Buddha

Biodata

Background / History

Chen Cuo asks whether the Buddha once pinned a “Great Sage Equal to Heaven” beneath Five Elements Mountain. Elder Sheng doubts the story, saying that the Heavenly Palace may not even have existed at the time alleged 102.

The World-Honored One later seeks to bring Chen Cuo into the Buddhist School. His instructions favor persuading members of the Chen family through Buddhist teachings, in part because Chen’s path might benefit the school’s own ambitions 582. When Chen establishes a Peach Paradise Dreamscape, the World-Honored One approaches a blood-formed Cult Leader about joining forces against him 633.

After Chen enters the Fifth Realm, the World-Honored One plans to divide into Three Bodies and reincarnate one in the Mortal World. He expects that body to recover its memories and power before Chen can develop a comparable legend 706. A Great Sun subsequently descends from beyond the mortal realm, prompting the Heavenly Palace to seek allies against the Buddhist School’s expanding influence 709.

As the Buddhist School’s plans unravel, the World-Honored One tells the Ancient Buddha that he has presided over the present and glimpsed a measure of Dao Lord authority. He offers himself to complete the future, vanishing as a towering Buddhist figure appears above Chang’an 764. In a final attack on Chen, he spends the school’s remaining Fortune and dissolves into black qi of decline and death 770. Later, worshippers in Wuyi and the Western Regions find that Buddha’s presence has vanished from their hearts and their prayers go unanswered 781.

Appearance

The World-Honored One is associated with a Crimson Sun beyond the Mortal World. During his encounter with the Ancient Buddha, he stands on a Twelfth-Grade Lotus Throne amid golden flowers and Buddha Light 706 764.

• Lotus throne — a Twelfth-Grade Lotus Throne appears beneath his feet 764.
• Buddha Light — spreads around him like a halo 764.

Abilities & Skills

Buddhist influence

• Directs followers to seek converts through Dharma rather than coercion, hoping to draw Chen Cuo’s path into the Buddhist School 582.
• Operates within a school whose temples across North and South send their Incense toward the same source 709.

Three Bodies and reincarnation

• Plans to divide into Three Bodies and send one into the Mortal World to recover its memories and power there 706.
• Seeks this route after Chen Cuo’s Fifth-Realm breakthrough makes him a more urgent rival 706.

Fortune and decline

• Expends the Buddhist School’s remaining Fortune in a final strike against Chen Cuo 770.
• Dissolves into black qi that causes Chen’s power and Dao Suns to wither; Chen turns that decline toward his own understanding of rise and fall 770.

Relationships

• Chen Cuo — the Buddhist School seeks to convert him and benefit from his path; their conflict ends in the World-Honored One’s final attack 582 706 770.
• Ancient Buddha — the Buddha of the past, whom the World-Honored One addresses before offering himself to complete the future 764.
• Di Ting — a Buddhist disciple who considers Chen an enemy of the school and wishes to report his actions to the World-Honored One 582.
• Golden-Robed Old Monk — discusses how to convert Chen and counter the Heavenly Palace with the World-Honored One 706.
• Blood-formed Cult Leader — agrees to cooperate against Chen after the World-Honored Tathagata approaches him 633.

Trivia

• A monk claims his elders told him that, in a previous life, he was the wick of a lamp before Buddha; the account is presented as a claim, not a confirmed history 379 406.