Chapter 248 — Return to the Mortal World
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
As he rose, the many dharma protectors, venerables, bodhisattvas, arhats, and vajras all rose too, saying with one voice, "Senior Brother!"
When the greetings were done, the old Tathagata raised a hand and invited Shen Mu to take a seat. Shen Mu looked down: the seat was a hassock, and if he sat, he would be far lower than the monks floating in the air.
"Shen'er, sit," Lord Huo said.
Shen Mu sat down, and felt a soft force come to him, lifting him and the hassock together to settle upon the dragon qilin's back — quite the imposing sight.
The old Tathagata looked at Lord Huo and smiled. "Disciple, have you finished with the red dust, and made up your mind to come back to the mountain?"
"Back to the mountain? I have a Mount Sumeru in my heart, and there is no Buddha left in it."
The old Tathagata smiled. "When there is not even a Mount Sumeru left in your heart, then you are a Tathagata. Well said. Set down the wife and child in your heart. Before long I shall enter nirvana and perfect enlightenment; you shall preside over the Great Tingming Temple."
Lord Huo shook his head. "If I preside, I will slaughter every thieving bald monk on this mountain."
The faces of dharma protector after dharma protector, arhat after arhat, changed greatly; they roared in fury, making wrathful faces.
The old Tathagata said, "You are still deluded, still clinging. Last time you came up the mountain, I hurried back as fast as I could, and still I arrived one step too late. You know I still hold to the bond between master and disciple. You cut off your own arm and sent it to me; I reflected that you would finish with the red dust and worldly affairs, and at the last return to the Great Tingming Temple, and so I ordered the monks to place your arm within the Ten Thousand Aspects Pagoda, hoping for the day you would see your error and come back. You know my heart."
Lord Huo said gravely, "I know it. But my wife and child died at the hands of the Great Tingming Temple. A blood feud must be answered."
"Foolish child!"
The old Tathagata shouted him down like a thunderclap. "Wife and child, wife and child — all are dreams, bubbles, shadows, a stinking sack of skin! Had you Buddha-nature, you would know that what bond, what karma, what fruit — in the end it is all emptiness."
Lord Huo was furious. "Emptiness, my arse! I cut off my own hand, and you were still not satisfied? You had to kill my wife and child as well? All that talk of women being rosy skeletons, of demons holding a man back — what if I love my rosy skeleton? I call you master to give you face, because I have need of you. Nag at me again, monk, and I will overturn you, wash this Golden Summit in blood, and beat every bald donkey on this mountain to death!"
The monks on the mountain changed countenance; not one of them could sit still.
Shen Mu, too, had never expected Lord Huo to erupt like that. Lord Huo had always been mature and steady, the steadiest man in the village, the man the lame old man most admired and revered — and now, once he erupted, no one could hold him back.
Upon the Golden Summit dark clouds came suddenly. A moment before, it had been mild wind for ten thousand li, auspicious clouds and golden light, blessed beyond speaking; now the air was rank with killing intent.
Shen Mu coughed once and laughed. "A guest stealing the host's thunder — stealing his thunder indeed. Senior Brother Tathagata, I have not yet made introductions. This is my Grandpa Huo, commonly called Lord Huo; he is two generations above me. This is Granny Zhu, two generations above me. This is Grandpa Blind, two generations above me. Senior Brothers, there is no need for ceremony."