Man in the heavens, wins by lying down to prove the truth

Chapter 338 The Golden Cicada Master is banished to the mortal realm; the Buddha and the Elder speak of the Mara's power.
After taking his seat, Zhou Chengxin manifested the primordial true nature pure crystal purple-gold Dharma form, radiating great light and illuminating the precious temple.

When all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas saw it, they all bowed their heads in reverence and praised the profound power of the initial true nature.

On the main seat, the Buddha smiled and used telepathy to speak to Zhou Chengyan: "Initially, the true nature possesses profound wisdom, which this humble monk admires."

"Buddha and Lao Tzu are modest; they are only halfway to transcendence, and no one is more than that."

Zhou Cheng also responded using the method of transmitting sound.

The Buddha said, "You, Venerable One, have discerned all paths and attained immeasurable, unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. Throughout the whole world, you are the most supreme. How can you say that?"

Ordinary powerful beings regarded Zhou Cheng as an existence on par with the Heavenly Emperor and the World Honored One.

Only such a being, who is halfway to transcendence, can perceive how far Zhou Cheng has gone, possessing infinite Dao Fruits, each of which touches upon transcendence.

The gap between them, though not as vast as clouds and mud, still feels like an insurmountable chasm.

"Master Buddha, please speak frankly."

"Venerable One, you are truly magnanimous. This humble monk may ask you, Venerable One, if you possess a method to subdue Mara?"

The Buddha saw the future and knew that when Mount Ling was flourishing and sweeping across the Three Realms, it would also be the time when Mara reached his peak, and the two would rise and fall together.

"Yes, Mara has swept across the three realms, causing immeasurable calamity. At that time, I will use my profound magical power to slay Mara."

“In that case, I thank you, Venerable One.” The Buddha clasped his hands together and bowed to Zhou Cheng.

The incense sticks burned slowly, and in the blink of an eye, the time it takes for an incense stick to burn had passed.

All the great beings, immortals, and gods in the world entered the Thunder Sound Temple on time. Those who did not have time to come also sent their disciples to the gathering to express their gratitude to the Buddha.

"Boom!"

A resounding bell rang out from the Thunder Sound Temple, echoing throughout the heavens and earth.

As the Ullambana Festival began, everyone rose and paid their respects to the Buddha Shakyamuni, who was seated in the main seat.

Immediately, the Buddha said, "Since subduing the unruly monkey and bringing peace to the heavens, it has been more than a hundred years since I have met with the gods."

"Today is the full moon of early autumn. I have a precious basin filled with a hundred kinds of exotic flowers and a thousand kinds of rare fruits. I invite you to enjoy this Ullambana Festival. What do you say?"

Upon hearing this, everyone clasped their hands in prayer again, bowing three times to the Buddha to understand.

Seeing this, the Buddha instructed Ananda to hold the treasure basin, and Kasyapa to scatter the flowers, fruits, and other items in the basin.

Upon hearing this, the crowd bowed again and each presented a poem to express their gratitude to the Buddha, which brought the Buddha great joy.

After the precious items were distributed, a Bodhisattva spoke up, requesting the Buddha to preach the Dharma: "Please, World Honored One, expound the wonderful Dharma, clarify the fundamentals, and explain the origins."

Upon seeing this, all the immortals and gods understood something and rose to ask the Buddha to preach.

The Buddha then said, "Since you have invited us, we dare not refuse."

The Buddha sat upright on the altar, expounding the great Dharma and proclaiming the true fruit. He spoke of the wondrous scriptures of the Three Vehicles and the Shurangama Sutra of the Five Aggregates. Heavenly dragons surrounded him, flowers rained down, and all sorts of wondrous phenomena arose.

Beside Zhou Cheng, Chu Xiu Tong'er heard a little of it, but immediately felt dizzy and couldn't hear clearly, so she stopped listening.

"Why did you lose focus while the Buddha was preaching?"

Zhou Cheng's voice suddenly rang in Chu Xiu's heart.

Chu Xiu sighed helplessly and said, "Master, I really couldn't hear what the Buddha was saying clearly."

"Moreover, it's not just me who didn't listen; the young monk over there did the same."

Chu Xiu's voice was not loud, at least it was faint among the Buddha's and Laozi's sermons and was completely drowned out.

However, all the immortals and gods who were able to enter the main hall were all highly powerful beings, possessing all the myriad paths within them, and were by no means ordinary people. Naturally, they noticed Chu Xiu and the young mage as well.

The young monk, who was quite handsome, was fast asleep in the room.

Suddenly, the sermon stopped abruptly, and everyone's eyes turned to the World-Honored One, the Buddha.

The old Buddha spoke, "Jin Chanzi, wake up quickly."

The sleeping young monk suddenly awoke, looked around in confusion, and was suddenly alarmed. His face changed drastically, and he immediately rose from his seat, knelt down, and kowtowed to Zhenru.

“This disciple has fallen asleep; I deserve death, I deserve death.”

The old Buddha looked at Jin Chanzi and sighed softly, “You do not listen to the Dharma and disrespect my great teachings. Since you have spoken of a capital offense, I will demote your true spirit and reincarnate you in the Eastern Land, where you will be subject to ten lifetimes of reincarnation, suffering all eight kinds of human suffering. If you follow the righteous path, you will become a Buddha in the future; if you do evil, you will be condemned to eternal suffering. Do you accept this?”

“Disciple is willing to accept punishment and be reincarnated for ten lifetimes to do good deeds, so that this merit may adorn the Buddha Land.”

Jin Chanzi's eyes were filled with tears. He had never expected such a severe punishment, but he could only kowtow repeatedly and obey the Buddha's decree.

Not to mention Jin Chanzi, even the immortals and gods were terrified upon hearing this.

After cultivating an immortal body for thousands of years, it all dissipates in a single day, and one is reborn as a mortal body.

"Go on, go on!"

With a wave of his hand, the Buddha unleashed profound magical power, and the golden cicada fell to the mortal realm, perishing and entering the underworld.

It is said that the Bodhisattva of the underworld personally intervened to guide the true spirit of the golden cicada through reincarnation and rebirth in the Eastern Land.

After this brief interlude, the sermon continued.

……

As time goes by, the vicissitudes of life are endless.

A hundred years have passed, and countless lifetimes have taken place in the human world. For the immortals and Buddhas in the heavens, it is but a single gathering.

At this point, the Buddha finished speaking, and everyone was awakened, realizing the profoundness of the Dharma and their spiritual progress greatly increased.

"Now that I have finished speaking, you should all disperse," said the Buddha, clasping his hands in prayer.

All the immortals and Buddhas rose, bowed to the Buddha, and then descended from Mount Ling.

He only spoke of Zhou Cheng, but asked the Buddhist monk to stay and discuss the Dao for a while longer.

The last time Zhou Chenghe and the Buddhist and Taoist masters discussed the Dao, it was at the Longhua Assembly, but now a thousand years have passed.

Inside a side hall, Zhou Cheng pulled the young girl Chuxiu along, and they sat on lotus platforms, one on each side of the Buddha.

Before Zhou Cheng could speak, Chu Xiu said, "Chu Xiu pays respects to the Buddha. Because of my slip of the tongue, Master Jin Chan was banished to the mortal world. Therefore, I humbly request the Buddha to punish me lightly."

The Buddha, with his discerning eye, saw Chu Xiu and immediately smiled, saying, "It is because you were a saint in your previous life. No wonder you have such a magnanimous character."

"Now, little master, that Jin Chan disrespected the Buddha's teachings and deserved this calamity. I have surveyed the four continents and the three realms, how could I not see Jin Chan right before my eyes?"

"Even if the little immortal does not speak, after the assembly is over, he will be banished to the mortal world to experience all kinds of hardships before he will know the preciousness of Buddhism."

Chu Xiu was still somewhat puzzled, but she didn't say anything more.

Seeing this, Zhou Cheng, who was standing nearby, smiled and said, "Speak whatever you have to say. As the Buddha, the supreme ruler of the world, how could he possibly take offense at your words?"

"That is indeed the case." The Buddha also said the same thing.

Upon seeing this, Chu Xiu made a hand seal and bowed, saying, "May I ask, Venerable Master, I have been cultivating with my master and entered the Taiyi Sect for only two or three years. I have seen birds, beasts and insects in the mountains and freely entered and exited the Dharma Hall to hear the Dao."

"Whether you listen or not, as long as you are taught not to disturb the Dharma Hall, the Master will never blame you, but..."

Chu Xiu couldn't continue after saying that.

Going further, that would be praising one's own master while putting Buddhism and Taoism down.

The old monk chuckled and said, "The young master is right. This is teaching without discrimination, the actions of a sage, which is beyond the reach of this humble monk."

"However, since the young master also follows the Venerable One in cultivation, how many of the beasts and birds in the mountains know the value of hearing the Venerable One preach the Dharma?"

Chu Xiu thought for a moment and shook his head: "Not a single one. Occasionally, some mortals enter the sacred realm to seek the Dharma, but after only a little practice, they find the suffering of seeking the Dao unbearable and return to the mountain."

“Those who can listen to the Dharma teachings every day without ceasing are only the fellow disciples and brothers who have been enlightened by our Master and Uncle-Master, all of whom, like me, have experienced life and death.” The Buddha smiled and said, “Indeed, Venerable One, what kind of opportunity is this for you to preach the Dharma? Do you think it is a sin to treat me with such disrespect?”

Chu Xiu pondered for a moment, then felt that calling it a sin was a bit too much.

But some of them really don't know what's good for them.

“Little Master, you do not understand people’s hearts, and you should not speak the Dharma lightly, nor transmit the scriptures lightly.”

“In the past, a group of holy monks came down from the mountain and expounded the first volume of the true sutra at the home of Elder Zhao in Shravasti, without taking a single penny.”

"That Elder Zhao received the scriptures, but he did not memorize them and never practiced them."

"Later, there was Elder Zhao who invited the monks to give a sermon. This time, he was lecturing on the lower volume of the true sutra, which was all one sutra. He then collected three pecks and three pints of rice-grain gold."

"After receiving the scriptures, Elder Zhao recited them respectfully every day and was reborn as the ruler of a wealthy kingdom."

"Such a principle is not difficult to understand. You, Little Immortal, were a sage in your previous life, and you will understand it."

Upon hearing what the Buddha said, Chu Xiu immediately understood.

Such is human nature: the easier something is to obtain, the less value it receives.

Back then, that monkey, in his quest for immortality, traversed mountains and rivers, crossed oceans, and finally entered the mountain gate, where he dared not slacken his efforts even for a single day.

And yet all the creatures that live and multiply in the mountains hear the scriptures every day, but they never cherish them.

"Thank you for your explanation, Venerable Buddha."

After Chu Xiu bowed and expressed her gratitude, she stood obediently beside Zhou Cheng.

Immediately, the Buddha spoke up: "Previously, when the Venerable One's disciple caused trouble, I taught him a lesson and returned to Mount Sumeru. Thereupon, I saw Mara running rampant, and thus I attempted to perform the Great Nirvana."

"However, even in the midst of annihilation, the true spirit is illusory, and Mara obstructs the path, so it is not completely annihilated. There are only a few failures and insights, so I share my humble insights with the Venerable One."

As long as it concerns the Great Nirvana, Zhou Cheng would not object to anything spoken by this Buddhist master.

“In that case, Venerable One, I will listen attentively.”

"The true nature of Nirvana, when attained in this worldly realm, will be extinguished..."

The Buddha and Taoists spoke of Nirvana, and even said that all paths were forced back, and cause and effect were reversed.

Chu Xiu, who was standing beside Zhou Cheng, couldn't understand a word and was extremely bored when she suddenly felt light and airborne.

This is because the Great Dao is forcing us to retreat; the power to absorb things has disappeared, hence this phenomenon.

Just as Chu Xiu was filled with wonder, she was told that the power to absorb things had reappeared, and had suddenly become a thousand times stronger. She was so shocked by the fall that she was dizzy and disoriented, not knowing what the world was like.

Thus, various strange phenomena changed.

Sometimes, when there is no external interference, a gentle breeze suddenly bursts into flames.

The reason for this was that the wind, which was originally unflammable, suddenly became flammable due to its myriad transformations, and that ordinary sunlight was enough to ignite the wind.

In an instant, flames engulfed the sky, startling Chu Xiu so much that she jumped up and down, her whole body engulfed in the sea of ​​fire.

However, it only startled him for a moment. After Chuxiu calmed down, he realized that the burning wind was not very hot, only slightly warm.

Chu Xiu glanced at her master, then at the old Buddha who governs the world.

One speaks of Nirvana, the other of Transcendence.

One speaks eloquently of the Three Vehicles of Dharma, the other has been revered since ancient times; their discussions are truly enjoyable.

All sorts of incomprehensible and bizarre phenomena appeared around them, making Chu Xiu's scalp tingle.

"Enough, enough. I can't understand a thing. I might even lose my life. If I disturb my master and the Buddha's discussion, it would be a grave offense. Go away, go away."

With this thought in mind, Chu Xiu tiptoed out of the hall.

Zhou Cheng simply said that he knew the future from the moment he glanced at Chu Xiu, and just smiled.

This emperor from the previous life is about to suffer some hardship.

……

Now, let us say that this sacred mountain is vast, and contains all sorts of mysteries.

The young children, just curious, wandered around, and sometimes, with one step, they would find themselves in a new world.

The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from all directions recognized Chuxiu as a disciple of the initial true nature, and they could not afford to be negligent. They all treated him with courtesy and treated him with great respect.

Chu Xiu was blessed with good fortune, and was given the opportunity to enjoy the delicacies and rare foods that would grant him longevity and a complete transformation.

On this day, Chu Xiu walked to the side under the light and curiously went inside.

The next instant, a figure flashed and they found themselves in a country, away from Mount Ling. Looking westward, they could still see the sacred Mount Ling.

"Have I somehow arrived in a small country in the West?"

Chu Xiu was not flustered. Once a little child, she had heard the scriptures at the Ullambana Festival for a hundred years and had benefited from the many spiritual objects and creations in the sacred mountain. Now she had mysterious magical power and began to cultivate the process of subduing the five minds.

"The customs and traditions of the West are quite different from those of the East..."

Chu Xiu was wandering around when she suddenly saw a girl flash past the window. She was completely naked, and her radiant body disappeared in a flash. Chu Xiu felt a surge of heat in her heart.

"See no evil."

Chu Xiu recited the Changqingjing Sutra, calmed down, and began to search for the way back to Lingshan.

Leaving the city, they came to a stream, where suddenly a woman was bathing. Her skin was described as fair and white as silver, her body as pure as snow. Her appearance resembled that of Chang'e descending to earth, a fairy descended to the mortal realm!
Chu Xiu was immediately captivated, uttering in a daze, "How can there be such a woman? How can there be such a woman?"

"What a handsome young man! Look at his body, you deserve to be punished!"

The woman, upon seeing Chuxiu, was not annoyed. Instead, she smiled and pulled Chuxiu into a tryst.

Chu Xiu couldn't resist. She had never seen such a beautiful woman in her past or present life; she was truly captivating.

After a passionate encounter, the stunningly beautiful woman stroked Chu Xiu's chin and laughed, "Good sir, see who I am."

As soon as she finished speaking, the beautiful fairy turned into a skeleton, with each bone interlocking like a lock, which horrified Chu Xiu so much that her face changed color.

It was indeed the true form of the Bodhisattva with the collarbone.

"Buddha?"

Chu Xiu recognized the Bodhisattva; she had seen him at that grand gathering.

In the next instant, the Bodhisattva of the Collarbone transformed into a fairy maiden. Chu Xiu's fear dissipated, and looking at the beautiful woman in front of her, her heart burned with even greater passion.

It was actually a Bodhisattva!

"Aaaaaah! This is killing me!"

Suddenly, Chu Xiu, who had just begun to have impulsive thoughts, clutched her lower abdomen, writhing on the ground in pain, and her desire vanished instantly.

"Young Master, only when you cultivate to a state of purity and control your mind will you be free from this constraint."

The Bodhisattva raised his hand and stroked Chu Xiu's body, then transformed into a ray of spiritual light and dissipated.

"Just as Master said, this Western method of teaching has always been so powerful."

Chu Xiu recalled the pain she had just felt and felt a lingering fear.

"It is necessary to subdue the restless mind and tame the golden spirit before one can tame the wild will. I wonder how many years it will take to break free from this bondage."

"Sigh, in the end it was my own intentions that led to this mistake, but... it seems like it wasn't a complete loss."

Chu Xiu was savoring something when suddenly her expression changed drastically, and she started rolling around on the ground.

(End of this chapter)