A Wrong Turn into Pansi Cave (Thirty-Five)

Meanwhile, the Tathagata Buddha instructed the the Monks to move the treasures from Spirit Mountain.

The Monks were all shocked upon hearing this.

The Dipankara Buddha and Maitreya Buddha spoke of this, yet they did not move their feet.

The Medicine Buddha closes his eyes and ignores all external affairs.

Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva clasp their hands together and lower their brows.

Just as the Dragon-Subduing Arhat was about to set off, the Arhat Tiger-Taming Arhat stopped him. The Tiger-Taming Arhat gestured for the Dragon-Subduing Arhat to look around. The Dragon-Subduing Arhat observed that half of the monks were indifferent, while the other half harbored anger. He immediately dared not make a move.

Only those few Asura, simple-minded as they were, actually brought over a large wooden box and went to tear down the curtain.

Upon seeing this, Mahakala Bodhisattva exclaimed "Insolence!", opened his Vertical Eye his eyebrows, and unleashed a Divine Fire that instantly reduced the Asura to ashes!

When Guanyin Bodhisattva saw this, she pulled out Willow Branch and sprinkled sweet dew, reviving the Asura as before.

Mahakala Bodhisattva raised his hand and threw out a trident.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva released a Wu hook sword.

With a clang, swords and halberds clashed, shattering the auspicious sounds of the Western Heaven and startling the the Monks meditation seats.

The Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva rose and said, "World-Honored One, are you going to take my Western Heaven treasures and retreat to the Eastern Lands, leaving the sacred land of Spirit Mountain to the Demon Dragon?"

More than half of the monks, including Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, Gandhahastin Bodhisattva, Chandrakirti Bodhisattva, Mahakala Bodhisattva, Elephant-Head Bodhisattva, Rama Arhat Axe-Wielding Arhat, Matsya Arhat, Snow Mountain Arhat, the Merit Guardian of Heavenly Deities, the Dharma Protectors of Vairocana Sun Heavenly Deities, the Guardian Indra Guardian, and the Guardian of Varuna Monks, rose together with Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva and faced the Tathagata Buddha.

The Tathagata Buddha looked up and instructed:

"All our actions should be for the benefit of others. The eastward spread of our Dharma is a matter of destiny, beyond human control. Our temporary relocation to the Eastern Land is to propagate the China, universally save all sentient beings, and lead everyone to liberation and goodness, not to abandon the fundamental principles of Spirit Mountain."

Mahakala Bodhisattva, upon hearing this, questioned:

"If that's the case, why did the World-Honored One take away the Eight Treasures Merit Pool? This is a supreme treasure of our Western Heaven; how could it be taken to the Eastern Lands? The Southern Jambudvipa is full of greed and killing, they don't recognize the true teachings of my Yoga school, and they neglect the essential Dharma of my Buddhist Sect. How can they accommodate this precious pool? Wouldn't that damage the treasure and ruin the foundation laid by previous generations!"

The Tathagata Buddha said:

"We, the people of the Western Ox Continent, are free from greed and killing, cultivating our vital energy and nurturing our spirits. We revere the Buddhist Dharma's Buddhist Dharma, and everyone enjoys longevity. The Eight Treasures Merit Pool is of no use to us. As for Southern Jambudvipa, the land of China, it is filled with greed, lust, and malice, with much killing and strife, a battlefield of words and a sea of evil. We should use our teachings to spread the Buddha's teachings, the supreme Buddha Treasure, to guide and encourage good deeds."

Mahakala Bodhisattva said, "Where in this barbaric land of China can we place the Buddha Treasure?"

The Tathagata Buddha said, "Venerable Guanyin, you have resided in China for a long time. Do you know where a place can be placed to house the Eight Treasures Merit Pool?"

Guanyin Bodhisattva listened, gently pinched her fingers, pondered for a moment, and said:

"The Southern Jambudvipa Jiangning Kaishan Temple, China, in Jambudvipa has a long and rich heritage, possessing the five virtues of tranquility, perseverance, compassion, loyalty, and elegance. It is suitable for housing the Merit Pond."

The Tathagata Buddha exclaimed with delight, "Excellent!"

Among the opposing monks, some, such as Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva and Gandhahastin Bodhisattva, were slightly moved upon hearing this. However, most monks still could not accept it.

Mahakala Bodhisattva angrily said, "Nonsense! How can our sect's most precious treasure fall into the hands of a foreign land?"

Many Bodhisattva Arhat echoed this sentiment.

The Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva asked, "World-Honored One, setting aside the Eight Treasures Merit Pool for now, why must the Bodhi Tree also be moved?"

The Tathagata Buddha said, "In my land of the Western Ox Continent, all people are enlightened, Wisdom, liberated, resilient, and long-lived, so the precious tree is useless here. In the land of Southern Jambudvipa, all people are less intelligent, foolish, lost, wavering, and short-lived. Therefore, the precious tree was moved and planted in China so that sentient beings may be liberated from their suffering through the transmission of the Dharma."

The elephant-headed bodhisattva retorted, "That land of China in the east is rife with killing and warfare, its soil is filthy, its people are base and disrespectful of the Dharma. Where can one plant a Bodhi tree?"

Upon hearing this, the Tathagata Buddha looked at Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Guanyin Bodhisattva said, "The land of the Southern Sea is pure and solemn, and the people are all respectful and devout to our Buddha. You may plant precious trees there."

The Tathagata Buddha said, "Excellent."

Upon hearing the Monks, some of the Monks were persuaded.

Firstly, the Tathagata Buddha's attitude was clear, and the the Monks dared not easily disobey; secondly, the Tathagata Buddha only said to temporarily move to the Eastern Land, not to abandon Spirit Mountain; and thirdly, Guanyin Bodhisattva had previously displayed her blessings and good fortune, Three Thousand and transforming into clouds that stretched for forty thousand miles, which had somewhat tempted the the Monks.

The Incense Offerings and Merit upon Spirit Mountain have long been established and will remain unchanged for all eternity. If they can relocate to the Eastern Land and spread the Dharma in China, they will all benefit from it.

However, Yin and Yang has two sides; for every person who agrees, there is someone who disagrees.

Bodhisattvas like Mahakala Bodhisattva and Elephant-Head Bodhisattva are ancient deities native to the Western Heaven, with deep roots and powerful foundations. Why would they be willing to abandon their roots and migrate to the Eastern Land?

There are also Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta Gandhahastin Bodhisattva, who have always preached in the Western Heaven, unlike Bodhisattvas such as Guanyin Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and Manjushri Bodhisattva, who often travel in the Eastern Lands. Naturally, they are not willing to easily move to the Eastern Land.

Mahakala Bodhisattva is an old god of the Western Heaven, born with three forms: a gentle form, a terrifying form, and a yogic form. He has three eyes on his head, holds halberds in many hands, and wears animal clothing. Although he is Bodhisattva, he was actually born before the Tathagata Buddha became a Buddha. He is nominally Bodhisattva of the Buddhist Sect, but in reality, he is not directly under the jurisdiction of the Tathagata Buddha.

Mahakala Bodhisattva had previously paid little attention to or ignored the Tathagata Buddha's arrangements for the journey to the Journey to the West, but now that the Tathagata Buddha wanted to move the Western Heaven treasures to the Eastern Lands, he directly violated his taboo.

Mahakala Bodhisattva stood up abruptly in the hall and rebuked without any mercy:

"Shakyamuni, when you renounced your kingdom and became a monk, I Attainment of the Dao enlightenment on the Sacred River. How could I allow you to act so presumptuously here! To put it bluntly, you are merely lacking in magical power, afraid of the Demon Dragon, and want to relinquish Spirit Mountain and flee to the Eastern Lands! The treasures of the Western Heaven belong to all of us Western Heaven deities; how can we allow you to monopolize them! I will go and slay the Demon Dragon, and then I will punish you for abandoning your path!"

As soon as he finished speaking, many Monks shared the same lineage as Mahakala Bodhisattva rose to their feet in support.

Upon seeing this, Kasyapa shouted, "How dare you insult the World-Honored One! What is your punishment?"

The Tathagata Buddha gestured with his hand and said, "Kasyapa, step back."

Kasyapa said, "World-Honored One, these people are far too presumptuous!"

The Tathagata Buddha said, "Step back! Step back!"

Seeing this, Kasyapa had no choice but to retreat indignantly.

The Tathagata Buddha looked at the three Buddhas who were also seated on Lotus Throne: Dipankara Randeng Ancient Buddha, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Medicine Buddha of Lapis Lazuli Light. All three remained seated firmly and did not utter a word.

The Tathagata Buddha then looked down at the monks, and after observing the the Monks who had stood up, he memorized their names one by one, including the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta.

The Tathagata Buddha asked, "Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, do you also think that Mahakala Bodhisattva's words are appropriate?"

Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva said, "Reporting to the World-Honored One Honored One, Mahakala Bodhisattva's words are inappropriate. However, the World-Honored One Honored One's arbitrary decision to transfer teachings to China without cause is even less convincing to the people."

The Tathagata Buddha asked:

"Do you, like Mahakala Bodhisattva, believe that I Eastern Migration because I was afraid of the Demon Dragon Ao Tu?"

The Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva clasped his hands together at his chest and remained silent.

All the the Monks joined their palms together.

One of them, Elephant-Head Bodhisattva, is a reckless and foolish person.

Elephant-Head Bodhisattva is an ancient god of the Western Heaven, with an elephant's head and a human body. In Ancient Times times, the Western Human Race were wild and reckless, ignorant of agriculture and animal husbandry, unaware of etiquette and music, and disregarded hierarchy, making it difficult for them to survive.

After the birth of Elephant-Head Bodhisattva, he was born with a violent temper, taking over the recklessness and rage in the hearts of the Western Human Race. This unexpectedly brought peace and stability to the Western Human Race Western Human Race, so they worshipped him as the god of Wisdom. However, he himself had no Wisdom, only a body full of accumulated recklessness and rage.

At this moment, when the Elephant-Head Bodhisattva was questioned by the Tathagata Buddha, none of the others dared to answer directly, but he spoke frankly:

"Isn't that right?"