Seventy years ago, when a passionate little fat man stood in that historic mansion and took an oath together with a group of equally passionate young people, he was the most serious, attentive and powerful one among them.
“We do not worship, we do not distinguish between classes, we do not think of kindness, we do not consider good and evil, we do not give in even if we are oppressed, we are not discouraged even if we encounter disasters, we are able to correct injustice without fear, and we do not surrender to beasts.
, to be an upright person, to do the right thing, if the world needs it, I will do it! Even if the world needs darkness, we are willing to be people in the darkness, do those things that the world wants to do but dare not do, even if we bear infamy, we will be famous in the world.
In this world, we must also keep our true intentions, abide by the bottom line, and be worthy of standing upright."
When the crowd dispersed, only the little fat man remained in place, stunned.
"Cao Zideng, why are you still standing there? They're all gone."
"Fat man, hurry up and let's go have a drink."
"Hey, wake up, why are you going crazy? What are you thinking about?"
"I want to think about it alone, how can I maintain my true heart and be an upright person."
"Hahahaha... Idiot, are you confused? When we entered this yard, we did all the shameful things. We will never be clean in this life! Those scenes just now were just for people to hear.
You don’t think these are true, do you?”
The little fat man's earnestness was met with ridicule from everyone, but he did not waver at all. Instead, he grabbed one person's neck and said, "Try saying that again?!"
"Cao Zideng! You... let go, I won't tell you!"
"Madman, fool! Let's stay away from him, this man is not in his right mind."
The people around him dispersed in a crowd, leaving the little fat man looking at the words "Du Procuratorate" above his head in a daze.
"Little Fatty, what's your name?" A voice interrupted the Little Fatty's thoughts, and a well-groomed middle-aged man appeared in front of him.
In front of this person, the little fat man felt shocked for the first time, a feeling of righteousness in the coldness. The little fat man understood that this was the realm he pursued alone.
"My name is Cao Zideng."
"Why are you here?"
"Because I killed someone."
"who?"
"A man who deserves to be killed."
"what you up to?"
"Kill everyone who deserves to be killed in the world."
"What were you thinking about before?"
"I wonder why anyone would hide in the shadows."
"Have you thought clearly?"
"Think it through."
"tell me the story."
"Because without the support of bad people, how can good people come from the world? I can be a bad person, but my heart is not bad, really."
The little fat man spoke very seriously, and his serious look made people laugh.
The middle-aged man smiled, patted the little fat man on the shoulder, took out a wooden sign and handed it to him: "Take it."
The little fat man took it and looked at it. On the front of the wooden sign was a lifelike tiger head, with the word "two" carved in the middle.
"You have to keep this badge for the rest of your life, and you have to remember the words you just swore for the rest of your life. As you said, you and I can both be bad people, but our hearts are not bad. There are always some dirty jobs in the world.
, Dark work, shady work requires people to do it. If others are not willing, we will do it. You should only know that this is a thankless job."
The little fat man nodded and played with his cards again.
The middle-aged man took out his badge and placed it in front of the little fat man: "If you feel you are ready, then come with me. From now on, I am number one and you are number two, so you can follow me to do things."
.”
…
Seventy years have passed, but that waist card and those words echo just like yesterday, lingering in Cao Deng's mind.
The people of those days are gone, and the things of those days are not over yet.
Those dusty memories and the voices mentioned not far away seemed to have been awakened by Xia Shang's question.
However, today's Cao Deng is no longer the fat man he was back then, but a skinny old man who is in his dying years. He has lost the youthfulness and immaturity of the past and has become cold and firm under the polish of years and life and death. Thinking of that person back then.
He was so persistent that all he was left with was a series of ridiculous memories.
"My lord, what's the use of talking to me now? Are you trying to use those ridiculous slogans to make me change my mind? I made a mistake for fifty years and didn't realize the way to transcendence, but I realized the fallacy of Buddhism in the world!
The Buddha in our hearts is just a demonic barrier that binds us! I want to tear apart the true face of the Buddha that has trapped me for fifty years!"
As he spoke, he didn't know whether he was immersed in the past or stuck in the fallacy of Buddhist etiquette. Cao Deng became excited and pointed at the monks chanting sutras in front of him.
"You all heard clearly! I am trying to enlighten you! Talking about Buddhist etiquette and saving all sentient beings are all nonsense. I ask you, if the Buddha is not greedy, why does he need the world to worship him? If the Buddha does not love vanity, why does he need the world to worship him?
Kneel down and worship? There is a Buddha in my heart, but the Buddha does not have me. After suffering all the suffering in the world, I asked the Buddha. The Buddha said: everything has a destiny. I laughed: Since you can't help me, what's the point of worshiping you?
The Buddha we worship is an excuse for us to give up our persistence and seek self-stability. Our hands are stained with blood. Can we feel at ease just by praying to the Buddha? Can the sins we have committed be washed away by kneeling before the Buddha? There is no transcendence under that sky.
Isn’t it too easy for evil people to take it easy? Then can we really ask for blessings from Buddha when we pray to him? Or is it just a way for us to deceive ourselves and others?"
After some questioning, the Buddha's voice stopped abruptly.
The young and old monks looked at each other from left to right, with heavy faces.
The Buddha they worship is a devout and supreme belief and the highest standard of great wisdom.
These monks have practiced Taoism in Guanyin Temple all their lives and have come into contact with thousands of secular pilgrims, but they have never heard such a powerful and well-founded question.
Yes...why do we worship Buddha?
Looking at the confusion of all the monks, Cao Deng looked up to the sky and smiled: "Hahahaha... you have answered it all, right? Because what I said is the fact, the truth! We are all people who are trapped in a scam, why should we chant the Buddha's name?
?What kind of Buddha are you still worshiping? Go in and tear down the Buddha statues, and I won’t kill you if you do!”
On the platform under the open air, more than a hundred monks were silent, their eyes changing from doubt to confusion, from confusion to fear, from fear to fear... They needed an answer, they needed a rebuttal, otherwise the persistence in their hearts would collapse...
…
"You can't disbelieve in Buddha, but you can't disrespect him."
Faint words came from Xia Shang's mouth.
"Cao Deng, you have been practicing for fifty years and you don't even understand the most basic Buddhist principles. How can you understand the Tao? How can you achieve transcendence? Many people have your doubts and say: The Buddha is not greedy, so why should he be accepted by the world?
Worship? The Buddha is not evil, so why can't we tolerate any disrespect to him? We pay our respects, offer fragrant fruits, and pray for the disaster to go away. But the Buddha said: The world is in many troubles, it is destined, and God's will cannot be violated. So, how can I worship you?
use?
Do you know how many types of people want to believe in Buddha? People are too greedy and worship Buddha; people are too evil, so they worship Buddha; people in the world are in many difficulties, and they are destined to be destined. However, they do not know that there is no Buddha in the world, and Buddha is in his heart, but he is too greedy and too crazy in his life.
It's too evil and your heart is unclean. It's not that the Buddha doesn't save you, but that you don't let yourself go. You are bent on escaping cause and effect and staying away from the world, but you can't let go of all the dirty things in your heart.
They are all hidden under the golden light, thinking that golden Buddha and jade statues can dazzle others, thinking that golden thread cassocks can conceal their hearts. Who are you deceiving yourself and others? It is not the Buddha, but you." (To be continued)