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

Chapter 444 Ten Thousand Immortals Pay Homage, Spring Grass Unaware of Kings and Nobles Changing
When the True Man opened his mansion, the Three Realms were shaken. His decree was secretly carried by the east wind, and all those who had a karmic connection with him felt it. Countless gods and ancient immortals paid homage to him.

Lingtai Fangcun Mountain is located in Xiniuhezhou, not far from the Buddhist Lingshan. Therefore, now that the True Man has established his residence, Lingshan will naturally know about it.

One day, at the Great Thunderclap Temple, the World-Honored One Tathagata ascended the highest lotus throne in the Great Hero Hall, with Buddhas, Arhats, Gatekeepers, Bodhisattvas, Vajras, monks, nuns, and other beings below him.

However, this place is not as grand as before; there are not as many Arhats, Gatekeepers, and other Buddhas as there were before. Looking around, the seats for Arhats and Bodhisattvas are empty, the halls are spacious, and the echoing footsteps only accentuate the desolation.

Occasionally, radiant light would emanate from outside, causing all the Buddhas to turn their heads and see that the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain was indeed a place where "the rosy clouds soared into the sky and auspicious mists covered the layered peaks," a stark contrast to the desolation of the Mahavira Hall.

The Buddha, with his all-seeing eye, immediately understood the situation and smiled, saying, "This is a sign that the Great Mind True Man has opened his mansion and his great Dharma power has been accomplished. In the past, I thought that the True Man's attainment of the Dao was like a dream. Now, the True Man has already attained great Dharma power, shaking the Three Realms. In the next life, he will be revered. Fortunately, he will be regarded as the Zen Patriarch, and he will have an inexplicable affinity with the Buddha's teachings."

The Buddhas, monks, and other assembly remained silent.

The True Man's decree of Xiniu Hezhou can suppress demons and evil spirits; its power is overwhelming. Countless small countries have toppled golden statues of the True Man and worshipped him. Even within the same continent, the True Man's power will shake the sacred mountain.

The Buddha said, "Congratulations to the True Man."

The Buddhas replied, "Namo Maitreya Buddha. Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva has already led many Buddhas to congratulate the True Man."

The Buddha said, “Now that I am leaving, I have already sensed that I will soon enter the cycle of reincarnation. Why don’t you go there to congratulate the True Man?”

The Buddhas rose and bowed, saying, "We wish to follow the World-Honored One into the cycle of rebirth."

The Buddha remained silent, smiled slightly, and softly recited Buddhist teachings.

It is the Dharma of Nirvana.

……

Meanwhile, in the Netherworld, 'Golden flames blazed, tearing through the nine netherworlds; ten thousand rays of crimson light pierced the mysterious window. A thousand layers of ghostly fires were extinguished, and a hundred-foot-tall iron city crumbled with a deafening roar. The judge's pen fell, burning the registers; oxen and horses fell silent, their chains trembling.'

The Ten Kings of Hell emerged from the netherworld, their crowns bowed low, and prostrated themselves before the outside world, saying, "We have not heard of any decree from Heaven, so why does divine light shine upon the netherworld?"

Then Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva appeared and said, “This is not a decree from Heaven, but the Great Power of the Perfected One of Broad Mind, which has led to the opening of his palace. This movement is reflected in the Heavenly Palace and shines down into the Underworld. There is no need to be alarmed.”

The Ten Kings of Hell were all astonished and terrified, saying, "In the past, we had a karmic connection with the True Man, and he would randomly take the True Man's soul from the dead. Fortunately, the karmic connection was resolved early on, which is a great blessing."

Ksitigarbha laughed and said, "You all have some good fortune to offer. If you had not settled your karma in the past, I fear that the meager karma here would have become a heinous crime."

The Ten Kings of Hell said tremblingly, "The karma from the past has been exhausted. In all these years, we have followed the decree of the True Man and have never again wrongly taken people."

Ksitigarbha smiled without saying a word.

……

Throughout the Three Realms, whether it be the Heavenly Palace, the Underworld, or the Four Great Continents, all were alarmed by the True Man's opening of his residence.

The Jade Emperor, the Great Heavenly Venerable, had long been aware of the commotion in the Lingxiao Palace of the Heavenly Court. He dispatched two generals, Shunfeng Er and Qianli Yan, along with numerous spirit officials, to investigate the matter.

The gods reported back, telling the Jade Emperor about the True Man's attainment of great magical power and the establishment of his own residence.

Upon learning this, the Jade Emperor laughed and said, "The True Man will eventually return to his place. Having attained true cultivation, he will be ranked among the immortals, which makes me extremely happy."

All the civil and military officials bowed and congratulated the Jade Emperor on obtaining the titles of 'General and Minister'.

The Jade Emperor asked, "Since you attained enlightenment, you have devoted yourself to cultivation and now possess great magical power. Has ten thousand years passed in the mortal realm?"

The two generals replied, "Even ten thousand years cannot compare to a fraction of that time."

The Jade Emperor said, “In the past, when I invited you, you always declined, saying you were in seclusion to cultivate. Now that you have accomplished your goal, I will personally instruct you to return to your position. However, you should now establish your own residence. Your return to your position should not be rushed. It will not be too late to return to your position after you have finished establishing your residence.”

"Today, a celestial being has been sent down to the mortal realm with gifts to congratulate the True Man on my behalf."

The Heavenly Emperor pondered for a moment, then lowered his curtain and proclaimed: "By imperial decree, effective immediately, for one day only, the Southern Heavenly Gate will be opened. All who wish to descend to the mortal realm to congratulate the True Man on his accomplishment may do so."

The celestial officials were astonished by the Jade Emperor's decree, and bowed in reverence, praising his benevolence.

Sometimes celestial beings would descend to the mortal realm, and immortals and gods who wished to pay homage would also descend to the mortal realm.

……

The story takes place in the Lingtai Fangcun Mountain. The True Man, having attained great magical power, opened his own mansion. His decree spread throughout the Three Realms, and countless celestial auras arose from outside the mansion, dazzling the eyes of Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Zhenjian, and others who were guarding the mansion.

What they saw was auspicious clouds arriving from the mist outside the mansion, and the tinkling of jade pendants and the clear cries of phoenixes and cranes in the sky. This was the sign of the approaching immortals and gods.

Pigsy looked outside and, seeing this, exclaimed in surprise, "Who is this deity who has arrived? Why such a grand entrance? Brother Monkey, do you know?"

Sun Wukong opened his fiery eyes wide and looked outside, saying, "It's not just one group of immortals coming; there are probably many."

Pigsy said, "Brother, back then, only a few gods and bodhisattvas were invited by the immortal. How come so many gods and immortals have come today?"

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "I'm afraid all the gods and Buddhas in heaven know that you, my elder brother, have now achieved great success and established your own domain, and have also attained great magical power. Therefore, they have come uninvited to congratulate you on your success. Such people are certainly worthy of congratulations. It is not surprising that such immortals have come."

Zhenjian put his hands together and laughed, "We must not tarnish the prestige of our mansion. Bajie, junior brother, you two must not cause any more trouble."

Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie both responded, saying, "We understand."

Wang Chongyang stood beside Red Boy and said, "From today onwards, the manor will gradually become more lively. We will be the senior brothers in the manor. Zhengci, you must pay attention to your image and not lose your prestige."

Red Boy scratched his head and said, "Senior Brother, I have always been the youngest in the family, but now that Master has established his own family, I am now the senior brother. I am not used to this teaching and I am afraid that it will tarnish my reputation. How should I behave? Senior Brother, please teach me."

Wang Chongyang smiled and was about to say something more.

Sun Wukong suddenly stepped forward and said with a smile, "Nephew, if you want to talk about composure and authority, why don't you come and ask your old master for advice? Your old master knows the ins and outs and can tell you."

Upon hearing this, Red Boy bowed and said, "Uncle, if you know anything, please tell me. I would be extremely grateful." Sun Wukong smiled and nodded, then took Red Boy aside and began to tell him.

Wang Chongyang watched the two talk, remaining expressionless, while pondering many things in his heart.

Zhenjian walked to his side, seemingly noticing that he had something on his mind, and asked with a smile, "Nephew, why do you seem so troubled? Is there something troubling you? If so, you can tell me, and perhaps I can help you resolve your doubts."

Wang Chongyang looked at Zhenjian, pondered for a moment, and said, "Uncle-Master, I am troubled. Master is about to establish his own academy. In the past, Master inherited the mantle of the Ancestral Master and possessed profound magical power. Now, I will inherit Master's mantle and become the eldest disciple of the academy. Since Master established his academy, many disciples will surely come. As the eldest disciple, I should set an example for the disciples. However, my magical power is currently weak and I am unable to set an example. If the disciples come and see me like this, how can they accept me as the eldest disciple? Therefore, I have some concerns. Please forgive my apologies, Uncle-Master."

Zhenjian gently shook his head and said, "Zhengwei, do you know the details of how I entered the mountain to study?"

Wang Chongyang shook his head and said, "I know a little, but only a little; I don't know the details."

Zhen Jian laughed and said, "Years ago, when I entered the mountain, I thought my senior brother must be highly skilled. However, after observing him closely, I didn't see any special abilities. I was somewhat disdainful and felt that he was unworthy of his reputation. Later, I learned some minor skills and thought that I had mastered profound techniques and had attained enlightenment. I was complacent and left the mountain, causing a lot of trouble. I was chased by a demon and fled back into the mountain, hoping to ask my master for help. However, my master was not in the mountain. At that time, I really thought that my life was over. But I never expected that my ordinary senior brother would show his skills for the first time, kill the demon, and save my life."

"Only after that did I realize that my senior brother's abilities were far beyond my comprehension. Before I began my cultivation, I regarded my senior brother as an equal. When I first glimpsed the path of cultivation, I regarded my senior brother as my peer. When I achieved some success in my cultivation, I regarded my senior brother as a gnat looking at the Milky Way. Now that I have achieved success in my cultivation, looking back, it is truly like a gnat trying to knock on the nine heavens."

“Nephew, I am speaking to you today not to advise you or to ask you to do anything, but to tell you that you should cultivate your own path and not care about others. But when you have achieved success in your cultivation in the future, how many people will be left in your sect? Of those who are left, who should not call you senior brother?”

"I will give you a poem, and you should listen carefully."

"I once saw vermilion gates and golden steps, where lavish banquets were held with music and revelry. Suddenly, I heard that moss grew on the beams and pillars, and spider webs hung empty on the old plaques. The spring grass, unaware of the changing of kings and nobles, still sprouts new green against the ruins. All who stand in the setting sun are but passersby, and the mountains and rivers silently reflect the past and present."

"When you achieve the Golden Elixir in the future, you will be the senior brother. People will come and go, but you don't need to pay attention to them."

Say it.

Zhenjian walked away to the side without saying another word.

Wang Chongyang was somewhat lost in thought, and said in a low voice, "Does Chuncao not know that kings and nobles have changed?"

He bowed to the place where he had seen the truth, and thus understood the meaning of the words.

After Sun Wukong finished speaking with Red Boy, he walked over to Wang Chongyang, intending to strike up a conversation with him.

Before Sun Wukong could say anything, he suddenly looked up and saw that the auspicious clouds were already close to Lingtai Fangcun Mountain.

Sometimes, a gentle spring breeze would secretly pass by, and the Dharma voice would emerge.

"Wukong, Zhenjian, you two should greet the guests in my presence and lead them to the pavilion in the mansion. I have prepared a banquet, and the gates are now open. All who enter must be treated with courtesy and must not be impolite."

Sun Wukong and the others all responded, saying, "We obey the decree."

Sun Wukong straightened his posture, took out his armor, swung his golden cudgel, and stood majestically outside the mansion with Zhenjian and the others to welcome the guests.

Bull Demon King, Pigsy, and the others dared not be careless and straightened their postures. In an instant, the scene in front of the mansion gate was magnificent.

After straightening his posture, Sun Wukong looked towards the heavens and saw the Queen Mother of the West arriving on her nine-colored cloud chariot, with a blue phoenix in front and fair maidens attending her. He also saw Laozi arriving on auspicious purple clouds, with black cranes dancing gracefully and cinnabar mist rising. With a light sweep of his whisk, the heavens and earth became clear, and his treasure gourd shone with hidden light, revealing profound mysteries.

Looking behind the two, countless immortals and deities were approaching. The Big Dipper Star Lord, resplendent in his crown, walked with such grace that the Milky Way shimmered and the heavens seemed to gleam. The Dragon Kings of the Four Seas arrived in unison, filled with awe and reverence. The Five Sacred Mountains Emperors appeared majestically, Mount Tai holding a jade tablet, Mount Heng holding a jade tablet, Mount Hua holding a scepter, Mount Heng holding an imperial seal, and Mount Song presenting a map. The essence of the mountains condensed into auspicious clouds. The Great Immortal Zhen Yuanzi was overjoyed, praising the true Dharma. Maitreya Buddha, accompanied by boundless light, paid homage to the Zen Patriarch. The River God, riding a black turtle, arrived on the azure waves. The gods of thunder and the immortals of the ten continents and three islands arrived in a dazzling array, some riding strange beasts, some treading auspicious clouds, and some wielding swords.

Sun Wukong and the others were astonished to see so many immortals and gods arrive, for they had never seen such a gathering of immortals and gods, all to congratulate one person.

After his initial surprise, Sun Wukong said, "Everyone be careful! These are all here for our eldest brother. We must not be careless and lest we lose face."

Zhenjian put his hands together and said, "Wukong, Niu Wang, Bajie, the three of you and I will wait here in front of the gate for the arrival of others. Zhengwei, you wait for the arrival of the immortals and gods, and welcome them inside. Under no circumstances should you be impolite."

Sun Wukong said, "Brother, I understand."

Bull Demon King, Wang Chongyang, and others also spoke from the sidelines, keeping their eyes peeled and not daring to be careless.

A host of immortals and deities arrived from all directions and descended upon Lingtai Fangcun Mountain. The arrival of countless immortals and deities caused auspicious mist to swirl around the mountain, and for a time, even the mountain's spirit beasts paid homage.

Just as the immortals arrived at the gate of the mansion, they saw that from the gate there was a mountain path leading outwards. On both sides of the mountain path, rare flowers and jade grasses were exuding fragrance, and ancient cypress and pine trees were adorned with garlands.

This is a manifestation of the profound and mysterious power of a true immortal, used to welcome the immortals and gods.

A host of immortals, gods, and Buddhas arrived, with Laozi (Taishang Laojun) at the head.

Beside the tree, the green ox carrying the oranges was overjoyed to see Laozi. It threw down its spear, picked up the half-eaten orange, and walked up to Laozi, saying, "Master, Master! I'm so glad to see you. It's been so long, I've missed you terribly."

Laozi, holding his whisk, smiled slightly and said, "Niu'er, your concern for me makes me happy. Since that's the case, after this matter is settled, you will return to Tushita Heaven with me, and then we can talk about this concern again."

The green ox's face stiffened, and he said, "Master, I'm not really that worried. There's no need to return to the Tushita Heaven. Meeting here is enough to ease my longing. I'll ask you to use some oranges, and in return, please let me play in the mountains."

Say it.

The green ox lifted the orange, intending to hand it to Laozi.

Laozi pointed at the green ox, smiled, and said, "Keep this orange for yourself. As for whether you can stay here, I will ask the True Man when I meet him. If he mentions that you have caused any trouble, I will take you back to Tushita Heaven and punish you severely. If you behave yourself, I will leave you here without any problem."

Upon hearing this, Qingniu panicked for a moment. He carefully considered whether he had offended the real person in any way over the years.

But upon closer reflection, he realized that there was no such talent. Over the years, the Master had rarely left his residence, and he had rarely spoken of offending the Master when they met. Therefore, there should be no problem here.

The blue ox breathed a sigh of relief and finally felt at ease.

Laozi even allowed the green ox to enter his palace with him.

The blue ox should follow.

(End of this chapter)