Start practicing from Mr. Fox

Chapter 151 Rain Monk
This knowledge came to me during casual conversations with Daoist Xiyun and the others.

Early temples were mostly centered around pagodas. Later, as the number of monks increased and the number of monks flourished, wealthy temples would build mountain gates, main halls, and various Buddha halls.

However, almost all temples follow the established system: the first hall after the mountain gate enshrines Maitreya Buddha, protected by the Four Heavenly Kings, and the image of Weituo Bodhisattva holding a vajra on the back can also suggest how the temple receives wandering monks.

But the first hall of Baishou Temple is actually the Eight Treasures Hall, which is something I have never heard of before.

The young novice's eyes lit up, and he chanted a Buddhist prayer.

“You are quite insightful, benefactor. Our temple is indeed different from other temples. When our patriarch attained enlightenment, he happened to be connected with the Eight Treasures, so we enshrine the Eight Treasures.”

"Moreover, offering the Eight Treasures to the Buddhas of the Three Times is more devout than simply offering to Maitreya."

"I see. In that case, we should go and pay our respects."

Chen Ji followed the young novice monk's words and entered the Eight Treasures Hall.

Upon entering, one can immediately tell that this is indeed a newly renovated place. Although the aroma of agarwood is strong, there is also the smell of lacquer, newly carved stone, and wood carvings inside.

Chen Ji has been dealing with artisans who carve Buddha statues and building roads and bridges with Si Hu these days, so he is very familiar with this atmosphere.

However, that wasn't the main point; it was the murals on the wall that caught Chen Ji's eye.

The wall is decorated with a design of a conch shell, an umbrella-shaped canopy, a flower jar, a fish, and eight treasures, with a toad in the center and the eight treasures appearing to be spat out of the toad's mouth.

Chen Ji raised an eyebrow and examined it closely, but he didn't detect any demonic aura; he just found it strange.

I've never heard of a toad spitting out eight treasures before.

So he asked the young novice what it meant.

"I don't know either. It was drawn by the patriarch. He only said that one could attain enlightenment by comprehending this picture."

"You are a person with a special destiny to be able to notice the special features of this mural on your first visit to the temple. Well done, well done."

Chen Ji smiled slightly and remained silent.

He had seen this kind of scam to swindle money from people offering incense many times before, and he didn't want to bother with it.

Thinking of the role he was playing now, he took out one or two taels of silver and gave it to the young novice as incense offerings.

The young novice monk's face lit up with joy, and he led Chen Ji to continue their worship in the adjacent hall.

These were much more normal; there were no problems with the Buddha statues or murals. However, the believers and craftsmen we saw along the way seemed to be just as clueless as the road repairmen we had seen earlier.

"It seems that your temple is indeed very popular, and these worshippers have all come here voluntarily to help."

Chen Ji remarked casually.

This time, the young novice monk remained silent, only chanting Buddhist mantras.

“We have class later, but if you have any questions, you can go and see our abbot.”

"Alright."

Chen Ji had just finished looking at the temple buildings and hadn't noticed anything unusual, so he also planned to go and talk to the abbot.

So the young novice led the way, and soon they arrived at a monks' quarters.

With a pine tree facing the door, green bamboo behind the house, and koi carp swimming in the pond, the house exudes a sense of tranquility.

Chen Ji used his Qi-observation technique and saw that the monks' quarters did indeed have some Buddhist light, which must mean that the abbot was also very knowledgeable in Buddhism, but he still found it strange.

How could such a thing happen in a temple like this?

Patiently wait for the novice monk to knock on the door.

A moment later, a fat monk opened the door from the inside. He was wearing a patchwork robe, his chest was bare, and he was holding a string of white prayer beads. He nodded to Sha Wujing in greeting.

"Minghe, how did you bring this benefactor here?"

“Abbot, this is a relative of the craftsmen who built the temple down the mountain. They have come to inquire about something and have also donated a few taels of silver for incense.”

"I see. Then please come inside and we'll discuss this in detail. You should go and prepare for your evening lesson."

Chen Ji looked at the host, his surprise becoming increasingly obvious.

If Baishou Temple didn't have any money, the decorations of the main halls and the gilded Buddha statues we saw along the way must have cost a fortune.

But if we're talking about wealth, the abbot of this temple was only wearing a patchwork kasaya, and it clearly looked like a genuine patchwork robe, with a golden light even stronger than that of the Sendai Mountain God.

Then, looking at the abbot himself, he too exuded a layer of Buddhist aura derived from spiritual cultivation.

Chen Ji frowned, increasingly puzzled.

It's strange that such a temple would be associated with demons and evil spirits.

"Does the benefactor have some troubles?"

Before Chen Ji could speak, the host noticed the change in his expression and spoke first.

Chen Ji nodded.

"There is indeed a problem, but I don't know whether I should say it or not."

"But it doesn't matter."

The host poured a cup of tea and handed it to Chen Ji.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Ji decided not to speak directly. Instead, he secretly sent the stone mill demon underground to investigate the situation before looking at the abbot.

"Has the host ever seen demons or ghosts?"

"nature."

The host smiled and nodded, holding one palm in front of him.

“This humble monk is merely lazy, but he still practices orthodox Buddhist meditation, capable of guiding the souls of the dead and suppressing evil spirits. If it weren’t for the numerous disturbances caused by evil spirits in the cemetery, making it impossible to find peace, and the presence of Buddhist nature here, he wouldn’t have come here specifically.”

This statement was similar to what the young novice monk had said, and there was no flaw in it.

Chen Ji was somewhat curious.

"Can there still be Buddha-nature in the mountains?"

"Exactly."

The host answered Chen Ji with a smile.

“Originally there was none, but I passed by here a few days ago and noticed that there was more Buddhist nature in the mountains, so I decided to build a temple here.”

After speaking, he looked at Chen Ji with a profound gaze.

"Since you are no ordinary benefactor, why don't you tell me what you want to ask? I will tell you the truth without lying."

"In that case, I'll have to offend you."

With the host being so straightforward, Chen Ji no longer hid his thoughts and directly asked if there were any demons in the temple.

"Why...why do you ask that, fellow Daoist?"

Chen Ji then recounted what had happened since the purchase of copper at the temple.

"The appearance of the devout worshippers was indeed not that of normal believers, but their souls did not leave their bodies, and we do not know what happened. The only thing we found out was that the temple's rice cake was poisonous and could cause hallucinations."

"We don't know the reason now."

"Is there such a thing?"

The host looked at the same rice cake on the table, picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. After savoring it, his expression did not change at all.

“Fellow Daoist, this pastry is a recipe left by our ancestor. It has been passed down in the temple for a hundred years, and I have been eating it all along. I don’t have any of the problems you mentioned.”

"Does the abbot know the benefactor who dreamed of giving the temple a Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue?"

"Impressed."

The host nodded earnestly.

"What she asked for wasn't anything big, but she insisted on donating a statue of Guanyin, which put us in a difficult position. We also need to build another hall to enshrine the Buddha statue."

"Ok?"

Chen Ji raised his eyebrows, his expression strange.

These words were completely different from what he had heard elsewhere.

"What's wrong, benefactor?"

The host was still asking questions when Chen Ji snapped out of his daze and his lips moved slightly.

"Is the host genuinely unaware or feigning ignorance?"

The abbot shook his head and chanted a Buddhist prayer.

"This humble monk truly does not understand what you mean by asking those questions."

Chen Ji then began by recounting the incident involving the blood-stained Buddha statue, and then moved on to what Master Xiyun had told him and what he had witnessed today.

“Amitabha, this humble monk truly knows nothing of these things.”

The host paused for a moment, then looked at Chen Ji.

"Since you've come to offer your guidance on this matter, you must have been using a false identity before. Could you please clarify your true identity?"

"Naturally, Chen Ji, a Taoist from Sendai Mountain."

The host was taken aback, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"A Taoist? It's truly remarkable that Mount Sendai has someone like you. And given your origins, the demonic aura you exude is quite normal." "Hmm? The abbot could sense it?"

"It wasn't me, but the question you asked earlier, fellow Daoist."

"previously?"

“Indeed, fellow Daoist asked if I had ever seen any demons or ghosts? Actually, there is one in the temple, but it’s hard to say whether it was the one that did these things.”

Chen Ji thought for a moment and realized something.

Before any questions could be asked, the host continued speaking.

"Have you seen the Eight Treasures Hall before, fellow Daoist?"

"Looked."

"Do you know why this temple enshrines the Eight Treasures?"

"The young master mentioned it."

Chen Ji then recounted the story told by the young novice monk.

The host smiled slightly and shook his head, looking at Chen Ji.

"Although it can be explained, it's not as good as the story I told my fellow Daoist."

He paused for a moment, then continued.

“A scholar from the previous dynasty was traveling to the capital to take the imperial examination when he was suddenly caught in a downpour. With nowhere to take shelter, he happened to meet a monk passing by with an umbrella.”

"The monk said that the scholar could take shelter from the rain in the temple, but there were a few rules that he hoped the scholar would abide by."

"First, no fires are allowed; second, no studying at midnight is allowed; and third, no one is allowed to mention the location of the temple in the future."

The scholar found the rule strange and was reluctant to agree, but the rain showed no signs of letting up and he was worried about catching a cold, so he agreed to go to the temple with the monk.

"Sure enough, we came across a temple not far away. There was no main hall in the temple, only a circle of pavilion-like buildings, and many monks with umbrellas were debating scriptures."

"At first, the scholar found these monks quite strange, as they liked to chant sutras on rainy days. However, he also had to respect other people's habits, so he chose a pavilion to rest in."

"The scholar followed the rules and didn't ask anything. He was just waiting for the rain to stop the next day so he could leave. But when he woke up the next day, he found that he hadn't slept in the pavilion at all. There was just a lotus leaf, about ten feet long, stuck in the ground to shield him from the rain."

"Only now do I realize that this is not a real temple, but a monster in disguise. No wonder it has those rules."

"What kind of demon is that monk?"

Chen Ji already had a thought in mind, but he still asked the host.

The host smiled and looked at Chen Ji.

"Fellow Daoist, why don't you guess what kind of demon these monks are?"

"frog?"

The host nodded.

"Fellow Daoist, you guessed correctly. These monks are actually the transformed toads and frogs from the mountains."

"Because the sound of rain falling on lotus leaves is like the sound of a wooden fish, he transformed into a monk chanting scriptures and practicing meditation, calling himself the Rain Monk."

"The founder of this temple was enlightened by one of the monks, Yu Seng, and then recognized Yu Seng as the founder, thus establishing the lineage of Baishou Temple."

"The one enshrined in the Eight Treasures Hall is the Patriarch Yuseng, and the incense is offered to him."

"I see."

Chen Ji suddenly realized where the demonic aura in the temple that Daoist Xiyun had mentioned came from.

But there's still one thing I don't understand.

Most demons cultivate by practicing the Moon Worship Method, and toads and frogs also have their own cultivation methods. So why would they choose to cultivate Buddhism?

"This is an even earlier story, and I have only heard a few words about it from the patriarch."

“It seems that there was a monk who practiced meditation by the pond. Each time he meditated, it would take a long time. The patriarch had already attained enlightenment at that time and felt close to the monk, so he picked lotus flowers every day and offered them to the monk.”

"After eight days, the monk woke up and, to express his gratitude to the patriarch, transmitted the Eight Treasures Practice Method and presented the patriarch with the Eight Treasures."

"The strange phenomenon of rain falling like the sound of a wooden fish was also revealed by this monk."

After saying that, he raised his hand, gesturing for Chen Ji to look at the prayer beads in his hand.

"Fellow Daoist, have you noticed anything unusual?"

Chen Ji glanced at it and realized that the prayer beads were extraordinary. He had previously thought they were made by Bodhi, but upon closer inspection, he discovered that they were actually made of lotus seeds.

However, he had never heard of anyone making prayer beads from lotus seeds.

"This was also given to the patriarch by that monk, who also said that there are many demons and ghosts in this place with affinity, and that they should all achieve spiritual cultivation in the future."

Ok?
Chen Ji subconsciously thought of the monk who had guided Senior Huai in cultivating the Mustard Seed Sumeru Technique.

If we consider the distance between the two places, it is very likely that it is the same person.

All I can say is that we are truly destined to be together.

Chen Ji said, "What a coincidence!" but he hadn't forgotten the purpose of his visit. He paused for a moment and looked at the host.

"What does the abbot think is the cause of these strange phenomena in the temple these days?"

The host remained silent, only turning the prayer beads in his hand.

“I am not sure about what you said, fellow Daoist. If you are willing, you can come with me to ask the patriarch.”

"Alright."

Chen Ji was already curious about the Rain Monk, so he had no doubts about being able to make contact with him now.

So the two went to the Hall of Eight Treasures.

The host took a black incense stick from his patchwork robe, lit it, and respectfully placed it in the incense burner.

“Disciple Zhenru, because the ancestral temple was being disturbed by demons and evil spirits, I have moved to Qingliang Mountain. There are strange things happening in the temple. I respectfully request the Ancestral Master to appear in his Dharma body to guide me.”

As the incense sticks were lit, an unusual aroma instantly filled the hall.

Chen Ji, having worked in the pharmacy, knew that this was made from toad venom and secretly remarked that even this stick of incense had come at a considerable cost.

In a daze, the scene before my eyes changed.

The mural seemed to begin to flow; the eight treasures remained the same, but the toad in the center, spitting out treasures, seemed to come alive, staring at the two of them.

"Cuck!"

A frog's croak echoed throughout the hall, causing the lamps and candles inside to pause and flicker for a moment.

Although Chen Ji could understand the language of birds and beasts, he could not understand the meaning of the frog's croak. Instead, a sound arose out of thin air in his mind.

"You may ask questions before the incense burns out completely."

Then the altar in front of him suddenly became empty, leaving only an incense burner. The incense ash seemed to have been carefully cleaned, as smooth as a mirror.

A black incense stick hangs above it, its flame flickering and the smoke resembling the breath of a toad.

Chen Ji inexplicably thought of this method, which seemed like spirit writing, but looking at the space in front of him, it was clearly a method of the Yin Si (a martial arts sect).

I am amazed that there are indeed many powerful cultivators in this world.

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes today, I probably wouldn't have known that the frog in the pond also had the title of "Rain Monk" and possessed such magical abilities.

While Chen Ji was lost in thought, the master of divination had already clasped his hands together and begun to consult the spirit medium.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and looked at the incense ash.

"Please enlighten me, Master."

The incense stick swayed gently in the air a few times, then slid down into the ash, leaving behind several lines of clear writing.

"When the wooden fish is heard in the mountain pond, the treasures are divided and each goes their own way. Only when all rivers flow into the sea can one attain enlightenment."

A five-character quatrain, which could hardly be called a doggerel, appeared before my eyes.

The meaning can be understood without any further interpretation.

The host and Chen Ji exchanged a glance, both of them startled.

The meaning of this oracle clearly alludes to the fact that there were thirty-six rain monks who received guidance from the monks back then.

However, due to certain methods, they are unable to attain enlightenment on their own.

It is only possible to absorb the Buddha-nature of all the rain monks and for all eight treasures to be gathered together.

It seems that some Rain Monks already know about this matter and are about to take action against the other Rain Monks.

Baishou Temple is probably one of them.

However, Chen Ji knew more and his thoughts were more complex.

Just then, all the incense ash in front of me was leveled, and a frog croaked again.

"Crack."

Chen Ji looked at the mural with some surprise.

"Can I ask?"

(End of this chapter)