Chapter 22: The Western Monk Makes a Vow, the Naihe Bridge is Bustling with Activity

  In the Western Spiritual Mountain, Jieyin and Zhunti sat in the grand hall, looking at each other. Only then did Jieyin say: "Nowadays, several people from the East have become saints except for Hou Tu. We should also become saints as soon as possible. However, Laozi and others have the merit of Pangu opening up the sky, so after establishing the teachings, they can bring out the merit of opening up the sky within their bodies to become saints. But we two do not have the merit of Pangu opening up the sky, relying solely on the merit of establishing the teachings, which is still insufficient to become saints." These Zhunti naturally knew this and heard Jieyin say so, they hastily asked:

  "What to do is good." Jie Yin slightly closed his eyes, and Zhun Ti knew that his senior brother was thinking of a way, so he didn't disturb him, but instead stared at Jie Yin with both eyes, hoping that he could come up with a solution.

  Now the East has produced four saints, and Hou Tu is also a person with Pangu's merit of opening up the sky. It seems that becoming a saint is not difficult, but these two people do not have much innate merit, so it will not be as easy for them to become saints like Laozi and others. If they don't become saints now, the gap between them and the Eastern saints will only grow wider. How can the West then rise to greatness? Therefore, there is not much time left for these two people.

  After a moment, Jie Yin opened his eyes and saw Zhun Ti. He immediately asked: "Shixiong, have you thought of a solution?" Jie Yin sighed, his face filled with even more worry and bitterness, and slowly said:

  "There is indeed a way, but if we do it this way, there will be great consequences later on. And there are many inconveniences too!" Zhun Ti heard this and was puzzled in his heart - having great consequences after becoming a saint? He couldn't make sense of it and could only ask again:

  "Senior brother, what's going on? How can there be such a great karmic consequence? Didn't the founder of our sect say that saints are not bound by karma? How can we become saints and still incur such a great karmic debt?" The guide looked at Zhunti and explained:

  "What the founder said, 'Sages are not stained by cause and effect,' means that sages have infinite life, so they also have countless times to settle cause and effect. It's not that once one becomes a sage, they won't be stained by cause and effect. Moreover, even if sages aren't afraid of cause and effect, it can still be calculated on the disciples under them, making the disciples suffer, and may even lead to the downfall of the great teachings." Sages are not unstained by cause and effect, they just change the way it is done.

  "Big brother, what's the solution then?" Now that things have come to this, who still cares about cause and effect? Hurriedly ask for the method of becoming a saint, this is the key. The guide reluctantly said:

  "It's a grand vow to attain enlightenment! With the great vows of heaven and earth, plus our merits from establishing the teachings, at that time, we should have hope for attaining enlightenment and becoming saints!" The guide looked at Zhun Ti's expectant eyes, and in his heart, he also understood. Time waits for no man; if they didn't become enlightened now, the gap between them and the people of the Eastern Land would grow so large that it could never be bridged, and by then, everything would be too late.

  "It's just that making a grand vow is like taking out a loan from the heavens in advance. Once we make this vow, we must complete it, otherwise, we won't be able to finish it and when the time comes, the heavens will send down disaster, and it'll probably be heavenly punishment! Becoming a saint through such means isn't as carefree as the original saints like Laozi, there are many restrictions on our actions too!" Zhunti was stunned after hearing this, this is becoming a saint we're talking about! What kind of grand vow would allow two people to become saints? It's simply unimaginable. If that's the case, then even establishing a great teaching would be useless, and when the time comes, such a huge karma would be enough to make the great teaching perish. Zhunti's face kept changing color, his heart began to struggle between heaven and humanity.

  "Alright, let's use this method." In the end, Zhunti gritted his teeth and agreed. Jieyin looked at Zhunti in surprise, but he hadn't expected Zhunti to agree, as he had already thought of other ways to do it. Although he couldn't be certain that they would come up with a better method, it was still better than the grand vow method. But Zhunti had agreed, and Jieyin found this unbelievable. Zhunti looked at Jieyin and immediately knew what he was thinking, so he said to Jieyin:

  "Elder brother, time is not waiting for me! The great teaching's matter can be planned later, now it's crucial to become a saint. We are in the barren land of the West, but we're not afraid of people from the East coming to trouble us, it's just right to develop our great teaching, when there's a change in the East, we can take advantage of the opportunity and make a big move, it's not impossible to greatly prosper our teaching."

  He thought for a moment and then looked at Zhun Ti and said: "Since Shidi agrees, it shall be so."

  Then the two of them, on the top of Ling Mountain, loudly said: "Today, I will receive and guide Ananda to the Western Land to establish a teaching together, called: Release. To guide all sentient beings towards goodness, without suffering or worry, as the land of ultimate bliss."

  Two people spoke, and under the heavenly response, the merits of establishing teachings began to accumulate in the void, but they did not fall like Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian. Jieyin and Zhunti dared not slack off, hastily making a great vow, wave after wave of Sanskrit chanting voices spreading throughout the vast wilderness:

  "If I attain Buddhahood, my land will be adorned with infinite and inconceivable merits. There will be no hells, hungry ghosts, animals, or any other evil realms. All beings from the Avici hell to the peak of existence will come to my land, receive my teachings, and attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. They will not fall into evil realms again.

  If I attain Buddhahood, all beings in the ten directions who have faith in me and wish to be born in my land, even if they only think of it for a moment, will be born there. If they are not born there, I will not take Buddhahood.

  Except for those who commit the five heinous crimes or slander the true Dharma, all beings who hear my name, think of my land, plant roots of merit, and wish to be born in my land will attain Buddhahood.

  When I become a Buddha, those born in my land will have whatever they need, such as food, clothing, and offerings, which will appear before them effortlessly. All Buddhas in the ten directions will receive their offerings.

  If this is not so, I will not take Buddhahood. When I become a Buddha, my land will be pure and resplendent, with wonderful forms and colors that are beyond measure. Although beings may have the heavenly eye, they will not be able to discern the forms, colors, or numbers of these wonders.

  In my land, there will be innumerable trees, some as high as a hundred thousand yojanas. The Bodhi tree will be four hundred million miles high. Even those with poor roots among the Bodhisattvas will be able to understand this. Those who wish to see the pure lands of other Buddhas will see them all within the jeweled trees.

  When I become a Buddha, all beings born in my land will ultimately attain Buddhahood, except for those who have made a vow to remain in the world to teach and transform all sentient beings, so that they may develop faith, cultivate the Bodhi mind, and practice the universal excellent conduct.

  When I become a Buddha, Bodhisattvas from other worlds who hear my name will attain detachment from birth and death, obtain the Dharani, and dwell in pure joy. They will cultivate the Bodhisattva path and perfect their roots of merit..."

  May this merit adorn the Buddha's Pure Land.

  Report four heavy kindnesses upwards, relieve three paths of bitterness downwards.

  If there are those who have seen and heard, all of them will develop the Bodhi mind.

  "With this one report of merit, I will be reborn in the Land of Utmost Bliss."

  The chanting stopped, and petals rained from the sky, golden lotus flowers burst forth from the ground, a beam of golden light filled the heavens, a sarira flew into mid-air, and waves of sandalwood fragrance soothed the heart.

  Two people made forty-eight great vows, creating the Western Pure Land, wanting to ferry all living beings. The heavenly way responded, and they finally became saints, achieving the supreme fruit of the Tao. Amitabha Buddha also called himself the guide. Zhunti also manifested as Sariputra, becoming the ancestor of Buddhism, obtaining the position of Hunyuan Dajin Golden Immortal. The Buddhist teachings said that there were twelve pre-heavenly golden lotus flowers suppressing the breath of the times. From then on, the Buddha's Tao branched out. Under the Hongjun Gate, the Buddhist door was a single vein, finally appearing in front of worldly people.

  Inviting and welcoming, respectfully reciting scriptures for three months, the sound of Sanskrit resonated throughout the vast wilderness, attracting many followers and Buddhists to join.

  At the same time, in the Heavenly Court, in the Palace of the Sun, only Emperor Jun and Donghuang Taiyi, two brothers, were present. Donghuang Taiyi was pacing back and forth in the great hall, muttering to himself: "The Daozu is unfair, the Daozu is unfair!" Emperor Jun let out a deep sigh and said to Taiyi:

  "That's enough, Taiyi. Don't pace back and forth. Just think carefully about what to do." Dong Huang Taeyi also understood that his brother's heart was not much better than his own, and sat aside in a sullen mood. After a while, he said to Di Jun:

  "Elder brother, don't worry. As long as the Heavenly Court doesn't offend a few saints' teachings, I think this saint won't be bored enough to find trouble with us in the Heavenly Court." Emperor Jun sighed again and said:

  "If it were you, my brother, who had obtained a place in the Purple Palace, I would have also produced a saint from Heaven. Why must we be so troubled?" The Eastern Emperor Taiyi remained silent, but also helpless, and after a long time, comforted him:

  "Brother, the demon clan has a Nuwa Niangniang who is also a saint. I think those saints won't easily provoke our demon clan either. As long as you and I work hard to cultivate and comprehend the Heavenly Way, we will eventually become saints." Emperor Jun's heart bitterly smiled. Without the Hongmeng Purple Qi, it was that easy for saints to cultivate? And now there was only one chance left, his mouth also helplessly said, "I hope so, as brother has said."

  In just a few days, the five saints gathered together! The vast and desolate land was thoroughly boiling. Because all five of them were founders of their own sects and became saints, many great gods thought to themselves: "Shouldn't I also establish my own sect and see if I can become a saint?" Unfortunately, they didn't realize that the three who became saints did so because of Pangu's merit in opening up the sky, and the key to Quan Ti becoming a saint wasn't establishing a sect either, but rather his great vow. How could establishing a sect with such little merit possibly make someone a saint? Moreover, most people didn't have the key to becoming a saint - the Hongmeng Purple Energy. However, there were also many who thought this way, and among them weren't lacking true divine transcendents, such as Minghe Daoist of the Underworld Blood Sea.

  Minghe Dao stood on the Blood Sea, muttering to himself: "Establish a teaching, accumulate merit..." Then he made up his mind and loudly declared to the sky: "Today, I, Minghe Dao, establish the Asura Teaching in the dark and mysterious Blood Sea, with the six tribes of the Blood Sea as my followers. Heaven witnesses this." As soon as the words fell, the merits from the Nine Heavens descended, but unfortunately...

  "Heaven's way is not fair, heaven's way is not fair!" However, after the River of Death absorbed the merits, nothing happened, and he didn't even succeed in cutting off a corpse, let alone becoming a saint. The River of Death was furious and scolded Heaven's way for the second time, but unfortunately, the sky was clear and cloudless, with no response. After cursing for a while, the River of Death returned to the Blood Sea to meditate in seclusion. Although he didn't become a saint this time, he gained many merits, and after meditating and cultivating, he might be able to cut off another corpse.

  The numerous great gods of the Primordial Chaos all witnessed the actions of Minghe, and saw that it was not possible to become a saint simply by establishing a sect. The crowd also lost interest. However, Minghe became the laughing stock of the great gods of the Primordial Chaos. First, Nüwa created humans and became a saint, so Minghe began to learn from Nüwa and created the Blood Sea Six Tribes, gaining some merit but still far from becoming a saint. Later, Laozi and others established sects and became saints, and Minghe again followed suit, establishing a great sect and gaining merit, but this time he didn't even succeed in beheading corpses. Minghe twice followed the trend, but both times ended in failure, and the great gods of the Primordial Chaos ridiculed his actions to no end.

  But soon after Tongtian and Houtu returned to Penglai Island, news came that the two from the West had become saints. Houtu was greatly anxious in her heart, now that the Daozu had personally appointed people to become saints, only she had not yet become a saint. She said something to Tongtian and then ran off to go into seclusion. It seems that everyone becoming saints also gave her quite some pressure.

  After Hou Tu left, Tong Tian sat on the grand hall, constantly thinking about the gains and impact of this sanctification. Just talking about sanctification, it was a huge gain. The several spiritual treasures in his hands, with the help of merit, had greatly increased their power. Especially the Hunyuan Bell, which was originally an opening treasure, absorbed a lot of opening merit at the time of the opening of heaven, and after absorbing merit this time, the Hunyuan Bell actually produced two more prohibitions, becoming a 47-prohibition treasure. Other spiritual treasures also absorbed merit and were greatly enhanced. Most importantly, Tong Tian's three corpses' split bodies, with the help of merit, greatly increased their strength, even if they faced saints, they had the power to fight. At this time, Tong Tian was thinking of giving some spiritual treasures to his three corpses' split bodies to enhance their strength.

  However, this time is not just a harvest, but also a lot of trouble. At least his own secrets have been exposed to Laozi's original face, the matter of the Hunyuan bell has been exposed, and Laozi's original will definitely be jealous. Moreover, his own merits are almost equal to Laozi's total, so Laozi's original will naturally be dissatisfied. Although there is no action yet, the two of them must have taken precautions against him, especially Laozi. He and Hou Tu have 20% of the human tribe's luck, so Laozi will definitely make plans. Thinking of Laozi's eyes full of deep meaning when he left, Tongtian got a headache.

  "Alas, the most important thing is still strength! Unfortunately, my current cultivation has almost reached its peak, and if I want to make progress, I must find a way to merge the three corpses into one. Only then can I reach the realm of the Dao ancestors before their unity. But merging the three corpses is not easy at all! It seems that I can only compete for the aura of fortune, which will accelerate my cultivation pace." Tian thought to himself. Coming back to his senses, he looked at the cold and quiet grand hall, and sighed, "Competing for the aura of fortune is not easy either... Now I only have three named disciples, it seems that I need to get some more disciples."

  Having thought it through, Tongtian took out the Qiankun Ding he had obtained from Houtu and prepared to refine a spiritual treasure for San Shi's divided body. The gains from the great war between the three clans had not been taken care of until now, so it was just right to refine some spiritual treasures for San Shi's divided body, which could also be considered as making use of waste materials. So Tongtian began to refine the treasure in this grand hall, and the flames instantly illuminated the entire hall.