Journey to the West: Beginning with the Apprenticeship of Bodhi Patriarch

Chapter 376 Discussing the Dao on Double Ninth Festival, Traveling the World

Time flies, summer comes and winter goes, and suddenly the new year arrives again. Before we know it, several years have passed.

Sun Wukong returned with Chenxiang and had him cultivate in the Green Ox Cave before returning to the cave. After Sun Wukong pointed to the orange trees covering the mountain, the Green Ox happily agreed to hand over the cave to Chenxiang, while he opened another cave to live in.

The story takes place in the residence of Zuo Liang in Jingzhou.

Many years later, Wang Chongyang met Zuo Liang again in the central hall.

Looking at Wang Chongyang's composed demeanor, Zuo Liang felt secretly relieved. Over the years, Wang Chongyang had lived a secluded life, either reading or seeking knowledge, wholeheartedly practicing Taoist doctrines, which he greatly admired.

He is indeed the eldest disciple; even as a reincarnation, he still has the heart for cultivation.

Wang Chongyang, now in his thirties, bowed to Zuo Liang and said, "Thank you for your care over the years, Celestial Master, for allowing me to study the teachings safely in your residence. I will always remember your kindness."

Zuo Liang shook his head and said, "I am merely a place for you to study. Over the years, you have devoted yourself to your studies, and your dedication surpasses that of the thousands of servants in my household. You are truly remarkable."

Wang Chongyang said, "I dare not, as the Heavenly Master, speak in such a way."

Zuo Liang sat on the futon and said with a smile, "Chongyang, since you started studying, you have lived a secluded life and rarely went out. It has been quite a few years, but you have come to see me today. You must have something important to discuss, right?"

Wang Chongyang bowed again and said, “Celestial Master, you have discerning eyes. To be honest, I have been determined to learn the three schools of thought since I made up my mind. I have been studying diligently day and night, and I have been learning the Daoist teachings in the Celestial Master’s Mansion for many years. Only after learning a little bit of the Daoist teachings can I focus on my studies. However, I still have two schools of thought to learn completely, so I cannot stay here for long. I should travel around to visit great scholars and temples to complete my studies.”

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang smiled and nodded, saying, "Ever since you said you would study the three schools of thought, I knew you would eventually go out. However, you must first learn one or two of the teachings of Taoism. Now that you say you have learned one or two, and that you will go out, I wonder if I can test you in some way?"

Wang Chongyang said, "Please ask the Celestial Master to examine me."

Zuo Liang smiled and said, "Tell me what Taoist teachings are and what their essence is."

Wang Chongyang bowed with his hands clasped, sat on the prayer mat, and pondered for a long time without saying a word.

Zuo Liang did not urge him, but waited by the side. When servants brought tea and food, he told them to dismiss them so as not to disturb Wang Chongyang.

Wang Chongyang was racking his brains trying to figure out how to explain the "essential meaning." As the saying goes, it is easy to know but difficult to explain. He felt that he had a thousand feelings in his heart, but he did not know how to express them. This made him feel like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat.

Just as Wang Chongyang was at a loss, he suddenly felt a clarity pass through his mind, which brought him peace of mind, and all his thoughts were put to use.

Wang Chongyang opened his mouth and said: "The Dao is the beginning of chaos, the origin of Taiji, the gate of the mysterious female, and the source of all transformations. Its essence is formless and imageless, mysterious and profound; its function is to give birth to heaven and earth, and to nurture all living beings."

"The most virtuous person preserves simplicity and truth, returning to the state of an infant. They are utterly empty and profoundly still, achieving emptiness and maintaining stillness, like a deep pool or a towering mountain, like a valley that is empty yet responsive..."

"The way of cultivating the Tao values ​​guarding the One. Embrace simplicity and truth, appearing foolish and taciturn. Discard the burdens of emotions and desires, and eliminate the disturbances of wisdom and skill. Like the butcher Ding carving up an ox, follow the principles of nature; like Liezi riding the wind, his skill is serene and graceful."

"The Way is not far from man; man distances himself from the Way. If one can cleanse one's mind of profound contemplation, can one be without blemish? Attain utmost emptiness, hold fast to stillness, and all things will arise together, and I will observe their return. All things flourish and then return to their root; this is the constant of the Way. Returning to the root is called stillness; stillness is called returning to one's destiny; returning to one's destiny is called constancy; knowing constancy is called enlightenment. Not knowing constancy leads to reckless actions and misfortune."

Say it.

Wang Chongyang bowed deeply to Zuo Liang.

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liang looked around in surprise. How could Wang Chongyang possibly speak such doctrines now? It was probably due to the help of the person in charge. He stood up and returned the greeting.

Wang Chongyang was startled when he saw Zuo Liang return the greeting. He quickly stepped aside and said, "Celestial Master, how can I accept your greeting? I dare not, I dare not."

Zuo Liang smiled and said, "What you have said today has taught me a lot. How can you not accept my greeting?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang was at a loss for words, only saying, "Your cultivation is shallow."

Zuo Liang said, "Having heard what Chongyang said, I know that you have become quite proficient in Taoist teachings. If you wish to go out, that is certainly feasible. However, the world outside is currently in great chaos, and I fear you may suffer disaster. Do you have any plans to deal with this?"

Wang Chongyang shook his head and said, "Try to avoid it; there is no other way."

Zuo Liang then took out the Tianpeng Ruler from his waist and handed it to Wang Chongyang, saying, "This is a treasure that my master bestowed upon me when I left the mountain to bid farewell to my master after achieving some minor success in my cultivation. It has been with me for a long time and possesses immense divine power, effective in both protection and attacking enemies. Now that I hear you are leaving, and the outside world is in chaos, if you do not have any means, I fear you will be harmed. Therefore, I will give you this treasure to protect you. With this treasure, you will surely be safe and sound, and you can travel the world freely."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang was greatly shocked and dared not accept it. He immediately bowed and said, "This is a treasure of the immortals. I absolutely dare not accept it. I, Chongyang, thank the Heavenly Master for his kindness."

Zuo Liang shook his head and said, "Just take it. There's no need to say anything more. Only with this treasure can you be protected. Otherwise, if you go out, you will surely lose your life in a foreign land."

Wang Chongyang said, "However, this is a treasure of the Celestial Master, and even more so a treasure of the Celestial Master's sect. If I were to take it, it would be an impolite act."

Zuo Liang laughed and said, "How could I be rude? Don't worry about it, just keep it."

Wang Chongyang said, "This is a treasure of the Celestial Master's sect. If I were to take it from someone else, wouldn't that be impolite?"

Zuo Liang said, "You will know in time that this is not rudeness. You should accept it. If you refuse to accept it, I cannot let you leave. If I let you leave, it will cost you your life."

Wang Chongyang still refused to accept it.

The two argued for a long time, and in the end Wang Chongyang accepted the Tianpeng Ruler. If Wang Chongyang had not accepted it, Zuo Liang would not have allowed Wang Chongyang to leave. Therefore, Wang Chongyang accepted the Tianpeng Ruler and then prepared to leave.

Upon learning that Wang Chongyang was about to leave the mansion to travel, many of his close followers came to see him off.

The group saw Wang Chongyang off, and upon arriving at the mansion, they bowed to him one by one.

Everyone said, "Brother Chongyang, you are a talented man. Although we do not understand why you would leave the mountain in this chaotic world, we believe that you must have your reasons. How can sparrows know the ambitions of a swan? We are all just sparrows."

Wang Chongyang shook his head and said, "How could I possibly accept such praise from you all?"

The group said, "We are trying to survive in this chaotic world, so we dare not go out and hide deep in the Celestial Master's Mansion. Brother Chongyang is not afraid of weapons, just as we said."

Wang Chongyang said, “Everyone has their own path. Your path lies in medicine. However, we are living in a chaotic world where war and violence harm doctors, so you cannot go out. But I am pursuing my teachings and cannot wait. I must go out. We are different, so how can we compare?”

Upon hearing this, everyone was convinced by Wang Chongyang's words and bowed respectfully. Seeing that Wang Chongyang was about to leave, they took out some silver and other valuables as travel expenses for him.

Wang Chongyang did not refuse him, knowing full well that he could not go out without money.

A servant stepped forward, took out a scroll, and handed it to Wang Chongyang, saying, "Brother Chongyang, please keep this."

Wang Chongyang asked in confusion, "What is this?"

The attendant replied, “This is a map. I obtained it by chance more than ten years ago, and it was completed more than twenty years ago. It may be somewhat inaccurate, but it can help Brother Chongyang determine the direction. Please accept it, Brother Chongyang.”

Wang Chongyang took the map and said, "Thank you for your trouble."

The attendants smiled and waved, urging Wang Chongyang to set off sooner. Wang Chongyang turned and bowed to the group of attendants, then bowed again facing Zuo Liang's residence, before turning and leaving.

Meanwhile, Zuo Liangzheng watched Wang Chongyang leave from another mountain outside the mansion. He smiled and knew in his heart that when Wang Chongyang had truly achieved something and mastered the teachings of the three schools, it would be time for him to return. This would be the third incarnation of Chongyang, and he would surely return to his rightful place.

After three lifetimes, the eldest brother should finally achieve something in his cultivation.

The Golden Elixir Path.

It can certainly be repaired.

……

More than half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Having traveled extensively outside the mountains, Wang Chongyang witnessed a chaotic and turbulent world, yet he was at a loss as to where to go. His original intention was to seek out great Confucian scholars and ask them for guidance, but now he felt like a headless fly, truly unsure how to find them.

Feeling helpless, Wang Chongyang went elsewhere, intending to find a temple and enter it to study Buddhism.

He opened the map given to him by his attendant, intending to find a temple.

After looking closely, he finally found the nearest temple.

Wang Chongyang said, "There is a temple next to me called 'Lanruo Temple'. Why don't we go there and take a look? If I walk fast enough, I can catch up with it before nightfall."

Say it.

Wang Chongyang put away the map, focused on his journey, and headed ahead.

The sun sets over the western mountains and the sky is filled with sunset.

Before nightfall, Wang Chongyang finally arrived at a deep mountain forest. He kept taking out a map to look around and confirmed that Lanruo Temple was located in this forest. He strode into the forest.

He had not gone far when he suddenly heard crying coming from the old forest on both sides.

Wang Chongyang tightened his clothes and quickened his pace. As night approached, he didn't believe that there could be crying in such an old forest. He often heard that mountain demons liked to lure people with crying and laughter so that they could share the spoils.

He ignored him and walked straight toward Old Lin.

Unexpectedly, Wang Chongyang ignored it, and the crying followed him like a shadow, constantly ringing out beside him, until it got closer and closer.

Upon seeing this, Wang Chongyang knew that the evil spirit might have entangled him, and if he didn't have some means, he might be harmed by it.

He was pondering whether there were any methods to deal with such evil spirits in the books he had read in the past, but after thinking it over and over, he could not come up with a good solution.

Wang Chongyang suddenly remembered that he had a treasure on him, the 'Tianpeng Ruler' given to him by the Heavenly Master. He took out a yellow cloth from his bundle, and wrapped the Tianpeng Ruler inside.

This was taught by the Celestial Master. If it were an ordinary Heavenly Canopy Ruler, it would need to be wrapped in black cloth, since most Heavenly Canopy Rulers are made of wood, and black represents water, and water nourishes wood, hence the use of black cloth to wrap the Heavenly Canopy Ruler. However, the Heavenly Canopy Ruler in his hand was made of black iron, which belongs to metal, so it was wrapped in yellow cloth, which corresponds to the principle of earth nourishing metal.

The moment Wang Chongyang took out the Heavenly Ruler, the crying disappeared as if it had never happened.

Wang Chongyang looked around in surprise, but the crying stopped. Holding the Heavenly Ruler, he dared not put it down and went forward.

Before long, Wang Chongyang finally arrived at a temple. He looked closely and saw a temple not far ahead of him. He saw: "An ancient temple in the Buddhist land is embedded in the clouds, mossy paths and steles cover the temple gate. Twin halls with fierce Vajra statues, nine layers of Buddhist chants pierce the clouds. A stick of sandalwood incense curls from the meditation bed, an old monk sweeps leaves as the moon invades the door."

Wang Chongyang went forward to see the old monk at the temple gate.

The old monk saw Wang Chongyang approaching, put down his broom, and looked at the Heavenly Canopy Ruler in Wang's hand with some surprise. He put his hands together and said, "Where do you come from, benefactor?"

Wang Chongyang put his hands together and said, “Master, I come from outside the mountain. I am a scholar named Wang Chongyang, courtesy name Zhiming. I wish to study Buddhism, so I came here and saw a temple. I wish to enter and pay my respects to the Buddha and study the Dharma. I hope you will allow me to do so, Master.”

Upon hearing this, the old monk said, "If Benefactor Wang wishes to study the Buddha's teachings, that is of course fine. However, please put away this weapon. This is a sacred Buddhist site, and you must not display this weapon, lest you disturb the Buddha."

Wang Chongyang glanced at the Heavenly Canopy Ruler in his hand, took a yellow cloth to wrap it, and put it behind his back. He said, "Please forgive me, Master. I was attacked by evil spirits while I was outside, and I was terrified. So I took this magic weapon to protect myself. I will put it away now."

The old monk laughed and said, "There are many evil spirits in the mountains, but this weapon of yours is not for dealing with such evil spirits. This weapon of yours is for dealing with great demons and monsters."

Wang Chongyang said, "This was a gift from a benefactor to protect me. I truly do not know what kind of treasure it is."

The old monk smiled and said, "That must be a gift from a wise man. Benefactor, please come with me and enter the temple. It is already late today, so we can discuss Buddhist matters another day. Here, evil spirits are active at night, so we should not stay here for long."

Say it.

The old monk led Wang Chongyang into the temple.

Wang Chongyang and he walked in.

As the two entered the temple, a young monk came to greet them, but the old monk simply waved his hand and personally led Wang Chongyang into the back room, where he offered him a vegetarian meal.

The old monk said, "We only have a little food to offer here. Please use it and don't find it offensive."

Wang Chongyang said, "This offering is already quite generous, and I dare not say that I find it distasteful."

The old monk smiled and nodded.

After Wang Chongyang finished eating the vegetarian meal, he took out some silver and wanted to give it to the old monk.

The old monk shook his head, stuffed the silver back into Wang Chongyang's bundle, and said, "This is a Buddhist place; one should not take such worldly money."

Wang Chongyang asked in bewilderment, "How can the temple operate without taking money?"

The old monk said, "We can barter. There are some fields outside the temple where you can go down the mountain to exchange for other things, or you can go begging for alms."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang bowed to him, recognizing his character, and asked, "May I ask what your Dharma name is, Master, and who you are from the temple?"

The old monk said, "My Buddhist name is Zhikong, and I am the abbot of Lanruo Temple."

Wang Chongyang was greatly surprised, never expecting that the old monk was the abbot. He bowed and asked, "Master Zhikong is the abbot, so why are you sweeping the ground in front of the temple alone at night? This kind of work can be done by the monks in the temple. Why does the abbot need to go there in person?"

Zhikong smiled slightly and said, "When the mind is not at peace, one sweeps leaves to calm it. However, as long as the fallen leaves continue to fall, the mind will remain unsettled."

(End of this chapter)