Beginning as a Tantric Academy Monk

Chapter 774 Extra Chapter: The Three Talents Danlunzhu (Sponsored by Xinzhige Book Club Members)
The grass on the Jider Grassland turned yellow and green again, then green and yellow again. Tseten Lhundrup, dressed in his monk's robes and twirling his prayer beads, stood at the entrance of the Ten Directions Lion Grove, gazing outwards. Children always grow quickly, especially when they are well-nourished. In just a few years, Tseten Lhundrup had grown tall and imposing. Even his brow bone now resembled that of Elder Mingli.

He has a very dignified appearance.

Elder Mingli was already very tall, and it was only natural that his son was also very tall. However, when he thought of his father, Tseten Lhundrup knew that although news had come that his father, Elder Mingli, was still in charge of the "Endless White Pagoda Temple" and had even become the teacher of the abbot, Tseten Lhundrup had no intention of going to see his father.

In fact, he knew everything perfectly well.

That was no longer his father.

Although he looked like his father, he was not his father. When his father sent him away from the manor, he had a premonition. Even now, Tseten Lunzhu is still wondering if his father knew about this when he left the manor.
As he gently turned the prayer beads, his lips moved rapidly, and the scriptures flowed from his heart and from his lips like water.

From this direction, the oppressive atmosphere emanating from the distant Yinshan Mountains seems even more profound.

The terrain of Yinshan, adjacent to the temple, has changed in just a few years. The entire mountain seems to be suppressed at the bottom, but the top protrudes like an eagle's beak, casting a shadow over the "Jideer Grassland".

The nearby villages all began to migrate towards the "Ten Directions Lion Forest." According to the herdsmen, "This mountain is starting to eat people!"

Even Tseten Rinchen looked at that place with worried eyes. Judging from the state of the mountain, it wouldn't be long before it could reach the Ten Directions Lion Grove. The gods in the "Yin Mountain," which had been suppressed, also began to become more active, and the Ten Directions Lion Grove had not been very peaceful recently.

This matter has nothing to do with the current Tseten Lunzhu.

He has not yet grown to the point where he needs to support the "Jidel Grassland" on his own shoulders.

Even according to the hierarchy, he doesn't even qualify to elevate "Jideer Grassland". Within "Zhajuben Temple", there are still many "Hutuktu" lineages whose sacred teachings have not been severed.

Even if it were based on seniority, he wouldn't be ranked above Tseten Lunzhu.

It's not his turn to go.

It's not his place to say anything more.

As Tseten Lhundrup gazed at the distant Yin Mountains, he thought of the compassion his personal guru had taught him: to cultivate compassion and practice wisdom. He also reflected on his recent studies with his personal guru, knowing that the compassion he had long ago cultivated was a vow he needed to fulfill. He had already shared this compassion with his personal guru, but had not shared it with anyone else.

He always kept his guru's words firmly in mind, refusing to reveal any difference in his compassion from others when his wisdom and spiritual power were insufficient. As usual, he would stand at the entrance for half an hour, rain or shine, but today, as he was about to leave, another person came out of the temple.

If it's not the Zen Master Dabei, then who is it?

At this moment, Zen Master Zhidabei also regained his title of Zen Master and inherited the position of "Hutuktu". However, he did not return to his own temple. His temple had long been swallowed up by Yinshan Mountain. The temple that came later was the one he moved to. According to common sense, Zen Master Zhidabei should have another position in the "Zhaju Temple" above the "Cuoqin Hall". He would not need to go to the temple on weekdays. However, for some unknown reason, he lived in the "Shifang Lion Grove".

Such a magnificent Buddha resided in the "Ten Directions Lion Grove," and even the "Ten Directions Lion Grove" had no power to resist him.

"Zen Master!"

When Tseten Lhundrup saw "Dabei Zen Master," he wanted to perform a grand ceremony, but "Dabei Zen Master" stopped him. So the two stood at the door, one in front of the other. In terms of age, "Dabei Zen Master" was not much older than Tseten Lhundrup, but things were different now.

"A hundred boats race against each other, and this is the final crossing."

"Master Dabei" said slowly.

Tseten Lhundrup did not speak.

"Master Dabei" continued, "News has come from the temple again—the Temple of the Origin of All Dharmas is still powerless against the temple. The chieftain families near the Great Glacier are neither siding with the temple nor with the Temple of the Origin of All Dharmas."

There were no local chieftains who sent troops to attack the Buddhist temple on the Jider Grassland.

Many Zasak families received letters from the Temple of the Origin of All Dharmas, and they forwarded these letters to the council of elders within the temple.

Therefore, there is only one possibility in order to stop Zhajuben Temple!
That was the arrival of the Great Buddha, along with disciplinary monks and some Jiaben and Daiben soldiers from the Temple of the Origin of All Dharmas and the Four Great Protector Temples. News also came from the Temple of the Origin of All Dharmas that they did not want to fight. In particular, some hereditary Jiaben and Daiben, who already had few soldiers, had been forced to cross several prefectures and glaciers to come to the grasslands to fight.

They were unwilling.

Even the temple, the origin of all dharmas, is like this.

Some discordant voices also emerged from within the temple—some high-ranking officials and nobles had no intention of fighting the grasslands, and as a result, things stalled and made no progress.

Rest assured, the Endless White Pagoda Temple has not yet been destroyed by the temple of the origin of all dharmas. Even if it were to cross the prefecture, it could not be destroyed. The temple in the Luoren area was indeed destroyed by the Bodhisattva's wrath, but the people there, along with the free people of the Luoren area, have all disappeared without a trace.

It must have been hidden away.

As for Ganye Temple.

According to the contents of the letter, "Master Dabei" told his disciple all the information related to "Yongzhen". When he mentioned "Ganye Temple", he suddenly said, "Do you still remember the mount that was with your guru?"

“Yes, Zen Master, I remember.”

Tseten Lhundrup responded, “I know that’s Pema, the protector deity. He was the first demon that my guru subdued, but in the end, he left it in Ganye Monastery—”

“Yes, Bodhisattva Yongzhen is indeed farsighted. His vision is like a bright, shining butter lamp, right in the highest pavilion of the temple.”

"Master Dabei" said with emotion: "When the Bodhisattva's anger reached Ganye Temple, it was about to turn Ganye Temple into a sea of ​​fire. At this moment, the Dharma protector of Yongzhen Bodhisattva came to the temple and lay down! The Bodhisattva saw this Dharma protector and then left."

Logically, these should all be confidential.

Having resided there for quite some time, "Master Dabei" had gained much insight. As a disciple of the Bodhisattva, he should not be careless or negligent. Having said this, Tsering Lunzhu respectfully saw "Master Dabei" off and then returned to his pavilion to resume his studies of scriptures and Buddhist teachings.

Logically, at his age, unless his personal guru is by his side, he should go to the "Zhaju Monastery" or other temples with academies to study the Mahayana scriptures and the Five Great Treatises, and then become a mantra practitioner. However, his personal guru has disappeared—at least in the eyes of others, he has disappeared, but no one has been able to truly restrain him. Even his "true guru," who could restrain him, has not made any demands.

The toothless "Elder of True Knowledge" is growing increasingly old.

He almost curled up into a ball.

He needed a cane to walk, and his steps were unsteady. Without the cane, he could barely move an inch.

This was a side effect left on him by the "Strange Charm" from back then, and now it was even more vicious and venomous. Therefore, "True Knowledge Master" never left the gate of the "Ten Directions Lion Grove" temple. Even after a long time, he would curl up on the steps below the pavilion, just to feel the warmth there.

It was in the attic that there was a prayer wheel left by "Bodhisattva Yongzhen". Here, "Master Zhenshi" could still feel the compassion of "Master Yongzhen".

It felt like the sun was shining brightly on my vest, warm and cozy.

Upon seeing Tseten Lhundrup return, "True Knowledge Master" stood up and followed behind him, slowly saying, "Don't worry, Great Buddha Yongzhen will return; he will come back again."

Tseten Lhundrup had not spoken yet, so how could he possibly open his mouth?

He couldn't possibly say that his "personal guru" had never actually left this place, could he? Even if he said such a thing, perhaps no one would believe him, so it was better not to say it at all! Therefore, he said, "Yes, my personal guru will definitely return, so guru, you must take good care of yourself."

"Good, good, good!"

"True Knowledge Master" said that he had never worried about himself. Back in the "Luoren region," "Loren Master" had given him a good beating.

He and Tseten Lhundrup, who were before him, were not born together, but would die together.

Therefore, under such circumstances, Tseten Lhundrup did not pass away, and he naturally could not pass away either. After sitting here for a while, "True Knowledge Master" was already exhausted and needed to go out to bask in the sun. Tseten Lhundrup helped "True Knowledge Master" leave and finished today's morning prayers.

It was already noon.

The sun shone directly overhead, casting short shadows. The time for Tsering Lhundrup's morning prayers was fixed each day, but also not fixed. The time for noon was calculated based on the time when the sun was shining directly overhead and the shadows were shortest, so it varied from day to day. After devoutly eating his meal, Tsering Lhundrup felt himself enter a "dream" again.

This wasn't the first time he'd dreamt of such a thing. It started when he was a child, after he and his "Guardian Deity" brought back many Bodhisattva statues and scriptures from the "Lotus Khyentse Temple" from the "Six Protectors Snow Mountain." From then on, he would occasionally dream of the Bodhisattvas preaching.

However, these dreams have been happening far too frequently lately.

The past few days had been spent climbing mountains, but today it seemed they had finally reached a place. Tseten Lunzhu felt as if he were walking through mountains and rivers, and he had already realized where he was.

This is the mountain in the Luoren area.

He remembered that when he was a child, he lived in the mountains of the Luoren area for a long time.

It was during that time that "True Knowledge Master" would sometimes take him down the mountain, so he memorized these roads and never forgot them, even after so many years!

As he walked, he saw that there were many changes at the foot of the mountains in the Luoren region, which reminded him of the words of "Zen Master Dabei". Perhaps this was a trace left by "the wrath of the Bodhisattva".

Changes have occurred at the foot of "Zahu Langnuo Mountain".

The "Six Protector Snow Mountains" that followed remained unchanged. Just like that, they arrived at the high point of "Zahu Langnuo Mountain". Suddenly, Tseten Lunzhu realized that he had regained his freedom!

You can look up, down, left, and right; you can move your neck, hands, and feet!
However, he has not yet actually gone to see anything.

He saw a ball of fire!

A crimson flame, burning like a lotus flower, flowed out from the foot of the mountain and began to burn.

It seemed as if scriptures were circulating within it. Tseten Lhundrup did not speak, but simply watched the flames burn. Amidst the intense burning of the flames, Tseten Lhundrup also saw that as the flames burned, they eventually formed a real lotus flower. Then, the lotus flower bloomed, and from within it appeared the phantom of a temple.

The temple was so vast that it seemed to bloom and multiply here in the form of a flame! Within the illusory image of the temple, Tseten Lhundrup saw a real one within it. However, compared to the illusory temple, which gradually spread with the flames to Zahu Langnuo Mountain and then to the Six Protector Snow Mountains, instantly covering the entire Loren region, Tseten Lhundrup kept his eyes fixed on the real temple within it.

“That is the Lotus Chin-zao Temple.”

A voice, like a thunderclap, came down from the sky and landed in Tseten Lhundrup's heart, drawing him in.

Tseten Lhundrup raised his head slightly and saw above him auspicious clouds. Among these auspicious clouds was a Bodhisattva with a face like a full moon and skin as white as jade, exuding great fortune.

He was wearing a crown and surrounded by auspicious clouds like fire. When Tseten Lhundrup saw this Bodhisattva, he bowed deeply to the Bodhisattva, who then said, "That temple is the Lotus Chin-zao Temple."

So, would you like to become the abbot of that temple?

Tseten Lhundrup did not open his mouth, but at that moment, a sound came from beneath his feet, from the ground beneath his feet.

"You can do what you like, and you can refuse what you don't like."

It was at this moment that Tseten Lunzhu's face revealed genuine joy and a smile, for he had heard clearly and his perception had not been wrong.

His "personal guru" has never left the "realm of esoteric teachings," nor even the "grassland." He is right here, right beside him.

I continue to teach myself.

The words you are speaking now are from your "Guardian Deity." Even after your "Guardian Deity" spoke, the Bodhisattvas in the heavens said, "Indeed, as you please."

Tseten Lhundrup is indeed very happy now, not in the temple, but in the joy of "wisdom" and "compassion".

He said, "My understanding of Buddhism is still shallow, and I am not destined to live in such a great temple."

"That's fine, that's fine too."

It was under these words that Tseten Lhundrup suddenly opened his eyes. After opening his eyes, he saw that he had just fallen asleep leaning against a pillar. When he opened his eyes, what he saw was the prayer wheel in the attic, slowly turning with the wind.

PS: Actually, when I first wrote about Tseten Lhundrup, some people asked why I spent so much time on this kid. That's because I originally planned to have Lu Feng go to the Central Plains, so Tseten Lhundrup was supposed to stay in the Tantric Domain and die in the prison of the Temple of the Origin of All Dharmas. That's why I spent so much time on him. Later, as readers also know, Lu Feng didn't start another storyline, so Tseten Lhundrup survived.

(End of this chapter)