Simon called the fundamental atmospheric mass of the universe 'superior affinity,' but it was difficult to name the derived atmospheric masses.
If he continued to call them 'superior affinity,' it would ignore the connections and forces between things.
However, if he equated them to the Emperor's Net Pearl, it wouldn't highlight their essential characteristics.
So, after a brief consideration, he lazily named the origin of all things the 'superior affinity pearl.'
After all, he proposed this theory, and no one could refute it.
superior affinity is a very mysterious existence; because it is more fundamental than space-time, distance and time lose their obstruction when observing superior affinity.
Simon looked at Jueguang, a person clearly in front of him, yet his superior affinity pearl was far away from him, separated by void, giving a sense of being out of reach.
The other infants were also like this, but the specific situation was not that simple; some of the superior affinity pearls of the people around him were connected to Simon's with fine threads, weaving into a small net.
Simon observed for a moment and understood what these threads were about; those connected were all people who had previously had an energetic resonance with him.
Whether it was the infants he had healed, Jueguang who had transmitted internal energy to him, or Xu Ranxue who had simply received vital energy from him, their superior affinity pearls all had threads extending from them.
Simon named these threads 'superior affinity lines' and this net 'superior affinity net,' maintaining a consistent style.
Currently, the threads extending from Simon's superior affinity pearl were still sparse and faint, but they already offered many wondrous uses.
After a careful examination, Simon noticed that a line extended to a superior affinity pearl not in the courtyard, so he followed the superior affinity line with his gaze, entering that small and smooth white superior affinity pearl.
Immediately, the image of a little girl walking on a mountain path appeared as if right before his eyes.
The grass and trees around her, and even Sun Wangshi walking ahead, were also perceived by Simon, as Sun Wangshi had also had her qi connected with Simon's.
The mother and daughter were currently motionless; Simon tried to pluck the superior affinity line, and the scene immediately began to play.
However, it was in reverse, all the way until they retreated back to the courtyard.
Simon tried plucking the superior affinity line again, and the scene began to flow clockwise, until they returned to the mountain path, after which the scene became unusually blurry.
After watching for a while, Simon roughly understood the situation of this perspective; what he saw was not actually a concrete image, but merely the state corresponding to the superior affinity pearl, seeing many pieces of information, such as trees, mountains, etc., which were actually filled in by his own mind.
Only a very small part was truly transmitted to him, from which Simon could know that Sun Lichai was walking and was safe, and that was about it.
As for the blurry image, those were future scenes; Simon could not see through the mists of time, so he could only vaguely glimpse a part.
For example, Simon saw them push open the door and enter the room, then Sun Wangshi began to converse with another person.
Buddhism speaks of Heavenly Eye, as mentioned in the Great Vaipulya Mahasamghata Sutra: "If there are immeasurable, boundless Buddha worlds in the ten directions, all forms, appearances, colors, and lights, whether coarse or fine, near or far."
There is also the concept of the knowledge of past lives, which means knowing the past karma of sentient beings and understanding the causes of current or future retributions.
Simon now could almost be said to possess these two divine powers, and as his realm improves, the effects of his divine powers will undoubtedly become stronger and stronger.
Jueguang once said that cultivating the Dao is better than cultivating the Dharma for a Buddhist Child, and now Simon has indeed achieved some results, but he does not intend to inform these Bald Donkeys, lest they make strange moves again.
As Simon sorted through the superior affinity lines, he found that there were two other connected superior affinity pearls not in front of him.
Using his Heavenly Eye to observe, they were a pair of middle-aged man and woman, far away, tens of thousands of miles distant, seemingly in a densely populated area, and their condition was still acceptable.
These two were his parents in this life.
Withdrawing his Heavenly Eye, Simon gently stroked the antlers in front of him.
Speaking of antlers, his thoughts turned to his own appearance again.
To Simon, his current body was like the radiance on a precious pearl; the beautiful appearance seen by mortals was not his entirety.
This layer of radiance could shift with the observer's perspective and could increase or decrease with the brightness of the ambient light.
Although he had not yet reached the realm where even the pearl itself transforms into light, the existence of the physical body was no longer very important to Simon.
If there truly is reincarnation, then Simon would never lose his consciousness; his next life would still be that Buddhist Child.
Even further, he could choose to transcend reincarnation, merge into superior affinity, and no longer be reborn.
According to Theravada Buddhism, he is at least at the stage of a Sakadagami; according to Mahayana Buddhism, he is also close to the Arhat stage.
A person of Simon's realm, called a Bodhisattva in the secular world, is by no means an overstatement, and even quite humble, given that there are so many fraudsters who, after learning a bit of Buddhist doctrine, claim to be Buddhas or Living Buddhas; the title of the 300,000 Rinpoches of Chaoyang is no joke.
He himself did not care about this at all.
But the monks of Shaolin Temple did not think so.
In their view, Simon's manifestation of his wondrous form confirmed that he was a reincarnated Bodhisattva.
What made the Bald Donkeys even balder was that this Bodhisattva was a bit too modest; he neither enlightened sentient beings nor did he transmit a single profound Buddhist teaching.
Out of a certain mindset, they began to sift through the vast number of Bodhisattva titles to find the one suitable for Simon's situation, as if it was absolutely necessary for the Buddhist Child to be called 'Such-and-such Bodhisattva.'
They rummaged through everything, searching exhaustively; there are hundreds, even thousands, of named Bodhisattvas in a single Buddhist scripture, and countless millions without names.
The monks no longer even performed their morning lessons; at the request of Zen Master Zixing, all the monks of Shaolin Temple now spent their days counting Bodhisattvas.
Some were indifferent and lazy, while others were obsessed and deeply infatuated.
They thought while sitting, thought while standing, thought while walking, and even recited two honorifics when going to the latrine.
The pilgrims who came to worship Buddha were stunned, and eventually, these bald-headed monks with big heads and small brains all had stars in their eyes and could barely recognize the word 'Bodhisattva.'
Simon personally saw a martial monk on duty muttering and pacing in the courtyard, eventually standing outside the window, staring intently inside, which scared several children into crying.
"..."
Simon slammed the window shut.
Sitting cross-legged on the couch, he silently read a book.
Xu Ranxue was sitting in a grand armchair, turned to the side, explaining Li Bai's "A Farewell to the Heavenly Mother Mountain in a Dream" to Sun Lichai, who stood beside him.
By the time Simon was almost halfway through a copy of "Golden Mouth Secret," a frantic apology came from outside the window, "This humble monk has disturbed the Buddhist Child, which is utterly inexcusable! I will go to the Disciplinary Hall to receive my punishment!"
"When you get to the temple, please also call Zen Master Zixing."
"As you command!" The monk's footsteps were swift, and he was far away in a few leaps.
Xu Ranxue glanced sideways and muttered, "What a display of power!"
Simon also gave him a sidelong glance, and Xu Ranxue quickly lowered his head to read the poem.
Before long, the abbot knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Zen Master Zixing smiled and made a respectful gesture to Simon, "Does the Buddhist Child have any instructions?"
"I heard you are looking for my Dharma name?" he said in a flat tone, "You won't find it; just pick one at random."
These words made the abbot's old face glow, "The Buddhist Child exaggerates; this matter is of great importance, how can we not take it to heart?"
"Alright, then I'll say one, and from now on, you'll all call me that."
The old monk rubbed his hands, looking at Simon with anticipation.
"Hmm, call me Lu Yuan, Dharma name Lu Yuan, the Lu of white deer, the Yuan of affinity."
"Greetings, Lu Yuan Bodhisattva!" The old monk clasped his palms, his demeanor pious.
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