Chapter 690 - 551: But, Miss, Men and Women Should Maintain Their Distance
Chapter 690: Chapter 551: But, Miss, Men and Women Should Maintain Their Distance
"When the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, he illuminated the Five Skandhas and saw that they are all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty."
"Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. So too are feeling, cognition, formation, and consciousness."
"Shariputra, all dharmas are marked with emptiness; they do not arise or cease, are not defiled or pure, and do not increase or decrease."
"Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, feeling, cognition, formation, or consciousness; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no sights, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of touch, or dharmas; no field of the eyes and so on up to no field of consciousness."
"..."
The sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn. Inside the main hall of Sikong Temple, monks sat upright, performing their unfailing daily morning prayers.
The sound of chanting drifted from the main hall. Like a lingering divine hymn, it spread across all of Sikong Mountain, echoing amidst the morning breeze and thin mist.
Atop Sikong Mountain, a dense Buddha’s Rhyme swirled. It gradually coalesced into an illusory golden Buddha statue that stood tall, solemnly gazing down upon the mortal world.
"There is no ignorance, and no end to ignorance, and so on up to no old age and death, and no end to old age and death."
"There is no suffering, no accumulating, no extinction, no path, and no wisdom and no attainment. With nothing to attain..."
"The Bodhisattva, through reliance on Prajna Paramita, is unimpeded in his mind. Because there is no impediment, he is not afraid. Far from inverted views, he reaches final Nirvana."
As the first rays of the morning sun spilled into the main hall, a warm radiance gently fell upon the shoulders and faces of every monk.
At the very front of the hall, a young man wore a kasaya. His eyes were closed and his hands pressed together in a gesture of pious reverence.
As he chanted each word, a golden Buddha’s Light blessed his body, resembling a second kasaya made of shimmering, iridescent gold.
The Abbot, sitting at the very front, watched this disciple of his. A gratified smile touched the corners of his mouth, and he nodded in satisfaction.
When the sound of chanting slowly faded and the last echoes fell silent, the young man opened his eyes to see his master gazing at him with a benevolent expression.
"Master." The young man pressed his palms together and bowed respectfully.
"Mm." The old Abbot nodded gently and asked, "Que Yin, how old are you now?"
"Replying to Master, this disciple just turned eighteen this year." The young man with the dharma name Que Yin answered truthfully, his voice clear and steady.
’Eighteen years...’ A look of profound reminiscence flickered in the old Abbot’s aged, cloudy eyes.
"I remember it well. I had just returned from the village at the foot of the mountain and found you by the temple’s side gate. You were only a month or two old then, a tiny thing wrapped in swaddling clothes, your eyes barely even open."
The old Abbot stroked his white beard, his gaze soft as he looked at Que Yin. A wistful smile spread across his lips.
"How time flies. In the blink of an eye, a full eighteen years have passed..."
"Ah, Que Yin, your talent is immense, and you are exceedingly diligent. You have a profound understanding of many of our Buddhist School’s scriptures. To have already stepped into the Dragon Gate Realm at the mere age of eighteen is truly remarkable, a rare achievement indeed."
"However, for us Buddhist Cultivators, no matter how many Buddhist Scriptures we read or how deeply we study Zen principles, our knowledge cannot remain confined to books. The Confucian School has an excellent saying: ’Knowledge from books is ultimately shallow; to truly understand, one must practice.’ There is great wisdom in these words."
"In these eighteen years, you have never once left the mountain. Starting today, you should go down the mountain from time to time. Go and help the people in the nearby villages and towns, do some practical deeds. But remember, unless you encounter demons, do not use magic if you can avoid it. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master." The young monk pressed his palms together and assented respectfully.
After the morning prayers ended, the monks of Sikong Temple dispersed, each attending to their own duties and cultivation.
Que Yin also received an assignment: to head to Yuncai Village at the foot of the mountain.
"Senior Brother Que Yin!" Just as Que Yin was about to walk out of the temple gates, a little novice monk, no older than eight or nine, came running up behind him, panting for breath.
"Xujing, what is it?" Que Yin stopped and turned, smiling at his little junior brother. His tone was gentle and patient.
"It’s nothing important, I just saw you heading out..." The little novice monk looked up, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Where are you going, Senior Brother? Are you leaving the mountain?"
"Mhm." Que Yin nodded. "Master said I should go down the mountain more often to gain experience. As it happens, a couple in Yuncai Village is getting married today, so I’m going down to preside over their wedding."
"Oh, I see..." Xujing looked up and asked in a small voice, "Then... can I go with you, Senior Brother?"
"You..." Que Yin chuckled and ruffled his little junior brother’s shaved head, his tone a mix of affection and exasperation. "You’d better finish your lessons first. Otherwise, Master will have to punish you again."
With that, Que Yin turned and headed down the mountain.
"In that case, Senior Brother, remember to bring back some of the vegetarian dishes from the banquet!" Xujing shouted at the top of his lungs from behind him.
Que Yin didn’t look back, but simply raised a hand and waved, indicating that he had heard.
On the small path down the mountain, sunlight filtered through the dappled shadows of the trees, scattering across the ground like flecks of gold.
A squirrel perched on a branch, happily nibbling on a nut while curiously observing the human descending the mountain.
A moment later, it was once again leaping and frolicking among the treetops.
A few rabbits hid deep in the bushes, peeking their heads out furtively. They watched warily for a while, only daring to emerge after the human had moved further away. The incessant chirping of cicadas echoed through the woods, rising and falling, lending the forest a lively, vibrant air.