Under the Bodhi Tree, two people sat facing each other.
Luo En was the first to ask:
"In your view, why do all beings suffer?"
"The suffering of all beings is often due to not adhering to the commandnts, indulging in desires. When the hearts of beings are pure, the land is pure; when the hearts of beings are impure, the land is impure. Therefore, one must faithfully adhere to one’s original intent, eliminate the five poisons, and uphold the eight precepts."
Siddhartha, with hands together in greeting, spoke eloquently:
"Do not kill, have compassion for all beings, even ants may find peace;
Do not covet, think of giving, and wealth and poverty can be reconciled;
Do not lust, cultivate pure conduct, and evil desires will not invade your body;
Do not lie, speak truthfully, deceit will not run rampant;
Do not drink, keep the mind clear, and all actions follow the right path;
Do not indulge in pleasure, remove excess to keep the truth, and all beings will fulfill their wishes."
The above is the way to save the world, summarized from observing people’s conditions and reflecting day and night, collectively called the [Eight Precepts].
If all things and all people are willing to commit with their hearts, they can eliminate the five poisons of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt, allowing the light of the world to last forever.
However, Luo En shook his head and laughed disdainfully:
"Rubbish! Not killing only perpetuates hatred endlessly.
Not accumulating wealth, how different are the strong from the weak like ?
Not indulging in lust, all affections beco sins.
Not lying, dreams and illusions beco void.
Not drinking, anxiety swells with impermanence.
Not indulging in pleasure, youth is but a fleeting mont.
Not coveting sleep, struggling endlessly for no release.
Not letting loose desires, all actions lose interest in life!"
This is a completely different view, perhaps even diatrically opposed.
Throughout history, the endpoint of hatred has always been war and slaughter. Forbearance and forgiveness only beco insurmountable psychological knots, swallowing a bitter resentnt, endlessly continuing; only by killing the enemy can hatred end, only by killing off, by intimidating, can war be stopped.
If I am strong and you are weak, I will naturally take from you; being superior ans stepping on those inferior to , only then can I show my strength, only then is my hard work to beco strong not in vain; if everyone is equal, why would I strive to climb up?
If not for the joy of love between n and won, then all love in the world is false, all are debts of sin, how can offspring and bloodlines continue?
If not to boast myself, it’s like a wealthy man not returning ho, walking in fine clothes at night, how can I show my nobility?
Dealing with pain and anxiety, without drinking a little to calm down, how can I fall asleep at night? How can I relieve my stress? How can I disperse my worries? What solves worries? Only indulging in drink!
If not to enjoy happiness when young and strong, could I wait until old, sick, and disabled to play? Could I still play? Have interest to play? Energy to play?
Staying up late, waking early, working diligently, life still inevitably moves towards aging and death, ntal and physical tornt, when can this suffering be relieved?
Not indulging desires, to enjoy your hobbies, strictly demanding oneself like this every day, what is the aning of this life, and what joy does it have?
Siddhartha frowned and asked in return:
"Then, Master, how should one govern the world and bring peace?"
"To fight war with war, to kill to stop killing, those who follow will prosper, those who oppose will perish! Eliminate all injustices, let the [capable ones] set the rules for all generations!"
Luo En answered domineeringly, an invisible might emanating, causing Pandora and Poros by his side to dare not look directly at him.
Yet, Siddhartha, like a tree swaying in a storm, stood tall with a calm gaze.
He picked up a flower, and with the sa tone and sentence structure, rebutted:
"Rubbish! Who are the [capable]? Are they not just victors writing history? It is precisely because there are too many with thoughts like yours that the world’s corruption is so pervasive. One person’s greed influences ten or a hundred; a hundred people’s evil thoughts spread to thousands or ten thousands.
To kill to stop killing, the hatred will continue endlessly;
With the strong oppressing the weak, hoarding wealth, this is the beginning of injustice;
With all beings’ shared karma, heaven and earth’s order becos unbalanced, evils multiply, thus the world turns into a sea of suffering.
Therefore, more should realize the true nature and enlighten their hearts, awaken and beco self-aware. Then, from one to a hundred, a thousand to ten thousand, until all sentient beings can lay down their weapons, the sea of suffering will beco a land of bliss!"
Luo En remained unmoved, sneering:
"Even if you can convince yourself, convince , convince the people of the world, can you convince the Heavenly Deities who wield power?"
"And you? Even if you can kill thousands, tens of thousands, sweep away all injustices in various nations, can you stand against the myriad Deities in heaven?"
"What if I could?" Luo En proudly retorted.
"Then it would just be one [slave] changed for a [master]."
The two looked at each other, their gazes clashing in the air like invisible sparks.
Simply put, these are two completely different ideologies.
One advocates governing with authority, the other with benevolence and conversion.
And these two views are also imprinted in the doctrines of their respective sects.
The Old Testant·Deuteronomy states: ’An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot.’
The Buddhist Scripture states: The Buddha’s compassion universally covers all beings, always seeking a compassionate heart for all beings, saving them from all hardships.
But after staring at each other for a long ti, they seed to understand sothing, unexpectedly both burst into laughter, and simultaneously uttered one word:
"Rubbish!"
Because neither is a perfect solution.
The Canaanites were known for their avenging spirit, practicing retribution in kind, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, even claiming they dare ’to fight with God,’ and what was the result?
Wandering for a thousand years, lacking a foothold, still living in a world of universal enmity.
Similarly, the Indian monks advocated forbearance and compromise, rejecting violence, and the result?
The Brahmanism, suppressed for a thousand years, resurged almost bloodlessly driving out these monks, even the Nalanda Temple, revered as a sanctuary by the monks, was set ablaze by foreign tribes invading India.
And now, Siddhartha cannot even resolve the crisis of the Shakya Clan, so how can he persuade all sentient beings to lay down their arms?
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