The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 82

“Sarira [relics of the Buddha] from a wooden Buddha? Nonsense!”

The young monk flinched at Beopyeon’s rebuke.

In contrast, Hyegong, who had destroyed the wooden Buddha, couldn’t hide his surprise.

He, too, had discovered something among the debris.

Hyegong picked up the object the young monk had mistaken for sarira and examined it closely.

It was a round wooden box, lacquered in black.

He had suspected as much, and indeed it was.

The wooden Buddha was unlikely to contain real sarira.

It was more likely a relic left by one of the former patriarchs [spiritual leaders of a lineage].

The Seon (Zen) sect is a Buddhist order renowned for the eccentric behavior of its monks.

Shaolin is also a place that continues the lineage of that Seon sect.

A place overflowing with patriarchs who were masters of mischievous pranks.

So, he immediately understood the meaning of the wooden box.

“Was it arranged from the beginning to only be obtainable by destroying the Buddha statue…?”

Neither Buddha nor patriarchs are the truth itself, but merely a means to point to it.

Hanging on to the teachings of Buddha and the patriarchs means missing the truth itself.

Therefore, those who seek to attain the truth must strive with such resolve and spirit.

It was a prank in line with the teaching of ‘Kill the Buddha, kill the Patriarch’ [a radical Zen Buddhist saying].

He was newly curious about the contents within the wooden box.

As it was an object that had emerged from a Buddha statue that had been with Shaolin for a long time, its history would also be extraordinary.

Crack.

Hyegong broke the wooden box with force.

And he took something out from within.

It was a book.

‘Se (Wash)… Su (Marrow)… Gyeong (Sutra)?’

Beopyeon, who had unconsciously repeated the letters written on the book, froze as if turned to stone.

“The Marrow Washing Sutra!”

That one word, bursting from the mouth of Ryogong, the Arhat Hall leader, caused the other monks to erupt in astonishment as well.

“Left behind by Bodhidharma [founder of Zen Buddhism]?”

“Wasn’t it lost?”

The commotion, once started, did not subside easily.

The meaning held by the Marrow Washing Sutra was that heavy.

Bodhidharma, the first patriarch of the Seon sect and the figure who made present-day Shaolin possible.

During his lifetime, he authored two books.

They were the Muscle Change Classic and the Marrow Washing Sutra.

Over the long years, the Marrow Washing Sutra had been lost, but the Muscle Change Classic was still being passed down through Shaolin.

It was also the foundation of Shaolin martial arts, which they prided themselves on as the source of all martial arts under heaven.

“I guessed that something great would be inside, but…”

Beopyeon couldn’t continue his words.

To think that it was the Marrow Washing Sutra.

If it was the genuine article, it held value comparable to the Buddha’s sarira.

“The last person to awaken to the Marrow Washing Sutra was King Chungmu [posthumous name meaning ‘Loyal and Martial King’].”

Yue Fei, the peerless hero who saved the collapsing Northern Song Dynasty.

Chungmu was his posthumous title.

Hyegong silently began to turn the pages.

All the monks watched with bated breath, observing the light in the old monk’s eyes as he wordlessly confirmed the contents of the Marrow Washing Sutra.

How much time had passed?

Hyegong opened his mouth.

“The Merit Woman and the Darkness Woman, is it…?”

Beopyeon immediately guessed what Hyegong was trying to say.

The story mentioned in the Nirvana Sutra’s Holy Conduct Chapter.

The Merit Woman is a benevolent goddess who brings wealth, health, and happiness, while the Darkness Woman is a malevolent goddess who brings misfortune and disaster. And it was said that the sisters always travel together.

Although the Buddha statue disappeared due to Beomgyewi’s outrageous behavior, they were able to recover the Marrow Washing Sutra, which contained the patriarch’s secrets, thanks to it.

“Does the Abbot [head monk] know what this object means to our temple?”

Beopyeon nodded, chanting the Buddha’s name.

How could he not know that Shaolin martial arts, which had been incomplete with only the Muscle Change Classic, would be made whole through the Marrow Washing Sutra?

“We will be able to prevent things like what happened with Beobryo.”

The Marrow Washing Sutra was like a lamp to light the darkness.

Although Beobryo was called a genius, his training, which relied solely on the Muscle Change Classic, had clear limitations.

While the realm of martial arts continued to develop, his mind could not keep up with the pace of that development.

The gap between mind and body.

It could solve the problems that arose due to that gap.

“If we find Beomgyewi, I would like to meet him in person.”

“Yes?”

Hyegong said to Beopyeon, who was puzzled.

“I heard that the barbarian’s beard is red, so I need to see if he is too.”

“……!”

Unlike the monks who were puzzled by the cryptic Seon dialogue, Beopyeon couldn’t help but be astonished.

The word ‘barbarian’ had two meanings.

When you think about it, both Batuo, who founded the Shaolin Temple, and Bodhidharma, the first patriarch of the Seon sect, were foreigners from the perspective of the Central Plains people [historical heartland of China].

Therefore, Hyegong’s words were simultaneously praising Beomgyewi as an extraordinary person like them and criticizing his rude and violent behavior.

“I understand.”

“I ask that you refrain from using lethal force as much as possible, even if you encounter him.”

Beopyeon respectfully bowed his head, respecting Hyegong’s wishes.

However, at that moment, Cho Ak-ryang and Beomgyewi were already leaving Shaolin, mixed in with the crowd of worshippers.

“I am sorry that a big problem has occurred at the main temple and we had to send you here. I pray that the Buddha’s blessings be with you.”

The worshippers responded to the guest monk’s greeting with their own Buddhist chants.

Amidst them, Cho Ak-ryang and Beomgyewi, who had calmly put their palms together, hurriedly went down the mountain gate.

* * *

As night deepened, Beopyeon visited Hyegong again.

“It seems that Beomgyewi has left. No trace of him has been found anywhere.”

“Is that so…”

Beopyeon inwardly swallowed a bitter smile at Hyegong’s expression, which seemed to show some regret.

In fact, he was secretly relieved that Beomgyewi had disappeared without any further damage.

After a moment.

“It seems you’ve brought a guest?”

Beopyeon nodded at Hyegong’s question.

“Yes. Shall I let them in?”

“Please do.”

Shortly after.

Dahn Ahk-seon, guided inside by Beopyeon, carefully opened his mouth towards Beopyeon and Han Seol-hwa.

“I want to talk to Monk Hyegong alone.”

Hyegong nodded, and Beopyeon and Han Seol-hwa went outside.

Once they were alone, Hyegong respectfully took a half-bow towards Dahn Ahk-seon.

“I have not yet offered my thanks for today’s events.”

Dahn Ahk-seon was startled and bowed his head in return.

“No. I was just doing what I should as a doctor.”

“Do you know that Beobryo is this old monk’s disciple?”

“Yes. The Abbot told me earlier.”

Hyegong looked at Dahn Ahk-seon with a benevolent smile.

“Thanks to you, I was able to shake off my last inner demon.”

“Ah! That’s right!”

Dahn Ahk-seon, who had remembered something, said to Hyegong.

“I had a few words with Monk Beobryo after he regained consciousness earlier. I thought I should tell Monk Hyegong about the content.”

“…?”

“At the time, he was very sorry to have come out of Samadhi [a state of deep meditation].”

Hyegong was greatly surprised at those words.

“It turns out that he wasn’t unable to wake up, but he was refusing to wake up.”

“Why…”

Hyegong was speechless for a while, as if quite shocked by the fact that Beopyeon had confined himself in a prison of selflessness.

“In my opinion, wouldn’t it be a kind of escape?”

“……!”

Hyegong had a great realization at Dahn Ahk-seon’s words.

The reason he had accepted Beobryo as a disciple at a late age was because of his amazing talent.

But that talent was not limited to martial arts.

Beobryo was also a superior vessel of Dharma [Buddhist teachings] than anyone else.

“Is that so… Was that it…”

Hyegong sighed.

The gap between the Buddhist teachings to let go of everything and the reality of having to pursue higher martial arts.

The attitude as a Buddhist who yearns to enter Nirvana [state of enlightenment] and the karma [consequences of actions] of killing that he inevitably had to face as the best master of Shaolin.

The contradictory and paradoxical situation had been tormenting him for a long time.

“Excellent, excellent.”

Hyegong looked at Dahn Ahk-seon, grateful for the fate before his eyes.

Since he had received a favor, it was his turn to repay it.

“So, what reason did you have for wanting to see this old monk?”

Dahn Ahk-seon’s eyes became serious.

“I need the Master’s signature.”

“Signature?”

“Yes. I want to create a joint statement with the consent of the famous figures of the Murim [martial arts world].”

Hyegong, who was puzzled because he didn’t know what was going on, nodded at Dahn Ahk-seon’s subsequent words.

“I’m going to declare Muwi in Gansu Province as a forbidden area through that.”

What Dahn Ahk-seon was pursuing was to prevent the righteous and the evil from dividing and shedding blood, at least within Muwi.

The best way to do that was to prevent one side from entering.

Since Cho Ak-ryang and Beomgyewi were called the Demonic Path, the choice was naturally the Righteous Path.

“I want to create an area where the Righteous Path is prohibited from entering.”

That was the reason he left the Demonic Divine Valley and began to travel the Jianghu [martial world].

“Even if the famous figures agree, they can’t force the actions of all the martial artists, can they?”

“Still, they can’t ignore Shaolin’s intentions.”

“Hmm…”

“Please. I think that’s the way to save people.”

Dahn Ahk-seon continued his explanation.

“Regardless of whether they are righteous or evil, people who need treatment will be allowed to visit.”

Hyegong suddenly recalled the story he had heard from Beopyeon.

That Dahn Ahk-seon was not only the son of a divine doctor but also the son of a demonic doctor, and that demonic medicine had been used in the treatment of Beobryo.

Dahn Ahk-seon, who felt Hyegong’s changed atmosphere, made eye contact with him.

“If I hadn’t been my mother’s son… If I hadn’t inherited her medical skills, I wouldn’t have been able to treat Monk Beobryo.”

“……”

“Divine medicine and demonic medicine. It was possible because I knew both of their medical skills. If I had only known one of their medical skills, I wouldn’t have dared to do it.”

Dahn Ahk-seon left a decisive word for Hyegong, who was contemplating.

“I am a person who saves people. I want to continue walking that path in the future. As it is now, many people will die because of me.”

Hyegong nodded.

As Dahn Ahk-seon said, countless righteous and evil martial artists would visit, chasing after the divine doctor and the demonic doctor. Naturally, their fighting would never end.

“Amitabha [a Buddhist invocation].”

What greater merit could there be than saving people?

He thought that the distinction between righteous and evil was meaningless on that path.

What did it matter whether the flag was fluttering or the wind was fluttering?

Only the heart was fluttering.

“I have to give you the signature of this old monk, who needs it. So, where should I write it?”

Dahn Ahk-seon’s request was difficult to refuse from the beginning.

Beobryo woke up.

And he obtained the Marrow Washing Sutra.

In any case, all those things happened after Dahn Ahk-seon visited Shaolin.

Whether it was a coincidence or fate, it was impossible without a connection with Shaolin.

The book that Dahn Ahk-seon held out.

Hyegong, who wrote his Dharma name [Buddhist name] at the very top of the first page, put ink on his palm and stamped his palm print.

“Thank you.”

Dahn Ahk-seon greeted him with a bright face.

It was the first achievement he had made since leaving the Demonic Divine Valley.

He was finally able to button the first button properly.

Then, suddenly feeling strange, he raised his head.

As their eyes met, Hyegong suddenly said.

“You…”

“Yes?”

“Do you have any intention of converting to Buddhism?”

* * *

“Are you that greedy?”

Beopyeon smiled and spoke to Hyegong.

He had read Hyegong’s gaze as he watched Dahn Ahk-seon and Han Seol-hwa going down the mountain gate in the distance.

Hyegong smiled awkwardly.

“Haha. That’s what I’m saying. I thought I had shaken off my inner demon, but a new inner demon is coming.”

Beopyeon’s face, who had cast his gaze towards Dahn Ahk-seon, was also full of regret.

“We owe the divine doctor so much, but once again, our temple is indebted to his son.”

“The world is a truly unknowable thing.”

“…?”

“The demonic doctor’s medical skills, which had tormented us so much, ended up saving Beobryo.”

Furthermore, it was the same as saving Shaolin.

“This old monk made a promise with that child.”

When Hyegong brought up the story of the joint statement, Beopyeon also nodded in agreement.

“Shaolin will also respect that intention.”

There was no reason to refuse since it was a way to save people.

It was highly likely that the Murim Alliance, led by Namgung Baek, would oppose it, but it didn’t matter.

Shaolin no longer owes the Murim Alliance anything.

But Dahn Ahk-seon was not.

The relationship with his father and son over this generation was so thick and heavy that it could not be compared to anything else.

“A new wind will blow in the Murim.”

Hyegong’s eyes deepened.

“I hope it will be coexistence, not killing…”

The two men’s Buddhist chants, uttered softly with longing, enveloped the mountain gate of Shaolin.