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

Chapter 56: Top Grade Fire

But in the Sanxing Cave, on the pavilion, the Patriarch led Jiang Tong'er to set up a table and invited Maitreya Bodhisattva to sit down, taste the magical fruits of the four seasons in the mountains, and enjoy the innocence together.

Before they knew it, three or four days had passed. When they had finished tasting the food, they finally arrived at the Yaotai group.

The master sat on the cushion and asked, "Maitreya Bodhisattva, what do you want to do in my house?"

Maitreya Bodhisattva clasped his hands together and bowed, saying, "I came here to practice cultivation."

The master asked, "What is the practice?"

Maitreya Bodhisattva smiled and said, "Brother Dao, I have observed the Western Niuhe Continent with my profound wisdom. The Buddhist teachings from the East are like the Zen teachings, coming with purple energy and momentum, unstoppable. The Dharma is like this, and I am here to practice with Master Guangxin."

Jiang Yuan was surprised and surprised when he heard this, and said, "Maitreya Bodhisattva, I will be a practicing Taoist child, how can I teach you to practice?"

At this moment, he finally understood the meaning of the Patriarch's words "There is a practitioner who comes to you to practice", it turned out to be Maitreya Bodhisattva who came to him to practice.

The master smiled and said nothing.

Maitreya Bodhisattva clasped his hands and said with a smile: "I have wisdom eyes. Master Guangxin will soon achieve the elixir path. How can I be a Taoist child? Master Guangxin will realize the Buddha Dharma from the East. During this path, I will be a child."

Jiang Yuan said, "How dare you treat the Bodhisattva as a child? I hope the Bodhisattva will not say such things. If you want to learn Zen, I will give you a Zen book."

Maitreya Bodhisattva said, "I am not bound by cause and effect with the Immortal Master, so how can I accept your letter? I hope the Immortal Master will not mind and allow me to practice with you."

Jiang Yuan looked at the master, who said nothing and left the matter to him. After thinking it over, he said, "So, Bodhisattva, if I allow you to practice with me, but without the relationship of master and disciple, but with the love of admiring the Dao and the grace of spreading the Dao, would you be willing?"

Upon hearing this, the master smiled widely.

Maitreya Bodhisattva clasped his hands together and bowed, saying, "I wish so."

The three of them said little. The master pointed to a quiet room for Maitreya Bodhisattva to rest, and he and the boy returned to the quiet room at the back of the stage.

It won't take long.

The master led the boy back to the quiet room.

Jiang Tong'er served the master as he sat on the cushion and asked, "Master, is this disciple's action right or wrong?"

The master said, "How can there be right or wrong? Don't worry, boy. If this brings disaster, I will prevent you from entering the cave of Maitreya Bodhisattva. How can I take you to see him?"

Jiang Yuan then realized and said, "I never expected that Maitreya Bodhisattva would practice with me."

The master smiled and said, "Your method is very profound. I came to you to practice. It is not appropriate for a boy to understand you."

Jiang Yuan said: "Master, I haven't made the elixir yet, how can I say 'great'?"

The master said: "You are not far from completing the elixir, now let's go to the 'fire and temperature'."

Jiang Yuan was so moved that he knelt down before the master and said, "Master, please have mercy on me and teach me the theory of 'fire timing' so that I can practice the three secret steps and achieve elixir soon!"

The master helped the boy up and said, "Boy, if I don't teach you, who can I teach? Sit still and let me teach you the timing."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan sat cross-legged on the cushion, washed his ears and listened attentively to the master's words about the timing of fire.

The founder waved his sleeves, and a gentle breeze blew in, closing the door of the room tightly to prevent any leakage of the Taoist secrets.

The master said, "Boy, what did you do when you burned the golden man? Please explain it to me."

Jiang Yuan said: "Master, I learned from you the secret method of controlling fire in the past. After the winter solstice, I swallow the Yin fire, and after the summer solstice, I swallow the Yang fire. I practiced the fire burning skill, and then I could make the gold become perfect."

The master asked, "Do you remember the secret method of fire control?"

Jiang Yuan nodded and said, "I will never forget it."

The master smiled and said, "Since you have memorized the secret method of fire control, this step is very easy for you. The fire control of this pill is slightly different from that of Jin Gong. It requires the use of the primordial spirit. The primordial spirit is the fire, and the five people are the primordial spirit. In addition, the fire moves forward and backward when the true breath is inhaled and exhaled. If I teach you to skillfully use the fire, this step will be completed."

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan said, "Master, this place's primordial spirit is fire, how do I use it?"

There are still three points that he is unclear about.

The master said, "Boy, listen carefully. I will teach you the best technique, and then I will teach you how to understand it." Jiang Yuan then went to the master and listened carefully.

The master told the child about the best temperature of fire.

Jiang Yuanfang suddenly realized that when he was burning Jin Gong, his method of controlling the temperature was still crude. This was the method passed down by the local ancestors that was the best.

The medicine for making the elixir here is not an external medicine, but only in the body. The fire for making the elixir is not an external fire, but only in the primordial spirit.

To practice this fire control method, you need to use the primordial spirit, look inside the primordial spirit, and ask the primordial spirit to use the five human forces, supplemented by the inhalation and exhalation of the true breath, to control the fire. Fire is called "true fire", and there is a saying that "without true fire, the elixir will not be successful".

There are many rules for the operation of true fire. When the primordial spirit and the five elements create fire, it is called "starting fire". When the primordial spirit is ordered to extinguish the fire, it is called "stopping fire". There are ingenious rules for this. In addition, when the true breath is inhaled and exhaled, the fire is fierce when inhaled, which is called "martial fire". When the true breath is exhaled, the fire is weak, which is called "gentle fire".

There are explanations for the changes in the fire, the mechanisms of starting and stopping the fire, and the mechanisms of switching between gentle fire and strong fire, all of which are kept as secrets that are not passed on.

Once he has mastered the control of the fire, he can then proceed to this step to complete the task.

However, he had burned Jin Gong before, so he had some basic knowledge and understood the timing of the fire, so it was very easy. That is why the master said that this step was not difficult for him.

Jiang Yuan bowed in admiration: "Thank you, Master, for teaching me the secret of the best fire!"

The master helped the boy up and said with a smile, "What are you waiting for? When your elixir is ready, all the orifices will be clear. Then I will pass on all the wonderful methods to you. Go and take a rest so that you can master the skills as soon as possible."

Say it.

The master waved his hands and pretended to close his eyes.

Jiang Yuan bowed again before being allowed to leave and return to the quiet room to recuperate.

……

Before I knew it, three or four days had passed.

Jiang Yuan was meditating in a quiet room, and when his spirit was sufficient, he began to practice the secret of controlling the fire, when he suddenly heard a sound.

"Master Guangxin."

This work is of Maitreya Bodhisattva.

Jiang Yuan pushed open the door and walked out. He saw Maitreya Bodhisattva waiting outside the door. He said, "Maitreya Bodhisattva, are you here to teach me Zen? There are books on Zen in the library in the mansion."

Maitreya Bodhisattva nodded, clasped his hands and said, "Now that I am following you, I should respect your words. Without your advice, how could I enter the library without your permission?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan led Maitreya Bodhisattva to the library.

As he passed by along the way, his fellow disciples greeted him, but they did not recognize Maitreya Bodhisattva. This was because Maitreya Bodhisattva had retracted his Dharma form, which meant that they did not know that the Bodhisattva was in front of them.

Jiang Yuan led Maitreya Bodhisattva into the library and took the bamboo slips of Zen books and gave them to Maitreya Bodhisattva.

Maitreya Bodhisattva was as happy as if he had found a treasure. He sat on the ground and read the Zen book.

Seeing this, Jiang Yuan did not disturb them and tidied up the library.

After a long time.

Maitreya Bodhisattva put down the Zen book and asked, "Master, what is your opinion on this book?"

Jiang Yuan nodded: "Maitreya Buddha, this book is exactly my opinion."

Maitreya Bodhisattva asked: "Master, do you have any Zen scriptures that I can borrow to read?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "No."

Maitreya Bodhisattva did not understand what he meant and said, "The Zen Dharma is in a state of panic. Could it be that there is no Sutra?"

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "Zen does not rely on words, but directly points to the original mind. Seeing the nature leads to Buddhahood, so there is no scripture, it is called 'enlightenment'."

Maitreya Bodhisattva was a little surprised. He had never thought that this Buddhism from the East did not even have a sutra. It did not have any written texts, and emphasized enlightenment. He said that there were countless sutras in the sacred place of Mount Lingshan. The two dharmas were indeed different. If this dharma was to be cultivated, it would be difficult...

(End of this chapter)