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

Chapter 50: Establishing the Tripod
There is a saying that 'there are winds in all four seasons: gentle breeze in spring, fragrant breeze in summer, golden wind in autumn and northerly wind in winter, all of which are the rotation of monsoons'. Ever since Jiang Tong'er learned the secret of Taoism from his master, the monsoon has rotated for eight times, and unknowingly eight years have passed.

Jiang Yuan was not in a hurry to "set up the cauldron and burn medicine". When all five people were gathered, he realized that his soul was tired. His soul was not relaxed, and his essence was not complete. How could he set up the cauldron and burn medicine? He just practiced Taoism and cultivated his nature day and night, recited the formulas every day, listened to the master's lectures and scriptures, and played chess with the master in his spare time.

One day, the master ascended the altar and sat high.

Jiang Yuan sat down in the class and saw that there were more than ten disciples in the class. The Three Stars Immortal Cave was also a bit lively. However, most of the junior brothers were learning side skills, and there were only a few who were still learning the main skills.

All the fellow disciples greeted him one by one, and he responded in full.

The master then preached the Dharma.

Unexpectedly, before he could even utter a single word, a disciple came out of the class and knelt down.

The disciple said, "Master, I still have one doubt."

The master lowered his eyes and asked, "Rufa, what do you say?"

Because of this disciple, he is the youngest of the twelve generations with the character "Ru".

Rufa bowed his head and said, "Master, I have been a disciple for two years and I often read documents, but I have a doubt. Most of the documents are about principles, Buddhist scriptures, Confucian books, ink books, Yin-Yang methods, etc., but I don't know which one is more powerful?"

The master said: "Everyone has his own strengths, so who is better?"

Rufa shook his head and said, "Master, you don't know. I have limited mental strength and cannot learn many methods, so I chose one and practiced it in depth."

The master said: "This kind of statement is different from one person to another. As you said, you should practice the way of the "flow" gate. When you can complete what I promised you, I will teach you the way. Then you will know the disadvantages."

He bowed down as instructed and said, "Master once taught me to carry water every day. I have been doing this for more than two years. I hope Master will show me great mercy and teach me the way of the word 'flow'."

The master said, "Is it true?"

Rufa nodded and said, "It is true."

The master said: "Since that is the case, I will teach you the way of the 'Liu' sect."

Say it.

The founder of the sect passed on the way of the "flow" sect in accordance with the law.

I got the hang of it and was overjoyed, so I returned to the class.

The ancestors taught and preached the scriptures.

Jiang Yuan did not care about this. He knew that when the master first started teaching his disciples, he taught them how to grow flowers and trees, fetch firewood and carry water, and sweep the floor and hoe the garden. This was because the disciples had karma and it was not easy to practice. The master did his best to help them practice without hindrance. When they traveled to far away places, the disciples did not know the mystery in the master's plate and often could not wait to learn the way.

After the master finished his lecture, he dismissed all the disciples and only Jiang Tong'er stayed behind.

The master asked, "Boy, why haven't you set up the cauldron to burn the medicine yet? Is it not enough to rest for eight years?"

Jiang Yuan stood up and bowed, saying, "Master, I feel that my essence is not yet complete and my spirit is still tired, so I haven't set up the cauldron to burn the medicine. I am not ready for the results, and I am afraid I will miss the important matter."

The master extended his hand from under his sleeve, pointed at the boy, and said with a smile: "Disciples in our sect cannot live in peace, and often lose their minds for two or three years. You are not bad, boy. Rest for eight years and you will be stable!"

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Master, this is difficult, don't rush."

The master said, "I am an experienced person, so I will not argue with you. I will give you this robe as a cover. When you stand on the tripod, I will teach you how to change it."

Say it.

The master took out a bundle and handed it to the boy.

Jiang Yuan took the bundle and opened it to take a closer look. It turned out to be a purple robe with the sun, moon and stars on it, shining brightly. It was indeed an extraordinary thing. He said, "Master, how can this thing be described as a piece of clothing?"

The master said, "It's just a piece of clothing."

Jiang Yuan accepted it and thanked the master again and again for his kindness.

The master waved his hand and told the boy to go and rest.

Jiang Yuan accompanied the master back to the quiet room, and then went to rest.

...Time flies so fast that before I knew it, half a year has passed and summer has gone and winter has come.

During this day, Jiang Yuan's spirit was relaxed and his essence was full. When it was time to set up the tripod, he walked outside and waited to talk to the master before he was instructed to set up the tripod outside the cave.

The boy walked to the master's door, a gentle breeze blew, and the door opened.

The master was sitting cross-legged on a cushion. He looked at the boy and his eyes lit up. He saw that the boy was wearing a golden jade crown, a purple robe with the pattern of the sun and the moon, and shoes with sharp edges. He had a handsome face, bright eyes, and a whisk in his hand. He was indeed an immortal.

How can this boy look like a Taoist priest? He has the appearance of a celestial being.

Jiang Yuan knelt down and said, "Master, I will establish the tripod!"

The master smiled and said, "Go, go! It is very easy for you to build the tripod. I need to teach you that once the tripod is built, you will not stop until you succeed."

Jiang Yuan said: "Disciple will remember this."

The master pretended to close his eyes and said no more.

Jiang Yuan bowed and left.

After the boy left, the master opened his eyes. Seeing the boy going away, he stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Good boy, good boy!"

……

In the Sanxing Immortal Cave, the disciples here gathered under an old cypress tree to talk about their respective ways of cultivation.

Suddenly Jiang Yuan passed by. The disciples were surprised and envious when they saw the immortal. Why didn't they bow to him?

Jiang Yuan returned the greeting and said, "Junior brothers, I still need to practice, so I won't stay any longer."

After saying this, he waved his whisk lightly and walked away.

Everyone asked, "What kind of practice do you do, Senior Brother? How can you look like an immortal? Is this the karma you cultivated in your past life?"

Zhenjian said: "Don't be so polite, my elder brother is practicing the golden elixir path!"

The crowd asked, "Why haven't we heard about the true way to the golden elixir?"

Zhenjian pointed at the crowd and said, "If you don't cultivate your mind, how can you know where the right path is? Let me tell you, the golden elixir right path is a difficult path. You need to fight with the two gods between life and death. If you are not careful, your body will be crushed to pieces. In addition, there are various predestined relationships. You have to fight dangerously between life and death again and again before you can have the opportunity to cultivate. How can this path be difficult? If I hadn't read it in the teachings, I wouldn't know this method."

When everyone heard this, they were horrified and kept silent. How could they dare to think of practicing the way of life and death? They just thought that senior brother was making a mistake. There was a simple way to practice, so why did he choose this way?

……

Jiang Yuan left the Sanxing Immortal Cave and found a mossy stone. He sat cross-legged on the mossy stone and felt the two energies of heaven and earth.

The ancestor said that it was very easy for him to establish a tripod. This way of absorbing the two energies of heaven and earth and gathering them in the body, forming a tripod furnace. He had seen the lung furnace in the lung palace, and the two ways had similarities.

Jiang Tong'er thought to himself, "There is a saying in the formula passed down by the ancestors that the tripod furnace should be one inch and three points below the navel, and the tripod furnace will appear when water and fire work together."

He has the help of his mind and will, and water and fire work together, so it is very easy. He just needs to absorb the two energies of heaven and earth and set up the tripod furnace.

Jiang Yuan calmed his mind, closed his eyes, and waited for the opportunity.

When the two energies of heaven and earth can be obtained, that will be the time for him to establish the tripod.

Before I knew it, time passed. Half a day had gone by, the sun set in the west, and the moon rose in the east.

Jiang Tong'er sat cross-legged all the time without moving, like a clay statue of an immortal.

Finally, at the time of Yin, the sky in the east turned slightly white. Jiang Yuan opened his eyes and realized that the right opportunity had come. He waved the jade whisk in his hand, and the purple robe on his body rustled. His mud palace shook violently, and with the power of his original spirit, he allowed the turbid air of the earth and the clear air of the sky to enter his body.

The jade handle of the whisk in the boy's hand was originally created by the essence of Kun Yuan. The purple robe on his body showed the sun and moon, which reflected the purity of heaven. The two worked together to teach him to easily absorb the two energies of heaven and earth, and let them enter his body, entering one inch and three points below his navel, just as he was about to set up a tripod...

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(End of this chapter)