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

Chapter 392 What is seen is a sea of ​​suffering; the three calamities will soon dissipate.
In the cave dwelling of Mount Xiyi, Wang Chongyang was explaining the doctrines of the three schools of thought when he suddenly realized that Jiang Yuan's Dharma name was Guangxin, and the Buddha's Dharma name was also Guangxin.

Wang Chongyang stopped abruptly, at a loss for words.

The Master was listening to Wang Chongyang expound on the doctrines of the three schools when he suddenly saw him stop talking. He said, "Why did you stop? Is there something you don't understand, and therefore find it difficult to explain?"

Wang Chongyang was startled and asked, "Is the immortal Buddha?"

The man smiled and said, "Why do you ask such a question?"

Wang Chongyang bowed respectfully and said, "To be honest, Immortal, I once visited a temple called Lanruo Temple. In the main hall of the temple, two Buddhas were enshrined, one named 'Tathagata' and the other 'Guangxin'. I asked the abbot of Lanruo Temple, and he said that Guangxin was the Buddha. Now I hear that you, Immortal, also have this Dharma name, so I humbly ask, are you the Buddha?"

Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "Just as you thought, if you speak of Buddha, then it is me."

Wang Chongyang was greatly moved and surprised. He bowed again and said, "I have not been worthy of the Buddha's presence. I have been very disrespectful."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Whether it's Buddha or immortal, it's still a cultivator. You don't need to be so polite. Tell me more about how you've learned from the three schools of thought."

Wang Chongyang trembled with excitement. After a long while, he finally calmed his mind and said, "Although the three schools of thought differ in their words, they are of the same principle. The Confucian 'Mandate of Heaven,' the Daoist 'Great Way,' and the Buddhist 'True Suchness' all refer to the essence of the universe. The Confucian 'Self-discipline and Restoration of Propriety,' the Daoist 'Fasting of the Mind and Sitting in Oblivion,' and the Buddhist 'Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom' all lead to the cultivation of one's mind and nature."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan pondered for a moment, then smiled and asked, "As you say, the three families should be unified and complement each other, is that right?"

Wang Chongyang nodded and said, "Indeed."

Jiang Yuan then said, "In that case, please explain to me in detail how they complement each other, rather than just giving a brief explanation."

Wang Chongyang bowed and said, "If the immortal wishes to know, I will certainly tell you."

Jiang Yuan waved his hand and said, "There's no need to call me an immortal. You can just call me Mr. Sheng."

Wang Chongyang did not refuse and addressed him respectfully as "Sir".

Jiang Yuan nodded and instructed him to explain the three schools of thought to him.

Wang Chongyang then said: "The three schools complement each other, which are nothing more than using Buddhism to cultivate the mind, Taoism to govern the body, and Confucianism to govern the world. Thus, Confucianism upholds the fundamental principles and establishes the standard for people in daily life and ethics. The order of ruler and subject, father and son, and the system of rites, music, punishments and administration provide a place for all people to rely on. Taoism values ​​longevity and nourishes life within the creation of Yin and Yang. The techniques of breathing exercises and the methods of purifying and reducing desires enable people to be in harmony with Heaven and Earth. Buddhism understands cause and effect and transcends the cycle of birth and death and karmic consciousness. The methods of meditation, contemplation, and the vows of loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity enable people to transcend physical appearances. These three are the essential principles of mutual complementation."

"Therefore, the three stand like a tripod, and none can be missing. If Confucianism does not have the transcendence of Buddhism and Taoism, it will be bound by utilitarianism; if Buddhism and Taoism do not have the pragmatism of Confucianism, they will become empty and superficial."

After Wang Chongyang finished speaking, he said nothing more.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan smiled and nodded, saying, "It's acceptable."

Wang Chongyang asked, "Sir, is there anything I have said that is inadequate?"

Jiang Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "If there is anything lacking, there is. However, you are now an ordinary person, and your perspective is somewhat different. Therefore, from the perspective of an ordinary person, what you have said is already quite good and there is nothing lacking."

Wang Chongyang asked, puzzled, "Sir, is there a difference between an ordinary person and an extraordinary person?"

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "There are differences, but if you cultivate, your vision will naturally be different. When you are in the sea of ​​suffering, all you see is the sea of ​​suffering. How can they be the same?"

Wang Chongyang seemed to be deep in thought. After a long while, he asked, "Sir, some time ago, I saw a mad Taoist priest in a city. He also talked about the Sea of ​​Bitterness, but I never understood what the Sea of ​​Bitterness was. I wonder if you could tell me, sir. I would be extremely grateful."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan said, "Walk back forty-nine steps, and you will see the Sea of ​​Bitterness."

Without hesitation, Wang Chongyang rose and bowed to the True Man. He then walked backward, silently chanting in his heart. But after taking forty-nine steps, he stopped.

Wang Chongyang looked up and saw that from this vantage point, he could see the outer world, a city beyond the mountains, and further into the distance, he could still see another city. He was puzzled.

Jiang Yuan asked, "What did you see?"

Wang Chongyang turned around and replied, "I can see mountains, water, cities, and people."

Jiang Yuan smiled and nodded, saying, "This is the Sea of ​​Bitterness."

Wang Chongyang was taken aback and asked, "What is the explanation for this?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "There is no solution. What you see is a sea of ​​suffering."

Wang Chongyang said, "Sir, could it be that this world is nothing but a sea of ​​suffering?"

Jiang Yuan nodded without saying anything more.

Wang Chongyang remained silent for a long time, realizing that what the True Man said was true. Everyone in the world was in a sea of ​​suffering. This applies equally to all, regardless of whether they are commoners, powerful families, kings, or nobles; all are in a sea of ​​suffering.

All they did was struggle in a sea of ​​suffering.

Wang Chongyang suddenly looked up and asked, "Sir, is there no way to dispel this sea of ​​suffering?"

Jiang Yuan laughed and said, "Difficult, difficult, difficult. If the sea of ​​suffering were easy to overcome, what sea of ​​suffering would there be in this world?"

Wang Chongyang asked, "Sir, if that's the case, how can one be considered to be outside the sea of ​​suffering?"

Jiang Yuan said, "When you attain freedom, you will be free from the sea of ​​suffering."

Wang Chongyang said, "Being at ease is equivalent to being free from suffering. If that's the case, then many ordinary people should be free from suffering."

Jiang Yuan smiled and asked, "What do you mean?"

Wang Chongyang said, “I have read in books that during the Tang Dynasty, there was a prosperous Kaiyuan era. At that time, the common people were very free and easy. There are many poems that praise it, such as ‘Remembering the prosperous Kaiyuan era, even small towns had ten thousand households’ and ‘The palace gates of the nine heavens opened, and the officials of all nations paid homage to the emperor’s crown.’ There are countless such sayings, which are enough to show its strength. At that time, the common people could be free and easy, and the kings and nobles should also be free and easy.”

Jiang Yuan, still smiling, asked, "What happened after the Kaiyuan era of prosperity?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang fell silent. After the prosperous Kaiyuan era came the An Lushan Rebellion, and the fate of the Li Tang dynasty was sealed.

Jiang Yuan smiled again and asked, "How are those people from back then doing now?"

Wang Chongyang remained silent, seemingly aware that he had made a mistake in what he said.

Jiang Yuan pointed at Wang Chongyang, smiled, and said, "What about the Sea of ​​Suffering? When your knowledge is profound, you may know how to truly resolve the Sea of ​​Suffering."

Wang Chongyang said, "Sir, may I follow you to continue learning?"

Jiang Yuan smiled and asked, "I didn't chase you away, so why do you say that?"

Wang Chongyang replied, "But I have already learned here for more than two months, so I am worried that you might bother me and send me away." Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "You can rest assured. Two months is nothing to me. How could it bother you? You are still far from reaching the age of sixty. And the age of sixty is only sixty. For me, sixty is just a short while of sitting quietly. There is no calendar in the mountains, and one does not know the years when the cold ends. This is no exaggeration."

Wang Chongyang said, "I know that you are an immortal or a Buddha. Such time is nothing to you."

Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "Therefore, you should just focus on learning from me and don't worry about anything else."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang bowed deeply, expressing his gratitude to the True Man.

Jiang Yuan said, “You sit here and I will tell you some scriptures. Now I see you talking about the three schools of thought. Your understanding of Taoism is still shallow. I will tell you, listen carefully and remember it well.”

Wang Chongyang bowed respectfully, then sat down and listened attentively.

Jiang Yuan then said, "In terms of profound application, the Taoist school lies in the Golden Elixir."

"The Golden Elixir originated from the primordial chaos. In the beginning of the primordial chaos, Yin and Yang were first separated. The restless mind and wandering thoughts were restrained by the Mysterious Female, and lead and mercury were refined by the Xuanji. The Yellow Woman was stationed in the center, and they were united in the Dantian. By going back up the flow, one can explore its mysteries."

"The Way of the Golden Elixir is not merely about achieving immortality; it is truly a method of cultivating the mind. It involves refining the physical body externally and nourishing the spirit internally. The Golden Duke and the Wood Mother are merely metaphors for Yin and Yang, and the Yellow Woman in the spleen is nothing but the pivot of creation. If one can subdue the restless mind and tame the wild horse of will, then heaven and earth will be the furnace, and creation will be the craftsman..."

Jiang Yuan discussed the Dao of the Golden Elixir with Wang Chongyang.

When Wang Chongyang first heard this, he was completely baffled and had no idea what the master meant, as he had never studied such things before.

He didn't understand, but listening to what the master said, he felt a little happy. He felt very comfortable listening to this. He didn't know why, and he wanted to ask, but seeing the master's appearance, he could only keep quiet and listen.

……

Amidst the clouds and mist, the two were astonished to see the immortal discussing the Great Dao of Golden Elixir with Wang Chongyang.

Pigsy shouted, "Master, you're in a bit of a hurry. Why are you talking to Zhengwei about the Golden Elixir at this time? This is not right. I'm afraid Zhengwei won't understand what you're talking about."

Sun Wukong said, “Fool, why are you in such a hurry? But since my senior brother has said this, there is a reason for it, so there is no need to say more. Nephew Zhengwei can listen at this time. If you can remember a ten or twenty percent of what you hear, it will be helpful when you cultivate the Golden Elixir in the future.”

Pigsy said, “But we can talk about it another day. It’s enough for me to remember this knowledge. If we talk about the Golden Elixir Dao again, it might be too much for me.”

Sun Wukong said, “Fool, stop talking. If we’re talking about cultivation, my senior brother is far superior to you. There must be a reason why he’s on this journey. Now that he’s talking about the true path of the Golden Elixir, why aren’t you listening? Since he hasn’t told us to leave, he’s allowing us to listen in. You should listen.”

Pigsy shook his head and said, "Brother, I'm not here to cultivate a golden elixir, so why listen to this? It's useless, it's useless. It's better not to listen."

Sun Wukong looked at Zhu Bajie meaningfully and said, "Fool, since the righteous path of the Golden Elixir is useless, and you look down on the unorthodox methods, what are you trying to do?"

Pigsy said, "Brother, I know what I'm doing, so don't worry."

Sun Wukong said, "I hope you really know what you're doing."

As he spoke, Sun Wukong looked outside and said, "I have observed that the aura of the three calamities in the Southern Continent has been gradually dissipating recently, which may indicate that this great chaos is about to subside."

Pigsy said, “Brother, since I started cultivating, the rulers of the human world have changed many times. In the past, there was the Zhou emperor, who was very powerful. Then there was the First Emperor, who was also very powerful for a time. And there was Emperor Taizong of Tang, who was at the height of his power. But the changes have never stopped. Why do you say this? There’s no need to mention it.”

Sun Wukong shook his head and said, "The sea of ​​suffering is boundless, so it is rare to find peace in the human world. However, compared to this chaos, peace is better. Even a moment of peace is much better than great chaos."

Pigsy said, “Since that’s the case, and now Brother Monkey says that the three calamities of the Southern Continent are about to be eliminated, and that a great ruler will emerge to end the war, why don’t you go and help? If the two armies are facing each other, Brother Monkey’s golden cudgel will surely defeat the enemy.”

Sun Wukong grabbed Zhu Bajie's fan-shaped ear and said, "Fool, why should I, Old Sun, interfere in such matters? You're talking nonsense!"

talking.

Sun Wukong drew his golden cudgel, ready to strike Zhu Bajie.

Pigsy quickly dodged and fled forward on a cloud.

Sun Wukong pursued him closely, refusing to let him go.

The two bickered and teased each other, but let's leave that aside for now.

……

Time flies, and one or two years have passed since Wang Chongyang began studying with the immortals in the mountains.

The longer Wang Chongyang followed the True Man and learned the three schools of thought, the more he could feel the profound knowledge within the True Man. At first, he thought it was quite impressive, and with some time, he would surely have easily mastered it with his wisdom. But after learning more than half of it, he realized just how terrifying the True Man's knowledge was, making him feel like a mayfly seeing the blue sky.

Wang Chongyang now deeply felt that the True Man's knowledge was extraordinary. If he were to try to learn all of the True Man's knowledge now, he feared that even by the time his lifespan ended, he would not be able to learn even one or two tenths of it.

He felt uneasy when he studied this for the second year.

His unease stemmed from a deep sense that when his time came, he feared he would not be able to witness profound knowledge. He was not afraid of death, but he feared not being able to see even more profound knowledge.

If he had never encountered such profound knowledge, he would have simply died.

But now he has seen such knowledge, which teaches him how to affirm his heart.

One day, when Wang Chongyang was learning something, he was distracted, so the immortal asked Wang Chongyang a question.

After much hesitation, Wang Chongyang finally told the real person what had happened.

Upon hearing this, the Master laughed and said, "You are aware of your lifespan and are unwilling to abandon your learning. Is that so?"

Wang Chongyang said, "Now that I have seen such profound knowledge, I realize that there is such knowledge in the world. I fear that my lifespan will not be long enough for me to learn all of it."

The immortal nodded and said, "If you feel your lifespan is insufficient, I can grant you some more years."

Wang Chongyang said, "Sir, please don't joke with me. Lifespan is something ordained by Heaven. How can it be given away so easily?"

Jiang Yuan laughed and said, "How can I tease you? I have some connections with the Ten Kings of Hell. If I ask, they will give me face and add a few years to your lifespan. However, my lifespan is not something that comes for free. If you are willing to give up your knowledge, I can give you more lifespan. Not to mention adding a few years, adding a hundred years would be possible."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongyang shook his head without the slightest hesitation and said, "Sir, I absolutely do not wish to abandon my knowledge. Please do not despise my stupidity and refuse to pass on your knowledge to me. You said that knowledge can be exchanged for lifespan. Forgive my rudeness, but knowledge is priceless and lifespan is incomparable. I absolutely do not wish to exchange it for knowledge."

The immortal heard his words, smiled and nodded, and asked, "Are you truly not regretful? You should know that emperors often seek longevity, because longevity is hard to come by."

Wang Chongyang kowtowed and said, "I have no regrets!"

(End of this chapter)