Great Demon Sun Wukong-Chapter 539 - 512 (2.0) Journey to the West_3

"Now that I see the guide of the world, may it open my eyes to wisdom. Speaking of the pure Dharma, I shall depart from all attachments. Having encountered the revered celestial, I obtain the state of non-birth. May my future attainments mirror those of the bipedal honored ones..."

Stone Monkey was confused by this long section of the Buddhist scriptures, which were beyond his comprehension. All he could do after each section was to chant "Amitabha Buddha" in his heart.

As he listened, the scriptures gradually resonated with Stone Monkey, and he began to understand their meaning. It turned out that the scriptures were the autobiography of the Buddha himself, providing a detailed account of the Buddha’s past and present deeds.

Stone Monkey listened and pondered for a long time. Comparing his past life with the Buddha’s, he couldn’t help but recall the saying: "One cannot lose the past or the future—they never existed, so who could take them away?"

The world of his journey to the west, viewed as an illusion in his past life, now seemed distant and intangible, merely a memory. Comparing the two worlds, the present was more vivid and real to Stone Monkey.

The past was like a dream, beyond the useful memories, what else did he need?

As he thought, Stone Monkey’s spirits lifted.

One might fall in love with a bird, but in the next moment, it is out of sight. For that person, the bird’s significance lies only in the spirit.

The scripture reading continued for an hour, and Stone Monkey unexpectedly found that, during that time, he hadn’t taken a single step. Beneath the bridge, the water seemed to be almost stagnant, yet it was still flowing, albeit very slowly.

This was a profound sense of temporal disarray, where a single thought contained dozens of instants, and in each instant, nine hundred lifetimes could come and go. Which was fast, and which slow? Speed and life and death exist only in the heart.

Finally, when the scripture reading ended, Stone Monkey felt a clear and bright sensation in his head. The past, the present, the future...

"You should all know, the seeds planted in the past, enduring countless eons, will never wear away. In times gone by... four volumes of the ’Sutra of Cause and Effect of Past and Present,’ adding six thousand creations, quite remarkable indeed."

The voice sounded quite approving of Stone Monkey.

Stone Monkey found himself caught in a riddle, eager to carve out time to unravel the complex doubts in his mind, but the voice never ceased, leaving him no chance to be distracted.

What followed was another teaching!

This time, whose teaching was it?

"In the Northern Darkness, there is a fish named Kun. Kun is so large; its size unknown, thousands of miles maybe; transformed into a bird, its name is Peng. The Peng’s back, too, unknown in size, thousands of miles perhaps; fierce in flight..."

The Free and Easy Wandering!

"The Free and Easy Wandering" was widely circulated in Stone Monkey’s past life, and he enjoyed it too, though he couldn’t recite it in its entirety, he knew well Zhuangzi’s heart yearning for freedom.

The sentiment of traveling ninety thousand miles fluttered over the three thousand Li of muddy waters. The childlike heart returns to nature, culminating in the Scripture of Southern Flower. Gliding through the mud, freely wandering the mortal realm...

In this illusion-like Water Curtain Cave, with the roaring waterfall behind and the dreamlike abode of the immortals before him, the sweet sounds in his ears made the "Free and Easy Wandering" seem free and unbound, lifting Stone Monkey’s heart as if it might take flight. He had read "The Free and Easy Wandering" countless times in his previous life but had never felt like this.

Upon completing the thirty-three passages of "The Free and Easy Wandering," Stone Monkey had just covered the length of the thirty-foot iron bridge. Standing at the end of the bridge, Stone Monkey lingered on the aftertaste of "The Free and Easy Wandering," motionless for a long while.

The voice too was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "One volume of ’The Free and Easy Wandering,’ creating nine thousand creations, your talent is boundless. Fortune or calamity? Take good care of yourself."

Stone Monkey’s thoughts soared high into the Nine Heavens, but the voice brought him back to earth. He immediately asked, "Who are you?"

The vast Water Curtain Cave was empty. Where could anyone be?

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Stone Monkey walked into the cave, and just as he had imagined, there stood a stele engraved with ten large characters: "Blessed Land of Flower Fruit Mountain, Heaven of the Water Curtain Cave."

Inside the cave, tables, chairs, bowls, and basins, all made of stone, were arranged, complete with all the tools for living.

At that moment, Stone Monkey remembered something. He didn’t know how long he had been inside the cave, and he wondered if the troop of monkeys outside had left?

He immediately left the cave and, with one leap, appeared on the edge of the cliff.

The monkeys were still there, and when they saw Stone Monkey leap out from the water, they were all shocked.

Stone Monkey thought for a moment and decided to follow the script. He shouted, "Great fortune! Great fortune!" Indeed, the monkeys surrounded him and asked, "How is it inside? How deep is the water?"

Stone Monkey replied, "No water! No water at all! It’s actually an iron bridge. Beyond the bridge is a naturally formed home." The monkeys asked, "How do you know it’s a home?" Stone Monkey laughed, "The water is a curtain below the bridge, hanging down to cover the entrance. Beside the bridge are flowers and trees, leading to a stone house. Inside the house are stone nests, stone stoves, stone bowls, stone basins, stone beds, stone stools. In the center, on a stone tablet, is engraved ’Blessed Land of Flower Fruit Mountain, Heaven of the Water Curtain Cave.’ It is truly a place for us to settle. Inside it is spacious enough to accommodate thousands. Let’s all move in to avoid the whims of the heavens..."

Overjoyed, the monkeys exclaimed, "You go in first, you go in first!"

Stone Monkey leapt back into the Water Curtain Cave, followed by a few brave monkeys. In less than half an hour, a thousand monkeys had entered the cave without feeling the least bit crowded.

Seeing the numerous amusing things inside the cave, the monkeys scrambled over them, causing a commotion.

Stone Monkey jumped onto a central stone stool and sat down. He shouted, "Stop! All of you, stop!" The monkeys ceased their squabbling, and a hush fell over the group.