Early in the morning, Quinn Shepherd arrived at the Buddhist monastery in the City of Departure, knocked on the door, and handed over his visiting card, saying, "I'm here to see Grandpa Mark."
The monk who received him hurried off to report.
Quinn called for Grandpa Mark rather than Ma Rulai, because Ma Rulai is the Buddhist path's leader and must sit at Great Thunderclap Temple to expound the dharma, while Grandpa Mark is his family.
One is identity, the other is kinship.
To see Ma Rulai, he must present himself as Human Emperor and Cult Master; to see Grandpa Mark, he comes as the child raised by Grandpa Mark.
After a moment, a welcoming monk returned and said, "Grandpa Mark invites you in."
Quinn smiled and followed him into the monastery. This monastery was a site allocated to Great Thunderclap Temple by the gods and demons of High-Emperor Heaven, where the monks of Great Thunderclap built their temple and practiced daily.
Quinn looked up and saw the hazy projections of the Buddha Realm’s Twenty Heavens suspended above the monastery, with many monks beneath them chanting scriptures. The chanting clashed in the air, turning into streams of Buddha-light that poured into the Twenty Heavens.
The Twenty Heavens are Buddhist heavens; the ones floating above the monastery are projections of the true heavens, not the real thing.
Quinn lowered his gaze. Just then, he saw a plain old man, having taken off his Tathagata robes, smiling at him.
Grandpa Mark.
Quinn was overcome with emotion. Ever since Grandpa Mark became Ma Rulai of Great Thunderclap Temple, their meetings had grown rare. Now, seeing Grandpa Mark take off his Tathagata robes and greet him as family, how could he not be moved?
Still, this was the Great Thunderclap Temple’s domain, monks everywhere. He had to suppress the surge of affection in his heart, not wanting to trouble Grandpa Mark or disturb his peace of mind.
"Grandpa Mark, didn’t you already connect with the Twenty Heavens a long time ago?"
Steadying himself, Quinn asked curiously, "Why do you still keep contacting the Twenty Heavens? Haven’t the Buddhas of the Buddha Realm passed down higher teachings?"
"They have, but not much."
Grandpa Mark led him to the monks chanting and reaching out to the Buddha Realm. The monastery’s interior was spacious; nearly a thousand monks, men and women, human and monster alike, sat cross-legged on the ground, in midair, or atop stupas. He said, "The Buddha Realm’s stance is that we should focus on cultivating the Buddha-dharma and not get involved in worldly affairs. They prefer not to meddle in mortal matters—there seem to be many taboos. But I believe Buddhas should ferry all beings—how can we watch mortals fall into suffering and not help?"
Quinn looked around. The monks—hundreds of them, men and women, humans and monsters—were all chanting the names of Buddhas, making it impossible for the Twenty Heavens’ Buddhas to find peace.
This approach was almost like a method of harassment. When you chant a Buddha’s name, the Buddha will hear. The monks of Great Thunderclap Temple were chanting the names of the Buddhas themselves.
"At first, a few Buddhas did transmit teachings, but after that, no one else did—they kept things shrouded in secrecy. I asked them to descend, but they refused to come down and assist."
Grandpa Mark shook his head. "I think it's not that they're afraid of getting involved in the mortal world, but rather that they're wary of certain terrifying existences. Although their realms and dharma are profound, their state of mind has already fallen into the inferior. A few days ago, the Buddhas of the Buddha Realm were so disturbed that they proposed a contest—to test the dharma of their Buddha-children."
"A contest of dharma?"
Quinn's interest was instantly piqued. He grinned, "How do they compete?"
"They select disciples of the Buddhas and compare their depth of dharma. It's a remote contest—my representative is Battle-Void."
Grandpa Mark pointed. "Battle-Void is over there—he's already defeated several Buddha-children of the Twenty Heavens."
Quinn looked up and saw the Demon Ape Battle-Void seated atop a pagoda. The tower seemed as high as the projection of the Twenty Heavens. Opposite him sat a Buddha-child, riding a jeweled elephant draped in ornate treasures.
Behind the jeweled elephant was a cluster of magnificent temples, tall Buddhas with halos spinning behind their heads, their dharma forms solemn and dignified.
The debate was fierce. The Buddha-child of the Twenty Heavens spoke with torrential eloquence, talking nonstop for half an hour. His voice soared and dipped, alternately stirring and subtle, compelling all to listen.
His eloquence was a long and unbroken discourse, leaving no room for rebuttal.
When the Buddha-child finally finished, he smiled and looked at the Demon Ape.
The Demon Ape extended his furry hand, five thick black fingers, and spoke in his halting voice, one word at a time: "Extreme."
The Buddha-child didn't understand what he meant and pondered in confusion. After a moment, the Demon Ape said, "Empty."
The Buddha-child frowned, his mind racing. The Demon Ape continued, "Existence."
The Buddha-child shuddered, blurting out, "If all is emptied, how can there still be existence?"
The Demon Ape ignored him and said, "Stillness."
The Buddha-child was furious. "If there is existence, how can there be stillness? Your words defy dharma!"
The Demon Ape said, "Subtlety."
The Buddha-child was beside himself with rage, ready to refute everything. Suddenly, his body trembled and he froze atop the jeweled elephant, speechless and dazed.
Behind him, a great Buddha sighed, "Extreme, empty, existence, stillness, subtlety—so profound, so sublime. Each word is a treatise in itself, and together they reach unfathomable heights. Kongxiang, you spoke for half an hour, but not one word matched any of his five. You are defeated—step down."
The Buddha-child Kongxiang rose from the elephant, saluted the Demon Ape, and slowly withdrew.
Quinn was both shocked and awed. He turned to Grandpa Mark. "Grandpa Mark, does the big guy really have such Buddha-root?"
Grandpa Mark replied solemnly, "He has immense Buddha-root! Even greater than mine, higher than Brightheart!"
Just then, another Buddha-child from the Twenty Heavens descended, followed by several colossal Buddhas. As soon as he was seated, light radiated from him, illuminating the entire monastery from the Twenty Heavens above.
The Buddha-light flooded the hall, startling all the monks. "This Buddha-child has truly profound dharma cultivation!"
The Demon Ape raised his hand to shield his eyes, casting a shadow over his face and blocking the Buddha-light.
The newly seated Buddha-child was just about to begin his dharma debate when he saw this, and was so shocked that his throat tightened. Suddenly, he spat out a mouthful of blood. "Your dharma attainment is so high? I haven't even started, and I've already been refuted!" With that, he collapsed, barely conscious.
The Buddhas behind him rushed to save him, finally reviving him. One Buddha praised: "Universal Radiance Buddha-child planned to debate 'What is enlightenment?' But this little Buddha-child broke his topic with a single gesture—a truly unhindered debater! Impressive, impressive!"
Quinn was dumbfounded, struggling to tear his gaze from the Demon Ape and looking at Grandpa Mark in confusion.
He could no longer follow this level of debate.
Grandpa Mark explained, "Universal Radiance Buddha-child used 'illumination' as his topic, shining Buddha-light over everyone. But Battle-Void raised his hand and created darkness under it, pointing out that light and darkness depend on each other. Thus, Universal Radiance's line of argument was cut off before it began—he was so stifled he coughed blood. This shows Battle-Void's Buddha-root."
Quinn was speechless.
He could tell that the Universal Radiance Buddha-child was extremely powerful, likely a master of the Heavenly Being realm. Even if Quinn faced him directly, he might not win.
He hadn't expected that just by shielding the light, Battle-Void could make Universal Radiance cough blood and nearly die!
Battle-Void had already debated up to the Great Meritorious Heaven of the Twenty Heavens. Next was the Great Eloquence Heaven.
In the Great Eloquence Heaven, many Buddhas arrived with a young Buddha-child. He sat across from Battle-Void, said little, and formed a lotus-seal with his hands. "Non-existence," he said.
Battle-Void replied, "Existence."
The young Buddha-child frowned, set down the lotus, and said, "Existence."
Battle-Void replied, "Non-existence."
The young Buddha-child stood up and demanded, "Are you a mere mortal?"
Battle-Void shook his head. "I, sage."
The young Buddha-child thundered, "Are you a sage-Buddha?"
Battle-Void shook his head again. "I, mortal."
The young Buddha-child's face turned red with anger. "When I hold something, you say it's nothing; when I have nothing, you say it's something. I ask if you're mortal, you say you're a sage; I ask if you're a sage-Buddha, you say you're mortal! What are you trying to say?"
The Buddhas behind him frowned and summoned several Vajra warriors to escort him away. One Buddha apologized to Battle-Void: "Forgive my junior brother—he has lost his original mind. When there is non-existence, it becomes existence; when there is existence, in fact, it is non-existence. When one's heart deems itself holy, even holiness is mundane. Your dharma attainment is admirable."
Battle-Void returned the salute but said nothing.
Quinn was stunned, his head spinning. He held his forehead and said to Grandpa Mark, "Grandpa Mark, I can't understand any of this. I don't have the Buddha-root—I'd better stop listening."
Grandpa Mark laughed, "When I was Battle-Void's age, I was nowhere near this level. If you're feeling lost, let's go for a walk outside the temple."
Quinn felt relieved.
As the two left the monastery, Grandpa Mark let out a breath and smiled, "Quinn, now that I am a Buddha, I've grown more distant from you. When I don the kasaya and sit on the Buddha-throne, I am no longer the Grandpa Mark of old—in my eyes, you are just another sentient being. But when I step down and take off those robes, I am still Grandpa Mark of Oldridge Village, Ma the Divine Catcher, and you are the child I watched grow up."
Quinn suddenly hugged him tightly.
Grandpa Mark was startled, then smiled and patted his back. "Battle-Void learns quickly, and Brightheart is a good kid too. One day, the two of them will inherit Great Thunderclap Temple's mantle. When that day comes, I won't be Tathagata anymore—I'll return to Oldridge Village and laugh and drink and eat meat with you all again."
Quinn asked, "Why do the Buddhas of the Twenty Heavens refuse to transmit dharma or descend to help? Did you ask them why?"
"I did ask. One Buddha told me that Great Thunderclap Temple has survived every catastrophe because it did not ask—if it did, it would not survive. They told me not to ask further."
Grandpa Mark sighed, "This time I used the trick Mute Smith taught me. He told me to have the monks chant Buddha names and disturb their peace—if they can't stand it, they'll have to speak to us. If we win this debate, the Buddhas of the Twenty Heavens will grant three places to study in the Buddha Realm. They still won't let anyone descend to help, but three places are better than none."
Just then, a commotion erupted in the monastery. The monks cheered, and Quinn and Grandpa Mark exchanged a glance, then hurried back inside. They saw the monks tossing Battle-Void into the air, catching him, then tossing him again!
"We won, we won!" the monks shouted, jubilant.
Note: These debate topics are drawn from the Thirty-Six Pairs of the Sixth Patriarch Huineng. Interested readers can look them up. 'Extreme, empty, existence, stillness, subtlety' also comes from Huineng's teachings—these are Buddhist debate topics with profound meaning.