Chapter 624 — First Show of Might
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
Ma Rulai said: "Senior brother, Zhankong has roots of wisdom, and Chenghuai is the more seasoned. Both would be excellent at studying the Dharma. But studying the Dharma tests not roots of wisdom but insight — one must turn what one comprehends into divine powers, into battle-strength, so that in days to come one may subdue demons and monsters and meet the calamities to come. To have Buddha-nature is not necessarily to have surpassing battle-strength; that is my worry. Both Zhankong and Chenghuai have Buddha-nature, but both fall somewhat short in insight."
An old monk said: "If that is so, why does the Tathagata not go himself?"
Ma Rulai shook his head: "I am already a Buddha. I cannot pass the barrier of this world, cannot reach the Buddha realm directly; so I must find one among the younger generation whose gifts and insight are extraordinary, to go in my place, comprehend the supreme wondrous Dharma, and pass the Buddha's Dharma down. This one — he troubles me."
The monks of Datingming Temple frowned one and all. Ma Rulai said that Xuanliao the Demon Ape and the young monk Chenghuai lacked insight, but in truth his standard was simply too high: their gifts and insight already made them the very finest of Datingming Temple's younger generation.
To select from Datingming Temple a young monk surpassing them was simply impossible!
Ma Rulai looked at Shen Mu, who was eating his meal. Xuanliao the Demon Ape pinched up a handful of pine needles and held them out to Shen Mu, inviting him to eat.
The other old monks looked too. They saw Shen Mu take the pine needles, knead them into a cake, eat it down in two or three bites, then take a few more mouthfuls of steamed bun.
"How is it?" Ma Rulai asked the monks.
The monks said in unison: "A good man. The Tathagata's Dharma Eye is peerless!"
"You want me to go to the Buddha realm?"
Having eaten his fill, Shen Mu was summoned by Ma Rulai, and hearing his words could not help but stare wide-eyed, blurting out: "I am the leader of the Dark Demon Cult, and I once had a feud with Datingming Temple. Send me to the Buddha realm to study the Dharma — will the Buddhas not beat me to death?"
Ma Rulai laughed: "The Buddhas of the Buddha realm have no feud with you, nor any feud with the Heavenly Saint Cult. The Buddhas attained Buddhahood before the Kaihuang Era was destroyed, and founded the Buddha realm. The feud between Datingming Temple and the Heavenly Saint Cult came after the Kaihuang Era was destroyed. The Buddhas understand reason; they will not make things hard for you."
Shen Mu still hesitated: "This chance was won for you by the monks of Datingming Temple. If an outsider like me goes to seek the Dharma and study, will I not cut off the monks' hopes?"
Ma Rulai shook his head: "Only if you go is there hope. This journey to the Buddha realm is to study Datingming Temple's supreme Dharma, the Buddha-art that reaches straight to the Emperor's Throne. I fear Zhankong and Chenghuai cannot comprehend its essence, so it is more fitting that you go with them."
Shen Mu no longer declined. "What should I be mindful of on this journey to the Buddha realm?"
"Local customs and manners — when you enter a village, follow its ways. You know all this well enough; I need not say more."
Ma Rulai said with meaning: "The Buddha realm does not aid Datingming Temple of the lower world — not because it is unwilling, but because it cannot. So you must beware of spears in the open and arrows from the dark."
Shen Mu felt a chill, and at once understood the point hidden in his words!
The reason the Buddha realm was so cautious — apart from its fear of the power called the Heavenly Court — was surely that the Heavenly Court had already planted untold eyes and factions within the Buddha realm!
On this journey to the Buddha realm, the Heavenly Court's eyes and forces would certainly strike at them, the monks come up from the lower world!
The blood and storm of it could well be imagined.