Within the Lotus Flower Buddha Kingdom.
Buddhist light shone softly.
Buddhist chants filled the air.
Lotus flowers, jeweled necklaces, white elephants, golden dragons, Garuda, treasure vases...
Amid the offerings of the assembled monks, an old monk's figure appeared above the temple.
He sat upright and solemn, his hands forming the Wisdom Seal.
At the sight of this figure, the many Sanskrit chants abruptly fell silent.
Then the monks reverently pressed their palms together and bowed their heads to him, reciting, "Homage to our original teacher, Buddha Tianshang."
That old monk was none other than Buddha Lord Tianshang.
Dressed in spotless white monk's robes, he sat cross-legged in the void, looking down upon the assembled monks with compassion on his face.
His eyes held neither sorrow nor joy, nor the slightest attachment. He intoned a Buddhist invocation, his voice quiet yet reaching the ears of every monk present:
"Today I shall enter Nirvana. My Nirvana shall also mark my departure from this realm. You must heed the teachings of the Future Buddha Lord..."
The monks all nodded.
Buddha Lord Tianshang inclined his head slightly, then proclaimed:
"Where is the Future Buddha Lord?"
As his words fell, a barefoot monk in white robes walked out from the depths of the temple, step by step.
The monk was handsome, with red lips, white teeth, a vermilion mole between his brows, and ears that hung past his shoulders.
He pressed his palms together and bowed to Buddha Lord Tianshang in the air.
Buddha Lord Tianshang nodded and said:
"Today I shall bestow upon you the Vase Empowerment, Secret Empowerment, and Wisdom Empowerment. Your Buddhist heart is insufficient, so I cannot bestow the Word-Meaning Empowerment."
The monk said respectfully:
"I seek no peace or happiness for myself, only that all living beings may be freed