Hell Is Not Empty, I Vow Not to Become a Buddha

Dizang clasped his hands together in front of his chest, looking down at the scenes in the distant, small Hell worlds.

"Hell..."

Dizang closed his eyes and murmured softly.

Just uttering those two words brought back Dizang images of the scenes he had witnessed.

Houtu was indeed the one who opened up the cycle of Houtu in the Underworld.

The workings of Heavenly Dao regarding sin and karma are correct.

The Underworld is correct.

The Six Paths of Reincarnation is correct.

Hell isn't wrong either.

So who was wrong?

It is naturally those beings who have committed sins and are tainted by karma who are at fault.

If you make a mistake, you will naturally be punished.

But...

"It shouldn't be like this... it shouldn't be like this..."

Dizang gazed at the distant Underworld, and walked towards it step by step, for the first time...

Since stepping into this Underworld, Dizang's feet have veered off course for the first time.

Although he was still taking one step at a time, Dizang by step, he was no longer as composed as before.

Dizang no longer resolutely walked towards the Six Paths of Reincarnation, but instead walked step by step towards the distant Hell.

The moment Dizang stepped out of the Ancient Yellow Springs Road and into that field of fiery red spider lilies, as red as blood.

For the first time, no white lotus bloomed at the feet of Dizang.

But Dizang paid no attention to it.

The Law Power beneath his feet lifted him up, preventing him from stepping on the spider lilies, and he walked step by step toward Hell.

We've reached the edge of Hell.

Dizang placed one hand on Hell, feeling the endless wails of the ghosts within, and a look of sorrow appeared in his eyes.

"This shouldn't be... sins and karma shouldn't be washed away in this way..."

Dizang clasped his hands together in prayer.

"Then tell me... how should this sin and karma be washed away?"

Suddenly, Pingxin appeared behind Dizang and asked softly.

"Repent..."

Dizang ignored Pingxin who appeared behind him, and instead looked at the Hell before him, earnestly answering his question.

"A heartfelt repentance for one's sins, and atonement for the sins committed..."

"Repentance? Atonement?"

Pingxin paused for a moment before speaking softly, "If you can do it, then give it a try!"

The words had barely left his mouth.

Pingxin's figure then disappeared.

Dizang sat cross-legged in the field of spider lilies and began chanting scriptures.

The scriptures recited by Dizang are not some esoteric Daoist text.

It contains no Great Dao Divine Ability; it is simply a collection of short stories transformed into scriptures.

These little stories are all based on King Dizang's personal experiences.

Some people have had the experience of seeing their master when they were young, admiring the master's golden body, and asking how they could obtain the same golden body.

He recounted his experiences as the king of a small country before he began his spiritual practice, and how he governed the nation and benefited all living beings.

Furthermore, when he first achieved enlightenment, he received a favor from a family and granted them a wish.

The other party hopes that their deceased mother will not suffer from any hardship or pain due to disrespect for the Three Jewels.

The scriptures, formed from these stories, easily passed through the small world of Hell and reached the ears of the many Guiling suffering punishment Hell.

The wailing and howling of the ghosts stopped abruptly, then resumed with even more mournful cries, and some of the tormented souls even began to curse.

After all...

They were being punished, while a Daoist priest told stories nearby.

They were all talking about their own happy and carefree experiences.

No one could stand that.

But...

Soon, the curses and swears of the evil spirits ceased.

Because...

The story told by Dizang was finished, but the voice did not stop; instead...

"May I, throughout all future eons, enable all sentient beings in the six realms, all those suffering, to attain Buddhahood, to be liberated, to achieve ultimate liberation."

"I will not become a Buddha until Hell is empty! I will only attain Bodhi when all sentient beings are liberated!"

Ksitigarbha, seated Dizang in the field of red spider lilies, was surrounded by countless clouds of great light, stretching across billions of miles and enveloping the boundless Hell.

Dizang's face appeared in Hell, before the eyes of all the suffering ghosts.

That face seemed to contain boundless compassion, causing all the evil spirits and vengeful ghosts who saw this face of Dizang to begin to repent for their sins in their hearts.

Only...

Human hearts change, and so do the hearts of demons.

At this moment, how many of the vengeful ghosts and evil spirits who are repenting in their hearts are truly repenting from the bottom of their hearts?

However, at that moment, a strange beast quietly emerged from beneath Dizang, possessing a tiger's head, a single horn, dog's ears, a dragon's body, a lion's tail, and the feet of Qilin... and many other strange beasts.

The moment the strange beast appeared, its name and Divine Ability appeared in the minds of countless beings in Hell.

Diting!

Listen carefully to all things, and be good at listening to people's hearts!

"All beings in Hell who awaken and repent can enter the Six Paths of Reincarnation, and all their sins will be borne by me."

The voice of Dizang rang in the ears of all beings in Hell.

Then...

Hell is boiling.

"I repent... I am guilty..."

"I also repent..."

Even with the relentless torments of Hell, the endless howls of vengeful ghosts and demons could not be stopped.

But it's useless!

The mythical beast Diting, skilled at listening to people's hearts, is no joke.

Among the trillions of vengeful ghosts, only a very few who sincerely repented were Jieyin of golden light and sent to the Yellow Springs Road.

And just as Dizang said.

The sins and karmic burdens that were not yet cleansed from those who were Jieyin the Yellow Springs Road and were heading towards the Six Paths of Reincarnation were all transferred to the body of Dizang.

Is it worth it?

Unbeknownst to them, Pingxin's avatar reappeared behind Dizang and asked softly.

"Worth!"

Dizang remained unmoved and answered firmly.

He didn't even know that the person who questioned him twice was the true ruler of the Nether Realm Underworld, Lady Pingxin.

Looking at the resolute Dizang, even Pingxin couldn't help but fall silent. In her entire life, this was the first time she had ever seen such Daluo.

Good.

When Dizang realized his true nature and made a great vow to Hell, his Dizang broke through to the Daluo.

Looking at Dizang, Pingxin sighed quietly, just as he had appeared silently and disappeared without a trace.

Chamber of Reincarnation.

Is it necessary?

Ao Changsheng looked at Pingxin and suddenly asked.

"Is it necessary?" Pingxin looked at Ao Changsheng and asked blankly.

"He..." Ao Changsheng pointed to Dizang in the Round Light Mirror and asked softly, "If we want to prevent the Underworld from being interfered with by the West, the best way would be to expel Dizang."

"Instead of deliberately guiding him down this path."

"Fellow Daoist Changsheng, what do you think of this Dizang?" Pingxin did not answer Ao Changsheng directly, but asked him again.

"Not bad! There's hope for attaining enlightenment, but how long it will take after making this great vow is uncertain," Ao Changsheng said softly.

"That's right. How can a cultivator with the potential to attain enlightenment be so easily sent back to the Western Sect?" Pingxin suddenly smiled.

You can't win him over.

"Ao Changsheng said."

Although Ksitigarbha's Dizang level is only at the Daluo realm, those who have the potential to attain enlightenment must possess extremely firm mental and spiritual will.

Now that Dizang has seen his own path to enlightenment, it is certainly impossible for him to betray the Western Sect and join the Underworld faction.

"Whether we can recruit him or not is uncertain... Isn't he working for me, for my Underworld right now?" Pingxin said with a smile.

Ao Changsheng looked at Ksitigarbha, who sat cross-legged in the center of Hell, preaching Buddhist scriptures and converting evil Dizang.

It seems... this is really working for the Underworld?

Although this job was originally of little use, it only hastened the release of evil spirits from Hell.

"It's good that you're aware of this, fellow Daoist!" Ao Changsheng shook his head and said, "However, it's best to be cautious about the methods of the Western Sect."

"Yes! I will." Pingxin nodded with a smile.

Although Ao Changsheng said so, Pingxin even agreed.

But in reality, Ao Changsheng didn't really think Pingxin needed to be wary of Dizang, or rather, the Western Sect behind Dizang.

After all, Ao Changsheng knew that Pingxin no longer valued the power of the Underworld too much.

This can be seen from the fact that Pingxin had previously distributed the power of the Underworld to the Heavenly Court on several occasions, including to Ao Changsheng.

Although the Underworld and the Six Paths of Reincarnation are considered very important by all living beings in the Primordial World, and even by a few among the saints.

After all, Houtu sacrificed herself to reincarnate and become a saint.

But in reality...

Reincarnation is not the same as the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

Rather, it is the World of Reincarnation that governs the entire Primordial World's cycle of reincarnation.

The authority over the cycle of World of Reincarnation is absolutely impossible for anyone to take away.

Even if all the saints joined forces, they could not possibly seize the slightest bit of the Authority of Reincarnation from Ao Changsheng, Pingxin, and the Heavenly Dao Hongjun.

As for the Underworld and the Six Paths of Reincarnation...

Pingxin never took it seriously.

No matter what schemes the Western Sect plots, Pingxin only needs to watch quietly, or if the mood strikes, go up and play with them.

"In that case, I shall take my leave."

Having achieved his purpose in coming to this cycle of reincarnation, and having also witnessed a good show, Ao Changsheng, as a homebody dragon, is now preparing to depart.

"Fellow Daoist, please take care."

He bowed slightly in Pingxin.

As the supporter of this cycle of World of Reincarnation, Pingxin could not leave this place of reincarnation, so naturally she did not offer to send Ao Changsheng away.

Of course, there's no need to send it.

Ao Changsheng casually tore open a void passage leading directly to the arena, and with one step, he returned directly to the arena.

This avatar then vanished instantly.

Ao Changsheng, who was in seclusion, opened his eyes, a glint of light appearing in them.

"Dizang... I will not become a Buddha until Hell is emptied..."

Ao Changsheng murmured aloud.

Having never paid much attention to the Western Sect before, this was the first time Ao Changsheng had heard of them.

The Buddha did not actually appear after the Investiture of the Gods or after Lao Tzu converted the Laozi to Buddhism, but rather in the Western Sect of today, where the Fruit Position of Buddhahood has already been established.

"It's a pity for Dizang. With such a grand aspiration, even if he attains enlightenment, he may not necessarily become a Buddha."

Ao Changsheng shook his head.

This sometimes demonstrates the wisdom of speaking, or rather, of making grand vows.

For example, Zhunti and Jieyin created this Method of Grand Vows and used it before, even making forty-eight great vows that were no less powerful than those of Dizang.

But that's their grand ambition.

The very first sentence of every single one is, "If I were to become a Buddha, this and that would be..."

First attain Buddhahood, then discuss grand vows.

Those like Dizang, who first make a great vow and vow not to become a Buddha until it is fulfilled, basically have no chance of becoming a Buddha in this lifetime.

Certainly.

There is no conflict between attaining Buddhahood and practicing spiritual cultivation.

The Buddha of the Western Sect today is a state of mind, a so-called enlightened being, rather than a product of spiritual cultivation.

However, if one's spiritual realm is not perfect, even if one attains enlightenment in the future, there will still be major flaws.

"It all depends on whether Dizang Bodhisattva can achieve complete enlightenment."

Ao Changsheng murmured to himself and then stopped thinking about it.

He had never even met this Dizang; he had only heard of him and seen his image.

His conflict with the Western Sect was minimal.

(Zhunti: "...")

As for Buddhism.

Although Ao Changsheng didn't particularly like some monks in his previous life, he didn't have much ill will towards Buddhism.

Naturally, he doesn't need to bother with any scheming.

He closed his eyes and continued his secluded cultivation.

At this moment.

Mount Sumeru, the Western Sect.

Zhunti had already received the message from Netherworld in the Dizang.