Chapter 1137: Torch-Bearers of the Buddha
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
On top of the Heavenly Stupa sat the golden forms of Purna and Sariputra. While they brimmed with spiritual energy, they were ultimately not living things.
However, as the Buddhist light shone, the facial expressions of the two Buddhist golden forms became gentler. They appeared to have come to life.
One could hear their names being chanted faintly in the background as the two golden forms opened their eyes.
From the perspective of Lin Feng and company, Purna, who was to their left, placed his palms together and said slowly, “The Buddha is compassionate. He seeks to rescue the millions of creations, countless as the sands of the River Ganges, of all worlds from suffering.”
Sariputra, who sat the center, closed his palms together slowly and said, “The Buddha is compassionate. Now that the Age of Vipralopa is upon us, he shall descend down into the world once more.”
A look of bliss and calm appeared on their faces. Purna said in a low voice, “Amitabha.”
Sariputra said in a low voice, “Amitabha, Shakyamuni Buddha.”
As the Buddhist light enveloped them, the golden forms shed their original appearances.
Purna’s golden form turned into a light shadow of an ancient Buddha with a pale-yellow face. There was no emotion on his face, no joy or sorrow, no hatred or anger. His two eyes were shut tight and he was silent.
Buddhists talked about the Nirvana as the end of all suffering. It referred to a clear tranquility in the absence of worry. It was eternal and never-changing, completely distant from the cycle of rebirth and reincarnation.
There, there was nothing to trouble oneself. One broke free from the cycle of life and death. Having nothing, holding onto nothing, one was immune to the workings of Fate. This was true wholeness.
The ancient Buddhist light sat on top of Purna, who appeared to be in a world where everything was destroyed and yet, one where everything was calm and tranquil. It was exceedingly mystical.
Even though it was a light shadow, Lin Feng, Yan Nanlai and the rest instantly recognized it as Emperor Ru, who abdicated the throne to become the Buddha. He was also the first Buddhist in the world.
“It’s actually...” Even Lin Feng was shaken. He looked at Sariputra, who sat in the center, and realized that his golden form too had turned into a humongous light shadow of the Buddha.
The light shadow was regal and awe-inspiring. Vast and holy, there were five balls of light on its head, each of it represented a world. With one ball of light at its center, the other four balls of light were split in all directions.
The one in the center was known as Akanishta. It was above everything and so beautiful that one could not even begin to fathom it. It was impossible to describe, and it represented cognizance of the highest understanding of the scripture, a representation of one own’s purity and peace.
The one to the north was known as the Nirvana of Industry. Everything the Buddha wished for would be accomplished. Turning jealousy into peace, it symbolized the creation of everything.
The one to the west was known as the Nirvana of Bliss. Those in this world shall never feel bitterness and experience it. Those within it could break from the cycle of reincarnation and ascend into Nirvana. Absolving one of greed, it symbolized inner peace.
The one to the south was known as the Nirvana of Virtue. Those in it shall have glory and success. One could achieve equality and absolve sloth. It symbolized movement.
The one to the east was known as the Nirvana of Happiness. In it, there was no change nor alterations. One’s inner demons could be quelled here, and it symbolized the eternal nature of the Buddhist way.
These five worlds each had a light shadow dancing in every single one of them. In it, there was not the Five Tathagatas but instead, Acala, Vajrabhairava, Kuṇḍali Vidyarāja, Trailokyavijaya and Vajrayaksa, the Five Wisdom Kings.
(Translator’s Note: The Five Wisdom Kings are viewed as deities in Vajrayana Buddhism. They are viewed as the wrathful guardian deities of the Five Tathagatas.)
The Buddha statue was the best-known image of the Buddha in the history of the Grand Celestial World. He was the founder of Buddhism and the Great Thunderclap Temple, the Shakyamuni Buddha.
When the two light images of the Buddha appeared, the Heavenly Stupa became even more eye-catching as even more light shone down.
As light expanded, the Heavenly Stupa became a world unto itself.
Around the Heavenly Stupa, countless light images appeared. They surrounded the seven-storied stupa and started to chant. Among them, one could see Zen Masters, monks, saints, gates, Bodhisattva, and Arhats.
This scene shocked Yan Nanlai. “The Central Saha World!” (Translator’s Note: Chinese Buddhism states that a Saha World is an impure one where creations are blinded by earthly desires and illusions.)
Since the last War of the Two Worlds many years ago, no Central Saha World had appeared in the Divine Lands!
Lin Feng, Liang Pan and the rest had never seen this world before. However, they had heard about it. Looking at it now, they could not help but be moved.
Looking at the Central Saha World and the seven-storied stupa, as well as the two light images of the Buddha on it, Lin Feng’s pupils contracted. “This is not a simple case whereby someone revived Purna and Sariputra using their golden forms. Instead, controlled by Buddhist powers, their golden forms may have turned sentient. Yet, they are part of the bigger ceremony, which is used to reveal the Spell Body of the former Amitabha Buddha and the current Shakyamuni Buddha.”
He took in a deep breath and looked at the last, empty seat. “Since there is already the Amitabha Buddha and the Shakyamuni Buddha, the last seat shall be reserved for the Medicine Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru)!”
“So that’s the case! So that’s the case!” Lin Feng looked at the gradually dissipating sea of purple light and his gaze finally fell back on the Heavenly Stupa.
He stared at it and started to laugh, “Good move! Good strategy! What a Three Lifetimes Karmic Curse! While it cannot transcend the Greater World and discover every single change of the future, it is still a powerful move!”
Lin Feng laughed and shook his head. “In the river of history, many prodigies and talents had emerged and then faded. However, few managed to transcend their mortal existence. They are the elites of the elites and everyone could only stare at them in awe. No one can underestimate their powers.”
“Earlier, the Emperor of the Dead came back to life and returned to the Greater World. Now, even though Emperor Ru entered the Death Sea, he could still return to the world in another incarnation of the Buddha in the Age of Vipralopa, giving Buddhism another chance of survival. Interesting! Interesting!”
Unlike the Emperor of the Dead, no one knew if the Buddha had perished in the Death Sea. This was not rebirth, but the return of the Buddha from the Death Sea to the Greater World.
With the power of the Buddhist spells and a favorable environment, the Buddha once again returned to the world in his future incarnation.
Yan Nanlai, Liang Pan, the Heavenly Charms Grand Sage and the Peacock Grand Sage finally regained their senses. They stared at the Central Saha World and were speechless.
The Heavenly Charms Grand Sage and the Peacock Gran Sage both looked at it with an odd expression. “How can something like this happen? This is beyond our expectations.”
“The Hades Emperor ended the Great Thunderclap Temple. Yet, his spiritual energy was then used by the Buddha as the cornerstone for the rebirth of Buddhism. What a coincidence! What Fate! It even succeeded. The links between all these are unfathomable!”
Yan Nanlai and Liang Pan looked at the two light shadows of the Buddha. Complex emotions surfaced on their faces. Both of them were not easily shaken, but their hearts were pretty rattled now. However, this did not mean that their beliefs had changed. Yet, they could not ignore the emotions in their hearts.
“Has the Buddha foreseen everything? Or is it only a backup plan?”
“If he really knows everything, then the descent of Buddhism into the Age of Vipralopa could have been avoided. It cannot be explained by his refusal to tamper with fate!”
“If it’s just a backup plan, then isn’t it too coincidental?”
No one understood the momentous event that just took place before them.
Liang Pan steadied himself and he flew the Imperial Palace of Emperor Tai toward the Central Saha World. The purple light was all gone. All that was left was pure brightness.
In the pure brightness, one could see a huge ball of gas. It appeared extremely unstable as it trembled non-stop and changed forms.
In the next instant, a tear appeared in the center of the huge ball of gas. The powerful energy from it appeared capable of ripping the Greater World into two!
The Extreme Emperor Heaven-Splitting Mantra!
Even though he knew that the ceremony was complete, Liang Pan did not give up. He still had to try.
However, ever since the ruins of the Great Thunderclap Temple was sucked into the black hole and turned into the Heavenly Stupa, the ceremony was complete and irreversible.
While the Extreme Emperor Heaven-Splitting Mantra of the Imperial Palace of Emperor Tai was extremely powerful, the Central Saha World manipulated the remaining sea of purple light, blocking the attack.
The black hole continued to twist like the void space, preventing the Imperial Palace of Emperor Tai from approaching.
The future Buddha had yet to appear. This was not caused by the Central Saha World or the Heavenly Stupa, but instead, part of the ceremony laid down by the Buddha. It guarded the coming of the next Buddha.
At the last moment, the light shadow of the former Amitabha Buddha disappeared silently.
Right now, the Shakyamuni Buddha opened his mouth and spoke, “I have been destroyed. No one can relieve the sufferings of the masses. Now, the Medicine Buddha shall come from the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World to save the masses.”
(Translator’s Note: In Buddhist mythology, the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World a utopia that the Medicine Buddha seeks to create to save the masses from suffering.)
His voice was as loud as the heavens. Then, when he was finished, he disappeared too.
Now, the Heavenly Stupa and the Central Saha World started to change too. They gradually took the shape of the Vaidūryanirbhāsā World.
The left and center seats of the three seats at the top of the Heavenly Stupa cleared.
A ray of light appeared from the void and then descended onto the right seat, which was empty before this!
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