All Good Novel
Chapter 457: Nine Lifetimes (1)
Chapter 457: Nine Lifetimes (1)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After arriving in Western Lands, Li Qingshan’s target was the item left behind by Amitabha in the hands of the Monk Fayin.
Amitabha was at least a Venerable Realm expert, and he was a native genius born in the Immortal Plane. He founded the Buddhist sects, established a foothold in Western Lands, and passed down for thousands of generations.
He had also ascended the Supreme Path and even sent the Flower Immortal back.
This demonstrated Amitabha’s immense power.
The only thing in the entire Immortal Plane that could help him live his ninth life was the information left behind by Amitabha.
Therefore, Li Qingshan came here.
Drinking tea and chatting, Li Qingshan and Monk Fayin exchanged insights about living through the second, third, and fourth lives.
Then, Monk Fayin led Li Qingshan into his Buddha Hall.
There was a Buddha statue in the Buddha Hall, but it was already full of cracks and missing large parts.
Monk Fayin pointed to the statue and said, “This is the Dharma Body left behind by Amitabha.”
The Dharma Body was placed in Monk Fayin’s temple, where he worshiped it day and night. Despite the passage of time, it was still well preserved.
Li Qingshan carefully observed the Dharma Body of Amitabha and found that it still contained much-hidden information.
“This Dharma Body has scriptures written by Amitabha. You can comprehend them here. I won’t disturb you,” Monk Fayin said before leaving, leaving the temple to Li Qingshan.
Li Qingshan stood alone in front of the dilapidated Buddha statue. His primordial spirit emerged from the Niwan Palace and delved into the statue.
Boom!
The great chiliocosm and its myriad changes unfolded before Li Qingshan’s eyes. Everything was so beautiful. It seemed as if Li Qingshan had entered not a statue, but a vast Buddha Kingdom.
Inside the statue, a vast world unfolded, full of Zen mysteries.
In this world, mountains were carved with demons, the land had Buddhist kingdoms, beings worshipped, and the sky housed numerous Buddhas. Everything illustrated the flourishing of the Buddhist sects in their early days.
Li Qingshan stepped into this world, stood on the ground, and looked into the distance. It was an eye-opener.
In this world, the Buddhas, commoners, and demons were all manifestations of Amitabha, yet each was different, doing different things, and having different thoughts.
They existed within the Dharma Body and could not communicate with Li Qingshan. As he silently observed, Li Qingshan discovered something.
“These… are all Amitabha’s thoughts,” Li Qingshan murmured.
Throughout a person’s life, countless thoughts arise. Each thought could give birth to an Amitabha.
Buddha was also a human.
He had thoughts too. Within the Dharma Body were hidden his thoughts throughout his life, both good and evil, righteous and wicked.
Buddhism teaches that lifelong cultivation is a constant process of conquering the mind monkey.
The mind monkey is called Wukong.
Everyone has a mind monkey within, constantly changing with thoughts. Thus, Amitabha’s life was a process of conquering his mind monkey.
The Buddhist Kingdom within this Dharma Body, everything within it, all the countless beings, were the thoughts Amitabha had throughout his life.
Li Qingshan walked through Amitabha’s youth.
During this period, Amitabha’s mind monkey was most volatile and unpredictable.
With good came evil. During this period, Amitabha created the Eighteen Levels of Hell to forge his own evil.
As Li Qingshan passed through the 18 Levels of Hell, he saw many things, each thought capable of being a demon king.
The Buddha wasn’t invincible.
The Buddha wasn’t perfect.
Amitabha himself, in his youth, was like this. He wavered, he was confused, and he had evil thoughts.
This was the mind monkey.
His mind was restless.
Only by subduing the mind monkey could he control himself.
Amitabha overcame the confusion of his youth and gradually began to conquer his mind monkey step by step.
During his middle age, Amitabha was less confused and more determined. His thoughts gradually formed his ideas, and he began to comprehend the Buddhist Dharma and Daos.
During this period, Amitabha’s thoughts became fewer, and the vast world was empty, with only a few of Amitabha’s thoughts visible.
Li Qingshan walked and observed along the way.
This world was vast, yet it was also small.
After passing through Amitabha’s middle age, he entered old age. The vast world, with its rivers flowing and the sun and moon eternal, no longer had any thoughts.
In his old age, Amitabha had locked up the mind monkey, controlling himself. His thoughts no longer fluctuated. He had a clear goal and had transcended from a man to a Buddha.
A Buddha is a human, but a human is not a Buddha.
This was the Dharma Body of Amitabha.
Li Qingshan walked for a long time in the vast land, mountains, and rivers. Along the way, he saw the entirety of Amitabha’s life. Finally, he saw a temple.
The temple was situated in the center of the land, yet there was no one there.
Li Qingshan approached and pushed open the half-closed door, seeing a Buddha statue.
This Buddha statue was lifelike and without any flaws. This was the true Dharma Body of Amitabha.
The statue perfectly depicted Amitabha’s appearance—a thin elderly man, draped in a kasaya, with a peaceful demeanor and gentle eyes, quietly sitting there.
Li Qingshan clasped his hands in respect and bowed to Amitabha. This journey had been immensely insightful for him, broadening his horizons.
Previously, Li Qingshan’s understanding of Buddhist sects was superficial. He had never known that Amitabha’s Path was actually one of spiritual strength.