Chapter 439: 445. Chapter 445: Earth Store, Maitreya, Wisdom King

445. Chapter 445: Earth Store, Maitreya, Wisdom King

Some people died, and that is a real death.

For example, the monk Le Xin, who had his body snatched by Luo Te Suo Nuò, said he would turn to ashes, and he did turn to ashes.

In this world, he left no trace, only some influence.

Some people died, yet he is still alive.

For example, Lin Ke merely used the hands of Monk Neng Qing and the wish-power of the Buddhist Gate to end the life force of Monk Fan's body, severing the connection between Lin Ke's true self and Monk Fan's body.

In fact, he did not die just then, nor leave this world.

Put simply, Lin Ke made a cut between his own wizard's 'heart' and the Buddhist Gate's bodhisattva 'power'.

He would rather keep his wizard's 'heart,' which may not yet have broken through to the Sixth-Level Sage, than let it rapidly swell to approach the bodhisattva 'power' of the Buddhist Gate's Buddha (Nine-Level Great Sage).

Because one is inner heart, the other is external power.

One is cultivated by himself, uh… perhaps with much help from the will of the wizard world, and the push of 'predetermined fate'.

One is making a great vow, gathering the wishes of all beings in this world, 'picked up'.

Lin Ke, or rather Lin Ke wearing the skin of Monk Fan, appears to be the possessor of this bodhisattva 'power,' but in fact he cannot even be called its keeper.

He can only be considered a usurper!

Because Lin Ke's core is not an indigenous remnant of Buddhist civilization, but an outsider, an invader!

He is an enemy!

The remnant ālaya consciousness of Buddhist civilization can provide him with the external power of the Buddha (Nine-Level Great Sage); naturally it can also take it back, or withdraw support, making that external power rootless duckweed.

Therefore, Lin Ke has never valued the rapid swelling of the Buddhist Gate's warrior-monk system cultivation after making a great vow.

He usually doesn't even use it.

Besides this, Lin Ke has another very important reason for doing this.

The great vow made in the identity of White Horse Chan Temple's Monk Fan is: 'I, the poor monk Fan, vow to save all suffering beings, leading them all to bodhi, thereby attaining perfect enlightenment.'

The question arises: which beings are the most sinful and suffering?

In the view of the remnants of Buddhist civilization, naturally it is the beings in hell who are the most sinful and suffering.

Because committing evil deeds and defying the Buddhist Gate leads to hell.

And in hell there are many cruel punishments used to penalize those who have fallen into hell.

Lin Ke does not want to go to hell; he only wants to designate this world, and even all twelve habitable worlds of the remnants of Buddhist civilization, as entirely human hell.

And to spread the concept of 'human hell' far and wide, so that everyone accepts it.

Even if not everyone can be made to accept it, at least let the majority of the common people who suffer oppression and exploitation by the Buddhist Gate believe it, so that those dissatisfied with the Buddhist Gate and their forces find it advantageous to hold that view.

This is not a simple matter; it requires effort from all aspects, and also a beginning with great shock and vast influence.

Given the current situation, what could be more shocking and influential than the White Horse Chan Temple's Monk Fan, who stirred up the Buddhist Gate's internal 'contemplation' and 'becoming a Buddha' frenzy, voluntarily and without resistance dying at the hands of Monk Neng Qing of Cien Temple, who denounced him as an 'evil heretical path' and 'Buddhist calamity'?

No!

Even the surprise attack on Cien Temple, the loss of the Mahavira Hall, and the near contamination of the central statue of Shakyamuni Buddha cannot compare.

Mo Li, who had run hundreds of miles, quickly contacted her secretly accumulated forces according to Lin Ke's will, and spread the big news of White Horse Chan Temple's Monk Fan dying at the hands of Cien Temple's Monk Neng Qing in every way.

"Lin Ke, is this really useful?"

After doing these things, Mo Li asked uncertainly.

Now existing as a special spiritual form, Lin Ke beside Mo Li replied calmly: "Who knows? If it's useful, all the better; if not, we'll just do something else. At worst……"

"At worst what?"

Mo Li's interest was piqued, and she curiously pressed further.

"At worst, it's just nirvana rebirth."

Lin Ke raised his eyebrows, his tone slightly teasing.

Anyway, many Buddhist scriptures mention nirvana rebirth and reincarnation cultivation; such things are not uncommon.

If monks can do it, why can't wizards?

That makes no sense!

Mo Li instantly understood Lin Ke's meaning, then found a secluded corner, quietly watched the winds and clouds surge, awaiting the moment of resurgence.

This world has already fallen completely into turmoil.

Several major powers, with beacon fires burning everywhere, everywhere there are true 'Qian Shou Cang Tou' rising up with poles, and also some forces stirring up trouble under the guise of fishing in troubled waters.

War, slaughter, bloodshed, sacrifice, excitement, anger, resentment……

Happening all the time, everyone experiences it.

At the secular level, the situation has become a chaotic mess.

Reflected upon the Buddhist Gate, it is a severe shortage of offerings, enough to be called halved.

After all, Buddhist monks sit high above, not engaging in production, relying entirely on secular support to afford wealthy cultivation.

As the saying goes, it's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but hard to go from extravagance to frugality.

Buddhist monks do not say that without the support of secular commoners they would be unable to survive at all.

After all, the means of production belong to the Buddhist temples, productivity is not lacking, and they can reclaim land, farm, and raise livestock.

But rather, being cut off from the support of secular commoners makes the monks' food, clothing, and daily necessities become strained.

But hey, how can the high-and-mighty Buddhist lords roll up their pants, go to the fields to accompany themselves with dirt and filth, and dig for food from the ground?

Even those inside the Buddhist Gate who are engaged in 'contemplation' and aspire to 'become a Buddha' have few monks willing to do so.

The split between thought and action is once again manifested, further amplified.

The monks who followed White Horse Chan Temple's Monk Fan for a stretch of the road are not like that.

They simultaneously 'contemplate,' 'discern,' cultivate power, cultivate mind, learning Buddhism from both knowledge and practice, and putting it into practice.

Practice in learning, learn in practice.

Thus optimized and iterated, it gradually showed differences from both the old and new forces within the Buddhist community.

This group of monks, as well as the monks they influence and drive, are likewise.

This difference appears in their inner hearts and in others' eyes; they truly draw nearer to the true 'Buddha'—right enlightenment, perfect and equal enlightenment, unsurpassed perfect and equal enlightenment—in both mind and strength.

The Bodhisattva Vehicle of the Buddha's teaching is the broad and smooth road!

This consensus gradually formed in the hearts of these monks and of those who saw their transformation.

Reviving the three vehicles—Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, and Bodhisattvayāna—and making a great vow to practice the Bodhisattva Vehicle, Monk Liao Fan of the White Horse Chan Monastery was regarded by this group of monks as an enlightened pioneer.

His status rivaled that of the Three Suns atop the head.

However, different people have different perspectives.

Some regarded Monk Liao Fan as an incarnation or reincarnation of the Earth Store Bodhisattva, while others saw him as an incarnation or reincarnation of the not-yet-enlightened Maitreya Bodhisattva.

Yes, the internal Buddhist 'discourse' and 'becoming Buddha' trend sparked by the three vehicles brought much forgotten information back into the light of day.

The concepts of the lateral and vertical Three‑World Buddhas suddenly became widely known.

The so‑called lateral Three‑World Buddha is the Three Suns standing together on the head: the Eastern Medicine Buddha, the Central Shakyamuni Buddha, and the Western Amitabha Buddha.

The so‑called vertical Three‑World Buddha is the past Burning Lamp Buddha, the present Shakyamuni Buddha, and the future Maitreya Buddha.

The Earth Store Bodhisattva possesses great power and exalted status; when Monk Liao Fan made his vow, he also formed the Earth Store's fundamental mudra, and his vow was almost identical to the Earth Store's great vow.

Therefore, many monks regarded the enlightened pioneer Monk Liao Fan as an incarnation or reincarnation of the Earth Store Bodhisattva.

Some more radical monks linked the enlightened pioneer Monk Liao Fan with the future Buddha, Maitreya.

They believed that the Earth Store's fundamental mudra and great vow were merely the necessary path before Maitreya's descent; this idea harbors hidden profundity.

That is, the present world faces the risk of collapse, and the present‑world Shakyamuni Buddha can no longer safeguard the remnants of Buddhist civilization!

When confronted with the second notion of 'smashing open the ceiling' versus the first notion of 'just opening a window,' the latter is easier for Buddhist monastics to accept.

Thus, the idea that Monk Liao Fan of the White Horse Chan Monastery might be an incarnation or reincarnation of the Earth Store Bodhisattva began to spread among some monks within the Buddhist community.

In this situation, Monk Nenqing of the Song State Bianjing Cien Temple denounced Monk Liao Fan as a 'heretical demon' and 'Buddhist scourge,' and spread the news far and wide that he had killed Monk Liao Fan.

Monk Liao Fan offered no resistance, did not flee, faced death calmly, and before dying proclaimed, 'If I do not enter hell, who will?'—this deed spread together with the news.

The Buddhist community, already torn by the 'discourse' and 'becoming Buddha' frenzy, was further roiled by this incident.

Some, like Monk Nenqing, who denounced Monk Liao Fan as a 'heretical demon' and 'Buddhist scourge,' advocated rewarding Monk Nenqing for having purged the Buddhist community's karmic obstacles.

Some who firmly believed in the Bodhisattva Vehicle, regarding Monk Liao Fan as an incarnation or reincarnation of the Earth Store Bodhisattva, advocated imprisoning Monk Nenqing, punishing him, and then either accompanying him or going alone to fulfill the great vow made by the Earth Store Bodhisattva's incarnation:

To save all beings suffering from sin.

Some more radical, regarding Monk Liao Fan as an incarnation or reincarnation of the future Buddha Maitreya, advocated killing Monk Nenqing, then reforming the Buddhist community to welcome Maitreya's descent!

These changes left Mo Li greatly astonished.

Perhaps because she was not in this mountain, Mo Li saw the true state: the Buddhist community of this world, from inside to outside, from transcendental to mundane, not only underwent violent upheaval but also showed signs of a splitting trend that hinted at loss of control and irreversibility.

In other words, Lin Ke's maneuver successfully shook the foundations of this world's Buddhist community.

"Lin Ke, do you have any other plans?"

However, upon seeing this clearly, Mo Li felt little joy.

In her view, merely shaking the foundations of this world's Buddhist community could not fully accomplish Lin Ke's mission.

After this calamity, the strength and foundation of this world's Buddhist community will surely be greatly diminished, possibly requiring a very long time to recover.

To say it greatly damages vitality is no exaggeration.

However, this is merely one of the twelve habitable worlds remaining of Buddhist civilization, and it is not possible to completely destroy the Buddhist community's survival!

As his wife and bedside companion, Mo Li naturally hopes that Lin Ke, after stepping onto the path of his 'predestined fate,' will walk steadily and far.

All the way to the endpoint, achieving freedom!

Therefore, the somewhat greedy Mo Li hopes that Lin Ke will have a further plan, enabling this mission to be completed even better.

In his special spiritual form, Lin Ke gave a faint smile: 'There is, but the time has not yet come.'

Just after saying that, Lin Ke's expression suddenly froze.

"What's wrong?"

Mo Li keenly noticed the change and spoke up to ask.

"An incident has occurred."

Lin Ke replied thus.

"What incident? Is it good or bad?"

Mo Li pressed with concern, a faint worry appearing in her brows and eyes.

Lin Ke's face relaxed, and he spoke reassuringly: 'No need to worry so much; it's not bad, it's highly likely good, and…'

"And what?"

"And it will allow my original next step plan to unfold better, faster, and more steadily."

"Is that so? Then shall we go now?"

"Mm."

Having reached consensus, Mo Li followed Lin Ke in his special spiritual state as they left their hiding place and headed for the White Horse Chan Monastery.

White Horse Chan Monastery, the guest hall.

Monk Yuanzhi and Monk Liaochen sat facing each other in full lotus.

The former sat in the auspicious posture, the latter in the demon‑subduing posture; their postures differed, and so did their states of mind.

After a long while, Monk Liaochen ended his meditation, opened his eyes, and said in a deep voice: 'Master, I have understood.'

Monk Yuanzhi slowly opened his eyelids and replied: 'What have you understood?'

"I have understood what I should do next."

Liaochen the monk's expression was very solemn, and his tone of speech was even more earnest.

"What should we do?"

Yuanzhi the monk was equally solemn, equally earnest in his follow‑up question.

"Go down the mountain."

Liaochen the monk spoke the two words with a firm tone.

"What should we do after going down the mountain?"

Yuanzhi the monk instantly understood the meaning, yet he still asked it out.

Liaochen the monk rose to his feet, pressed his palms together, bowed respectfully to Yuanzhi the monk, and said word by word: "Go down the mountain, practice the Way, save oneself, save all beings, end this corrupt and chaotic world."

A faint complex emotion rose on Yuanzhi the monk's face; he lightly inhaled, then sighed: "If that is so, go."

"Take care, Master."

Liaochen the monk bowed again, turned and left, his steps extremely firm.

This journey down the mountain is precisely not to continue worshipping the Buddha, but to cultivate the Buddha.

Given the current complex situation, the road ahead will surely be rough, filled with mire and calamity; it is highly possible that one will not return.

If one does not return, then let it be so.

The Buddha is in the heart, the Buddha is underfoot, the Buddha is among all beings.

The Buddha is in this life, and also in the next.

Yuanzhi the monk gazed at Liaochen the monk's retreating back, and sighed softly in his heart: "Fate!"

The so‑called Liaochen means to have ended the red dust, with no need for a future life.

From beginning to end, Yuanzhi the monk never truly regarded Liaofan the monk as the reincarnation of the Great Master of No Birth.

Regarding the saying "Mile descends, the Bright King appears," Yuanzhi the monk also did not deceive Liaochen the monk; he simply did not elaborate on it.

Who exactly is Mile, and who is the Bright King?

"Alas!"

Yuanzhi the monk let out a sigh, then uttered a lament: "Fate!"

As his words faded, Yuanzhi the monk's figure gradually blurred and became insubstantial; soon it turned into countless lotus illusions shifting from substance to emptiness.

In an instant, the entire White Horse Chan Temple lost the support of some mighty power, rapidly "aged," devoid of any human trace, and became ruins.

Only the white lotuses covering the lake behind the mountain blossomed and swayed.