The next morning.
Three Buddhist bell sounds.
When Yun Xian woke up early and saw the old lady standing there kindly again, he thought of those eyes from yesterday. Although it was just the pupils, the pupils were a pure and light color, which looked quite beautiful among the pupils... Never mind. I decided not to think about it anymore.
"Today is the funeral of the virtuous master. The Buddha himself will preside over the ceremony," the old woman said tremblingly. "Everyone, wash your faces three times, scrub your hands with soapberry, remove your jewelry, and follow me into the main hall."
Qi Zhiye was called a bald donkey eight hundred times for no reason that night. He dreamed of a carrot hanging in front of him and being ridden. When he woke up in the morning, his face was blue and he said to Yun Xian gloomily, "Wash it clean. You might have to pick up the bones later."
"Ah?" Yun Xian choked. "Are you all burning it right in front of me now?"
"..." Qi Zhiye said, "How could they burn it right in front of me? Push it in there, burn it, and then take it out... Tsk, it's getting weirder the more you talk about it."
To be honest, when Qi Zhiye called him "bald donkey," he didn't feel like he was being insulted. He knew there were many jokes about monks, and he'd just laugh it off, but calling him "bald donkey" was like insulting his fellow monks. He could insult his fellow monks, but others couldn't.
But when he thought about it, everyone in the Buddhist community also cursed the devils and sent them to hell every day, and he actually had the illusion that they were not at fault in cursing each other.
Jimo Shu felt so embarrassed after being suppressed by Ji Rongxue last night that she didn't leave immediately. Instead, she relied on her out-of-body cultivation to suppress Ji Rongxue. Her methods were extremely cruel and the scene was horrible. Ji Rongxue was squeezed into a beast shape!
The moment she saw the furry lion head, Jimo Shu's eyes paused suspiciously for a moment.
Ji Rongxue didn't resist, but said silently: "Are you satisfied?"
I don’t know whether Jimo Shu was satisfied or not, but the others were very satisfied watching the show and wanted to clap their hands for more.
The group of phantoms looked even more sluggish today. Yun Xian tried to cut in line again and patted the man in front of him on the shoulder: "Hey, buddy, are you okay?"
"I'm fine! There's nothing wrong with me. There's nothing that can't be fine." The person in front smiled and turned back: "I'm fine! I'm fine! My, I'm fine!"
Yun Xian: “…” What a bullshit! And why did you even bring up some Japanese flavor when you were talking?!
The Buddhist temple stood quietly not far away, with incense sticks lingering in the air. After the Buddhist bell rang eighteen times, the old lady led everyone to the main hall.
Today's hall was somewhat different from yesterday's. Almost everyone in the Lotus Seat, both human and non-human, had arrived. The courtyard was densely packed with people kneeling, and in the center of the courtyard wall, a wooden coffin lay quietly beneath a giant Bodhi tree.
Even in this situation, everyone still had happy smiles on their lips and looked at the coffin devoutly.
Zhang Heyan's group was led by the old man to the right side of the coffin, while Yun Xian was led to the left side. The old lady ordered, "Open the coffin and carry it to the lobby."
Yun Xian: "Okay."
She and Zhang Heyan reached out to open the coffin, but the lid didn't move at all, as if it was nailed in place, and there was even a faint resistance.
Yun Xian didn't show it on his face, but he was secretly shocked. Could it be Master Jude...
"Fellow Daoist Yun," Zhang Heyan said with difficulty, "This coffin opens sideways, not with a sliding lid. Please let go."
Yun Xian: “Oh.”
This time, the coffin suddenly opened wide. The person inside had their hands resting on their abdomen, the rest of their body completely obscured by the lotus, and even their face couldn't be seen clearly.
The two men lifted the coffin, only to feel that the weight in their hands was a little strange. The two groups of people walked into the main hall quietly, with their eyes lowered, and their hands suddenly felt heavy!
The coffin fell to the ground without any sound. Only the sound of Sanskrit could be heard gradually getting closer and farther away. Sometimes it was as if it was right next to the ear, and sometimes it was as if it was in the sky. The fragrance of lotus passed through the nose, as if it was in a strange place. Everyone present was drowsy for a moment and almost became addicted. At this time, the Buddhist bell exploded like thunder again!
Yun Xian suddenly looked up.
Smiling Buddha!
Beneath the terrifyingly huge Buddha statue, a woman sat cross-legged, her hair completely white, as if stained with frost and snow.
When Yun Xian saw her for the first time, he had no time to judge her by her appearance. He only felt the pressure like silk, wrapping her whole body tightly, almost suffocating her, and she trembled instinctively.
Master Mingguang's cultivation level was still understated. After not seeing her for decades, if she was Mingren, she was indeed worthy of being called the Son of Fortune. With this level of cultivation, she would be at least in the middle stage of Fusion, a full stage higher than the Spirit Splitting Realm.
Yun Lang was only at the high level of the Spirit Severing Realm. A high level Spirit Severing Realm cultivator was enough to control an entire sect. There were very few people in the Fusion Realm who remained in the world. The ones who could be named were all experienced monsters. The one in front of him could crush everyone to death with just a flick of his finger.
Yun Xian struggled to distinguish them. Hey, this guy really does look... not at all like Master Mingguang!
If a cultivator has achieved sufficient cultivation, they can customize their appearance to any desired age. For example, Master Mingguang could, if he so desired, return to a youthful appearance of around thirty. However, as a symbol of Buddhism, he must maintain a more mature and mature appearance. The smiling Buddha before him, like everyone else's initial reaction to Mingguang, is not judged by "beauty" or "ugliness." If one must describe his age, it certainly doesn't suggest youth. He's in his forties or fifties, with fine lines around his eyes and wrinkles around his lips undisguised, growing freely.
Only by looking closely at her facial features can one discern her solemn and elegant outline.
Perhaps this was the manifestation she found most comfortable.
Yun Xian looked at her face and could only think of gentleness, respect, and unconscious closeness.
But in such a strange situation, being able to feel close to a strange stranger is scary enough in itself.
The Smiling Buddha appeared, and everyone knelt down and enthusiastically chanted:
"The three realms are like a burning house, in purgatory the Buddha appears. All the people in the world are empty, only I do not suffer."
The few people in the hall did not kneel, but stood in the crowd. From afar, the smiling Buddha looked over.
Just a clear glance, without any meaning, Yun Xian broke out in a cold sweat, soaking his clothes.
The pressure was too strong, and she felt her knees sinking. Several of Zhang Heyan's group had already fallen to their knees, but she gritted her teeth and held on - No! She had never even kneeled before Xiao Wu! Her daughter had a golden child under her knees, how could she kneel casually?
The force seemed to sense her disapproval, and withdrew with a barely perceptible chuckle.
The funeral ceremony wasn't particularly elaborate: the abbot offered incense, and the crowd expressed their condolences... But Yun Xian thought everyone seemed so happy, which made this seemingly frivolous funeral seem even more eerie. Furthermore, Lotus had obscured the body, completely obscuring it, not even revealing its face. Was this truly respectful to the deceased? It was unclear whether there was even a virtuous master.
But now the Smiling Buddha is here, and everyone cannot communicate.
After all, the gap in cultivation is so huge that transmitting sound is equivalent to seeking death.
Not being able to transmit sound was a minor issue, but Yun Xian having no place to speak was a major concern, his face turning bitter. The virtuous master, wrapped in lotus flowers, was about to be pushed inside and burned. The Smiling Buddha finally spoke, "Does anyone know what mistake the master has made?"
The Five Precepts of Buddhism are not to kill, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to lie, and not to drink alcohol. But breaking the precepts means death. This is the first time I have heard of this. Yun Xian heard someone say woodenly, "He didn't stick to his original intention."
Continue, what is the original mind?
Yun Xian was still listening intently when he heard the Smiling Buddha say, "That's right. If you don't stick to your original intentions and willingly accept heaven's punishment, you can cleanse your sins."
That’s all.
Keep talking! What is the true heart?!
Master Jide was tightly wrapped in a lotus and pushed into the furnace. Yun Xian noticed with his sharp eyes that the smiling Buddha's Adam's apple rolled, as if he was not looking at a corpse, but a fragrant lotus leaf chicken that was about to be taken out of the furnace.
Wait, isn’t this idea a bit detrimental to one’s virtue… But Yun Xian assured himself that he was not mistaken.
After all, she was an evil Buddha. The way everyone in Qiankun City had previously sacrificed their flesh and blood showed that even if she didn't rely on absorbing flesh and blood for cultivation, she was at least quite interested in it.
The crackling flames printed out the trembling and pale faces of the people below. Even the old grandfather and grandmother looked pale. This was more like a grand killing of the chicken to scare the monkeys than a farewell ceremony for the body. No one cared what mistakes the virtuous master had made, but rules without clear rules are the most frightening.
Sure enough, the platform that was pushed out was clean, not to mention the relics, there was not even a broken bone. Yun Xian had no place to pick up any.
The farewell ceremony ended, and everyone chanted sutras and left the hall one by one. At this moment, the Smiling Buddha said, "New believers, please stay for a while."
The main hall was tightly closed, the Buddha statue was still sitting with its back to the Buddha, and the smell of incense sticks lingered. A hint of rotten incense ash passed through everyone's noses, and no one knew where it came from.
The old lady beside her said quickly, "The Buddha is willing to guide you."
The Smiling Buddha looked at her, and she lowered her head timidly, with a look of fear.
"Strange faces, have you gained any insights from coming to the Lotus Seat?" The Smiling Buddha lived up to her name. Aside from her long white hair that dragged on the ground, she was approachable and had no sense of distance. If the scene wasn't strange, Yun Xian would have suspected she was going to come down and hold his hand to go to the lecture and give him eggs. "Is your accommodation comfortable?"
As she spoke, her gaze slowly turned towards Xue Lingxiu. It wasn't a roll call, but it was better than a roll call.
Xue Lingxiu said: "Uncomfortable."
"It's right to be uncomfortable." The Buddha nodded and said, "Only through repeated tempering can one maintain the Buddha's heart. If one is too comfortable, it will become an obstacle."
Yun Xian: “?”
This can also be achieved!
"How about this young friend?" Buddha said with a smile, "What do you think?"
This time, he looked at Zhang Heyan. Zhang Heyan, the flatterer, actually nodded: "Comfortable."
"Comfortable is the right thing." The Buddha nodded and added, "The Buddhist temple is nearby, and the sound of bells ringing all day long is very beneficial to spiritual practice."
Everyone: “…”
Yun Xian: “…”
It feels a lot like the old teacher in high school who took a wrong answer and spent half a class trying to prove it was correct.
Unconsciously, she had forgotten the trembling she had just felt, and even her stance had become somewhat relaxed.
At this moment, her chest suddenly felt hot. Yun Xian hissed and realized that the wooden Buddha statue was as hot as charcoal, which instantly brought her back to consciousness!
She looked back at the distance between herself and the temple gate.
In just a few words, she unknowingly took eight steps closer to the Smiling Buddha.
The Buddha obviously noticed that she had discovered this, but he didn't care. Instead, he continued to smile and said, "Everyone, tell me your names."
In Buddhism, people's names have a special connection and have a great influence on each other. Qi Zhiye said in a voice transmission: "Don't tell her!"
"?" What kind of loud conspiracy was this? Yun Xian suddenly opened his eyes, "She can hear it..."
"Yes, she can hear it. For example, she's listening to us right now." Qi Zhiye's eyes were cold. Meeting the gentle gaze from the smiling Buddha from afar, he said something very cruel: "Do you think she cares?"
The answer is obviously no.
She didn't care that the ant was trying to figure out how to struggle.
Starting from Zhang Heyan, he couldn't help but answer: "Zhang Heyan."
"Qingxuan."
"Linzhi Shuang."
“…”
As soon as the name came out, his vision became more confused, and the look he gave the Buddha became more fanatical.
Seeing that Yunxian was about to arrive, she concentrated her energy and made up her mind to say something like "Nicholas Zhao Si". However, when the Buddha's gaze fell on her head, her head became dizzy for a moment, and she blurted out: "Yun..."
The wooden Buddha statue on his chest felt hot again, this time nearly burning up, cracks already covering the entire body. Yun Xian suddenly came to his senses and said in astonishment, "Yun, Yun, Yun San Ya. I'm the third child in my family."
The smiling Buddha's smile froze: "?"
Strike while the iron is hot, Yun Xian continued to forcefully introduce himself to others, pointing his finger: "This one, Ji Dadan, the chickens in her family lay very large eggs. This one, Xue Wangcai, is very good for my wealth. This one, Qiao Xiaofang, there's a girl at the entrance of the village who seems to be also named Xiaofang. And, this one, Qi——"
She rattled off a bunch of words, and was finally interrupted by the Smiling Buddha: "Qi, practice."
Qi Zhiye slowly raised his head.
One is cold and sullen, the other is smiling, it's indescribably weird.
"..." It seems that Fellow Daoist Qi is famous and has been listed. There is nothing that can be done. Yun Xian finally pointed at Feng Ye and said, "Qi Xingye Fengzi."
Feng Ye: “…”
The Smiling Buddha remained expressionless, but Yun Xian seemed to be able to sense that she was in a bad mood. The old lady next to her was almost shaking like a sieve, and the old man wanted to help her, but found nothing.
He always seemed to forget he had no arms.
Yun Xian noticed that the inside of his sleeves was also embroidered with a similar flower pattern. Were they family? And yet he called her "Senior Sister"...
It was said that the Buddha was guiding the way out of confusion, so it was probably a question-and-answer session. Yun Xian pricked up his ears to listen to the person in front of him discussing Buddhism, but he couldn't hear clearly no matter how hard he tried. He whispered to the others, "Is there some kind of barrier?"
"The presence of a barrier has nothing to do with whether one can understand or not." Xue Lingxiu said ruthlessly: "Zhang Heyan has also been tricked."
Zhang Heyan, who had shown no interest in the Diamond Sutra yesterday, was now reading it furiously, completely engrossed. Yun Xian strained his brains and finally heard a few scattered voices from the front:
"The source of this tragedy is the desire to kill... It's not about stopping killing with killing, but..."
Before she understood, it was her turn.
Yun Xian was holding the Diamond Sutra, standing there awkwardly.
What is she going to ask? If I ask you to speak up, will you dare to answer?
The Smiling Buddha sat on the high platform, his smile kind and expressionless. "Yun Sanya?"
"It's me." Yun Xian always remembered his own settings. He raised his eyes and said in distress, "I have had a sudden feeling recently and just abandoned Taoism to join Buddhism. I don't have much understanding of Buddhist thought at the moment. Please forgive me, Buddha."
"Everything has its cause. Since you have this kind of heart, why do you need forgiveness?" The Buddha smiled with satisfaction and said, "How many times have you read the Diamond Sutra these days?"
Before he even finished reading a single page, Yun Xian broke out in a cold sweat and said, "Only three times."
"Three times, not bad." Buddha said, "What part touched you the most? Tell me about it."
Yun Xian: “…”
The Buddha was concerned: "Why are your eyes closed?"
"I accidentally fell asleep just now... I was shocked by the majesty of the Diamond Sutra." Yun Xian quickly opened his eyes and said, "It's all quite touching. I've never read it before, but now no matter how I read it, every word is so precious that I really can't choose. Buddha, please forgive me."
The Buddha's smile faded, and he glared, "Have you truly grasped the true meaning of the sutra?"
This is quite similar to the traditional "wake-up call". A real wake-up call can enlighten people's wisdom and make them suddenly enlightened. Coupled with the enchantment of Sanskrit, no matter who it is -
Yun Xian blinked and said, "I understand. I really understand!"
Buddha: "Then you say!"
Yun Xian spoke quickly, "I think this is very wise. It allows people to grasp its true meaning, and it can even improve their physical and even intellectual well-being. No matter when you read it, you'll find new insights, and it's truly admirable, a sudden enlightenment, brilliant, and truly enlightening. It's a must-read for middle school students..."
The Buddha asked, “Don’t you have even a hint of doubt?”
Yun Xian said firmly: "I have it."
Buddha: "Lift your eyes, let me see."
Yun Xian raised his head with determination. Even in his hundred years of life, the Buddha had never seen such wise eyes.
Not ashamed, but proud of it, resolutely refusing to admit it, extremely smart.
"..." The Buddha said compassionately, "Yun Sanya, you should copy the Diamond Sutra three times tonight."
Yun Xian screamed: "Ah!!!"
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