Chapter 487 — The Overlapping Realm
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 3 of 4
" Little Tathagata's face wore a precious radiance as he smiled: "My cultivation is no worse than my senior brother's, and I do not think so highly of the human race's Dharma. Therefore I was resentful, and I wanted to build a holy land for the demon race. I fought my way out of Great Thunder Cry Temple and established Little Thunder Sound Temple here. Great Thunder Sound, Little Thunder Sound—both are Thunder Sound; though their expositions of the Dharma differ, both are the Dharma.
Kui Wushen worshipped my soul to death. I do not have Xing Han's strength, and now my soul is about to scatter and disperse. Zhankong, bring me the Ximilo. " The Xuanliao Demon Ape came forward on his knees, holding up the Ximilo in both hands. "Because of the Ximilo, my senior brother transmitted the Thunder Cry Mahayana Sutra to you; because of him, I took you as my disciple. Great Thunder Cry Temple and Little Thunder Sound Temple have been joined together again because of you. " Little Tathagata raised his hand, and the Ximilo floated in the air.
"You are the junior fellow disciple of Ma Tathagata of Great Thunder Cry Temple.
After I die, take the monks of this mountain to Great Thunder Cry Temple; Ma Tathagata will take you in. " He took up a kasaya robe and a volume of scripture, laid the scripture upon the robe, and set both on the Demon Ape's two hands; the Ximilo descended and pressed down upon the scripture.
"Say to Ma Tathagata: the Dharma says all living beings are equal, so why are the statues of the demon race in the temples all mounts for statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? Can we of the demon race be equal as well? " Little Tathagata's soul began to split apart and drift away, yet he went on: "Then ask him: if the demon race can be equal too, why is the Dharma written by humans—can demons write the Dharma as well?
" "Then ask him: saving a human is merit—is saving a demon also merit? " "Then ask him: eating a human is taking life—is eating a demon also taking life?
Plants, grass and trees, can become demons too; is eating them taking life? " "If he cannot answer, give him the sutra written by me, a demon Tathagata, and he will take you in.
" Little Tathagata pressed his palms together, smiling: "After I enter nirvana, take this stinking skin bag of mine to Great Thunder Cry Temple, and ask him: may I enter the Tower of Ten Thousand Buddhas? " With that, his soul scattered and dispersed.
"Demon—Master!
" The Xuanliao Demon Ape fell prostrate, and all the monks chanted the Great Compassion Mantra in unison. "Little Tathagata, by his own strength, founded Little Thunder Sound Temple, making it the only holy land in the Wasteland—and the only holy land of the demon race.
" Xu Shenghua said in a low voice: "There is no demon race in the Dharma, yet he gave the demon race a Dharma of their own.
Is the great monk's state of mind not that of a Tathagata? Swallow, I want to go and see the Buddha of humans and the Buddha of demons. " Jing Yan said: "I will go with you to Great Thunder Cry Temple.
If the big fellow leads these demon monks through the Wasteland, there will surely be no small number of dangers.
We can look out for each other.
" Xu Shenghua said: "Little Thunder Sound Temple has many experts, after all; crossing the Wasteland should not be too dangerous. It is Cult Master Shen who is in danger—he stole Xing Han's box and even made off with the Golden Palace's Great Venerable.
This Cult Master Shen. . .
" Veins stood out on his forehead. Jing Yan laughed: "You envy him?
Envy his thrilling life? " Xu Shenghua nodded: "But I am not that sort of person. Though I envy him, I do not wish for myself the life he leads.
I hope he can survive this tribulation.
" The cliff of the Wasteland. The great box gave off a faint, ghostly light, and ghostly light came from the cliff face as well.
Outside, all was darkness that shrouded and drowned everything, yet here there was still light—a thing to make one marvel.