Chapter 250 — Rouge and White Bone
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
Granny Zhu took it in her hands and, gazing at her own reflection, laughed softly. "A peerless beauty indeed — even I am moved to pity. " Seeing her coquettish air, some of the monks could scarcely contain themselves.
The Old Tathagata smiled. "Now turn the mirror over. " Granny Zhu turned it over, and in the mirror appeared a white skeleton, much as she would look after death.
"What does Cult Master Li make of it? " The Old Tathagata smiled.
"However peerless a beauty you may be, at the end of your life you are nothing but a heap of dry bones. Do you still find dry bones beautiful? " Granny Zhu flung the bronze mirror to the ground and stamped it to pieces underfoot, saying carelessly, "A mere trick to hoodwink ordinary folk — rouge and skull, and nothing more.
Tathagata, I understand the principle. I do not, like you, wish to live in glory in the next life; this one life, lived with dash and splendor, is enough for me.
To seek a next life is the act of a coward.
This little trick of yours cannot subdue me.
You say a single mirror can convert me — then let me walk once around your Great Tingming Temple, and we shall see whether you convert me, or I convert every great monk and little monk in your house. Shall we make a wager?
" The Old Tathagata frowned slightly.
"You have no root of wisdom. " The blind elder also sensed trouble and said, "Brother Dao, roots of wisdom are nonsense.
Better to strike at once and subdue her! " The Old Tathagata pondered a moment, then said, "Cult Master Li was, after all, once the cult master of demons. I will take her into the Tower of Ten Thousand Aspects and subdue her there. Monks, your concentration is shallow and your cultivation insufficient; remain outside the tower and lend your support. " The monks assented and descended from the high altar one after another, gathering around the Tower of Ten Thousand Aspects. Some monks inside the tower hurried out as well, not daring to remain. The Old Tathagata smiled. "Cult Master Shen, you too are a cult master of demons, deep in demon-nature. Since ancient times Buddha and demon have stood apart.
You are a guest who has come seeking help; I will not subdue you.
But while I am subduing Cult Master Li, I hope you will remain in the Great Tingming Temple, listen to the Buddha-dharma, and dissolve the violence in your heart, so that in future you may commit fewer killings. " Old Master Huo and the blind elder saw it clear as a mirror: the Old Tathagata meant to keep them in the Great Tingming Temple.
If he could convert them, well and good; if not, then they would simply be unable to leave. Shen Mu was overjoyed. He laughed, "Brother, what a brilliant plan!
Then we shall trespass on your hospitality. May you subdue that old demon Cult Master Li soon — a boundless merit!
" The Old Tathagata smiled faintly and instructed, "Let these benefactors lodge in the temple. " A venerable hesitated. "World-Honored One, many places in the temple are holy ground of our order. If they should wander and blunder about. .
. " "Let them. There is nothing in the Great Tingming Temple that cannot be seen by men or shown to the light.
" The Old Tathagata said, "When Imperial Preceptor Jingping came, I even showed him the Tingming Mahayana Sutra. The cult master of the Dark Demons does evil — can his evil exceed that of Imperial Preceptor Jingping? Cult Master Shen too is a living being.
In the Great Tingming Temple there are no outsiders.
" The venerable assented and came forward to lead them. Shen Mu laughed.
"Brother, is there vegetarian fare in the temple?
These New Year days we have eaten too richly and would like something plain. " The venerable glanced at him, turned his prayer beads, and suppressed the urge to subdue demons, saying, "If the cult master stays in the Great Tingming Temple, he may eat vegetarian fare for a lifetime. " Shen Mu roared with laughter and said to the blind elder, "Aren't you afraid we'll eat them into poverty?