"In other words, if I insist on pursuing Karma today, both Jun Xuanji and I will die here, is that right?"
"Gu Brother, you're overthinking it. My Buddha only wishes for you to abandon Karma, not to obliterate you. Moreover, with your immense capabilities, completely erasing you is no easy task. Even during the Calamity, when the myriad Great Daos descended with Judgment, they failed to judge you to death. My Buddha can do nothing about you either. After all, you have already comprehended the Great Nirvana Silence. Although you haven't truly transcended life and death, you're not far from it. As long as you don't wish to die, no one in all of heaven and earth can truly obliterate you."
As he spoke, Da Xing the Mad Monk couldn't help but let out a deep sigh, his expression extremely helpless and filled with bitter laughter.
Indeed.
One Great Freedom.
One Great Nirvana Silence.
Both the Great Freedom and the Great Nirvana Silence are Buddhism's supreme divine abilities, hailed as two of Buddhism's Four Supreme Divine Abilities.
The Great Freedom is a unique divine ability in heaven and earth. Those who comprehend it achieve a state of unimpeded mind, unafraid of heaven and earth, unafraid of immortals or demons. Everything revolves around the self, allowing one to act as they please, roam freely between heaven and earth, laugh proudly in the mortal world, without any fetters. A single thought can turn one into a demon, a single thought can also turn one into a Buddha. One is both demon and Buddha, both Buddha and demon...
And the Great Nirvana Silence is even more profound. It is also a unique divine ability in heaven and earth. Those who comprehend it possess an eternal spirit. A single thought can bring life, a single thought can also bring death. One is both life and death, both death and life...
What made Da Xing the Mad Monk envious, jealous, and resentful was that he had entered Buddhism for countless years, so long he couldn't even remember himself. He dreamed of comprehending the Great Freedom and the Great Nirvana Silence. Yet, until now, he hadn't even grasped the basics of either. This thing depends firstly on opportunity, secondly on fortune. If the opportunity isn't right and fortune isn't sufficient, even given millions, tens of millions of years, it's useless.
The facts were indeed so. At the very least, Da Xing the Mad Monk knew that within their Buddhist Sect, no one had ever comprehended the Great Freedom or the Great Nirvana Silence. He also knew that in all of heaven and earth, only Gu Qingfeng alone had comprehended both the Great Freedom and the Great Nirvana Silence.
One Great Freedom, one Great Nirvana Silence.
The former: a single thought determines Buddha or demon.
The latter: a single thought determines life or death.
Truly unparalleled among the unparalleled.
Just as Da Xing the Mad Monk had said, Gu Qingfeng could ascend to heaven or descend into earth, capable of anything. As long as he didn't wish to die, no one could truly obliterate him.
"Of course, nothing in this world is absolute. Although you have comprehended the Great Nirvana Silence, which is equivalent to transcending life and death, it's not that My Buddha has no way to obliterate you. The reason for not taking action isn't that we don't want to, but that we don't dare!"
Da Xing the Mad Monk seemed like a straightforward person, saying whatever was on his mind. He sighed, "This point is extremely important, especially when it comes to killing you. We must be even more cautious. If we could obliterate you, that would be one thing. But if we failed to obliterate you, the consequences would be severe...
Back when the Nine Heavens wanted to obliterate you, you nearly burned down the Nine Heavens with a single fire. When Old Heaven wanted to obliterate you, you went all the way and directly punched a hole through the Vault of Heaven. If My Buddha tried to kill you, who the hell knows what you'd do to the Western Paradise, the pure land of Buddhism..." "To put it bluntly, you're too powerful, so powerful that even My Buddha dares not offend you, and fears your retaliation even more!"
"This time, if not absolutely necessary, My Buddha truly doesn't want to make an enemy of you. Think about it. Back when you were in the Celestial Realm, you had grievances with every major Dao among the Three Thousand Great Daos that could be counted. These are the previous causes you planted. Once you seek Karma and fall into the black hole, at that time all kinds of evil fruits will intertwine and become chaotic..." As he spoke, Da Xing the Mad Monk scratched his head fiercely, his face woeful, his mouth twisted. "Buddha Lord above, this brother really can't imagine what terrifying things might happen!"
"Gu Brother! Gu Brother!
The previous causes you planted are far, far too many...
The evil fruits awaiting you are countless!
And they're all major evil fruits!
You're a hornet's nest, you know that?
If you fall into the black hole, it's no exaggeration to say it's almost equivalent to dragging the Three Thousand Great Daos in with you."
Da Xing the Mad Monk raised his wine gourd and took several consecutive drinks. He continued, "Although enough people have already been swept into the Karmic Black Hole now...
And the Karma inside is chaotic enough, it's still within My Buddha's control. But if you fall in, the Karmic Black Hole will inevitably expand. At that time, My Buddha won't be able to withstand it..." "Gu Brother, Master Gu, Lord Gu, even if not for all living beings under heaven, for the sake of those you care about, just abandon Karma, alright?"
Gu Qingfeng did not respond. He seemed lost in thought, as if pondering something. After a long while, he finally asked, "Is the Yanyang Heart inside the Wrath Incarnation of Great Sun Tathagata?"
"That's right."
"Since you don't want me to seek Karma, why not destroy the Yanyang Heart?"
"If destroying the Yanyang Heart were useful, My Buddha would have destroyed it long ago. Why wait until now?
That thing is your Karma. Since it's Karma, how can it be severed?
Destroying this thread of your Karma will only give rise to new Karma. Since that's the case, it's better to keep it. Keeping it at least lets us know this is your Karma. Once destroyed, who knows what kind of Karma the Yanyang might produce."
"Da Xing, you once helped me. Although I didn't need your help at the time, I will still acknowledge the favor. Therefore, I respect you."
Gu Qingfeng turned around, his expressionless face looking at Da Xing the Mad Monk as he spoke softly and calmly, "You are a member of the Buddhist Sect, and moreover a Karma Buddha. Your understanding of Karma is far greater than mine, an outsider. Tell me, can Karma truly be abandoned?"
Looking into Gu Qingfeng's deep and dark eyes, Da Xing the Mad Monk scratched his head somewhat awkwardly and said, "Karma cannot be absolutely abandoned, just as Karma cannot be severed. However..." He changed his tone, "Although Karma cannot be absolutely abandoned, it can be avoided. As long as you don't actively seek Karma..."
"I can choose not to actively seek it. But what if Karma comes looking for me?"
Da Xing the Mad Monk did not respond to this question immediately, as if unable to say it out loud. He didn't dare meet Gu Qingfeng's eyes, his gaze dodging, even more awkward.
"You said earlier that if I abandon Karma, you'll let me leave with Jun Xuanji. Now it seems, your so-called 'leaving' means leaving permanently, cutting off from the world. Am I correct?"
"This..." Da Xing the Mad Monk let out a deep sigh, wiped his face, and said, "You could say that. There's no other way. It can only be like this. My Buddha doesn't want this either, but there really is no other method."
Seeming worried Gu Qingfeng would misunderstand, Da Xing the Mad Monk quickly explained, "Gu Brother, as long as you take Jun Xuanji and leave, achieving complete seclusion from the world, I will never disturb you again...
At the same time, I won't let anyone else disturb you either..."
"Hahaha!"
Gu Qingfeng laughed. He laughed heartily.