The journey to the West begins at sixteen; first, find some henchmen.
The wheels of history can always erase all traces. Xuan Tian, who had traveled through time, even had the intention to destroy the Journey to the West, but one thing after another brought history back to the present. The great trend of Heaven cannot be changed. Indeed, it is true. Not to mention some small details, perhaps things that originally existed have just been overlooked and are unknown to later generations.
Meanwhile, Buddha once again imprisoned Sun Wukong under the Five Elements Mountain, and this time he was at peace. Buddha then took his leave of the Jade Emperor and returned to Mount Ling.
Upon entering the Thunderclap Temple, one is greeted by three thousand Buddhas, five hundred Arhats, eight Vajras, and countless Bodhisattvas, each holding banners, canopies, rare treasures, and celestial flowers, arranged beneath the twin Sala trees in this sacred mountain paradise.
Upon seeing this, the Tathagata rode on auspicious clouds and addressed the assembly, saying: "With profound Prajna, I have observed the three realms. The fundamental nature is ultimately quiescent, like the void, devoid of anything. Subduing the unruly monkey, this is something unknown, the beginning of birth and death, such is the nature of Dharma."
Then, the light of the relics was emitted, and forty-two white rainbows filled the sky, connecting north and south. Upon seeing this, the assembly bowed in reverence. A short while later, auspicious clouds and mist gathered, and they ascended a lotus platform, sitting serenely. The three thousand Buddhas, five hundred Arhats, eight Vajras, and four Bodhisattvas approached with palms joined in reverence, and asked, "What caused the disturbance at the Heavenly Palace and the disruption of the Peach Banquet?"
The Buddha said, “That fellow was a demon monkey from Flower Fruit Mountain, whose sins were heinous and indescribable. None of the heavenly generals could subdue him; even Erlang Shen captured him, and Laozi tried to temper him with fire, but they could not harm him. When I arrived, he was among the thunder generals, showing off his power and prowess. I stopped the fighting and asked him about his origins. He said he possessed supernatural powers, could transform, and could ride a somersault cloud, traveling 108,000 li in an instant. I made a bet with him, and he couldn't escape my grasp. I seized him, transformed him into the Five Elements Mountain, and sealed him there. The Jade Emperor opened his Golden Palace and invited me to sit in the chief seat, holding a grand Heavenly Assembly to thank me before I took my leave.” The crowd was delighted to hear this and praised him highly. After thanking him, they each went their separate ways to attend to their own affairs, enjoying the simple pleasures of heaven.
Auspicious clouds blanket India, rainbow light embraces the World-Honored One. The West is one, the gate of the formless Dharma King. One often sees black monkeys offering fruit, deer carrying flowers; blue phoenixes dancing, colorful phoenixes singing; divine tortoises offering longevity, cranes carrying lingzhi mushrooms. Peacefully enjoying the Pure Land of Jetavana, experiencing the Dharma realm of the Dragon Palace. Flowers bloom daily, fruits ripen constantly. Practicing stillness and returning to truth, attaining enlightenment through meditation. Neither dying nor being born, neither increasing nor decreasing. Vast and ethereal mists come and go, untouched by heat or cold, forgetting the years.
One day, the Tathagata issued a decree, summoning all Buddhas, Arhats, Gatekeepers, Bodhisattvas, Vajras, monks, nuns, and others, saying, "Since the subjugation of the unruly monkey and the pacification of heaven, I have lost count of the years, but I estimate that half a thousand years have passed in the mortal realm. Today, on the full moon of early autumn, I have a precious basin filled with a hundred kinds of exotic flowers and a thousand kinds of rare fruits, which I offer to you all for this Ullambana Festival. What do you say?" All the assembly joined their palms, bowed three times to the Buddha, and accepted the offering. The Tathagata then instructed Ananda to hold the flowers, fruits, and other items from the precious basin, and Kasyapa to distribute them. The assembly was grateful and each offered a poem in thanks.
The poem reads: The star of fortune shines before the World Honored One, blessings abound and deepen. Blessings and virtues are as boundless as the earth, and auspicious omens connect with the heavens.
May your fields of blessings flourish year after year, and may your sea of blessings remain steadfast and enduring. May blessings fill the universe, bringing abundant blessings, and may your happiness be boundless and everlasting.
The poem on wealth says: Wealth as heavy as a mountain, the phoenix sings; Wealth comes with time, may peace prevail. May wealth increase ten thousand bushels, may you enjoy good health; May wealth be abundant, may the world be at peace.
His salary and emoluments are as high as the heavens and will last forever; his fame and rank are as clear as the sea. His imperial favor will be passed down far and wide, and he will be admired by all. His boundless honor and rank will bring glory to all nations.
The poem for the birthday celebration reads: The God of Longevity offers his blessings to the Buddha, and the realm of longevity shines forth from this moment. A plate full of longevity fruits brings auspicious clouds, and newly picked longevity flowers adorn the lotus throne.
The poems for longevity are elegant and wondrous, the melodies for longevity are beautifully tuned. May your life be as long as the sun and moon, as enduring as mountains and seas, truly carefree.
After the Bodhisattvas finished their offerings, they requested the Tathagata to clarify the fundamental principles and explain the origins of the teachings. The Tathagata slightly opened his benevolent mouth and expounded the Great Dharma, proclaiming the true fruition, speaking of the wondrous scriptures of the Three Vehicles and the Shurangama Sutra of the Five Aggregates. Then, heavenly dragons appeared, and a shower of flowers fell. Truly: A Zen mind illuminates a thousand rivers like the moon; true nature clearly encompasses ten thousand miles of sky.
After speaking, the Buddha addressed the assembly, saying: “I observe that the beings in the four continents are of varying good and evil. The people of the Eastern Continent of Victory are respectful of Heaven and Earth, and their hearts are clear and their spirits are calm. The people of the Northern Continent of Giant Reeds, though fond of killing, do so only to make a living; they are simple-minded and have few desires, and do not commit many misdeeds. The people of the Western Continent of Aparagodaniya are neither greedy nor murderous, and they cultivate their inner energy and nurture their spirits; although there are no supreme beings, everyone enjoys a long life. But the people of the Southern Continent of Jambudvipa are greedy, lustful, and fond of causing trouble; they kill many and many. It is truly a place of fierce words and a sea of evil. I now have the Tripitaka, which can persuade people to do good.”
Upon hearing this, the Bodhisattvas joined their palms in reverence and asked the Buddha, "What are the three baskets of true scriptures of the Tathagata?"
The Buddha said, “I have one collection of teachings, the *Dharma*, which discusses the heavens; one collection of treatises, which speaks of the earth; and one collection of scriptures, which guides ghosts. These three collections comprise thirty-five parts, totaling fifteen thousand one hundred and forty-four volumes. They are the scriptures for cultivating truth, the gateway to righteousness. I intend to send them to the Eastern Land, but alas, the beings there are foolish, slandering the true words, not understanding the essence of my Dharma, and neglecting the true lineage of Yoga. How can I find someone with the power to go to the Eastern Land and find a devout believer, to guide them through arduous journeys across mountains and rivers to obtain the true scriptures from me, so that they may be passed down eternally in the Eastern Land, persuading all beings? This would be a blessing as great as a mountain, a merit as deep as the sea. Who would be willing to make this journey?” Then, Guanyin Bodhisattva approached the lotus platform, bowed three times to the Buddha, and said, “This humble disciple wishes to go to the Eastern Land to find a scripture seeker.” All looked up and saw the Bodhisattva—possessing perfect virtues and a golden body brimming with wisdom. Her tassels were adorned with pearls and jade, and her fragrant rings were adorned with jewels. Her hair, like dark clouds, is styled in a dragon-like bun; embroidered ribbons flutter like colorful phoenix feathers. Jade buttons, a plain silk robe, all bathed in auspicious light; a brocade skirt, adorned with golden ribbons, shrouded in auspicious mist. Her eyebrows are like crescent moons, her eyes like twin stars. Her jade-like face is naturally joyful, her lips a touch of red; the pure dew in her vase overflows year after year, and the willow branches, adorned with branches, remain evergreen. She relieves the eight difficulties, delivers all beings, and possesses great compassion. She dwells in Mount Tai, resides in the South Sea, and seeks out those in distress, responding to every cry, a thousand saints, a thousand spirits. Her heart rejoices in the purple bamboo, her fragrance lingers on the fragrant vines. She is the compassionate master of Mount Luojia, the living Guanyin of the Tide Sound Cave.
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