Fusang Illuminates the Sun
Su Yao remained silent upon hearing this, and the atmosphere fell into a moment of silence.
Cixin said again:
"Rest assured, Abbot, if any fellow practitioners come seeking your assistance, this old monk will intervene and stop them." He paused, then continued, "This humble monk no longer aspires to the position of Bodhisattva —before my esteemed master passed away, he and those people swore an oath before the image of the World-Honored One that as long as this humble monk leaves the Central Plains, does not preach the Way, but only preserves the lineage, no one will be able to cause trouble. My esteemed master granted me this fortuitous opportunity before his passing, and this humble monk only hopes to obtain a Dharma Form to protect the lineage."
Su Yao then spoke, asking in confusion:
"Since you have obtained this fortuitous opportunity, why don't you seek help from the Bodhisattva, but instead seek help from the Dharma Form?"
Cixin smiled Cixin, and after a moment of contemplation, said:
"It's not that this humble monk doesn't want to. Since Master Dao has already passed away, although he left behind fortuitous opportunity, if it were fortuitous opportunity for me to become Bodhisattva, how could he allow me to bring out the White Horse? This fortuitous opportunity is indeed a supreme fortuitous opportunity for ordinary A-Luohan, but for this humble monk, it is a death sentence."
Su Yao understood immediately upon hearing this.
This A-Luohan was able to escape from the White Horse Temple, so he must have given up everything he needed to give up. Otherwise, why would he not seek Bodhisattva comparable to Immortal Dao True Lord, but instead seek Dharma Form like a Immortal Dao Divine Core or a Supreme True Person Earth Immortal?
But that's not enough.
Su Yao shook his head again, about to speak, but Cixin interrupted him. She sighed inwardly and took out a bronze tree branch engraved with the symbols of Fusang and the Great Sun.
Su Yao immediately became alert, realizing something was wrong; it was Law Treasure.
Cixin smiled and said:
"Abbot, please don't be in a hurry. I will give this item to you in exchange for building a small temple on the east bank of Cibi Lake, so that I may be your neighbor. Is that alright?"
Su Yao first used the Prism to examine it. He saw that the bronze tree branch had a restrained luster on its exterior, but the aura of the Great Yang being the most prominent in the world emanated from within, making it Law Treasure of the Great Yang path.
So he said:
"Master, where did you get this?"
Cixin said, "Back then, our temple's patriarch came from Tianzhu and met the World-Honored One Mahavairocana Tathagata Vairocana Buddha. The Buddha saw that the patriarch had cultivated the path of the Great Yang before Buddhist School, so he transmitted the Dharma and bestowed this treasure upon him. Because the patriarch was a Mysterious Gate cultivator before Buddhist School, and also cultivated the path of the Great Yang, he recalled the past and did not let Buddhism influence him. His disciples have carefully followed the patriarch's instructions and have kept this treasure ever since."
Su Yao said:
"This item actually brought forth White Horse from the master."
Cixin smiled bitterly:
"It was only because the last Dharma Form of my sect entered the game with its own body and transformed into a new Dharma that I was able to bring this item out."
Su Yao nodded, and then said:
"Why don't you, Master, engage in some philosophical discussion?"
Cixin nodded and said:
"Can."
The two sat down in the pavilion.
After a moment, Su Yao said:
"Since you are the guest, sir, shall you go first?"
Cixin didn't stand on ceremony and slowly began to speak:
"What this humble monk cultivates is the Dharma of 'enlightenment' transmitted by the World-Honored One. The Avatamsaka Sutra says: 'All sentient beings possess the wisdom and virtues of the Tathagata, but because of their delusions Zhizhuo, they cannot realize it.' If one can turn one's light inward and see one's own true nature, then one does not need to seek externally and can instantly become a Buddha. May I ask the Abbot, is what the Immortal Dao seeks externally?"
Su Yao picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said calmly:
"What the master says is true. The Immortal Dao does indeed involve seeking outward—seeking the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, the essence of the sun and moon, and the dragon veins of mountains and rivers. The * Classic of Virtue and the Way * says: 'Man follows the earth, the earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Tao, Dao Emulates Own Inherent Spontaneity.' The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is itself a manifestation of the Tao. Seeking this spiritual energy is seeking the Tao. But has the master ever considered that before the World-Honored One attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, he also sought outward and practiced asceticism for six years? The * Sutra of Past and Present Cause and Effect * records that the World-Honored One practiced asceticism for six years, eating only one grain of sesame and one grain of wheat a day, becoming emaciated, yet ultimately did not attain enlightenment. Why did the World-Honored One ultimately abandon asceticism and sit under the Bodhi tree, gazing at the morning star, and attain enlightenment?"
Cixin was slightly taken aback.
Su Yao continued, "The World-Honored One abandoned asceticism because he discovered that seeking solely inward or solely outward are both Zhizhuo. Zhizhuo to the internal is Zhizhuo to 'self'; Zhizhuo to the external is Zhizhuo to 'things'. What the World-Honored One broke was never 'external' or 'internal,' but 'attachment.' The Vajra Sutra says, 'One should abide nowhere and yet give rise to the mind.' Abiding nowhere means not abiding inward, nor abiding outward, nor abiding in existence, nor abiding in non-existence. The Immortal Dao seeks spiritual insight, yet does not cling to it; the Buddhist School seeks self-nature, yet does not cling to it. Seeking without clinging is the Dao."
Cixin paused for a moment, then said:
"The abbot's words are reasonable. But the World-Honored One also said: 'If anyone says that the Tathagata has taught anything, that is slander against the Buddha.' He also said: 'Even the Dharma should be abandoned, let alone what is not Dharma?' The pursuit of spiritual opportunities, Spirit Treasure, and attainment in the Fruition Position —Immortal Dao is this not also Zhizhuo?"
Su Yao put down his teacup and smiled slightly:
"Master, the Vajra Sutra says, 'Even the Dharma should be relinquished,' but what it relinquishes is 'attachment,' not 'Dharma.' If even 'Dharma' is relinquished, why did the World-Honored One still need to transmit 84,000 Dharma gates? The Lotus Sutra says, 'All World-Honored One appear in the world for one great purpose.' If even 'Dharma' is relinquished, how can this 'great purpose' be accomplished? If even 'spiritual insight' is relinquished, why did you seek a quiet place on the eastern shore of Cibi Lake?"
Cixin's expression changed slightly.
Su Yao continued, "Master, you cultivate the principle of 'not seeking externally,' yet you traveled all the way from the Central Plains to Nanzhao, asking my Qixia Temple for a piece of land and a Dharma Form to protect the lineage—doesn't that count as seeking externally? The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch says, 'The Buddha-dharma is in the world; enlightenment is not separate from the world.' If Master truly 'does not seek externally,' why did you come to Nanzhao?"
Cixin opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a word for a moment.
Su Yao looked at him, his gaze calm:
"Master, Immortal Dao and Buddhist School are never opposing forces of 'outward' and 'inward'. Immortal Dao seeks the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, but above that essence lies the Tao; Buddhist School seeks one's true nature, but beyond that nature lie all sentient beings. The * Classic of Nanhua * says: 'The Tao is in ants, in weeds, in tiles, in excrement.' The Tao is everywhere; both inside and outside are the arena of Daoism. When the World-Honored One held up a flower, Kashyapa smiled—was that smile inward or outward? Was Kashyapa smiling at the flower, or at his heart?"
Upon hearing this, Cixin was struck Cixin, as if by lightning.
He lowered his head, looking at the string of wooden beads in his hand. The beads slowly spun between his fingers, but no longer could he find an answer.
The pavilion fell silent for a moment. But this silence was only a silence in sound.
The two people in the pavilion had already silently collided, merged, and surged.
Behind Su Yao, a rainbow light slowly rose from his body, like the first rays of dawn, swirling with seven colors.
The rainbow light spread and intertwined in the pavilion, like the morning glow spreading across the sea, like the evening glow burning the sky, dyeing the entire octagonal pavilion a brilliant crimson.
Within the rainbow light, one could vaguely see countless shimmering blades of light flowing like knives, and wisps of light like threads weaving into a net.
Behind Cixin, the light of Buddha slowly rose.
The Buddha's light was not as dazzling as Su Yao's rainbow light; it was only a very pale and soft warm yellow, like a ray of light leaking from the eaves of an ancient temple in the early morning, or a flickering flame in front of an ancient Buddha. Within the Buddha's light, a golden phantom could be vaguely seen—half of the golden body was inside Cixin's body, and half was in the Buddhist Pure Land, unable to move forward or backward.
Even so, the Buddha's light still exuded an indescribable sense of "solitude," like the stillness of all things, like an empty mountain without a soul, like the moon's reflection in water or a flower in a mirror, like a deer's horns hanging on a tree, leaving no trace to be found.
Two kinds of light collided in the pavilion, silently, without a sound, without light, without radiance.
But with that impact, the entire octagonal pavilion trembled slightly.
The mountain breeze outside the pavilion suddenly stopped, the birdsong in the mountains suddenly ceased, and even the ripples on the surface of the Cibi Lake froze in mid-air.
Two people sat facing each other in the pavilion, one with Rainbow Clouds like the sea behind him, and the other with a halo like the moon behind him.
The splendor of the Rainbow Clouds and the serene light of Buddha intertwine, collide, and entwine within the pavilion, yet neither can swallow the other.
But gradually, the rainbow light grew stronger and more penetrating. The "penetrating intent" shone through the Buddha's light layer by layer, shattering the "tranquility" within it inch by inch. Under the illumination of the rainbow light, the half of the golden body phantom in the Buddha's light that was stuck in the Buddhist Pure Land became clearer and clearer—as if it had been forcibly "peeled" out of the Buddha 'Buddhist Pure Land by the rainbow light, exposing every crack and every hidden injury on the golden body.
Cixin's expression changed drastically.
He suddenly looked up at Su Yao, and a genuine shock finally appeared in his cloudy old eyes.
Just then, Su Yao suddenly withdrew the rainbow light. The thousands of rosy blades, the Heaven-Weaving Shuttle net, and the Half Farewell to Heaven domain all vanished in an instant, like the morning glow being scattered by the night wind, or the evening glow being swallowed by the distant mountains. Only a faint wisp of rosy light remained in the pavilion.
The Buddhist light behind Cixin slowly receded, and the golden phantom disappeared back into her body.
Su Yao picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said calmly:
"Master, you flatter me."
Cixin remained silent for a long time. He looked down at the string of wooden beads in his hand, the beads slowly turning between his fingers, making a very soft clinking sound. Then he raised his head, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply to Su Yao:
"I have learned much from what the Abbot has said."
He straightened up, looked at Su Yao, and his gaze was frank:
"Having finished discussing the Dao, this humble monk will now take out this item—this item is called the ' Fusang Sun-Illuminating Branch '." He paused, then held up the bronze branch with both hands and handed it to Su Yao. "This humble monk will use this item to exchange for a small temple to be built on the east bank of Cibi Lake, so that I may be a neighbor of the Abbot. What does the Abbot think?"
Su Yao did not answer immediately.
Behind him, Yunsong, Lu Yuan, and Yang Nan all changed their expressions at the same time.
Lu Yuan's pupils contracted sharply, and his lips moved slightly as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he did not speak.
He had been to the treasure cave in Qixia Mountain, where there were many Spirit Treasure related to the Great Yang, but not a single Law Treasure related to the Great Yang.
How could an old monk have taken something like this out of the White Horse Temple?
Yunsong frowned, his gaze shifting back and forth between the bronze tree branch and the Cixin, his expression darkening.
Unlike Yunsong, he was not shocked, but he thought more deeply than Lu Yuan. This item was both a Buddhist School artifact and a Cixin Law Treasure of the Great Yang Sect. Ci Xin took it out to exchange for a piece of land. There was probably more to it than met the eye.
Yang Nan's expression was complex. He looked at Cixin's withered face, then at the A-Luohan and Vajra behind him who practiced ancient methods, and a strange feeling welled up in his heart. These cultivators of the Buddhist School lineage were suppressed by the new methods in the Central Plains and could not hold their heads high. Now they even had to use the Law Treasure left by their ancestors to exchange for a place to live. Although he was from Nanzhao and had no good feelings towards Buddhist School, he felt a sense of sympathy for Cixin at this moment.
Behind Cixin, the reactions of the three A-Luohan, the Luohan and the four Vajra were even more intense.
The leading A-Luohan, his face flushed, stepped forward and whispered:
"Uncle-Master! This item was left by the Ancestral Master, how can it be..." Before he could finish speaking, Cixin raised her hand to stop him.
The other Luohan clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, his lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes filled with unbearable sorrow.
He had seen that bronze tree branch since he was a child, and it had been kept in the treasure pavilion of the White Horse Temple for countless years. Now, he was about to hand it over to someone else. How could he bear it?
The third Luohan, however, did not speak. He simply lowered his head, clasped his hands together, and uttered a Buddhist chant.
In the chanting of the Buddha's name, there was shame, but also an inexplicable sense of relief.
The four Vajra looked at each other in bewilderment. Some showed anger, some lowered their heads and remained silent, and some gripped the Buddhist School Law Artifact in their hands tightly. In the end, none of them dared to disobey the decision of the Cixin.
Cixin did not turn around, but simply extended the bronze branch an inch further forward, her voice calm:
"Abbot, this item cannot be kept in our hands forever. Everyone is testing us; today it's those Evil Dao, tomorrow it might be the Yuanfu, the Great Qing, or those Buddhist School practitioners who cultivate new methods. Rather than waiting for them to snatch it, I should take it out myself and exchange it for a place to settle down. That way, this item will have a home, and my disciples and I will have a place to call home." He paused, looking at Su Yao with a frank expression, "What does Abbot think?"
Su Yao stared at the bronze tree branch in silence for a moment. He reached out and took it; it was warm to the touch, like holding a ball of warm sunlight compressed into the shape of a tree branch.
On the tree branch, the patterns of Fusang and the sun glowed faintly in his palm, as if responding to his Rainbow Clouds- like aura.
"Fusang Sun-Illuminating Branch." He murmured, tucking the branch into his sleeve, and looked at Cixin. "Since you are so frank, Master, I will not be pretentious. I will give you that vacant lot on the east bank of Cibi Lake. We will not preach or compete for incense offerings, but simply be neighbors to continue the lineage."
Upon hearing Cixin, Cixin clasped her hands together and bowed deeply.
Thank you, Abbot.
He straightened up and looked at Su Yao. The withered bitterness on his face finally faded a bit, replaced by a faint sense of relief.
"This humble monk will now take my disciples to the east bank to settle down. Once we are settled, I will come to invite the abbot for tea."
Su Yao nodded slightly. "Okay."
Cixin said no more, turned around and led the three A-Luohan and four Vajra out of the pavilion.
After taking a few steps, he turned back, glanced at Su Yao, his lips moved, but he didn't say anything. He just nodded slightly and then strode away.
After the group had walked away, Yunsong couldn't help but step forward and whisper:
"Abbot, that Fusang Sun-Illuminating Branch..."
Su Yao raised his hand to stop him, gazing in the direction Cixin had gone, and slowly said:
"He really can't keep this anymore. Rather than waiting for someone else to snatch it, he might as well take it out himself and find a way to survive. This old monk is a wise man." He paused, took out the Fusang Sun-Illuminating Branch from his sleeve, glanced at it, and then put it back. "Besides, this thing is more useful to me than to him."
There is a word cloud:
Ancient temples, their green lamps illuminating old scriptures; new banners replacing those of yesteryear in the courtyard. Ask not of the purpose of the journey from the West, for beneath the robes lies half-fallen.
The Rainbow Clouds shattered the golden body, the Buddha's light faded, and tranquility settled. The sun shines on Fusang, returning to its new master; let us settle on the eastern shore of the Purple and Green.
Do not say that there is no victory or defeat in the debate on the Dao; a single branch of spring color changes the Zen courtyard. From now on, the lake and mountains will have more neighbors, and the morning bell and evening drum will each Anning.