The Innocent and The Destroyer – 6/08/2025

This dialogue centers on a detailed discussion between a Master and his disciples about a film, likely “The Destroyer and the Innocent,” used to illustrate Buddhist teachings. They deeply analyze the behaviors and motivations of the main characters—the naive Shang Meng and the cunning Yu Padi—applying Buddhist concepts such as the Four Perverted Views (impermanence, suffering, impurity, non-self), Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Joy, Equanimity, and Nirvana to the film’s situations. The conversation clarifies the contrast between worldly illusions of love and happiness (represented by obscene books and Shang Meng’s concept of “eternity”) and the reality of impermanence and suffering. It also emphasizes the role of practical experience in verifying truth. The Master further explains the master’s compassionate mindset when dealing with the complex relationships within the manor, demonstrating the difference between secular behavior and enlightened practice.