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

Chapter 389 Everyday Life in the City, Obsession with the Physical Body
In the city of Yangzhou, Wang Chongyang was living.

All the immortals, gods, and arhats, including the True Man, watched Wang Chongyang from the clouds above the city.

Sun Wukong said, "Eldest brother, Zhengwei has already passed the seventh test. The remaining three tests will not be very difficult for Zhengwei."

The master shook his head and smiled, "We must not be careless. It's not too late to celebrate after we've succeeded."

Sun Wukong said, "What my elder brother says makes sense. However, this is the eighth test. This eighth test is called 'Faith.' I wonder which immortal, god, or Arhat has descended to earth to help us?"

The master said, "It was Arhat Subduing Dragon who went there personally. Wukong, you can rest assured. You should know the abilities of Arhat Subduing Dragon. Among the eighteen Arhats, Arhat Subduing Dragon is the best."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong nodded, but when he looked at the Arhat, he remained silent for a moment before saying, "Elder Brother, the Arhat who subdues dragons has recently made a mistake in his cultivation. Have you noticed that there may be some trouble here?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "It is obvious that the Arhat Subduing Dragon seems to have worldly ties. It may affect his cultivation, but there is no need to worry. The Arhat Subduing Dragon will not be delayed here. However, in the future, I fear that the Arhat's cultivation may regress."

Guanyin Bodhisattva put her hands together and said, "I also know about this matter. Just as the True Man said, the Arhat who subdues dragons is currently bound by worldly ties, but his cultivation here has not changed yet. Only in the future will he encounter great trouble."

Sun Wukong scratched his head and said, "I have some connections with that Arhat who subdues dragons. Now that his cultivation has gone wrong, I am also a little worried. Bodhisattva, since you know about his cultivation, why haven't you taken any action, but instead let it go?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva smiled slightly and said, "Victorious Fighting Buddha, there is no need to worry. The time is not yet ripe. When the time comes, there will be a way to make the Dragon-Subduing Arhat settle this matter."

Sun Wukong was relieved upon hearing this.

Pigsy said from the side, "Brother, how come you also have a relationship with the Arhat who subdues dragons?"

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "You fool, you don't know this. Years ago, the Arhat who subdued the dragon helped us on our journey to the west, so we had a friendship. Later, I even reminisced with him, and our friendship is quite deep."

Pigsy suddenly laughed and said, "Brother Monkey, among all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens, there are quite a few who have a good relationship with you."

Sun Wukong said, "That's for sure."

The True Man and Guanyin Bodhisattva ignored the two and looked down at Wang Chongyang, eager to see how he would pass this eighth test, which was called 'faith'.

……

Meanwhile, in the city, Wang Chongyang was urging his horse to leave. He had stayed in the city for quite some time and had the good fortune to read many books. Now he was about to depart and continue his journey to study under three different masters.

Compared to before, Wang Chongyang appeared more composed and confident, his eyes filled with tranquility. He watched the people coming and going in the city, his heart filled with emotion.

The longer he studied, the more he understood the true meaning of the phrase "the suffering of the people." In any dynasty, whether prosperous or declining, the people are always the ones who suffer.

However, he could not help the people; the only person he could help was himself.

He can't very well drag someone along and try to teach them to read with him. Besides, even if reading could bring peace of mind, people would still face birth, aging, sickness, and death in the end. How could that convince others?

To suggest that gold and silver can save a person is utter nonsense. Unexpected wealth is most likely to cause a sudden death, which, if not physical, is mental. Gold and silver boost one's morale, and when morale is high, it easily leads to evil.

As Wang Chongyang was pondering, he suddenly looked up and saw a commotion in front of him, which surprised him.

This city is usually quiet, so why is it so noisy and chaotic today? Could it be that bandits have broken in again?

Wang Chongyang dismounted, pulled out an old man passing by, and asked, "Old sir, please wait a moment."

The old man, seeing Wang Chongyang, was somewhat anxious and asked, "Young man, why are you stopping me? There is an immortal being ahead who is providing aid. Do not stop me. I should go forward."

Wang Chongyang said, "Old sir, what I want to ask is what is happening ahead, and why is it so lively and noisy?"

The old man said, "Didn't you already say that the immortal is performing the rescue ahead? If you want to participate, hurry up and go forward."

As he spoke, the old man looked at Wang Chongyang's tall horse and said with delight, "Young man, how come you have a warhorse from the north? It's a good thing that you have such a horse. You should ride over with me and we'll be able to get ahead and listen to the immortal's teachings."

Wang Chongyang was both amused and exasperated. He said, "How exactly did you perform the rescue, Immortal Master? Please tell me, sir. If you can tell me, I will gladly lend you this horse."

The old man said, “How could you not even know this? There is an immortal who has come today to tell us something. He said that the reason we are suffering is because we are all in the sea of ​​suffering. Since we are in the sea of ​​suffering, how can we not suffer and have difficulty? The immortal has a way to save us from the sea of ​​suffering. If we can get out of the sea of ​​suffering, we will naturally no longer suffer. At that time, we can all get out of the sea of ​​suffering and become immortals or Buddhas.”

Upon hearing this talk of the sea of ​​suffering, Wang Chongyang made him ponder deeply, trying to understand its meaning. Many Buddhist and Taoist scriptures he had read mentioned the "sea of ​​suffering," but this was the first time he had heard of the idea that all sentient beings were in the sea of ​​suffering, which he found very reasonable.

Then, when the speaker said that one could escape the sea of ​​suffering and become an immortal or a Buddha, he absolutely did not believe it.

Wang Chongyang said, "Did that immortal really say that if one escapes the sea of ​​suffering, one can become an immortal or a Buddha?"

The old man smiled brightly and said, "I haven't said that before, but let me explain it this way."

Wang Chongyang felt helpless. He helped the old man up and said, "Sir, I intend to go forward, but if I ride my horse, I may hurt innocent people. I will help you go with me. I have some strength and can help you squeeze into the crowd."

The old man grumbled and complained that he couldn't squeeze in.

Wang Chongyang smiled, ignoring the old man's curses. He tied up the horse, got up and left, helping the old man forward.

Wang Chongyang moved a little closer and squeezed into the crowd, moving through it like a dragon, darting here and there, and actually managed to get to the front.

The old man followed closely behind, and seeing that he had indeed moved ahead, he was overjoyed and said, "Young man, you are truly remarkable."

Wang Chongyang smiled and said nothing more. He looked ahead and saw a person standing there. He looked like a middle-aged man wearing a Taoist robe, but he was slovenly and spoke in a somewhat crazy manner, like a mad Taoist priest.

Meanwhile, the mad Taoist priest was spouting all sorts of theories.

A member of the crowd asked, "Immortal Master, you have been speaking of the Sea of ​​Suffering, and that we are all in the Sea of ​​Suffering, but we do not know what the Sea of ​​Suffering is. Could you please explain it to us?"

The mad Taoist priest faced the crowd, shaking his head and speaking eloquently, saying, "Today I will explain to you all the suffering in the sea of ​​suffering."

“The sea of ​​suffering is the abyss of the burning house of the three realms. Sentient beings are drowning in the six realms, with ignorance as their oars and desire as their waves. They float and sink with the waves of karma and are swept away by afflictions.”

"There is no inherent suffering or joy in this world; it is all created by the mind! People are entangled by glory and profit, their nature is bound by the shackles of fame, and their spirit is restrained by the chains of gain..."

The mad Taoist priest muttered a lot of words.

The crowd, upon hearing this, did not understand what the mad Taoist was saying, but felt that what he said was very profound, and that was the meaning of "not understanding but feeling awe".

Suddenly someone asked, "Immortal Master, what is this 'Burning House of the Three Realms'?" The mad Taoist replied, "The Three Realms have two aspects. The first refers to the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man. The second refers to the three realms of the Sea of ​​Suffering: the Desire Realm, the Form Realm, and the Formless Realm. The 'Burning House' describes the Sea of ​​Suffering as a burning house, where sentient beings are trapped, unable to escape, and suffering from the scorching fire, finding it difficult to flee."

Upon hearing this, everyone finally understood what he meant.

Someone else asked, "Immortal Master, what are the Six Realms?"

The mad Taoist priest said, "The six realms are the six paths of reincarnation, namely, the realms of gods, humans, asuras, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell."

The group engaged in a question-and-answer session with the mad Taoist priest, discussing the matter of the Sea of ​​Suffering.

Wang Chongyang listened attentively as the mad Taoist spoke of the Sea of ​​Suffering, and deeply felt that what the mad Taoist said made a lot of sense. This taught him a detailed understanding of the Sea of ​​Suffering. This mad Taoist was not handsome, but his knowledge was remarkable. Even someone like Wang Chongyang, who had never truly studied, could understand the meaning of what he heard.

Suddenly someone spoke up, saying, "As the immortal has said, the sea of ​​suffering is extremely difficult. But I wonder if the immortal has any way to save us and teach us to leave that sea of ​​suffering?"

The mad Taoist priest smiled broadly and said, "As for methods, of course, we have them, of course we have them."

As he spoke, he took out a pill from his pocket and said, "If you swallow this pill, it will help you escape from suffering. Just swallow it and you will see immediate results and be able to leave the sea of ​​suffering."

Upon hearing this, the crowd went mad, crying out, "Please, Immortal Master, have mercy on us! Please, Immortal Master, have mercy on us! Give us the elixir and let us escape this sea of ​​suffering!"

An official spoke up, saying, "Immortal Master, I am the magistrate of this county, but if you give me this pill, I will certainly treat you well."

One merchant said, "If the immortal is willing to give me this pill, I am willing to exchange it for a hundred gold pieces."

Every aspect of daily life in the city can be seen here.

Wang Chongyang stared at the mad Taoist priest in silence. He had no intention of going forward to compete for it, but he was still pondering what the mad Taoist priest had said earlier.

Suddenly the mad Taoist priest spoke up, saying, "Gentlemen, there is no need to fight, no need to fight. If you are willing to take it, then everyone will have a share. There is no need to exchange it for such riches and gold and silver."

Upon hearing this, the group was overjoyed and immediately asked the mad Taoist priest to bestow upon them pills, for which they were extremely grateful.

The mad Taoist priest smiled without saying a word, simply staring intently at the group.

The assembled Taoist priests, somewhat bewildered, asked, "Why does the immortal remain silent? Could it be that we have acted disrespectfully?"

The mad Taoist shook his head, feigning a sigh, and then said, "This pill can indeed free people from suffering, but there is a side effect to swallowing it. I'm afraid that if you hear about it, you will be afraid and unwilling to swallow it."

The crowd asked, "Please tell us, Immortal Master. If it can free us from the sea of ​​suffering, how could we be afraid? We are willing to swallow it."

The mad Taoist said, “Since you are not afraid, then I will speak frankly. This pill can help people escape from the sea of ​​suffering, but it contains a great poison. If you swallow this pill, you can escape from the sea of ​​suffering, but the poison will cause your physical body to perish, leaving only your soul. This soul will be reincarnated after escaping the sea of ​​suffering. Only in the next life can you attain true freedom.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was terrified and took several steps back in unison, feeling a wave of fear. They had actually listened to this mad Taoist priest for so long, talking about the sea of ​​suffering and liberation. They had been blinded by greed and could not recognize the truth.

To say that one can escape the sea of ​​suffering while waiting for death is utterly absurd and utter nonsense.

Upon realizing they were about to die, they immediately left without hesitation.

The large group of people who had been there disappeared in a short time, leaving only Wang Chongyang standing in the same spot.

The mad Taoist priest saw Wang Chongyang and said with a smile, "They have all left, why haven't you left yet?"

Wang Chongyang shook his head and said, "I feel that what the immortal says makes sense, so I will listen to him here. Why do you want to leave?"

The mad Taoist said, "They have all left. If you were an ordinary person, you would have followed them. But you are an exception and did not follow the crowd."

Wang Chongyang said, "Why follow the crowd? Now, after hearing what you have said, I understand the meaning of the sea of ​​suffering. You are truly a virtuous and genuine cultivator."

The mad Taoist priest laughed incessantly and said, "I took this pill, which is extremely poisonous. I told people that swallowing the poison is the only way to escape suffering. Yet you claim that I am a true cultivator of the Tao. Are you not afraid?"

Wang Chongyang said, "If what the immortal says is true, then there is nothing to fear."

The mad Taoist priest asked, "What do you mean by that? Tell me in detail."

Wang Chongyang said, “The physical body is inherently bound. If it can truly be exchanged for the opportunity to escape the sea of ​​suffering and disaster, what difficulty is there in giving up this physical body? As for what you call fear, how can you know that this fear is your fear, not the fear of your physical body? People’s fear of death is the ability of the physical body, but it is not my ability, so I have never been afraid.”

Upon hearing this, the mad Taoist laughed again and handed the pill to Wang Chongyang, saying, "If you are truly not afraid, then swallow this pill."

Wang Chongyang took the pill and was about to swallow it.

The mad Taoist priest stopped him, saying, "You should think carefully. If you swallow this pill, there will be no turning back. You will surely be harmed by the poison of the pill."

Wang Chongyang laughed and said, "If one can escape the sea of ​​suffering as the immortal has said, what is there to fear in abandoning the physical body?"

Say it.

Wang Chongyang swallowed the pill without the slightest hesitation.

The mad Taoist priest was shocked to see Wang Chongyang swallow it in one gulp. He knew that this eighth test of faith could not stump Wang Chongyang. This broken physical body's obsession was beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Wang Chongyang swallowed the pill and closed his eyes to await the death of his physical body.

He waited for a long time but saw no change in his body. He opened his eyes again and asked, "Immortal Master, why has my physical body not died?"

The mad Taoist priest suddenly acted like a madman and said, "I was just talking nonsense, but I never thought someone as stupid as you would believe me! You really are a fool, a real fool! I won't say any more to you, lest your foolishness afflict me, so I'll be leaving now."

Say it.

The mad Taoist priest turned and left.

Wang Chongyang stopped him and said, "Why is the immortal in such a posture? I see that the immortal's eyes are clear and bright. He is not someone who teases others, much less someone who is crazy."

The mad Taoist priest ignored everything and headed out of the city, unwilling to say another word to Wang Chongyang.

Wang Chongyang could not stop him and could only watch helplessly as the mad Taoist left. He examined his body and found no change. He sighed softly, turned around, and went to lead his horse away.

(End of this chapter)