Xu Ranxue and the Bald Donkey had a meaningless, idiotic conversation. Simon took the opportunity to infuse a stream of inner qi into the spirited scholar, helping him warm and nourish his body, thus preventing him from falling ill.
The monk who was arguing with the scholar was named Juechou. He was a middle-aged man with a goatee, rebellious by nature, and despite his age, he still enjoyed verbal sparring. He had never lost an argument with his fellow disciples, but today he had met his match.
One spoke of Buddhism, the other of Taoism. Xu Ranxue, being a scholar, was well-read and frequently used quotes from Confucian classics to refute the Bald Donkey, quickly making him roll his eyes and speechless.
"Alright! You pedantic scholar, the imperial court is gone now, so what good is your studying?!" Juechou shouted, then chuckled.
Upon hearing this, Xu Ranxue's face suddenly turned crimson. He was furious, his lips trembling, and with a shaking hand, he pointed at the monk. He struggled for a long time without uttering a single word, then took a few deep breaths and cursed, "Bald Donkey! Thief Bald Donkey! A disgrace to scholarship! A disgrace to scholarship!" He stormed out, pushing the door open.
Juechou let out a comfortable sigh, then bowed to Simon, as if seeking praise, "Buddha Child, I've scolded that brat for you. Let's see if he dares to be so arrogant again!"
Simon patted the few children around him who were stunned, and cast a sidelong glance at the mischievous monk, "Worries not purified, thieving heart not dead."
Juechou's face turned pale upon hearing this. Before he could retort, a burly man, like an iron tower, grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up from behind.
"Juechou's impropriety has made the Buddha Child laugh. This humble monk will discipline him properly!" The newcomer was Zen Master Zi Nie, an elder of Shaolin Temple. His skin glowed with a faint golden hue, and he was tall and lean, holding the seven-foot Juechou as if he were a small chick.
"Uncle-Master Zi Nie! Your nephew knows his mistake—" Juechou's wail was drawn out, quickly fading into the pine forest outside the manor.
Are these monks not staying at the temple anymore?
Simon was impressed by Shaolin Temple's strict protection.
Now, even a fly would find it difficult to enter Yi Gu Manor. Mosquitoes and other insects had long been vibrated to death by these monks' inner energy, lest these harmful creatures injure the Buddha Child.
Such behavior actually deviates from Buddhist teachings, but how many eminent monks truly sweep without harming ants? Persuasion was useless, and Simon offered no opinion on the matter, also fearing that these monks might over-interpret it and bring him a nest of rats, ants, insects, and snakes to play with, which would be quite interesting.
Time flew by, and soon it was the end of June. Xu Ranxue hadn't come to teach for a full twelve days. Finally, Zen Master Zi Nie brought Juechou to his doorstep, carrying thorns to apologize, which finally appeased the upright scholar. The sound of reading once again echoed between the beams and couches.
The expansion of Yi Gu Manor was nearing completion. Several more children had arrived in the nearly doubled, spacious side rooms, the oldest no more than two years old, the youngest not even a month.
Unexpectedly, Sun Lichai, whom Simon had previously treated, seemed to have fully recovered. Not only had she grown taller, but her intellect also seemed to be developing rapidly. She often asked her mother, Sun Wangshi, to bring her to the courtyard to play with Simon, gradually becoming a new member of the manor.
Compared to the other children, Sun Lichai was the oldest and very sensible. Whenever Mr. Xu read, she would follow along, little by little, from not understanding its meaning to gaining insights. She learned faster and faster, even able to ask some reasonable questions, showing that she had her own thoughts. Mr. Xu's smile also grew day by day.
He said to Simon, "You little Bodhisattva, you've shared your spiritual wisdom with the other children. Aren't you afraid of becoming stupid yourself?" It turned out he had also realized that the children at Yi Gu Manor generally had quite high aptitudes. Gradually, Xu Ranxue had accepted the monks'statement about the Buddha Child.
Simon smiled and said, "Wisdom is not water; it doesn't diminish when you share some. Wisdom is like light; lighting one candle only adds more brightness."
Xu Ranxue shook his head, then nodded, "You compare yourself to fire, what great ambition!"
"Lighting a lamp, lighting a lamp, there is no lamp to begin with, so where does the fire come from?"
"So young and already playing Zen riddles! This is no use with me." Xu Ranxue shook his head, turned his back, and continued to read aloud.
"Peacocks fly southeast, lingering for five li. At thirteen, she could weave silk, at fourteen, she learned to tailor clothes…"
He was reciting "Peacocks Flying Southeast," the first long poem of the Han Yuefu.
Simon smiled, listening to the poem, lost in thought.
Peacocks fly, mandarin ducks scatter, two graceful trees grow by the courtyard, but cannot intertwine their branches.
Love, worldly affairs, human hearts, all are but fleeting shadows in the rolling dust of the world.
In a trance, Simon saw a magnificent net of pearls, swaying and shimmering, with infinite brilliance emanating from each precious bead. Within it, there seemed to be all aspects of human life and the cycles of nature.
It was indra's net.
A solemn and complete existence flickered in the void behind this great net; that was Simon's sambhogakaya.
Lift this net.
After Simon had this thought, a corner of the curtain net suddenly lifted, and a golden river surged out, engulfing his vision.
Simon felt a violent tremor, and then the scene before his eyes vanished into thin air.
Opening his eyes, the summer sun was bright and clear, the air was dry and hot, imbued with a layer of humidity. Cicadas began to sing softly, and the weeping willows by the courtyard pond swayed their branches in the wind, making a faint sound.
Simon raised his hand and carefully observed his palm, as if it were a precious treasure.
Xu Ranxue glanced at him and continued to recite the poem.
"To the east and west, pines and cypresses are planted; to the left and right, phoenix trees grow. Branch upon branch covers each other, leaf upon leaf intertwines…"
This form seemed illusory and transparent.
A certain complete ball of qi pulsed beneath the skin.
Simon felt anxious, but this emotion was without origin.
It was as if his body was trying to tell him something, but his soul was deaf.
The existence behind that indra's net, the surging golden river of light…
Simon's gaze moved around, then fixed on the antlers.
The withered antlers glowed with faint, transparent white light, converging into a tiny white deer that ran and leaped among the beds.
Simon's gaze followed the white deer, watching it prance on the children's bodies, calling out from the top of Sun Lichai's head, leaping onto Xu Ranxue's shoulder, lowering its head to nibble at his collar, then suddenly turning, leaping high, stepping on air, growing larger and larger, further and further, rushing out of the house, into the sky, flying into the sea of flowers in the heavens. It roamed, starlight accompanying it, morning glow as its head tassels, the rainbow after rain as its blanket, moonlight transforming into a necklace. Its footsteps stirred up ripples across the sky, its neighing was deafening…
Suddenly, it met Simon's gaze.
Its eyes were wet, as if filled with infinite affection.
It rushed over, piercing through the clouds, and landed between Simon's eyebrows.
…
"Buddha Child! Look at the Buddha Child!" A loud-voiced monk saw an incredible sight and shouted loudly. Before his words even finished, the entire Mount Song seemed to tremble for a moment. A violent airflow surged from the Grand Hall, and a blinding golden light shot out from the main entrance, reaching the manor in an instant. Upon landing, the light receded, revealing an old monk with a gray beard, none other than the abbot, Zen Master Zixing.
"How is the Buddha Child?!" the abbot asked, syllable by syllable. His face seemed to be burning with a terrifying light, like an enraged god, making people dare not look directly at him.
The shouting monk was excitedly pointing at Simon in the room, "Abbot! Look at the Buddha Child! This is the manifestation of a wondrous form!"
Zen Master Zixing followed his finger and looked. Immediately, the anger on his face vanished, replaced by a smile he couldn't hide.
Inside the small room, the Buddha Child sat cross-legged, clad in a white robe, making the Fearless Mudra. His black hair was coiled into a snail-shell bun, and white jade antlers sprouted from either side of his forehead. His nose bridge was broad, his lips full, his eyelashes long, and his skin fair. A faint aura emanated from his body, just like a divine deer.
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