sense or not, he would say the word "Good."

After discussing for more than three days, Samantabhadra ended the discussion on good and evil. He brought up the second topic, discussing the issue of killing and releasing life...

The thousands of cultivators still spoke their minds. After speaking for a period of time, Samantabhadra began to call on people again. He called on the top young masters and young ladies from various clans.

This time, he didn't call on Jiang Han, but instead asked Jiang Li what her views were on killing and releasing life.

Jiang Li was somewhat bewildered, and even more afraid to speak in this kind of setting. Seeing that she had been called on, her pretty face immediately turned red, and she stammered, "I don't have any views, but killing is not a good thing. I don't like killing..."

"Great good!"

Although Jiang Li only said one sentence, she received Samantabhadra's supreme recognition, and Jiang Li was so ashamed that her neck and ears turned red.

Jiang Han's main soul was in the Heavenly Beast Cauldron. His eyes were half-open, and he could hear what the people outside were saying. But as long as he wasn't called on, he wouldn't pay attention or speak.

This topic was discussed for another three or four days, but still no Buddha's disciple was born, which greatly dampened the enthusiasm of the cultivators present. Many young masters and young ladies from famous families, like Jiang Han, stopped speaking.

They were actually very clear that, apart from the disciples of Wanfo Temple, there were too few cultivators from the Divine King Mountain, Heavenly Demon Cave, and Heavenly Court who understood Buddhist teachings and principles.

Everyone was busy cultivating and improving their combat power. They were busy fighting for power and influence within their respective forces. Who had the interest to study Buddhism?

Everyone came here, firstly to give Wanfo Temple some face, secondly to show themselves, and most importantly, to get some benefits for free...

Despite this, at every Buddha's disciple Assembly, many noble children from the Divine King Mountain, Heavenly Demon Cave, and Heavenly Court obtained the position of Buddha's disciple.

Did those previous Buddha's disciples really understand Buddhism? Did they really convert to Buddhism after obtaining the position of Buddha's disciple?

Zhang Xiongyi was the previous Buddha's disciple, but he didn't seem to understand any Buddhism, did he? Didn't he still eagerly pursue Fairy Yinghuo? Didn't he still fight with Jiang Han?

Therefore, many young masters and young ladies from wealthy families were actually clear that fighting for the position of Buddha's disciple was useless.

Wanfo Temple would give it to whoever they wanted, and according to convention, it was basically given to the geniuses and elites of various clans...

This enlightenment and debate on Buddhism was just a formality, it just depended on who Wanfo Temple was willing to give it to.

Many top cultivators began to enter a semi-closed-door state, but they were all giving face and didn't leave early.

After six or seven days had passed, Samantabhadra brought up the third topic—form is emptiness.

After raising the topic, he didn't let people discuss it, but instead turned his gaze towards Hua Xun'er and asked, "Benefactor Hua Xun'er, your Flower Fairy Clan is proficient in the art of bewitchment, using form to confuse all living beings. What are your views on this verse?"

As soon as Bodhisattva spoke, many men in the audience looked towards Hua Xun'er.

They were no longer sleepy when this was mentioned...

Hua Xun'er smiled faintly, pondered for a moment, and said, "This little girl once read a Buddhist scripture that said, 'Form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form; form itself is emptiness, emptiness itself is form. So are feeling, thought, volition, and consciousness.' 'Shariputra, all dharmas are empty of characteristics. They neither arise nor cease, are neither impure nor pure, neither increase nor decrease.'"

"As this little girl understands it, Buddhism believes that everything is illusory, that we should not indulge in pleasure, and that we should be desireless and without seeking. Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, is that correct?"

Samantabhadra nodded slightly and said, "What Benefactor Hua said has some truth."

Hua Xun'er retorted, "Since everything is illusory, since Buddhism advocates desirelessness and without seeking, then what is the meaning of Wanfo Temple's existence? What is the meaning of Wanfo Temple holding the Buddha's disciple Assembly?"

"Buddhism wants the light of Buddha to shine everywhere and for the world to convert. Isn't this a desire? The Buddha wants to save the world, isn't this itself a desire? Since the Buddha and Buddhism have desires, then what is there to talk about form being emptiness?"

"Hmm..."

As soon as Hua Xun'er's words fell, the whole place immediately became noisy.

Hua Xun'er was too bold. It was one thing to talk about Buddhism, but she actually dared to directly name the Buddha, implicitly saying that the Buddha was hypocritical?

It was truly outrageous to be so bold and reckless on Wanfo Temple's territory.

Samantabhadra and the other Bodhisattvas' expressions didn't change, but the expressions of the Arhats behind them changed slightly, but none of them said anything.

However, a young monk stood up and said, "Benefactor Hua Xun'er, our Buddha is compassionate and loves the world. He cannot tolerate even the slightest blasphemy from you. You must immediately plead guilty to our Buddha and ask for our Buddha's forgiveness!"

Before Hua Xun'er could speak, Jiang Han's eyes returned to their clear and cold state. He said with a smile, "This master, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra said, 'A lamp is not bright if it is not lit, and a principle is not clear if it is not debated.' Today is a debate on Buddhism, so one should be able to speak freely."

"Xun'er has doubts in her heart, can't she ask? Or is Wanfo Temple unable to answer? You are so agitated, aren't you being too rude?"