Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 479 Transmitting the Dharma at Jinshan Temple

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, we send off the Kitchen God.

Abbot Fahai is preaching the Dharma at Jinshan Temple.

There are not many monks in the temple today. Most of those who had begun their practice were taken out by Guangliang to subdue the demons of plague.

Although Guangliang's luck wasn't very good before, his fortunes turned around after meeting Abbot Fang.

With monks like Lian Qingyou under his command who are beyond his caliber, there's nothing to fear even if a Blood Demon suddenly appears on the road.

Jinshan Temple in Dantu area, we swept through!
The abbot exuded an aura of dominance, and his invincible will inspired all the monks.

"Ahem, on another note..."

“Our Jinshan Temple is slightly different from Lingyin Temple. We emphasize that the body becomes pure and eternally immortal.”

"Next, we will study the Infinite Life Sutra."

The young novices chanted some scriptures with the new abbot, but as they chanted, they started to misunderstand.

This doesn't seem to follow the Zen approach. Is it inappropriate?
"Sigh... Don't be prejudiced against different sects. As the saying goes, all Buddhist sects under heaven are one family."

"Zen Buddhism transmits knowledge from mind to mind, and Pure Land Buddhism may also transmit knowledge from mind to mind."

"The Vinaya Pitaka is a fundamental collection of precepts compiled by Mahakasyapa with the help of five hundred great Arhats. It was not divided into such detailed sections at that time."

"It's just that the younger generation lacks the compassion to follow the Buddha's teachings, which is why they chose this path to follow."

Under the presiding monk's nonsensical reassurance, the novices were able to focus on studying the Dharma.

It made the monk very happy to be able to learn the fundamental teachings of the greatest sect in the world.

Xu Xuan also enjoyed teaching.

With the world undergoing a great transformation, the righteous path has declined while demonic forces have risen. As a cultivation method that can help patch up the problems in the Divine Continent, the Pure Land Method has seen its value skyrocket.

Other sects are unwilling to learn it, since this technique, though simple, is extremely dangerous.

If you are just starting out, all you need to do is recite Amitabha Buddha's name, but you may not see even a grain of sand in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss until the end of your lifespan.

If one wishes to improve, the only option is to travel outside to suppress evil spirits or suppress malevolent forces and other evil phenomena.

If you want to make great strides, you need to be blessed with extraordinary talent, like Senior Brother Ruoxu, who can subdue one person at a time with incredible speed, and subdue two people at a time.

If you wish to achieve even greater things, then learn from the White Lotus Mother and her method of creating the Void Homeland to liberate the world.

In short, apart from getting started, every step after that is extremely dangerous.

The recent battle losses suffered by the sect were heartbreaking for Zen Master Fahai.

We need to cultivate some fresh blood. Since Guangliang brought his disciples to work at Jinshan Temple, he probably wouldn't mind if they learned some workplace skills.

"If only we had a few reliable Buddhist henchmen, why can't everyone practice the Pure Land Dharma, which is such a useful method?"

"Once Qingyou grows up, we can try to recruit him as the head disciple, turning this life-threatening ordeal into a predestined connection. We can also recruit the Zen patriarch into the Pure Land School. I'm sure the Eastern Dharma Protector Bodhisattva would be very happy if he were alive."

"The remaining seats, such as the main hall, the west hall, and the back hall, cannot remain vacant indefinitely; they must be vigorously developed."

"It's a pity that talented people are hard to find."

Thinking about it, he even lit an incense stick for Buddha. This big shot certainly wouldn't care about such a small white lotus incense offering.

I hope my boss will bless me.

Xiaoqing already has eight thousand Taihu demon troops, so she also needs to build a capable force herself.

When the abbot offered incense, his mind was full of matters concerning the temple, and he showed little piety. No wonder his Buddhist understanding was not high.

After finishing their lessons, the young monks cleaned several main halls and then opened the mountain gate to welcome guests.

Passenger boats gradually arrived at the island in the middle of the river, and pilgrims came one after another to offer incense.

Recently, various places have been in turmoil, with a constant stream of minor illnesses and disasters, which ironically makes the incense offerings even more popular.

Even rumors of man-eating turtles near Jinshan Temple could not deter people's determination.

Xu Xuan stood here, receiving the gazes of the pilgrims.

Compared to the chubby old monk, this ridiculously handsome monk is actually the abbot?

That most mysterious abbot?!
Looking at the magnificent brocade robes and the elegant white monk's robes, everyone felt that this master was extraordinary. However, this master was too aloof and lacked interaction.

Guangliang, as the former abbot of Lingyin Temple, was very good at managing things and added a lot of value to the temple.

He's the one who started all those commercialized activities, like praying at the Three Lives Stone and having high-ranking monks interpret fortune sticks.

When I arrived at Jinshan Temple, I naturally replicated it as well.

They dug out three similar stones from the river and placed them in a corner, then made a divination stick container for fortune telling.

It's not a bad thing to let people place their faith and hope in something, and interpreting a fortune slip only costs a penny.

It was through his extensive network of goodwill that Jinshan Temple was able to undergo a complete transformation in just six months.

However, Zen Master Fahai had some unspeakable difficulties regarding the matter of forming a karmic connection.

It's inconvenient to be involved with ordinary people in terms of cause and effect and destiny, unless the person who comes is not an ordinary person.

For example, I met two people I was destined to meet today.

The first one was an old monk exchanging Buddhist teachings.

His hair and beard were all white, he moved with incredible speed, and his simple white attire gave him an air of great wisdom.

He could recite a short poem without even opening his mouth:
The setting sun shines across the western mountains, illuminating the azure sky; the rising moon shines brightly over the eastern temple.

In the morning I gaze upon the twin peaks azure above, and at night I rest in the realm of the heavens and the color realm.

The old monk claimed to be from Lingtai Temple and had been practicing for two hundred years. His name was Monk Baizhu.

He came to Jinshan Temple to warn about the turtle monster.

This spirit previously roamed around Suiyang in Yuzhou; it was a demon from the rivers of the north.

When the monk Baizhu saw that the other party was devouring humans and committing numerous evil deeds, he wanted to use Buddhism to convert the other party.

Unfortunately, his cultivation was mediocre, his demonic body was weak, and he was not very proficient in Buddhism. His only magical implement was a string of Buddhist prayer beads.

They couldn't subdue their opponent at all and were beaten so badly that they barely escaped with their lives.

In the years that followed, in order to stop the evil spirits from doing evil, they kept sabotaging their good deeds.

The two sides have been entangled for several years without any resolution, and can be considered arch-enemies.

Last year, the turtle monster was targeted by other demon clans who wanted to recruit it. Unwilling to be bound, it left Dongsha River and headed south.

Upon arriving at Jinshan Temple, he suddenly went mad and, for reasons unknown, stayed there to cause trouble.

They were also attracted by the blood and flesh of the pilgrims coming and going, thus committing many sins.

With Master Guangliang in charge, the turtle monster suffered several losses and then lay dormant nearby.

Now that the master has gone to other places in Dantu, Jinshan Temple is no longer safe.

The monk Baizhu came to warn the monks in the temple.

just
"Amitabha Buddha, why does the Dharma Master keep looking at this humble monk?"

Fahai smiled exceptionally gently: "I am just amazed by the saying 'Sincerity brings results.' The Buddha is indeed the Buddha; he can truly see through all three thousand worlds."

No matter how well you disguise yourself, or how much Buddha's protection you receive, you will be exposed under the discerning eyes of the White Lotus.

I could tell you weren't human at first glance.

The reason I'm thanking Buddha is because I received a gift from my boss.

He seems to be of good character and has no karmic debts.

"Has Master Baizhu ever studied any orthodox teachings?"

The interviewer acted kindly and approachable.

"I am ashamed to say that I have only been practicing enlightenment on my own at Lingtai Temple and have not yet been accepted as a disciple."

The old monk felt a little embarrassed after he finished speaking. Although he considered himself a Buddhist disciple, he had no lineage or ordination certificate and was a charlatan.

(End of this chapter)