Under One Person: Starting with the Dual Cultivation of Body and Soul.

“Yes, it is Master Ciji,” Li Chang’an replied.

Lu Jin's voice revealed a hint of surprise: "I know Master Ciji. He is one of the few remaining elders of the Yogacara school, but I don't have much interaction with him. I never expected that he would have this connection with our Sanyi Sect."

Lu Jin was also hearing about this for the first time, but after a brief moment of surprise, she didn't find it particularly unbelievable.

Master Zuo Ruotong was a man of integrity and kindness when he traveled the martial arts world. The number of people who benefited from his kindness was countless.

In fact, the master of the Sanyi Sect was not alone when he was robbed. Various sects and factions came to help. As long as the Sanyi Sect was willing to swallow their pride and ask them for help, Wugensheng would have lost his life even if he had ten lives.

However, the pride of the Trinity Sect wouldn't allow them to do that. The Trinity Sect would handle its own affairs. Even if it ultimately perished because of it, it would bear all the consequences alone, without triggering a so-called war between good and evil.

Now, upon hearing that Li Chang'an was receiving guidance and gifts because of his master's good deeds back then, Lu Jin felt a lump in his throat, tears welled up in his eyes, and he secretly shed tears, feeling deeply moved. Master... you have been gone for so many years, yet your disciples are still receiving your grace and protection!

After a while, Lu Jin composed himself and said, "Chang'an, since this is a good connection that your master arranged for you, and since Master Ciji is willing to give you guidance, if you feel that you have gained something, then listen carefully and learn diligently!"

"Yes, sir!" Li Chang'an replied.

Lu Jin gave a few more instructions on safety before hanging up the phone.

Li Chang'an put away his phone and sat cross-legged on the wooden couch.

The hall was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood, and the sounds of wooden fish drums and chanting could be faintly heard from the distant courtyard.

Nothing happened that night. The next morning, Li Chang'an pushed open the door of the Zangshi Hall and arrived at the Mahavira Hall on time.

The main hall was solemn and dignified, with a huge golden statue of Shakyamuni Buddha looking down upon all living beings.

The old monk Ciji had changed into a formal dark red kasaya and was sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat in front of the Buddha statue, holding a string of sandalwood prayer beads in his hand. He nodded to Li Chang'an.

"Did you rest well last night, young benefactor?"

"Very good, thank you, Master."

Li Chang'an stepped forward, and the old monk pointed to an empty futon two steps in front of him: "Sit down. Since we are going to transform what's inside your body into a Dharma form, let me first explain the Dharma form to you."

"Please enlighten me, Master!" Li Chang'an said.

The old monk said, “Dharma-form is an important concept in the Yogacara school of thought. All things in our world are illusory, only consciousness is real. The various forms and characteristics of these illusory things are called ‘Dharma-form’.”

"In spiritual practice, practitioners use meditation to concretize their understanding of a certain concept or certain obsessions in their sea of ​​consciousness, thereby manifesting a visible form."

"This is the prototype of the Dharma form. For example, the wrathful Vajra form and the compassionate Bodhisattva form are external manifestations of the inner cultivation of practitioners."

"In short, the Dharma form is the concrete manifestation of 'consciousness'. It is both a manifestation of the state of spiritual practice and a means of protecting the Dharma and subduing demons."

The old monk continued, "You've read 'Journey to the West,' right? Do you remember how many guardians surrounded Tang Xuanzang?"

"Wukong, Bajie, Sha Wujing, and the White Dragon Horse?" Li Chang'an asked.

The old monk shook his head: "These four disciples are Jin Gong, Mu Mu, Dao Gui, and Yi Ma. They are part of him, consciousness to be transformed, not guardians."

Li Chang'an paused and said, "Could it be the Six Ding and Six Jia, the Five Directions Jiedi, the Four Duty Officers, and the Eighteen Guardian Arhats?"

The old monk nodded: "That's right, these thirty-nine guardian deities are the thirty-nine Dharma images of Tang Xuanzang. They take turns on duty to protect him."

When the old monk mentioned the Six Ding and Six Jia and the Five Directions of the Heavenly Kings, Li Chang'an suddenly thought of Liu Wu Kui, the person with superior potential from Biyou Village in the story. She was a naturally gifted child with extraordinary abilities, and her power was the Five Directions of the Heavenly Kings.

She was protected by the Five Directions Protector from birth. Whenever she felt threatened, without her having to activate it, five human face barriers would appear around her body to block all attacks. However, she could not actively control the Five Directions Protector and could only use them to defend herself passively.

But now, the old monk says that these Five Directions Protectors are the Dharma images of Xuanzang.

But upon closer examination, it does seem quite possible, since the Five Directional Protectors are the Dharma protectors of Buddhism, namely the Golden-Headed Protector, the Silver-Headed Protector, the Paragate Protector, the Parasamgate Protector, and the Maha Protector.

Among them, the Golden-Headed Gatekeeper, the Silver-Headed Gatekeeper, the Paragatekeeper, and the Parasamgatekeeper are the main protectors, while the Mahagatekeeper is the master of supernatural powers, specializing in overcoming great demons and obstacles.

Upon this thought, Li Chang'an said, "Master, speaking of the Five Directions Protectors, I seem to have heard that some extraordinary people with the destiny of a child born with the Five Directions Protectors are protected by the Five Directions Protectors from birth. Are the Five Directions Protectors of the child's destiny and the Five Directions Protectors of the Dharma form the same thing?"

Chapter 162 The Characteristics of Good and Evil

The old monk paused and said, "I know a little about the situation of 'child spirit' you mentioned. In the eyes of ordinary people, 'child spirit' is a special kind of fate."

"People with this kind of destiny are mostly beautiful in appearance, but have complex and sensitive hearts. They are usually weak and sickly from childhood, and some rare and difficult diseases often appear on them. Even supernatural events may happen around them."

“In the past, people generally believed that children born as children were celestial beings, and that sickly children were celestial beings who had made mistakes or were burdened with karmic debts.”

"In the world of supernatural beings, the common view is that the birth of a child with a 'child spirit' is caused by an unknown evil spirit attaching itself to the child at the moment of birth and coexisting with it."

"In previous years, Wang Zizhong, a renowned physician, published an article on a forum for people with unusual abilities. He believed that the fate of a child with a child's spirit was not due to possession by evil spirits, but rather a kind of mutation of the soul or spirit."

"Most of these mutations are malignant and harmful to humans, but there are a very few benign mutations that not only do not erode the original body, but also slowly grow and show independence."

The old monk continued, "What Wang Zizhong said makes some sense. This is indeed a kind of spiritual mutation. All phenomena are manifestations of consciousness. The reason why this mutation occurs is that their Alaya consciousness has transformed into a Dharma form by chance."

"It's like a seed that accidentally falls and sprouts without any cultivation."

“A benign mutation means that the seed was originally good; it is the transformation of consciousness into wisdom.”

“A malignant mutation is when the seed is bad and has not undergone the transformation of consciousness into wisdom before it has become a Dharma form, so it is naturally bad.”

The old monk looked at Li Chang'an and said, "It's just like that thing on the young benefactor's body."

Upon hearing this, Li Chang'an said thoughtfully, "In other words, that kind of malignant mutation can be reversed by transforming consciousness into wisdom."

The old monk nodded and said, "Theoretically speaking, it's possible!"

"What's the actual situation?" Li Chang'an asked.

“That requires a certain level of attainment,” the old monk said. “The difficulty of transforming a seed into wisdom is different from that of transforming a dharma form into wisdom.”

Li Chang'an nodded: "Master, is this one I have difficult to obtain?"

“For an ordinary person, that would naturally be quite a big deal,” the old monk said, “but you are at a higher level, young benefactor. You have already eliminated your sixth sense. For you, it is just a matter of seeing and doing, a natural outcome.”

This is also why the old monk wanted to give Li Chang'an some advice. If there were really a lot of risks involved, he wouldn't let Li Chang'an take the risk. After all, there are only a few people in the Sanyi Sect now. If something goes wrong, Benefactor Lu would definitely come and demolish the Ci'en Temple.

"Master's insights are profound; I have learned a great deal," Li Chang'an said.

"Now, this old monk will release his Dharma form. Young benefactor, look carefully!"

The old monk clasped his hands together, and two beams of light, one gold and one black, emanated from the top of his head.

The golden light transformed into the image of an Arhat, adorned with necklaces, its entire body gilded, its face round and compassionate, a smile playing on its lips, and a faint sandalwood fragrance emanating from its body, a sight that was simply delightful.

The other form of the black light was a blue-faced, fanged, and extremely ferocious creature. Its entire body was bluish-black, and it stood on several hideous human heads. A string of white bone necklaces hung around its neck.

Two statues, one on the left and one on the right, floated on either side of the old monk.

Li Chang'an's gaze was firmly drawn to the blue-faced, fanged Dharma image.

He could tell that these two figures were not living beings, but rather existed between the real and the unreal. The black one, in particular, although it looked ferocious and terrifying, did not have a trace of evil. Instead, it had a dignified and majestic aura.

The old monk looked at Li Chang'an and explained gently, "Young benefactor, please don't panic. This black Dharma image of mine is not some demon or evil spirit. It is the wrathful form that I manifested by peeling away the 'anger' consciousness in my heart during the process of transforming consciousness into wisdom."

Upon hearing this, Li Chang'an suddenly realized, "So that's how it is. As the saying goes, 'Bodhisattvas lower their brows, Vajras glare fiercely.' This black Dharma image with a blue face and fangs must be the so-called Vajra glaring fiercely."

The old monk slowly said, "The Dharma form is the concrete manifestation of consciousness. The reason why the Dharma form can be called 'Dharma' is because it has the real power to interfere with reality."

"People generally believe that the Yogacara school only cultivates the mind and not the power. They think we are just creating things in the sea of ​​consciousness behind closed doors. In fact, this is completely wrong. The true Dharma form is not about making a Vajra or Bodhisattva in your mind, but about peeling out the purest part of your Alaya consciousness and giving it an independent 'form'."

“Once this ‘form’ takes shape, it is no longer an illusory shadow. It will become a part of your life, have real weight, and even… possess some independent instincts.”

As the old monk spoke, he extended his withered finger and pointed gently.

The golden Arhat slowly floated in front of Li Chang'an, formed a mudra, and a soft golden light burst forth from the Arhat's palm, enveloping Li Chang'an.

Bathed in this golden light, Li Chang'an felt extremely comfortable all over, and a warm and tranquil current flowed slowly along his meridians.

In his intermediate state of consciousness, he could directly see that this golden light possessed some life-restoring abilities, though of course, it was not powerful and could not compare to the legendary dual-wielding hands.

“Young benefactor, this golden Arhat image is a manifestation of the benevolent consciousness within my sixth consciousness. It has no destructive power, but it can protect a region, calm the mind, and heal hidden wounds.”

The old monk withdrew his finger, and the golden Arhat also retreated to its original position.

Then, the old monk's gaze turned to the wrathful figure with a blue face and fangs.

"This wrathful form is the means by which I subdue demons and monsters. It is a manifestation of the evil consciousness in my sixth consciousness. It only took me a few years to transform the good consciousness, but it took me nearly thirty years to transform this evil consciousness. In the end, I obtained this wrathful form. It is both a protector of the Dharma and a manifestation of my own mind. It is angry but not resentful, majestic but not violent!"

The old monk looked at Li Chang'an and said, "Young benefactor, the power within you is extremely violent and has a strong corrosive quality. If you were to transform it into wisdom, it would likely transform into a similar wrathful form."

Li Chang'an nodded, and at the same time began to think about how long it would take him.

The old monk seemed to see through his thoughts and said, "Young benefactor, don't worry about it taking too long. The reason I took thirty years is because I was impatient when I was young."

“When you are cultivating, you can’t suppress the restless thoughts in your mind. You have spent most of the past thirty years tempering your character. With your aptitude, you may be able to succeed in three to five years at most, or a year and a half at least.”

Chapter 163 Instant Beginner's Guide

It could take three to five years for some, or as little as a year and a half... Li Chang'an thought to himself, "I have the awareness of the intermediate state, which is beneficial for my sexual cultivation, so it shouldn't take that long."

With this thought in mind, Li Chang'an said calmly, "Master, I'd like to try it now."

The old monk nodded slightly: "Since you are so determined, young benefactor, then I will pass on this method to you."

Li Chang'an said, "Master, the Lu family has a tradition of going out to learn martial arts, and after learning, they will not pass on their skills to their own family. Although I am not surnamed Lu, I studied under Lu Jin and can be considered half a member of the Lu family. What you have taught me today will not be passed on to anyone without your permission."

Upon hearing this, the old monk smiled and said, "There's no need for that. If you wish to pass it on, please do so. Our Yogacara school doesn't have so many rules and regulations. Back then, our patriarch traveled thousands of miles to obtain the true scriptures, wasn't it all for the purpose of saving all sentient beings? Although this method can be considered a secret technique, it is also a method for saving all sentient beings. If the person to whom you pass it on can learn it, please feel free to pass it on, young benefactor."

Li Chang'an said, "Master's compassion is truly admirable. I will remember this!"

“Then, let’s begin!” the old monk said. “This method originates from the mantra that the patriarch Xuanzang comprehended at Nalanda University during his journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures. The Yogacara school refers to supernatural powers as ‘cultivation,’ which do not rely on incantations or talismans, but are entirely generated through the power of meditation.”

"As long as one stabilizes one's mind in deep meditation, one can transcend the boundaries of time and space and attain the six supernatural powers, including the ability to know past lives, divine hearing, and divine feet."

With profound meditation and a stable mind, one can attain supernatural powers... Li Chang'an thought of Wugensheng; this must be how he attained enlightenment.

The old monk continued, “If one cultivates to the level of an eighth-level Bodhisattva or above, one can even attain the ‘mind-born body.’ One can manifest thousands of forms at will and travel between the ten directions of heaven and earth. However, such a state is beyond the reach of ordinary people like us, and cannot be attained by those with great wisdom and perseverance.”

The old monk closed his eyes and formed a complex mudra with his hands.

"Now, I will impart this true mantra to you. Remember it carefully."

A very obscure and strangely pronounced Sanskrit mantra was slowly uttered from the old monk's mouth.

Li Chang'an possessed a photographic memory; after hearing the mantra only once, he firmly imprinted the hundreds of words in his mind. He not only remembered the pronunciation but also perfectly replicated the unique rhythm and cadence of the old monk's recitation.

"Have you remembered it?" the old monk asked, opening his eyes after reciting the words.

"I've got it." Li Chang'an nodded.

A hint of surprise flashed in the old monk's eyes, but he didn't ask any further questions. He continued, "The mantra is just the starting point; the most crucial element is one's own meditative concentration."

"Now, enter into meditation, concentrate your mind and calm your spirit, guard your inner self, and let your body and mind be like the earth, bearing everything without moving."

Li Chang'an closed his eyes, and with a thought, all his thoughts fell away, and he instantly entered a state of profound meditation.

The old monk's voice reached his ears: "After entering meditation, silently recite the mantra. Do not recite it with your body, but with your mind. In the process of reciting, you will sense the various Alaya consciousnesses within your body. Find the Alaya consciousness you want to transform, see it clearly, but do not touch it."

"Then visualize yourself as a piece of land, let it stay on your land. It may be restless, it may roar, you just need to bear it, don't suppress it."

"This step may be a little difficult. If you can't feel it, don't be impatient. Take it slowly. Don't think about anything. Just silently recite the mantra. When your meditation is deep enough, the mantra will guide you."

The old monk gave instructions.

In reality, Li Chang'an had already completed all of the above steps long ago.

His meditation skills have surpassed the Four Dhyanas and Eight Samadhis, reaching the level of the living dead's cultivation. He only needed to recite the mantra once while entering meditation, and all kinds of Alaya consciousnesses would leap into his sea of ​​consciousness.

Some come from fate, some from sex, and some from the outside world.

With his intermediate state awareness, he clearly distinguished these Alaya consciousnesses.

Among them, the Alaya consciousness from the list is the most obvious, because the other Alaya consciousnesses are all seeds of oneself, which are manifested by external influences.

Only the Alaya consciousness of the name list descended directly upon him. Although it had been integrated into his life, it remained distinct.

Moreover, the Alaya consciousness in the list is expanding its influence through constant whispering, spreading like a virus to infect other Alaya consciousnesses. If one cannot resist this infection, one will succumb to evil and become a slave to evil.

However, this did not work on him. The Aleyes he faced remained unchanged, quietly lurking within his life, waiting for the right moment.

However, it's no longer possible to stay there now.

The old monk kept repeating his previous words, believing that Li Chang'an couldn't have accomplished this so quickly.

Li Chang'an opened his eyes: "Master, I can see it completely now, I even feel like I can reach out and catch it. What's next?"

"What? You're saying you saw it completely clearly and could even capture it?"

The usually calm and collected old monk became somewhat unsettled upon hearing this, looking at Li Chang'an with a surprised expression: "Then describe to this old monk what it's like?"

After a moment's thought, Li Chang'an described it as follows: "What I saw was not a blurry mass of energy, but something with layers and structure."

“The outermost layer is those surging delusions, like a layer of churning foam; the middle layer is solidified evil thoughts, as viscous as asphalt; and the deepest layer is a tiny nucleus, so dark that its color cannot be seen.”

"It pulsates, and with each pulsation it spreads outwards a dense multitude of whispers, constantly spreading outwards, but the spreading part is too weak, and when it hits the surrounding Alayas, it shatters into bubbles."