txolops Chapter 99 The Birth of the Long-Armed Ape and the Appearance of Maitreya Buddha
Chapter 99 The Birth of the Long-Armed Ape and the Appearance of Maitreya Buddha
Chapter 99 The Birth of the Long-Armed Ape and the Appearance of Maitreya Buddha
In the original story, the gibbon is a rather tragic figure.
If it weren't for Sun Wukong—or rather, if it weren't for the people who worshipped the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, the Long-Armed Ape could have attained enlightenment under the tutelage of Maitreya Buddha.
Becoming a Bodhisattva in the future is a given.
Unfortunately, due to a series of unforeseen circumstances, he died and his spiritual practice ceased, ultimately only attaining the true fruit of Arhatship.
At this moment, inside the Temple of the Monkey King.
The gibbon glared at the rogue and said coldly, "What did you just say?"
The rogue felt the oppressive aura emanating from the gibbon, and a chill ran through his body.
He stammered, "The Great Sage Equal to Heaven possesses immense supernatural powers and a divine iron rod to stabilize the seas, making him invincible throughout heaven and earth. As for you, General Monkey King, I... I've never heard of you."
The gibbon squinted its eyes.
Since attaining enlightenment and ascending to heaven, becoming a being who is half immortal and half Buddha, he has never stopped cultivating.
The Long-Armed Ape was confident that, in terms of cultivation and magical power alone, he was no weaker than Sun Wukong.
But that Dinghai Divine Iron is indeed rare; even the Long-Armed Ape doesn't have a weapon of that caliber.
Legend has it that the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas each possess a treasure for stabilizing the seas.
Since that's the case, I'll ask for one.
With that thought, the gibbon flashed and headed straight for the Western Sea.
Xu Xian floated in mid-air, watching quietly, pondering the plot of the Long-Armed Ape.
The game, "Myths of the Gods," incorporates various versions of Journey to the West.
Some of these versions—such as "The Monkey King's Quest for Supremacy" and "Sun Wukong's Tumultuous Journey Through the Clouds"—are already heavily modified versions.
The mythology of the heavens was modified a second time and incorporated into the plot.
The gibbon is the most classic example.
In the story, he went to the Western Sea to obtain the Sky-Supporting White Jade Pillar, and then went into seclusion.
He will only reappear and fight Sun Wukong when Sun Wukong goes on his journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures.
Unfortunately, the towering white jade pillar has fallen into Xu Xian's hands, and now the West Sea has nothing left.
"Next, the long-armed ape, returning empty-handed, will stir up trouble across the world, prompting Maitreya Buddha to intervene and subdue the demon."
Xu Xian waited quietly.
Sure enough, the news came out just a few days later.
The Monkey King caused havoc in the Dragon Palace of the Four Seas, but Maitreya Buddha subdued him with the Yin-Yang Gourd and cast him into the Boundless Sea.
He was subjected to the torture of ice and fire day and night, and forced to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors.
Xu Xian waited for several more days before flying to the Boundless Sea and finding the Yin-Yang Gourd of Maitreya Buddha.
"I'm about to face off against Maitreya Buddha, Master, please protect me—"
Xu Xian muttered something, took out the towering white jade pillar, and forcefully poked it into the gourd in the water.
The gourd immediately trembled, and the ice and fire torture within it naturally intensified, causing the long-armed ape to suffer greatly.
The gibbon opened its mouth and cursed, "Who dares to be so bold?"
Xu Xian laughed and said, "The one who saved you."
"Save me? I don't need your help. I've done wrong, and it's only right that I reflect on my mistakes here."
"————"
Xu Xian was speechless for a moment.
He thought to himself, "No wonder he's called the Monkey King General; he's truly kind."
Having fallen to this level, he still thinks about reflecting on his mistakes behind closed doors.
Since that's the case, I'll have to play the villain for a while.
Xu Xian picked up the gourd and said with a smile, "What wrong have you done? You are clearly the Monkey King General who cares about all the people, yet those people smashed your temple and turned to worship the Great Sage Equal to Heaven."
The voice of the gibbon came from inside the gourd: "Mortals are foolish, but I don't blame them. Moreover, the affairs of the four seas are indeed my fault."
The gibbon failed to obtain the coveted white jade pillar, causing considerable unrest throughout the land.
Being punished at this time is to be expected.
Xu Xian disagreed.
He shook the gourd, speaking information that the gibbon did not understand.
"Did you know that there are iron pillars that can stabilize the seas in all four seas?"
"The East Sea contains the precious iron that stabilizes the sea, also known as the Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel)."
"The South China Sea is a place where ironclad soldiers can do as they please."
"The Western Sea is a towering white jade pillar, also known as the Blood-Melting Iron Rod."
"Beihai is the Zijinliang Bridge over the sea, also known as the Dixin Shenyuan Iron."
A disdainful voice came from inside the gourd: "So what? In the end, it's not meant for me."
"Ha, you're wrong!"
Xu Xian shook the gourd and talked about the whereabouts of the four iron rods.
"The Ruyi Jingu Bang is in Sun Wukong's hands, the Sui Xin Tie Gang Bing is in the hands of the Six-Eared Macaque, and the Jia Hai Zi Jin Liang is now Wu Zhi Qi's weapon. Have you noticed any commonalities among them?"
'
The gourd remained silent.
Xu Xian continued his seduction, "These four iron rods are destined to belong to the apes. Whether it's Sun Wukong, the Six-Eared Macaque, or Wuzhiqi, they are all the most powerful apes in the world. As for the last one, it naturally belongs to you!"
The gibbon sighed, "Although I belong to the ape family, I am not destined for it. You may leave. I have no desire to fight with anyone anymore; I only wish to cultivate diligently here and attain enlightenment."
The gourd fell silent, even wanting to sink into the endless sea.
Xu Xian sighed and finally unleashed his ultimate weapon.
"Do you know that the Western Vulture Peak intends to spread Mahayana Buddhism throughout Jambudvipa?"
The gibbon was suddenly startled.
The gourd trembled violently and leaped to Xu Xian's feet with a thud. From within came a terrified voice: "Who are you? How do you know such secrets?"
The eastward transmission of Mahayana Buddhism was the most closely guarded secret of the Western Paradise, known only to a handful of people in the Western Heaven.
Dipankara Buddha, Tathagata Buddha, and Maitreya Buddha are the Buddha of the past, the Buddha of the present, and the Buddha of the future.
They knew it, of course.
""
Besides, only a few Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the highest status could vaguely guess about the eastward transmission of Mahayana Buddhist scriptures.
As for the gibbon, it overheard Maitreya Buddha and Yellow Eyebrows discussing this matter by chance.
Yan Shuo instructed Huang Mei to take charge of the overall situation.
The eastward transmission of Mahayana Buddhism is a momentous event, allowing the lineage of Buddhism from the Western Vulture Peak to spread throughout Jambudvipa (the southern continent).
This is a great act of merit, enough to enable those who participate to attain enlightenment.
Huang Mei was naturally excited.
His cultivation was extremely high, and his strength was also quite extraordinary. His attainments in Buddhism could even be compared with those of some Buddhas.
If Mahayana Buddhism can be transmitted eastward to Jambudvipa (the southern continent), one will surely attain Buddhahood.
In this way, the position of Maitreya Buddha on the Western Paradise will be even more secure.
The gibbon knew that it was half-immortal and half-Buddha, and could not be considered a true person of Mount Ling.
Therefore, unable to participate in such a meritorious event, he buried the matter deep in his heart and never mentioned it again.
Unexpectedly, this matter was revealed by an outsider.
What exactly is going on?
What exactly does this person know?
Xu Xian sensed the shock emanating from the gourd and knew the time had come.
Holding a gourd in his hand, he said, "Do you know who will receive this great merit? Who will be able to attain enlightenment?"
The gibbon thought to itself, "Of course it's Yellow Eyebrows."
As the future Buddha, Maitreya Buddha holds a position second only to the Buddha in the Western Paradise.
Now that he has already promised Huang Mei, who else can interfere?
Could it be the Buddha?
Or perhaps some other Buddha?
Seeing that the gibbon remained silent, Xu Xian sneered, "Don't be so naive. Do you think you can achieve enlightenment by following Maitreya Buddha?"
"I never wanted to achieve enlightenment in this way."
Ultimately, the gibbon is a kind-hearted creature.
He knew that the eastward transmission of Mahayana Buddhism was of immense merit, but he also felt that the matter was too simple.
If attaining enlightenment is so easy, then what about all those others who struggle and practice?
The gibbon only wants to achieve enlightenment on its own and has no interest in these things.
"As expected of the Great Monkey King, he is truly upright and honorable."
Xu Xian sighed in admiration, then changed the subject, "But have you ever thought about who would be assigned such a simple yet highly rewarding task?"
"I know you don't want to answer, but you should already have the answer in your heart."
"As far as Maitreya Buddha is concerned, he would certainly like Huang Mei to be involved in this matter."
The gourd trembled violently.
The gibbon had no idea that Xu Xian even knew about this.
Who exactly is he, and what is his relationship with the Western Paradise?
"Don't be curious, you'll find out who I am in a moment."
Xu Xian shook the gourd and continued, "However, you may be disappointed about the eastward transmission of Mahayana Buddhism."
A voice finally came from inside the gourd: "What do you mean? Isn't Huang Mei in charge of this? If not him, then who else could it be?"
Xu Xian smiled.
Xu Xian wasn't afraid of the gibbon arguing with him; he was only afraid that the great monkey general would remain silent.
As long as someone is willing to speak up, it means there is hope.
Xu Xian laughed and said, "In the Western Paradise, the one who can rival Maitreya Buddha is none other than Tathagata Buddha."
A doubtful voice came from inside the gourd: "The Tathagata Buddha is the present Buddha. His merits are great enough, and his great vows have been fulfilled. He shouldn't have any conflict with Maitreya Buddha, right?"
"Ha, you're too naive."
Xu Xian shook his head, muttering about recent events at the Western Paradise: "The Buddha has a disciple named Jin Chanzi. Do you know anything about him?"
The voice from the gourd grew firmer: "Of course I've heard of that fellow. While Jin Chanzi is indeed very intelligent, his mind is also quite fickle and restless. Recently, because he was distracted while listening to a lecture, he was banished to the mortal realm by the Buddha to undergo tribulation. Doesn't this prove the Buddha's impartiality and selflessness?"
"Heh, do you know where that Golden Cicada went to undergo his tribulation?"
There was a moment of silence in the gourd, then it said, "I don't know. But since it's a tribulation, it must be something quite difficult. That guy must have suffered a lot."
"I can tell you that Jin Chanzi truly suffered during his tribulations in the mortal realm, and he may even have to undergo ten lifetimes of tribulations!"
The gibbon, unaware of these matters, remained silent.
Xu Xian continued, "Jin Chanzi has gone through hundreds of years of tribulations, but in reality, he has been doing the same thing."
"Could it be—spreading Buddhism?"
"You're not hopelessly stupid."
The gibbon stood frozen in place.
Jin Chanzi descended to the mortal realm to spread Buddhism, which has nothing to do with transcending tribulations.
Could it be that the Buddha actually used this opportunity to give Jin Chanzi the upper hand?
Several hundred years later, the eastward transmission of Mahayana Buddhism truly began.
Jin Chanzi has already accumulated ten lifetimes in the mortal realm, so he is naturally capable of shouldering great responsibilities.
At that time, neither Maitreya Buddha nor Dipankara Buddha will be able to refute it.
The gibbon indeed guessed the answer: "You mean, the Buddha Tathagata is going to send Jin Chanzi to oversee the eastward transmission of Mahayana Buddhism, bestowing this immense merit upon his disciple?"
"You're right, that's exactly it! Besides Jin Chanzi, the Heavenly Court and the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas will also get a share of the spoils in this matter."
The Long-Armed Ape also admitted, "That's right, this matter is far too significant. The Western Paradise alone cannot accomplish it; we must rely on the power of the Heavenly Court. This is an immense act of merit. Who will the Heavenly Court send?"
Xu Xian chuckled and said, "You can guess."
The gibbon was stunned for a moment, and a name that he could not believe appeared in his mind.
After a long while, he tried to speak: "The Great Sage Equal to Heaven—Sun Wukong?"
Bingo! You got it right!
Xu Xian uttered a word that the gibbon couldn't understand, but it didn't calm the monkey down.
The gourd trembled violently, emitting an extremely angry sound.
"Why?!"
"Why is it that despite accumulating good deeds and performing virtuous acts, I am unable to attain enlightenment even as my lifespan runs out?"
"Why is it that even though I give the people the gold leaf from the idols, I cannot rid them of their ignorance?"
"Why do I still face so many limitations despite my dedicated practice?"
Why have I ended up like this?
"How could Sun Wukong, who was originally a demon and caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, be granted the title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven?"
Is this fair?
Countless roars came from inside the gourd, clearly indicating extreme resentment.
Xu Xian smiled.
He knew these things were the inner demons of the gibbon.
With a little guidance, one can naturally make this powerful ape work for one's own purposes.
Xu Xian picked up the gourd and said with a smile, "I can rescue you, I can give you the Heaven-Supporting Jade Pillar, and of course, I can also give you enlightenment—the kind of enlightenment you want."
After a moment of silence, the gourd spoke, "What do you want?"
Xu Xian laughed and said, "I want you to help me deal with Sun Wukong."
Why should I believe you?
Xu Xian tossed the gourd into the endless sea, saying with disdain, "You can choose not to believe it, and cultivate here to atone for your sins. But I can tell you, your inner demons have been awakened, and even if you cultivate for ten thousand years, you will never be able to return to the Western Paradise."
The gourd trembled violently before calming down after a long time.
"I promise you!"
"A smart choice."
Xu Xian picked up the Yin-Yang Gourd and opened the lid directly.
With a soft sound, the gibbon reappeared!
Xu Xian threw out the towering white jade pillar and then tossed the gourd in front of him.
"How about we settle things with Maitreya Buddha?"
'
99
The gibbon looked westward, remained silent for a long time, and finally gripped the towering white jade pillar.
boom!
With a sudden swing, the Long-Armed Ape shattered the Yin-Yang Gourd.
Meanwhile, in the Western Spirit Mountain.
Maitreya Buddha opened his eyes: "What happened?"
He closed his eyes and surveyed the three realms.
As a person of great supernatural powers and the future ruler of Mount Ling, Maitreya Buddha's strength naturally surpasses imagination.
In a short moment, Maitreya Buddha saw all sorts of things happening in the boundless sea.
"You're quite an interesting lad, actually managing to figure out the eastward transmission of Mahayana Buddhism."
Before Maitreya Buddha finished speaking, the lotus platform beneath his feet emitted boundless golden light.
In the blink of an eye, he descended upon the Boundless Sea in his true form.
Maitreya Buddha smiled at Xu Xian, his tone quite gentle: "Benefactor, you have a karmic connection with my Vulture Peak. Would you be willing to convert to Buddhism?"