From God of Lies to Lord of All Worlds

Chapter 258: The Ascetic, The Great Right Enlightenment

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Min Aung disappeared into the crowd.

The Buddhist Monk stumbled along, his movements appearing somewhat wretched, yet he still did not seem to lose his dignity. His eyes were bright and clear, his body neat and clean. He looked like a man completely independent from the mortal world, simply carrying out his spiritual practice.

Min Aung wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and took a wad of banknotes from his robes. He exchanged the money on the street for some food and supplies, then walked to the most impoverished area of the district and handed these items to a group of children.

These were children whose parents had passed away, living in dilapidated shacks and barely struggling to survive.

Afterward, he sat upright on the ground and began to teach these children about the ways of the world.

He did not recite scriptures, nor did he urge these children to believe in Buddhism. Instead, he told them where to find food in the future and where to look for safe work to sustain themselves!

"Grandpa Min Aung, are you leaving?" one of the children asked, looking up after sharply sensing that something was different about him today.

"Yes, I am leaving!" Min Aung said with a gentle smile. "From now on, you will have to rely on yourselves, children!"

"The Lord Buddha teaches us to embrace kindness, so I too teach you to be good. Do not commit evil deeds, for that will diminish your merit!"

"But, if it is for the sake of survival... then just focus on surviving first! I can only teach you this much..."The children nodded in Half-Understanding, then watched as he struggled to his feet and hobbled away.

They did not fully grasp the concept of parting, but they knew deep down that this might be the last time they ever saw him.

And so, they munched on their food, staring blankly at the departing monk.

However, Min Aung's journey did not last much longer. Soon, he slowly sat down in a narrow, secluded alleyway.

He could no longer walk. Every step was agonizing, and his wailing body told him that he had finally reached his absolute limit.

Min Aung could feel that under the long-term strain of poor health and horrific beatings, his body was breaking down at a terrifying speed.

He ate very little, yet every day he spent what little time he had working and praying, exchanging his efforts for money to help others, and going to the Government to appeal for things that were impossible to achieve.

He knew it was impossible. He knew that very few people cared about what he was doing.

But he persevered anyway. For Min Aung, this persistence was the sole meaning of his Life.

Because he felt that the world should not be like this. The Buddha taught them Compassionate Mercy, taught them kindness, and taught them that they should guide people toward goodness.

Yet he could not be like the other monks, silently watching as the common people lived below the poverty line, suffering a fate worse than death, while still being forced to provide for the Sangha.

"Amitābha!" he chanted softly, bowing his head toward the west. "World-Honored One... please forgive your disciple's lack of manners. Your disciple has failed to fulfill his grand vow, and failed to achieve liberation. Your disciple is guilty of Sin, and is willing to descend into the eighteen levels of Hell!"

Min Aung knew that he was about to die, which was why he had pointed out a relatively safe path for those children.

It was just like when he was a child during the War, looking at the Deceased People, and listening to the final words of his dying mother:

"Aung, survive! Do not starve to death. As long as you live, nothing else matters!"

And so, by dedicating his Life to becoming a Buddhist Monk, he had stubbornly survived. However, due to ideological clashes with the Sangha, he was eventually driven out of the temple and left to wander the streets until now.

His Life lacked any grand waves, but his soul was pure and unblemished.

The monk closed his eyes in the dark alleyway. He was too tired. It was time to rest...

"He truly is an avatar of Compassionate Mercy!" Bai Yang sighed with emotion.

He had read the man's information and learned about the Life of such a monk. In this Realm where everyone was utterly numb, Min Aung could even be called a 'lucid one' or an awakened soul. After all, he was genuinely fighting for the people of this nation.

From the broader living conditions of the citizens down to the children starving on the roadside, he had been trying to change things in his own unique way.

It could even be said that he was a patriot, a saint, and a man of Compassionate Mercy. All of his actions were brimming with pure goodwill. Sadly, his kindness had not attracted any companions; it had only brought him death!

Because monks held a special status in this Realm, the Warlord factions could not directly murder him, but vicious beatings were a common occurrence. Therefore, his death could be understood as a comprehensive reaction caused by accumulated exhaustion, severe malnutrition, and an overwhelming number of untreated injuries.

"Crown, he is very suitable, for he is a true patriot!" Alvin stated. "Once he gains power, he will undoubtedly choose to Clean Up the Warlord factions. Furthermore, because his ideals clash with the rest of Buddhism, and because he has witnessed far too much filth, he will definitely choose to Clean Up Buddhism as well!"

"He is a perfect candidate!"

"Perhaps not perfect, but certainly a good one!" Bai Yang nodded slightly. "We do not need to overthink our options. Luck is also a part of strength. We will go with him!"

With that, Bai Yang touched down in the alleyway. He looked at the man before him—who was so emaciated that his age was nearly impossible to guess—and gently raised his hand. Golden light radiated from his palm, transforming into tangible, absolute power that flowed directly into the monk's mind.

Simultaneously, an illusion belonging to the Buddhist tradition was woven into existence by Bai Yang. Creating such constructs was incredibly second nature to him now; in fact, it was exceptionally smooth and effortless.

...

"Amitābha!" A solemn chant, accompanied by the deep tolling of a bell, echoed in Min Aung's ears, waking him from the endless void.

He opened his eyes in bewilderment, staring blankly at his surroundings.

Around him were the familiar city streets. Everything on the street remained exactly as he had last seen it.

The only difference was that Min Aung could see his own "body" lying at his feet. This left him thoroughly astounded, while also sparking a certain Expectation within his heart.

He truly was dead; all that remained was his Consciousness.

Only then did he notice the "golden phantom of light" standing before him, and he hurriedly dropped to his knees.

"Perfectly Enlightened One! Have you truly descended before your disciple?"

(An honorific used in Hinayana Buddhism to address the Buddha)

"Your disciple does not ask for absolution from Sin, only for a chance at Repentance! Please, take me away. Drag me down to Hell, or take me to bear the weight of my karmic sins..."

This highlighted a distinct aspect of Hinayana Buddhism. They revered the principle of "being a lamp unto oneself," meaning they did not beg the Buddha for the forgiveness of their Sins, but merely sought to clear the obstacles obstructing their path to spiritual realization.

Therefore, they strictly followed the ironclad law that one must reap what they sow, embracing the practice of cultivating through the bearing of karmic Sins. These were their sacred tenets.

Before Min Aung, the previously blurry phantom of light rapidly condensed, transforming into an entirely physical existence. It was a figure draped in sala tree bark. His frame was thin, yet it carried an immense visual weight, practically exuding an aura of unfathomable power.

"Amitābha!" the newcomer chanted. "I am the humble monk Ananda, acting under the command of the Lord Buddha to guide you, Bhikkhu Min Aung!"

Min Aung remained prostrated on the ground, whispering, "Such incredible fortune, such boundless hope... Your disciple's spiritual cultivation is far too shallow; I dare not accept this honor!"

Upon hearing this, Ananda lifted his head and gazed at the middle-aged monk. "You practice the contemplation of impurity and have already conquered mortal greed; you practice the meditation of loving-kindness and have already dissolved all resentment... Why do you claim your cultivation is shallow?"

"My entire Life has been devoid of accomplishments. I wished to reform the High-level Officials, yet I could not even secure a meeting with them. I sought to accumulate merit and virtue, yet my efforts ultimately fell short..."

Min Aung spoke with a heavy aura of depression, "A Life of cowardice, completely devoid of achievement... I dare not claim to have cultivated anything at all!"

"You speak of cowardice, yet you stubbornly resisted tyrants! You speak of a lack of achievement, yet over a hundred lives continue to breathe because of you!" Ananda looked at him with profound admiration. "I ask you, what is the ultimate purpose of your Life of cultivation?"

"It is so the believers may have clothes and food; so the citizens may have safety; so the Lord Buddha may be revered; so my country may know peace!" Min Aung declared. The purest, most fundamental desires buried deep within his heart were gently coaxed out, and he poured them into his words.

Ananda nodded approvingly. "This is the Great Right Enlightenment! You are a Bhikkhu harboring a great cosmic vow!"

"Your disciple is terrified!" Min Aung could only Half-Understanding these concepts. He raised his head, only to find that this legendary Arhat—a figure renowned even within the sacred sutras—was looking at him with deep approval.

"Tell me then, what you believe in, what you pray to—is it the Buddha you perceive in your mind, or is it the very path you are currently walking?"

"Your disciple is foolish! What I revere is the 'Dharma' practically realized by the Venerable! What I pray for is not external power, but the courage and Wisdom to practice mindfulness and cultivate right understanding just like the Venerable!" Min Aung's eyes snapped wide open as he shouted.

"Hahahahaha!" Ananda laughed heartily. "Excellent! Your prayers have already been answered!"

"This answer lies nowhere else but within every word you just recited, within every future breath you take, and within your truthful realization of the birth and death of every single thought."

Min Aung kowtowed once more. "Your disciple does not understand. Where does this path lie?"

Ananda spoke no more. It seemed he felt he had said enough. "The path must be walked by you alone. Rely upon yourself, rely upon the Dharma, and only then will you attain the Great Right Enlightenment!"

A unique teaching echoed softly beside his ears:

"All phenomena arise from karmic causes, and all phenomena perish due to karmic causes."

"This is suffering, this is the origin of suffering, this is the cessation of suffering, and this is the path."

"All conditioned things are impermanent. When observed with Wisdom, one becomes disenchanted with suffering. This is the path of purity."