At this moment, Tathagata revealed his ambition.
Many Bodhisattvas and Arhats present, who didn't know the truth, instantly understood.
Tathagata, he wants to seize territory!
Moreover, he is leading everyone to seize territory together. As long as they obtain the faith of the Southern Jambudvipa, everyone in the Western Heaven can share in this great merit.
Therefore, everyone in the Western Heaven will fully assist in this journey to the West!
So much groundwork was laid just to seize the faith of the Southern Jambudvipa... But are people willing?
The Bodhisattvas, hearing this, put their palms together in reverence and asked the Buddha:
"Does Tathagata have the Three Storehouse True Scriptures? Will that barbaric land be willing to turn to the Buddha?"
Tathagata smiled faintly and said:
"I have one storehouse of 《Vinaya》, discussing the heavens; one storehouse of 《Shastra》, speaking of the earth; one storehouse of 《Sutra》, delivering ghosts. The Three Storehouses contain a total of thirty-five parts, totaling fifteen thousand one hundred and forty-four volumes, which are scriptures for cultivating truth and the gate of righteousness."
"The Heavenly Court knows that this is the way of heaven and the will of the sages. The Heavenly Court also knows its limits and dares not go against the heavens. It has already agreed to spread the scriptures."
The Bodhisattvas and Arhats present were shocked.
Giving up the faith of the Southern Jambudvipa, such a humiliating thing, the Heavenly Court actually agreed?
However, since the Tathagata Buddha has even spoken of the way of heaven and the will of the sages, it means that this matter was decided by the Dao Ancestor and the sages.
In that case, is the flourishing of the West truly assured?!
The Bodhisattvas and Arhats were extremely excited.
Those big shots who had already participated in the project were calm and composed. Great merit is only for those who participate in great events.
And many great events have actually already been decided who will do the work. Great merit has already been determined.
As for those ignorant Arhats and Venerables, obediently doing things can still allow them to drink the soup afterward.
Tathagata saw the Bodhisattvas and Arhats eager to try, and sneered inwardly, but his face was without joy or sorrow, and he said:
"I intend to send the Three Storehouse True Scriptures to the Eastern Land, but I fear that the beings there are foolish and will slander the true words, not recognizing the essence of my Dharma, and neglecting the true teachings of Yoga."
And you want people to travel thousands of mountains and waters to fetch them?
Even the Bodhisattvas and Arhats felt that Tathagata was talking nonsense.
However, only those big shots who already knew the truth knew that this journey to the West had already begun, five hundred years ago.
Tathagata continued:
"This is a great and good fortune, a celebration of the sea's depth. Who is willing to take a trip?"
The Bodhisattvas and Arhats, who didn't know the truth, looked at each other.
Letting the Tang Dynasty, which has always hated Buddhas and monks, send someone to fetch the scriptures? And they have to travel thousands of mountains and waters to fetch them? This difficulty is too great!
Guanyin watched from the side, sneering in her heart.
A bunch of stupid dogs, do you really think these five hundred years have passed casually?
Five hundred years ago, the Buddha had already found an excuse to throw Golden Cicada down from the Western Heaven, and now he should have been reincarnated into the Tang Dynasty.
Then Guanyin Bodhisattva, approaching the lotus platform, bowed to the Buddha three times and said:
"This disciple is incompetent, but I am willing to go to the Eastern Land to find a scripture seeker."
Tathagata was not surprised and nodded:
"Excellent, excellent, I have five treasures here, you should take them. Ananda, Kasyapa... Venerable Ananda, go and fetch them."
Tathagata habitually called out the names of Ananda and Kasyapa.
However, Venerable Kasyapa had already been killed by Chu Hao when he was blocking Chu Hao's promotion to the Grand Luo Golden Immortal. Now Tathagata only has Venerable Ananda left as his confidant.
Guanyin Bodhisattva received the five treasures and also noticed Tathagata Buddha's anxiety and doubts, so she quickly went down to the realm without stopping.
This time to enlighten the four people on the journey to the West was fully decades faster than planned.
......
The mortal realm, Flowing Sand River.
Guanyin Bodhisattva's beloved disciple, Mu Zha, had already been imprisoned in the Nine-Layered Heavenly Prison by Chu Hao for ten or eight kalpas.
Without her right and left arms, Guanyin Bodhisattva could only aggrievedly take the journey herself, and even many preliminaries could not be done.
For example, coming to this Flowing Sand River.
Originally, according to the plan, Mu Zha was supposed to go in first and fight with that General Rolling Curtain once, using both kindness and power, and then force him to agree to the journey to the West.
Under this circumstance, success was basically guaranteed, and the loyalty of General Rolling Curtain would also be maximized, but now...
Damn Prison God!
Guanyin Bodhisattva cursed inwardly.
Guanyin Bodhisattva waved her hand, and the General Rolling Curtain in the water instantly jumped out and came before Guanyin Bodhisattva.
However, when Guanyin Bodhisattva saw General Rolling Curtain, she was stunned.
There was none of the slovenliness she had imagined, nor the self-abandonment she had imagined.
At this moment, the General Rolling Curtain standing in front of Guanyin Bodhisattva had a calm gaze and a sharp light in his eyes, as if he had been reborn.
Guanyin Bodhisattva only felt that there was an indescribable... terror on General Rolling Curtain's body?
"No, how could there be a terrifying aura on a General Rolling Curtain that even I can feel?"
Guanyin Bodhisattva repeatedly observed him several times, but this time she found nothing. The demonic power in General Rolling Curtain's body was thin and riddled with holes, much more miserable than it appeared on the surface.
Guanyin Bodhisattva's body flashed with spiritual light, and she said faintly: "What kind of monster are you?"
General Rolling Curtain instantly had the urge to abuse and kill Guanyin Bodhisattva. She had falsely accused him in every way, forcing him to become like this, and now Guanyin Bodhisattva was pretending not to recognize him?!
However, General Rolling Curtain did not reveal a trace of hatred on his face, but was very humble, respectful, and even had a trace of Buddhist enlightenment in him.
Rolling Curtain looked at Guanyin Bodhisattva, lowered his head and bowed,
"Bodhisattva, forgive my sins, let me tell you. I am not a monster, I am the General Rolling Curtain who served the Luan Yu under the Lingxiao Palace. In those years, I was demoted here for breaking the glazed cup, and I live by eating people. I know that my sins are deep, and I beg the Bodhisattva to punish me."
Guanyin Bodhisattva secretly despised him. It seemed that General Rolling Curtain had become someone who could be easily manipulated after these years of torture, and even took the initiative to ask for punishment.
He was a paragon of Stockholm syndrome.
However, this was a great thing for Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Guanyin Bodhisattva put on airs, with a compassionate look, and said:
"You have committed a crime in the heavens, and since you have been demoted, you are now harming lives in this way, which is tantamount to adding sin to sin. I have now received the Buddha's decree to go to the Eastern Land to find a scripture seeker. Why don't you join my sect, convert to good fruit, and go to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures? If you are willing, I will teach the flying swords not to pierce you, and restore your position..."
"I am willing!"
General Rolling Curtain directly interrupted Guanyin Bodhisattva's promise of benefits and agreed decisively.
Guanyin Bodhisattva was stunned for a moment: "You... are you really willing?"
This was too smooth, wasn't it?
General Rolling Curtain lowered his head, "I am willing to accept your teachings."
The Bodhisattva calculated and could not find any problems.
Guanyin Bodhisattva did not hesitate much, and directly helped General Rolling Curtain to be tonsured on the spot, planting karma, so even if General Rolling Curtain regretted it, there was no way to change it.
Afterwards, Guanyin Bodhisattva pointed to the sand as his surname, and he took the surname Sha, and gave him a Dharma name, called Sha Wujing.
General Rolling Curtain entered the Buddhist gate and sent the Bodhisattva across the river.
Everything seemed to be going very smoothly, so smoothly that Guanyin Bodhisattva herself did not expect it.
