Chapter 309: Sutra of the Past, Celestial Phenomena
Chapter 309: Sutra of the Past, Celestial Phenomena
Chen Changsheng asked, “The Mystic Gate discusses enlightenment, the Buddhist Dharma corresponds to Reincarnation. How many lifetimes of suffering must one cultivate to attain true Buddhahood?”
Monk Wunian said, “One kalpa is one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred years.”
“From the Chaos of Heaven and Earth, the peak of the Mortal World has passed over twenty thousand years, so until now, one lifetime is still missing.”
Chen Changsheng said, “Must he suffer another lifetime? Be a compassionate monk for one more life?”
Monk Wunian whispered softly, “Amitabha Buddha, indeed it is so.”
Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, “In matters of Buddhist Dharma, I do not match you, but from my view, all immortals and Buddhas cannot escape human ties. One kalpa of one hundred twenty-nine thousand six hundred years is countless cycles of Reincarnation. Being compassionate in every life may never lead to true enlightenment. I want his final lifetime to realize the true self. What do you think?”
Monk Wunian smiled kindly, knowing he had no choice.
“What Chen Benefactor said is very right. I only wish he could cause less killing.”
Chen Changsheng nodded and said, “I am not a person who loves to kill.”
Monk Wunian said, “This humble monk will thank you on behalf of the entire Buddhist Sect.”
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng felt a bit curious and asked, “In the blink of an age, the Buddhist Sect has long vanished from the Mortal World. Aren’t you afraid it will all be for nothing?”
“For all beings, Buddha might perish, but Buddha-nature will never fade.”
Chen Changsheng nodded slightly and said, “Since that is the case, I will not ask more. Matters of your Buddhist Sect, I do not want to interfere with.”
“Thank you, Benefactor.”
Monk Wunian said this, then lifted his head and asked, “Chen Benefactor, the cause you sowed earlier, has it born fruit now?”
Chen Changsheng paused for a moment after hearing this. He shook his head and said, “It has, but not really. It remains a state of Chaos.”
Monk Wunian smiled kindly and said, “Benefactor must have made a decision in your heart.”
Chen Changsheng glanced at him and laughed, “What decision do I have?”
Monk Wunian said, “Compared to our last meeting, Benefactor now carries a greater ease in spirit. It seems you have let go of some things.”
Speaking to this point, Chen Changsheng replied, “Yes, I let go of some things.”
At least he got the answer he wanted.
Some words he had once seen on the Heavenly Secrets Stone were now explained.
The great calamity of two thousand years, the Sutra of Rebirth, including Yu Xuan—all had answers.
By comparison, it felt much lighter.
Chen Changsheng asked, “Old monk, since you have existed in this realm for so long, before now, did you ever meet her?”
“We met a few times.” Monk Wunian smiled. “The first time, she took a few of my Magical Artifacts.”
Chen Changsheng laughed and said, “That matches her nature.”
“The karma between Benefactor and her is like morning dew: it fades quickly, yet reappears between night and day, unpredictable. I have never seen such unusual karma.”
Chen Changsheng said, “I feel my karma with her is like a calm lake. Throw a stone, and ripples appear. But if I sit still, maybe it stays peaceful.”
Monk Wunian said, “Chen Benefactor sees things more clearly now.”
Chen Changsheng said, “In the past ages, whoever it was is in the past. In this life, I will be the true self and not discuss other matters.”
Monk Wunian looked at him and whispered softly, “Karma is not broken. How can it be so easy?”
Chen Changsheng said, “If I am unwilling, even if the Heavenly Dao stands before me, I will not give it any face.”
Monk Wunian nodded with a smile and then said, “I hope Benefactor truly achieves that.”
He took a deep breath and glanced at Heaven and Earth.
“My karma with the Buddha’s Child has ended. This humble monk can now be freed.”
Monk Wunian said, “I hope Benefactor takes care of him. I should go now.”
Chen Changsheng asked, “Where will you go?”
“I have a method to glimpse the River of Time. It is like a Great Dream, one sleep with no waking.”
Monk Wunian looked at Chen Changsheng and said, “This humble monk now journeys to the Western Pure Land.”
He closed his eyes and chanted scriptures.
Chen Changsheng looked up and saw the words from Monk Wunian’s chanting floating into the air as strokes of writing.
“This method is called Sutra of the Past.”
Once the old monk finished chanting, a full scripture glowed behind him. The Buddha’s Light flashed brightly, and a wisp of Golden Light turned into streams of starlight, drifting as if into a dream.
Where Monk Wunian went was a temple from thousands of years ago.
It was his birthplace.
To him, this was the Mortal World’s pinnacle of bliss.
Chen Changsheng glanced over it briefly and memorized all the content of the Buddhist scripture.
After a quick look, Sutra of the Past was indeed a true Buddhist method, but in reality, it was only one of illusion. Its workings were a Great Dream, with no return.
Just as people near death immerse in past memories, after seeing it, they can depart peacefully.
Chen Changsheng stood up and left that place, walking while taking large gulps of wine from his mouth.
He did not quite understand why that old monk could endure for hundreds of thousands of years. To him, maybe the old monk should have gone mad long ago.
But then again, perhaps that was why the old monk left only a Remnant Soul.
Heaven and Earth grew calm.
And Chen Changsheng settled his mind to enjoy traveling.
He wandered around, viewing the great rivers and mountains, occasionally tasting Mortal World flavors, living quite comfortably.
Qing Tianyou had witnessed too much along this journey. It overwhelmed his eyes. After meeting many musicians in various places, his understanding of music grew greatly.
He could finally do some things he was interested in.
This person and demon planned to roam all of this Mortal World.
Until one day, a Soul fell into the Mortal World. A wisp of Golden Light entered Chen Changsheng’s eyes.
He lowered his gaze and looked toward a household on the Southern Barbarian Road.
“Wah, wah…”
Soon, the cries of an infant reached Chen Changsheng’s ears.
“It happened much earlier than I expected.”
That day, purple clouds came from the east in the sky, and the child’s birth brought Celestial Phenomena.
Witnessing this, Qing Tianyou asked, “Who is born? Such phenomena?”
“You’ve met him.” Chen Changsheng said.
“I have?”
Qing Tianyou was puzzled inside. He followed Chen Changsheng’s steps toward that household.
From a distance, when they saw the infant brought out from the room, Qing Tianyou froze instantly.
“It’s him!”
Qing Tianyou’s mind filled with the image of a lonely figure, a young man talking nonsense and keeping company with corpses.
Chen Changsheng said, “I will stay here for some years.”
Qing Tianyou thought for a moment and said, “I want to see this little one too.”