We descended from the sky and arrived at the main gate of the temple. The huge temple's main gate was tightly closed, leaving not a single crack.
Wu Er looked up and saw a stone plaque hanging on the door with several large characters engraved on it.
"Da Leiyin Temple".
Wu Er read those words aloud, inwardly grumbling.
Why is it that all the highest-level Buddhist temples, whether in novels or in the cultivation world, are called Great Thunderclap Temple? Is the name just that famous?
Whether this was a coincidence or not, Wu Er did not understand Buddhism, so he did not understand the reasoning behind it.
After looking at the main gate, Wu Er turned around and glanced behind him.
At the foot of the lonely mountain where the Great Thunderclap Temple is located, there are many ordinary people. These people are dressed in robes of Western Regions customs, kneeling on the ground with their hands clasped together, looking very devout.
Seeing Wu Er looking at the mortals below the mountain, Hui Jing explained, "Immortals, those are pilgrims who want to comprehend the true meaning of Buddhism here."
Wu Er added, "You can't learn something while kneeling. What can you learn while kneeling?"
Upon hearing this, Huijing looked slightly nervous and whispered, "Immortal... what do you mean?"
"It's nothing." Wu Er turned to look at the Great Thunderclap Temple and said, "Let's go in."
Hui Jing secretly broke out in a cold sweat. He had heard some things about Wu Er and knew what kind of temper this immortal used to have.
Even if we're flustered, it's best to welcome this immortal inside.
Huijing arrived at the temple gate and announced loudly, "A celestial being from Pengshan has graced us with his presence."
No sooner had the words been spoken than a voice came from inside the temple saying, "The immortal from Pengshan has graced us with his presence."
Then the sound rang out again, and the phrase "The immortal from Pengshan has arrived" was repeated nine times.
After nine repetitions, the temple gate slowly opened, revealing the scene inside.
At first glance, Wu Er's eyes were drawn to various sculptures.
Many white sculptures lined both sides of the road at the entrance, all cast in gold, matching the colors of the entire temple and the desert.
Looking further inside, one sees rows of pagodas, which appear to be made of white jade and ivory, exuding both majesty and holiness.
At the very back is a majestic golden-roofed hall, which is the core of this Great Thunderclap Temple.
This is also the residence of this great Buddha.
Huijing clasped her hands together and bowed to Wu Er, saying, "Immortal, please come in."
Wu Er didn't move immediately, but instead looked at the people who came out to greet him.
A group of monks and Buddhas could be seen bowing and welcoming the guests on both sides of the gate. The welcoming ceremony was very grand and showed them great respect.
"Yes, no need for formalities," Wu Er said softly.
Upon hearing this, the monks on both sides of the temple gate stood up and stopped bowing.
Saying "no need for formalities" before even entering the door? That seems a bit against etiquette...
Huijing clearly didn't understand Wu Er's thoughts, but he was an immortal, so whatever he said was law, and he couldn't interfere with what an immortal did.
However, after being told to dispense with formalities, Wu Er stood there for quite a while and still did not enter the temple gate.
This made Huijing anxious, wondering if she had neglected him in some way, which was why Wu Er wouldn't come in.
"Immortal, please come in..."
Huijing invited Wu Er in again. Although her tone didn't fluctuate much, her voice was much softer, as if she was a little guilty.
Unexpectedly, Wu Er acted as if he hadn't heard anything and remained waiting in the same spot.
This made Huijing's white eyebrows twitch, and then she asked, "Why doesn't the immortal enter? Has this humble monk offended the immortal in any way?"
"No." Wu Er shook his head slightly.
Huijing then asked, "But is the welcoming ceremony too small?"
Wu Er shook his head again and said, "It's not that either."
This confused Huijing. "May I ask, Immortal, why won't you come in?"
Wu Er explained, "I just said that there was no need for formalities, but some people still knelt down and did not get up. I don't like people doing that."
At the temple gate, Huijing looked to the side and saw that the monks and Buddhas on both sides had all stood up, but none of them bowed.
Everyone's up now, so who hasn't gotten up yet?
Several wrinkles appeared on Huijing's forehead, showing that he was very confused.
Just then, a golden light suddenly shone brightly in the Great Thunderclap Temple, and a gentle power enveloped the area within a hundred miles. Then, a sound was heard.
The sound was as loud as thunder.
Wu Er listened intently and realized that the sound was Sanskrit from the Western Regions, or perhaps Buddhist chanting, and that the source of this chanting was the large Buddha statue in the temple.
Although Wu Er did not understand Sanskrit, the Sanskrit was spoken by the Buddha mixed with Taoist thoughts, so based on his understanding of Taoism, he roughly understood the meaning of the Sanskrit sound.
“You do understand what I mean…” Wu Er looked into the temple and said this softly.
Not only did Wu Er understand the Sanskrit chant, but Hui Jing, who was well-versed in Buddhism, also understood it. He looked as if he had suddenly realized something, and then said repeatedly, "Forgive me, I actually overlooked this matter."
So, even outsiders can't understand why Wu Er didn't enter the door, and what the Buddhist chant was saying.
Wu Er had previously said that "there are also people who perform the kneeling ceremony," but who are these people who perform the kneeling ceremony?
I'm not referring to the monks, but to the ordinary pilgrims kneeling and worshipping at the foot of this solitary mountain. They are still performing the kneeling ritual, so Wu Er doesn't enter.
The content of the chanting was even simpler: it was a message to the mortals on their pilgrimage, telling them to get up.
Sure enough, the mortals, having received the prompting from the chanting, all stood up and stopped kneeling, but their fascination with the Great Thunderclap Temple did not diminish; on the contrary, it deepened.
It must be said that the Buddha statue in that temple was a clever trick, both giving Wu Er face and further deepening the mortals' worship of him.
Now that everyone is up, Wu Er has no reason to delay entering the Great Thunderclap Temple.
Huijing was a clever woman, and taking this opportunity, she said again, "Immortal, please come in."
Wu Er responded and then walked into the Great Thunderclap Temple.
The Buddha statue is located in the deepest part of the temple, in the innermost Mahavira Hall.
There is a long way from the temple gate to the main hall, and Wu Er chose to walk that part of the way.
Although walking is slower than flying, it saves the other party face.
Since they've given us so much face, it wouldn't be right for Wu Er not to show some respect.
Wu Er walked forward step by step, and rows of monks stood by the roadside, watching him with respect.
Finally, Wu Er arrived in front of the Great Buddha Hall.
The golden-roofed hall exudes majesty, and the high steps in front of it further enhance its sacredness.
"Please come in." A voice came from inside the hall, and the hall doors opened automatically.
Wu Er didn't reply, and walked up the white jade stairs.
Upon entering the main hall, one can discover that the interior and exterior of the hall are quite different.
Why is there a discrepancy between the inside and outside?
From the outside, the palace appears grand and magnificent, but inside it is spacious and simple.
There were no sculptures, no murals, and no elaborate carvings; it completely lacked that noble and sacred aura.
All Wu Er could see was a prayer mat, a wooden fish, a bronze lamp, and a monk.
And that monk was none other than the Great Buddha of the Great Thunderclap Temple…
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