Book 5: Chapter 33: Bodhisattva Guanyin
Book 5: Chapter 33: Bodhisattva Guanyin
“Demons and evildoers, the purifying light of Buddha purifies all evil. The Lord Buddha above bestowed on us the holy scriptures, to purify all lives…”
“Demons and evildoers, the purifying light of Buddha purifies all evil. The Lord Buddha above bestowed on us the holy scriptures, to purify all lives…”
Chanting filled Heavenly Mao City as the swastika spun and grew larger. The voices intensified. Now, golden Buddhist light illuminated the entire Heavenly Mao City, even manifesting boundless golden smoke.
Bodhisattva Jie Dong was going all out, pushing the Demon Purifying Scripture to its limits. He wanted to suppress the warrior of “Sonata Pathétique” in one go.
This affected all the citizens in the city. Such large-scale chanting was usually not permitted, prompting the city guards to soar into the sky to check. However, they saw the Heavenly Mao City Lord standing respectfully beside Long Shenwu, watching the duel below.
Countless Buddhist citizens held their palms together as anticipation filled their eyes.
More Demon Subduing Guardians continuously manifested amid the chanting.
The Demon Subduing Guardians appeared ferocious, but such guardians were protector guardians in the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. They specialized in upholding virtue and condemning evil. Hence, this ferocious look was not malicious but one of prestige and dignity.
Many ferocious guardians charged at Gu Hai.
When the citizens saw the Demon Subduing Guardians pass by, they held their palms together and said, “Amitābha!”
This was a form of baptism. When the Demon Subduing Guardians appeared, it made the Spirit Mountain Holy Land look righteous, benevolent, virtuous, and prestigious, while the group that the Demon Subduing Guardians faced appeared evil and demonic.
Bodhisattva Zi Zhu showed a cold smile as she coughed blood.
Bodhisattva Jie Dong held his palms together with a resolute demeanor.
Sima Changkong appeared somewhat worried. “Prince, the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s Demon Purifying Scripture is indeed incredible. It can actually affect everyone’s mind.”
Long Shenwu did not say anything, just stared gravely at Gu Hai.
Golden light encased Heavenly Mao City, piquing the curiosity of the citizens in the surrounding cities. Many experts started flying towards Heavenly Mao City.
The warrior of “Sonata Pathétique” tried to block but grew increasingly fatigued, appearing like it could not hold on any longer.
“Alright. Give it a try, then.” Gu Hai raised his hand from Ensnaring Performance’s back.
However, Ensnaring Performance showed a somewhat shocked expression. “Master, this song…it’s very…very…”
“Cut the crap and hurry up!” Gu Hai barked, as the Elite Hall disciples were already having difficulty bearing up. Their eyes were now slightly vacant.
“Alright.” Ensnaring Performance nodded.
Buzz!
Ensnaring Performance waved his hand, and “Sonata Pathétique” stopped. That music Dao warrior also vanished.
This allowed the Demon Subduing Guardians to charge at the group.
“Mister Gu, be careful. These Demon Subduing Guardians attack the mind. Once they enter your mind, they will influence it and cause your thoughts to go astray,” Ao Shun warned, frowning.
Gu Hai did not say anything. Instead, he looked at Ensnaring Performance.
Tock! Ensnaring Performance made the sound of knocking on an alms bowl.
An intense ripple spread out into the surroundings. The Demon Subduing Guardians rushing over paused.
Then, flute music, the knocking of wooden fish, and various other Buddhist equipment rang, simulated by a guqin.
[TL Note: The wooden fish is a wooden percussive instrument often used in tandem with chanting. Here is a Wikipedia entry on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wooden_fish.]
The moment the sounds rang out, the surrounding citizens raised their eyebrows and frowned.
“This Gu Hai is going to resist the Demon Purifying Scripture? What a joke! He is just seeking death.”
“Can the sound of demons resist the perfect Demon Purifying Scripture?”
“How laughable!”
The surrounding citizens voiced disdainful comments.
After the Demon Subduing Guardians paused, they continued charging over.
“Subdue the demon!”
“Vanquish the demon!”
“Kill the arrogant, evil demon!”
The Demon Subduing Guardians raised their weapons, looking like they would destroy the flying ship in the next instant. The dragons’ faces changed, and the Elite Hall disciples revealed horrified expressions.
Just then, the chanting of the “Great Compassion Mantra” rang out amid the zither sounds.
[TL Note: Here is a version of the “Great Compassion Mantra” with musical backing that seems to fit the description of this novel. There are many musical versions out there with different melodies and even some with only chanting. The version here is almost an hour long, but it is actually just about two minutes long, repeating over and over. Due to the nature of religious chanting, most versions out there are similar where they repeat the scripture/sutra/mantra for a long time. The first rendition ends at 1:45. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwxDLWxWp_k.]
“Namo Ratna-trayāya. Namo ārya valokiteśvarāya bodhisattvāya…”
[TL Note: The phrase above is stanzas 1–4, and it means Adoration to the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma, and Monks), Adoration to the noble Guanyin (Avalokitesvara), bodhisattva.]
There seemed to be a voice chanting scriptures in a language that no one understood amid the zither music.
However, when the chanting started, seven-colored lights suddenly appeared from where Ensnaring Performance was playing and spread out in all directions. The Demon Subduing Guardians bore the brunt of it.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The multicolored light seemed to possess great might, instantly knocking back the ten-odd Demon Subduing Guardians leading the charge.
“What?” Bodhisattva Jie Dong’s expression changed.
“What scripture is this? Mister Sima, have you heard of it before?” Long Shenwu frowned slightly.
“I have not. Furthermore, I can’t understand what it is saying. Even so, there seems to be a feeling of zen when I listen to this ‘Great Compassion Mantra.’ I have seen countless Buddhist scriptures, but few can compare to this with regard to this zen feeling. Is this… Did Gu Hai really create this Buddhist scripture on the spot?” Sima Changkong said in shock.
“Namo Nilakantha hrdayam vartayisyami sarvartha śadhanam subham ajeyam sarva-bhutanam bhava-marga-visodhakam. Tadyathā. Om aalok adhipati lokatikranta…”
[TL Note: The above lines are from stanzas 12–21 and mean “O Great Compassion. Chant the Heart Sutra, which ensures all purposes, is pure and invincible for all beings, and which purifies the path of existence. Om, adoration to the Lord of Effulgence, the Word-transcending One.]
The chanting of the “Great Compassion Mantra” grew increasingly louder. As Ensnaring Performance played, a golden heavenly zither, made of clouds in the sky, amplified the sound to the entire city.
It sounded grand and incredibly dignified, no inferior to the Demon Purifying Scripture.
Whether in dignity, solemnity, grandeur, prestige, or perfection, the “Great Compassion Mantra” was not inferior to the Demon Purifying Scripture; in fact, in these scripture aspects, it was even grander.
“That’s impossible! This is the sound of demons. It cannot be superior to the Demon Purifying Scripture!”
“But why does this ‘Great Compassion Mantra’ sound like a Buddhist scripture to me?”
“Me too! However, that is impossible! How can this Gu Hai have a stronger Buddhist-natured aura than the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s Buddhist scriptures?”
“The ‘Great Compassion Mantra’? I hear the concept of mercy!”
When the countless Buddhist citizens heard this sound, they suddenly felt relaxed. Ordinary people would not think much of this, but the Buddhists were extremely sensitive to it.
No one looked down on the “Great Compassion Mantra” anymore.
Bodhisattva Jie Dong, Bodhisattva Zi Zhu, and the other monks goggled.
“Buddhist nature? Cough! Cough! Cough! How is this possible! What nonsense ‘Great Compassion Mantra’ is this? How can it have a Buddhist nature? Such a vast one at that?” Bodhisattva Zi Zhu goggled in disbelief.
The surrounding monks appeared anxious.
“Chant the scripture, and get the Demon Subduing Guardians to attack! Quickly!” Bodhisattva Jie Dong’s spokesman exclaimed.
“Demons and evildoers, the purifying light of Buddha purifies all evil. The Lord Buddha above bestowed on us the holy scriptures, to purify all lives…”
“Dharani-rāja cala-cala mama vimala-murtte ehi-ehi…”
[TL Note: The above is from stanzas 31–36, meaning Lord of the Sutra. Move, move, to my immaculate liberation. The adamantine king of awakening. Come and complete my pledge.]
The two Buddhist chants clashed in Heavenly Mao City.
More Demon Subduing Guardians appeared all over the Hearing Buddha Hall’s plaza.
After the seven-colored light blocked the first wave of Demon Subduing Guardians, it suddenly coalesced above Ensnaring Performance. As the light gathered, it brightened, shining over the entire city. The golden light and seven-colored light made Heavenly Mao City look dazzling. The two lights clashed, neither giving way to the other.
The seven-colored light finally formed something above Ensnaring Performance’s head. Anticipation flooded Ensnaring Performance’s, Ao Shun’s, and the others’ hearts.
“Sonata Pathétique” manifested a warrior. The Demon Purifying Scripture manifested Demon Subduing Guardians. This “Great Compassion Mantra” seemed to be slowly manifesting something as well.
“A lotus flower?” Ensnaring Performance exclaimed in shock.
A seven-colored lotus flower bud sprouted, emanating sanctity. Along with the chanting of the “Great Compassion Mantra,” everyone’s mind immediately felt relaxed as though they had obtained a great baptism of a Buddhist nature.
The Buddhist practitioners who felt like they could not advance further in their Buddhist Dao cultivation suddenly felt their Buddhist Dao progressing rapidly.
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The seven-colored light of the lotus flower bud knocked the Demon Subduing Guardians away.
“Hah!”
“Hah! Vanquish the demon!”
“Kill!”
“Break!”
The various Demon Subduing Guardians charging over got knocked back. The lotus flower bud was like a holy object floating in the air, preventing anything from approaching.
Then, small lotus flowers appeared out of nowhere, starting from the edges of the seven-colored lotus flower bud and spreading outwards.
Amid the chanting of the “Great Compassion Mantra,” millions of small lotus flowers bloomed in the surroundings—reds, blues, pinks, purples, and many more.
The Buddhist chanting sounded majestic, overflowing with Buddhist nature. The Buddhist conception rushed into the surroundings like a flood.
“This…this…this is the voice of the demon? Why do I feel that it is even holier than the Demon Purifying Scripture?”
“Is this a demon? Why do I feel that the Demon Subduing Guardians are the demons instead? And it seems like they are clashing with something holy?”
“Me too. Am I not sufficiently pious in Buddhism?”
Confusion appeared on the surrounding Buddhist practitioners’ faces.
The seven-colored lotus flower bud continued swelling and rose increasingly higher, soaring into the sky of Heavenly Mao City. The citizens of the nearby cities could see that titanic, seven-colored lotus flower bud.
“Quickly! Destroy that lotus flower! Hurry! Cough! Cough! Cough!” Bodhisattva Zi Zhu yelled as her expression changed drastically.
Bodhisattva Jie Dong’s expression changed. As he held his palms together, his body emitted golden light that rushed into the bodies of the Demon Subduing Guardians. The Demon Subduing Guardians immediately shone brighter as if they had grown several times stronger.
The “Great Compassion Mantra” entered its later stages.
The vast, dignified aura continued spreading as the “Great Compassion Mantra” continuously rang out. Now, the citizens no longer looked at the seven-colored flower as though it was demonic.
This was a Buddhist scripture, one that was filled with a Buddhist nature. Countless Buddhist practitioners even pressed their palms together and bowed in reverence to the seven-colored lotus flower, as they sensed a Buddha of the most orthodox order in it.
Sweat covered the foreheads of the one thousand arhats. The huge swastika remained above the seven-colored lotus flower bud, but the lotus flower bud seemed unaffected as it continued to swell.
“Svāhā narashimha-mukhaya svaha gada-hastaya…”
[TL Note: The line above comes from stanzas 63–66, and it means Hail to One who holds a Lotus in His Hand, hail to One with lion’s head and face.]
The chanting of the Great Compassion Mantra grew increasingly louder as it spread to the nearby cities. The lotus flower bud started to open slowly.
As the lotus flower bud bloomed, dense, seven-colored energy surged out from it.
The dense, seven-colored energy hovered around the lotus flower platform, and an indistinct bodhisattva’s figure manifested, standing on it.
“This is?” Gu Hai squinted at the bodhisattva’s figure standing on the seven-colored lotus flower. He could vaguely make out one thousand arms on this figure as it slowly became clearer.
Gu Hai goggled and muttered, “That can’t be, right? Bodhisattva Guanyin…” He nearly cried out in surprise.
[TL Note: Bodhisattva Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara) is one of the deities popularly worshiped in Buddhism and Hinduism. Here is a Wikipedia entry on her: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyin.]
Gu Hai stopped speaking in mid-sentence, his eyes wide in disbelief. Back then, the Thirty Line-Pair World Ritual Array managed to manifest Dongfang Bubai, Dugu Qiubai, and Zhang Sanfeng.
The “Great Compassion Mantra” used the music Dao to manifest Bodhisattva Guanyin? Back on Earth, Gu Hai had seen the Thousand-Armed Guanyin on television, in temples, and in novels. However, this manifestation was not formed by his thoughts and conceptions of Bodhisattva Guanyin but by the perfection and mercy contained within the “Great Compassion Mantra.”
The moment Bodhisattva Guanyin appeared, the chanting of the “Great Compassion Mantra” grew infinitely louder, instantly spreading even farther, reaching Heavenly Court City.
The infinite Buddhist nature of this chanting spread to the thirty-three layers of heaven. Lotus flowers appeared and bloomed out of nowhere, spreading from Heavenly Mao City to Heavenly Chen City, then Heavenly Court City. It spread endlessly into the surroundings of the thirty-three layers of heaven.
Long Shenwu gaped in astonishment as the effects suddenly, strangely expanded.
The one thousand chanting arhats also trembled in shock. What is going on?