Dharma Assembly

"Benefactor Li, you are not a disciple of the Buddha. This poor monk will now explain the process to you. Later, you, this poor monk, and the other disciples will hold the Sangharama Dharma Assembly in the Thousand Buddha Hall, while Senior Brother Xin Hui will lead the other Arhat disciples in holding Unrestricted Great Assemblies in the other four halls."

Abbot Chan Du, clad in a kasaya, led Li Huowang onward. Unlike yesterday, he carried a Purple-Gold Alms Bowl in his hand, and it did not look like any ordinary object.

"Unrestricted Great Assembly?" Li Huowang seemed to think of something, a trace of disgust appearing on his face. "Sure enough, birds of a feather flock together. You are actually holding an Unrestricted Great Assembly to draw the Buddha's attention."

"Benefactor Li, an Unrestricted Great Assembly means nothing is concealed and nothing is hindered. It is a grand feast where high and low, monks and laymen, wise and foolish, good and evil are all treated equally."

"So that was what it meant? Then I was overthinking it. You do not need to explain too much—just help me see the Buddha." Li Huowang suddenly felt that he had judged these monks too harshly. He had thought it was that kind of Unrestricted Great Assembly.

Yet when they reached the outside of the hall, Li Huowang saw the densely packed monks sitting by the walls with their palms pressed together. They wore nothing but Buddhist beads around their necks as they struck Wooden Fish, and only then did he realize that the old monk's words had not seemed to deny his meaning at all.

As he drew closer, the overlapping chants of the monks entered Li Huowang's ears. "When practicing deep Prajna Paramita, one sees that the five aggregates are all