Journey to the West: Demon Emperor: Beginning as a Little Toad - Chapter 475: Lingshan 3rd Buddha Appears
Journey to the West: Demon Emperor: Beginning as a Little Toad
Chapter 475: Lingshan 3rd Buddha AppearsChapter 475: The Three Buddhas of Lingshan Appear
"I hereby grant permission for the spread of Buddhism from Lingshan in the West to the east, to spread Buddhist scriptures to the Southern Continent, and to save all sentient beings!"
Thirty-three Heavens, above the Lingxiao Palace.
The Jade Emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his eyes deep as he looked down at all the beings in the three realms, and slowly placed his move.
As the master of the three realms, the Jade Emperor has a lot to consider.
The move of "spreading Buddhism to the East" contains countless mysteries, and a single move can affect the entire body.
However, the Jade Emperor has his own scale in his heart, weighing the pros and cons and making plans.
First, the Jade Emperor wanted to use the spread of Buddhism to the East as an opportunity to rebalance the various forces in Heaven and the Three Realms.
In the heavenly palace, the Taoist sect has been the only dominant one for a long time, with its power intertwined and complicated, and it seems that it is difficult to eliminate it.
How could the Jade Emperor sit idly by?
He needs to introduce new forces to break the deadlock and allow all parties to check and balance each other in the struggle. Only in this way can he sit firmly on the Diaoyutai and control the overall situation.
Secondly, the recent performance of the gods in the Investiture of the Gods has really made the Jade Emperor dissatisfied.
They should have abided by the rules of heaven and obeyed the Jade Emperor, but when they heard the tempting promise made by Emperor Donghua, "Let you live freely on the path to immortality," they were all moved and chose to stand by and watch when Emperor Donghua made a big fuss in heaven.
They threw the Jade Emperor's safety and the dignity of Heaven to shame, causing the Jade Emperor to be in an awkward situation where no one was available to help him.
How could the Jade Emperor not be angry?Such behavior is truly treasonous!The Jade Emperor decided to take away some of the incense offerings from the gods on the List of Gods in order to teach them a profound lesson.
For them, the incense is the foundation of their practice and the source of their strength. Now that it has been reduced, they will know the consequences of not obeying the Jade Emperor's orders!Let them understand who is the real master among these three realms!Look, this is what happens when you disobey!Third, the Jade Emperor used the rich incense offerings from the Southern Continent as bait to attract the Western Lingshan.
The Southern Continent has always been a place of great popularity and worship, with a large number of believers. For the Western Lingshan, it is a virgin land that is in urgent need of development.
The Western Lingshan is trapped in Xiniu Hezhou and cannot expand outward. This is undoubtedly an irresistible temptation for them.
If the Western Lingshan wants to spread Buddhism to the east and spread the scriptures from the Western Continent to the Southern Continent, it must obtain the support of the Jade Emperor, the "Lord of the Three Realms."
In this way, the Western Lingshan would have to show goodwill to the Jade Emperor and submit to the Lord of the Three Realms.
Once the Western Lingshan accepted the Jade Emperor's will, it meant that they recognized the Jade Emperor's authority and accepted his orders.
In this way, the Western Lingshan was naturally incorporated into the territory of the Heavenly Court by the Jade Emperor and became a part of the Jade Emperor's power map.
This was indeed a brilliant plan that achieved several goals at once, and the Jade Emperor was secretly proud of it.
It is:
"The gate of heaven is like an iron wall, only Donghua can break it."
Back then, the Jade Emperor had already planned a big game in his mind. He had originally chosen the person who would break this stubborn situation.
Not Emperor Donghua.
However, the world is like a new chess game each time.
Now that the game has already started, there is no reason to stop.
Emperor Donghua thought he was the chess player, the rebel against heaven, the one causing trouble in heaven...but he did not expect that he had already entered the chess game and became a small chess piece for him to further control the power of the three realms.
Emperor Donghua thought he could challenge the authority of the Jade Emperor, but he didn't know that he had already fallen into the trap carefully woven by the Jade Emperor.
He, the Jade Emperor, could just go with the flow, take advantage of Emperor Donghua's rebellion against heaven, follow the trend, easily place a move, and start a new chess game, firmly controlling the situation in the three realms in his own hands.
……
Fourthly, after incorporating the Western Lingshan into the territory of Heaven, the Jade Emperor has longer-term plans.
The Jade Emperor knew very well that if he wanted to completely control the Buddhist forces in his own hands, he must incorporate it into the power system of Heaven.
He can directly confer official titles and titles on high-ranking Buddhist figures such as Tathagata Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva, and completely incorporate them into the power system of heaven.
This move not only demonstrates his majesty as the Jade Emperor, but also gives Buddhism a clear status and responsibilities in the Heavenly Palace.
From then on, Buddhism was closely connected with the Heavenly Palace, like gears, meshing with each other and operating together.
In this way, the Buddhist and Taoist forces fought against each other, and the Jade Emperor sat and watched, as if he was in a wonderful drama. He even secretly fanned the flames, sometimes giving some hints to the Buddhists, sometimes giving some pressure to the Taoists, so that the struggle between the two forces was always maintained in a delicate balance.
Because in this battle, no matter how Buddhism and Taoism fight.
He, the Jade Emperor, is always the biggest winner.
His imperial power was further consolidated and strengthened in the checks and balances between the two forces. This is the subtlety of the imperial art.
Of course.
Fifth, there is one final aspect that cannot be ignored.
He is the Jade Emperor, the "spokesman for heaven".
The Way of Heaven has a hidden message for the Jade Emperor: "The West will prosper."
The destiny that "the West should prosper" forced the Jade Emperor to re-examine the status and role of the Western Sacred Mountain.
Then how can the West prosper?
The greatest merit is to "follow the dragon" and "protect the emperor"...
Now that Emperor Donghua is rebelling against the Heaven, it is undoubtedly a great opportunity for Western Lingshan to show off.
If Tathagata Buddha came to protect the emperor and made contributions, the Jade Emperor would naturally be able to offer flowers to the Buddha and reward the Western Lingshan Group with some incense land...
In this way, he would not only comply with the will of heaven that "the West should prosper", but also consolidate his imperial power and make the sacred mountains in the West grateful. Why not do it?
The Jade Emperor already had a plan in mind.
……
"The butt determines the head and the position determines the perspective." This saying is very appropriate for the Jade Emperor in the Three Realms.
Among the Three Realms, the Jade Emperor is undoubtedly the one who stands at the pinnacle of power, overlooking all living beings. Everything in the Three Realms is under his control.
Nanshanbuzhou is in the Jade Emperor's pocket, Dongsheng Shenzhou is under his rule, and Xiniu Hezhou is also under his control...
The gods in heaven listen to him, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Lingshan in the west listen to him, and the ghost kings in the underworld also listen to him...
The entire Three Realms can be compared to a big pot of fragrant rice. Taoism and Buddhism are just diners who want to get a piece of the pie.
The Jade Emperor is the one who controls the power of rice distribution, and all the food in this pot is prepared by him.
Those people from the Taoist and Buddhist sects are fighting each other to the death internally. Today you plot against me, and tomorrow I will retaliate against you... The fighting never stops, and it is difficult to resolve the grudges.
But what does all this have to do with him, the "operator"?
He only needs to sit firmly in the Lingxiao Palace, watch the show with a cold eye, and manipulate the chess pieces at the right time to control the overall situation.
As the saying goes:"The lotus is white, the lotus root is green, the lotus leaves are blue, the three religions are one family."
The Chan Sect, the Jie Sect, the Human Sect... all belong to Taoism, and should be of the same blood and as close as a family.
And he, the Jade Emperor, is actually an outsider.
But just like when the Jade Emperor started the "Great Conferred God War", the more you fight within your sect, the more intense the fight will be, and you may even develop hatred and forge a life-and-death feud...
It would be best if all the twelve golden immortals of the Chan sect died...
The Jade Emperor was happier.
Because the more intense the fighting among their Taoist sect, the greater the benefit the Jade Emperor will gain.
In this dispute, he can reap the benefits and further consolidate his position and power as the master of the three realms.
……
The entire Three Realms are his chessboard, and all living beings are his chess pieces.
The Jade Emperor’s strategy of “spreading Buddhism to the East” was an ingenious move. He shot down four or five eagles with one arrow. How brilliant!Only an emperor can understand this kind of political strategy.
He skillfully balanced the forces of all parties by using the method of "checks and balances".
Take advantage of the conflicts and competition between Taoism and Buddhism to make them restrain and restrict each other.
Sometimes he could give some benefits to the Taoist sect, so that the Taoist sect could grow stronger and balance the Buddhist sect; sometimes he could give some benefits to the Buddhist sect, so that the Buddhist sect could develop and restrain the Taoist sect.
In this way, both forces feel that they have the hope of gaining more benefits, and thus work harder for the Jade Emperor.
And he, the Jade Emperor, sits firmly on the Diaoyutai, enjoying the supreme power and status.
……
When chaos first began, the universe began to distinguish between yin and yang. Between heaven and earth, the clear and the turbid began to separate, and all things began to emerge.
Dong Wanggong is an innate deity born from the depths of chaos. He is the supreme incarnation of innate pure yang energy in the prehistoric world. He is called "Mu Gong" and also known as "Donghua Shangxiang Mu Gong Qingtong Emperor".
Among the five elements in the ancient world, all things of wood attribute regard Emperor Donghua as the most respected. His status is unshakable.
Emperor Donghua is a close relative of natural wood-attributed magic weapons, and possesses an astonishing set of wood-related magical powers.
With every move he made, the power of Wood Virtue flowed freely like a spirit snake, full of vitality, which was breathtaking to watch.
Among the five elements, the east is Yi wood, the south is Li fire, the west is Geng metal, the north is Xuan water, and the center is Wu earth. Each of them has its own responsibilities and can display its power.
Zhenwu Emperor is the god of the north. The north belongs to water, so the god of the north is also the god of water.
Wu Yi's "Nine Chapters of Thoughts" says: "Heavenly turtle is the water god."
The Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Biography of Wang Liang also states: "Xuanwu is the name of the water god, and is the official in charge of water and soil."
The Northern Black Tortoise is undoubtedly one of the supreme gods who controls the spiritual power of water.
The Great Emperor Zhenwu was transformed from a bit of chaotic true spirit from the Black Tortoise, the ancestor of the Arctic spiritual beast. His water-related magical powers are unmatched in the three realms and no one can match him.
This battle was like a fateful showdown between "Eastern Wood God" and "Northern Water Emperor", with the sky and earth changing color and wind and clouds surging.
Wood dominates vitality and growth. It is the force that makes all things revive and flourish.
Water controls coldness and flow. It is a profound, unfathomable and ever-changing force.
The source of wood contains endless vitality and hope, like the warm spring sun, which warms people's hearts; the extreme of water represents extreme coldness and change, like the cold wind on a winter night, which pierces into the bones and marrow.
……
Under the starry sky.
When the Great Emperor Zhenwu saw that his attack had failed, his expression was as cold as ice. He swung the Demon-Severing Sword in his hand again, muttering to himself:
"Xuanwu guards the world, and the water in Kan freezes into ice!"
In an instant, the blade of the Demon-Slaying Sword flashed with light, dazzling and brilliant.
The essence of the innate Kan water quickly condensed and turned into countless ice cones, which shot towards the green lotus like arrows from a bow, carrying a biting chill.
Wherever the ice cone passed, the space seemed to be frozen, time stagnated, and everything was silent.
At the same time, the Demon-Breaking Sword in the hand of the Great Emperor Zhenwu attracted the essence of the northern Kan water, and the sword light turned into a mysterious black dragon, with bared fangs and claws, and it bit towards the Yi wood spiritual energy that protected the body of the Emperor Donghua with great momentum.
Wherever the black dragon went, the Eastern Yi Wood spiritual energy retreated as if it had encountered a natural enemy, but was still torn to pieces by the black dragon's sharp teeth.
Upon seeing this, Emperor Donghua remained expressionless and offered the "Dongwang Bell" which was a replica of the Donghuang Bell.
"Clang, clang, clang!"
"Clang, clang, clang!"
……
The melodious sound of the bell shook the three realms, and time and space froze for a moment.
The spell cast by Emperor Zhenwu was also ruthlessly interrupted by the sound of the bell, and both the sword light and the black dragon were paused.
The battle between masters only takes a moment.
During this brief pause, Emperor Donghua shouted:
"Dongfang Yimu, Green Lotus Sword Qi!"
Emperor Donghua had a solemn expression. He pointed with the dragon-headed cane in his hand. The green lotus petals on the "Chaos Green Lotus" image fell off one after another and transformed into green sword energy, which collided with the ice cone like a meteor chasing the moon.
The sword energy collided with the ice cone, bursting out with dazzling light like fireworks.
At the same time, Emperor Donghua swung the innate pure yang sword energy in his other hand, and countless innate pure yang sword energy were like bright meteors, cutting through the sky and merging with the Qingmu sword energy to form a mighty torrent of sword energy.
Wherever the sword energy went, the ice cones shattered one after another, and the black dragon was also injured by the sword energy, letting out bursts of wailing.
At this moment.
Emperor Donghua took root in the battlefield with the roots of the sacred Fusang tree. His innate Yi wood essence was like a greedy beast, madly devouring Zhenwu's Kan water spiritual energy.
The wood energy feeds back into the pure yang fire, and the raging fire and the Yi wood sword energy blend together to form an extremely hot "Eastern Emperor Burning Sky Domain".
In the five elements, wood and fire are both yang, and wood is more helpful to fire. This is what is meant by:"Yi wood generates fire, which overcomes Kan water."
For a moment, the whole area was ablaze with fire and sword energy was everywhere. The Xuanwu Dharma image of the Zhenwu Emperor was injured by the Emperor Donghua in the surging sword energy and fire.
The Dharma image of Zu Xuanwu has its scales peeling off and is showing signs of disintegration.
……
But Taibai Jinxing received the order from the Jade Emperor and dared not hesitate for a moment.
Taibai Jinxing immediately rode on the auspicious clouds, like a stream of light, and rushed towards the Lingshan scenic spot at lightning speed.
Soon, Taibai Jinxing arrived in front of Lingjiu Peak.
Taibai Jinxing looked up and saw that in front of the gate of Lingjiu Peak, there were four great Vajras, namely, the one with great supernatural powers, the Vajra of Sprinkling Dharma, the Vajra of Infinite Power, the Vajra of Vairocana, and the Vajra of Indestructible King and Eternal Residence. They were tall and sturdy with solemn faces, guarding the gate of Lingshan.
"Four venerable ones..."
Taibai Jinxing stepped forward and saluted the four Vajra Kings.
After the ceremony, Taibai Jinxing explained the purpose of his visit:"I have come to see Tathagata Buddha at the order of the Jade Emperor. I have important matters to discuss with you. I hope the four venerables will let me know."
The Four Vajras also knew Taibai Jinxing and knew that he was the Jade Emperor's close attendant. Upon hearing this, the Four Vajras looked at each other and nodded slightly.
"Please let the Heavenly Envoy in..."
Then, the four Vajra Kings stepped aside to make way for Taibai Jinxing to enter.
Taibai Jinxing did not dare to delay and walked straight towards the Great Leiyin Temple on Lingjiu Peak.
Lingjiu Peak, the Great Leiyin Temple.
I saw the Lingjiu Peak reaching up to the sky, its base reaching up to Mount Sumeru, majestic and imposing, with many peaks and jagged rocks.
Under the cliff, beautiful grasses and flowers compete with each other in beauty and emit bursts of wonderful fragrance; beside the winding path, purple ganoderma and fragrant irises sway in the wind, as if telling the mystery of Buddhism.
In the Palace of Heavenly Kings, there are myriad rays of light and thousands of auspicious colors; in front of the Dharma Protector Hall, purple flames rise and heat waves roll.
Looking at the Great Leiyin Temple, the golden tiles stacked up layer by layer are like mandarin ducks embracing each other, reflecting each other's beauty; the ground is paved with bright flower tiles, just like agate inlays, shining brightly.
Although it was not the first time for Taibai Jinxing to set foot on Lingshan Mountain, he could not help but secretly praise in his heart:"What a pure and holy Buddhist place!"
In the magnificent halls of the Great Leiyin Temple, Buddhist chants are lingering and the Buddha's light is dense.
When Taibai Jinxing entered the temple, he saw that the Subduing Tiger Arhat had been injured by Yang Jian before, and his relics had been reincarnated and had not yet returned.
At this time, there are only the seventeen arhats who are subduing dragons, sitting on deer, crossing rivers, rejoicing, raising bowls... and so on, standing by with solemn expressions, guarding the Buddha silently like old monks in meditation.
Jin Chanzi and Huang Mei also went down the mountain and have not returned yet.
The Western Buddha sat upright on the ninth-grade lotus platform, with a solemn appearance and Buddha's light shining all around him. His brilliant light was like a scorching sun, illuminating the entire hall.
At this moment.
The Tathagata Buddha and a group of Bodhisattvas and Arhats preached the Dharma.
The Buddha's voice was steady and resounded throughout the hall. It seemed to have a magical power that made everyone immersed in it:"Form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. The essence of evil karma is emptiness. A change of mind can bring liberation."
"Everything in the world is illusory. Only by letting go of obsessions can you achieve great freedom."
"All conditioned dharmas are like dream bubbles, dew and electricity, and should be viewed in this way."
"Everything in the world is illusory. Only by letting go of obsessions can you achieve great freedom."
The Tathagata Buddha finished speaking.
There seemed to be a breeze blowing through the hall. Everyone nodded slightly, as if they understood something, with a thoughtful look on their faces.
"The Tathagata has no origin and no destination, so he is called the Tathagata."
"All appearances are false. If you see that all appearances are not appearances, you will see the Tathagata!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the Buddha's light became brighter, and everyone felt as if their souls had been baptized.
The Buddha put his hands together and looked deep.
……
In the Great Leiyin Temple.
Dipamkara Buddha and Maitreya Buddha are also among them, sitting on high seats.
The ancient Buddha Dipankara has a kind face and deep eyes, as if they contain endless wisdom.
Maitreya Buddha has a friendly smile and a big belly, giving people a sense of intimacy.
Manjushri Bodhisattva and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva are also here, listening attentively to the Buddhist teachings, nodding slightly from time to time, and sometimes falling into deep thought.
However, the whereabouts of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva are still unknown, and no one knows what caused the delay.
At this time.
Taibai Jinxing walked into the Great Leiyin Temple.
The Buddha seemed to sense something, raised his eyes slightly, and summoned Taibai Jinxing to come forward.
The Tathagata Buddha asked:"What does the Jade Emperor want to discuss that would require the angel to come to Lingshan in person?"
(End of this chapter)