Conferred God: Got cramped at the beginning

Chapter 997 Everything is understood without words!
When the topic turned to "teaching the dragons a lesson," the atmosphere in the Great Thunderclap Temple, which had become somewhat quiet due to the admonition of Venerable Maitreya, instantly boiled over as if a pot of boiling oil had been thrown into it!

On the faces of countless Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats, the complex emotions originating from the depths of their souls could no longer be concealed—contempt, resentment, humiliation, and a deep and twisted hatred that had been suppressed for countless years!

The word "Dragon Clan" is like a poisonous hook with barbs, deeply embedded in the heart of the colossal Buddhist sect!
Based on these different expressions, the Buddhas in the Great Thunder Temple were clearly divided into two camps, distinct from each other.

The Buddhist sect's attitude towards the dragon race can be described as extremely complex.

On the one hand, many Buddhas looked down on the dragon race.

After all, although the dragon race is strong and spreads throughout the five continents and the four rivers and four seas, the top-ranking dragon kings of the four seas are only 'comparable to the Great Luo'.

And how many Great Immortals (大罗) do they have in their Buddhist sect?

After the saints pass away, the Brahma beings follow and transform into Buddhas.

To put it bluntly, if we only consider the number of Great Luo Immortals, the Buddhist Great Luo Immortals are undoubtedly the most outstanding in the world!

However, this seemingly insurmountable barrier prevented Buddhism from spreading its influence from Xiniuhezhou to other continents.

—The one blocking the way outside the Buddhist gate is none other than the Western Sea.

They are dragons!
The combined power of all the dragons in the West Sea is only that of one West Sea Dragon King, who is 'comparable to a Great Luo Immortal'. The remaining three Dragon Kings, once they step out of their respective sea areas, will no longer have the strength to reach the Great Luo Immortal level.

Compared to the power of Buddhism, how weak is the power of the Western Sea Dragon Clan?

So weak, it's comparable to an ant!

At most, the Buddhist sect only needs to send three Buddhas to block the Dragon King of the West Sea, and then send out any Da Luo (a powerful deity), and the rest of the people can wipe out the dragon race of the West Sea.

However, it was this weak and insignificant Western Sea Dragon Clan that guarded the waves of the Western Sea and blocked the path for the expansion of Buddhism!

This scene, which is utterly unbelievable to anyone who hears it, unfolded between heaven and earth.

In truth, it wasn't just the Western Sea that blocked Buddhism's eastward expansion—it was all the forces that didn't want Buddhism to expand eastward that were located in the Western Sea, and Buddhism couldn't possibly be an enemy of all these forces that were preventing its eastward expansion.

Therefore, they could only set their sights on the Western Sea and the Dragon Clan.

According to Subhuti's initial plan, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven joined the Buddhist order, acquired Buddhist supernatural powers, and led the Buddhist teachings out to uphold the true Dharma...

The first battlefield we will face is the battlefield in the Western Sea.

The fighting on this battlefield is enough to settle the feud between Buddhism and the Dragon Clan.

This would be enough to completely crush the backbone of the West Sea Dragon Clan, making them one of the eight classes of beings planned by Buddhism.

However, with the Jade Emperor's chess game, the way Buddhism spread eastward also changed.

The originally anticipated opportunity to settle scores with the Western Sea and the Dragon Clan has also vanished.

But now... Maitreya's words have given the Buddhas of Buddhism another chance to settle scores with the dragons!

Dragon clan!
Back then, that great dragon god who upheld heaven and righteousness, riding the waves of the Western Sea, joined forces with the army of the Human King and, with the help of the Nine Cauldrons of Humanity, managed to kill a Brahma in Xiniu Hezhou!

The torrential rains were relentless for three months.

Although that incident happened a very long time ago.

Although the Brahma of that time had already transformed into the Buddha through the Dharma of Nirvana.

But that hatred, and that humiliation that had been trampled on, never dissipated in the hearts of these Buddhas.

That was arguably the most incredible thing to have ever happened since the beginning of time.

Let alone Pan Tian, ​​even if you searched through all five directions of the world, you wouldn't find a battle like this.

A Great Luo Immortal was killed by a power below the Great Luo Immortal level!

That was not only a disgrace to Brahma, but also a disgrace to the Buddha.

The Buddhist sect clearly inherited the power of the Brahma sect and possesses the most Great Luo in the world.

However, the world's understanding of Buddhism has always been 'weak'.

why?
Isn't it because of those Buddhas' previous incarnations, Brahma?
A Brahma of the Great Luo level died at the hands of Taiyi.

There are certainly various reasons for this.

But, no matter the reason, dying at Taiyi's hands only proves that you are too weak!

If Brahma is so weak, how strong can the Buddha, who transforms into Brahma after his Nirvana, be?

This is the thought of countless people in the world.

Even some Taiyi practitioners think this way!

You can imagine how outrageous the outcome of that battle was!

Ao Bing secluded himself in the depths of the East Sea, where his dragon body resonated with heaven and earth, emitting the profound and unfathomable Daoist chant of "Heavenly Dragon Chant".

This is an unparalleled opportunity for cultivators, especially those who have some knowledge of the Dragon Clan's Way, the Way of Music, and the Way of Water.

However, those who wish to travel to the East Sea to seek enlightenment must act like thieves, proceeding with extreme caution and concealing their presence, lest they disturb the dragon race and be mercilessly expelled from the country!
The disciples of the Buddhist sect, a lineage of sages and a vast and powerful sect, had to be so timid and hesitant in front of the dragons of the four seas. One can only imagine how frustrating this must be for the Buddhist sect, a lineage of sages!

Originally, it was thought that the opportunity of Buddhism spreading eastward could be used to teach the dragons a lesson, but due to the change in the eastward strategy, the opportunity to take action against the dragons was lost.

But now... judging from Maitreya's words, there is another opportunity to confront the dragon race.

How could the Buddhas of Buddhism be willing to let this opportunity pass by?

Amidst the burning flames of ignorance, the Buddhas within the Great Thunderclap Temple grew increasingly enraged.

“It seems,” Shakyamuni transmitted his thoughts to Maitreya, who was opposite him, his voice carrying a calm that seemed to know everything.

"Although the Brahma religion has perished and transformed into the Pure Land of Buddhism, all Brahma beings have also perished and been reborn in Nirvana as Buddhas and Bodhisattvas..."

"But the imprint of Brahma, that lingering poison from Brahma, still follows us like a shadow."

“This trend must not be allowed to continue!” Maitreya Buddha’s response was resolute.

His facial expression remained unchanged, but his heart was filled with an incomparably resolute and ruthless intensity.

Buddhism is still influenced by Brahmanism, which is something that Venerable Maitreya absolutely cannot accept!
Why did the two saints of Western religions pass away back then?

Isn't it all about getting rid of the influence of Brahmanism?

Now, the saints have passed away, and Buddhism has also perished. Buddhism has appeared on the corpse of Buddhism, and the Buddhas have been reborn.

And now you're saying that the influence of Brahma is still there?

How could Maitreya accept this?

Doesn't this mean that the two saints who perished back then did so in vain?
“Good.” Shakyamuni nodded slightly. “I believe that now is the time to cleanse the Buddhist community.”

Who is Shakyamuni?

Duobao Daoist of the Jie Sect!
The chief disciple of Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun, he inherited the essence of the Three Pure Ones.

Before he came to Buddhism, he was the leader of the Jie Sect!
Such a person is never lacking in decisiveness.

Therefore, when Maitreya asked how to resolve this matter, Shakyamuni Buddha did not hesitate to propose the decision to cleanse the Buddhist community!

All disciples in Buddhism who are still influenced by Brahmanism must be eliminated!
—From ordinary Buddhist disciples to the Buddhas themselves.

As long as they are still influenced by Buddhism, let them perish!
As for the losses incurred during this process... it doesn't matter!
There are plenty of powerful Buddhist monks; they can afford to die!
After all the Buddhas who were still influenced by Buddhism died, the remaining Buddhas were able to unite more closely and unleash the true power of Buddhism!
"Alright." After a moment's thought, Venerable Maitreya nodded directly.

Cleanse the Buddhist community.

There's no better opportunity than this!

The Jade Emperor's chess game has ended.

Numerous chess players entered the game.

At this moment, the power manifested in that chess game was beyond anyone's comprehension.

In this game of chess, it's perfectly natural for anyone to die, and it won't attract anyone's attention.

And so, in that instant, without anyone noticing, the present Buddha and the future Buddha of Buddhism reached an agreement.

Thus, amidst the clamor of many Buddhas burning with the flames of revenge, clamoring to seize this opportunity to clash with Ao Bing and settle scores with the Dragon Clan, the voice of the future Buddha Maitreya once again resounded throughout the Great Thunderclap Temple.

"Amitabha!"

A single chant of the Buddha's name, like a cool, sweet spring, temporarily extinguishes the boiling fire of ignorance and karma, drawing the attention of all the Buddhas.

As Maitreya looked around the hall, his gaze clearly revealed the restlessness deep within the minds of all the Buddhas.

"To purge the dragon race... is no easy task."

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly drowned out all the noise.

"His Majesty the Jade Emperor has already laid out his chess game, its influence encompassing the entire universe, its depths unfathomable. Under such a game, heaven and earth resonate, and an unprecedented, immeasurable calamity will inevitably arise!"

He paused slightly, letting the words "calamity of slaughter" weigh heavily on the hearts of all the Buddhas.

"Originally, in this game, our Buddhist sect only needed to guard Mount Ling, remain steadfast in our true nature, and wait for the envoy sent by the Human Emperor to come to our Thunder Sound Temple with a sincere heart and overcome all difficulties to pay homage... and we would have already firmly secured victory in this deadly game."

"This is in accordance with Heaven's will, and one obtains it without striving!"

As Maitreya spoke, the Buddhas in the Great Thunderclap Temple all wore expressions of self-satisfaction.

This is the prevailing trend in their Buddhist sect!

It was through their hard work that the Buddhist community flourished, creating a great momentum that was the foundation of the world.

But just as the Buddhas were rejoicing, Maitreya suddenly changed the subject.

"However! If our Buddhist sect is swayed by the desire to purge the Dragon Clan and rashly clashes with that Great Dragon God Ao Bing who upholds Heaven and righteousness... then we will become pawns caught in this game of chess!"

"At that time, the foundation of our Buddhist sect for billions of years, the pure and solemn Buddhist land, countless Buddhist disciples, Bodhisattvas, and even Buddhas... will all be drawn into this vortex jointly stirred up by the Jade Emperor's chess game and Ao Bing's punitive might! This overwhelming karma, this immeasurable killing, are you all truly willing to bear it? Can our Buddhist sect truly bear it?"

At this point, Maitreya's words suddenly softened, as if he were backing down.

"Of course, the great prosperity of Buddhism is the key. Even if our Buddhist sect suffers some losses in that calamity, we will ultimately emerge victorious."

"But is that sacrifice worthwhile?" Maitreya sighed, seemingly trying to persuade the Buddhas to temporarily extinguish the fire of ignorance and karma.

In the Great Thunder Temple, another group of Buddhas with clear eyes, listening to the words of Venerable Maitreya, had already inadvertently turned their gaze to Shakyamuni.

They are the most orthodox Buddhist disciples—those who had already joined the Western religion before it accepted the remnants of Brahma.

Even after the Western religion accepted Brahma, these people remained the most orthodox disciples of the Western religion.

After the extinction of Western religions, these people will also be the most orthodox Buddhas of Buddhism.

They were never on the same path as the remaining Brahmans and those influenced by Brahmanism.

Originally, when the two saints of Western religion passed away, their initial plan was not to have those Brahma wheels turn into Buddhas of Buddhism.

Instead, the goal is to seize the fruits of enlightenment from other Brahma beings as they turn the wheel of rebirth, transforming those fruits into innate spiritual treasures to enrich the foundation of Buddhism.

However, the foundation of those Brahma realms was truly vast. Even when the Western saints passed away, Pan Tian had not yet completely digested the origin of the Vedas...

Thus, after their reincarnation, the Brahma beings received a response from the origin of heaven and earth at an astonishing speed and became Buddhas in Buddhism.

Although the ideas and concepts of Brahmanism have been completely buried, the residual poison of Brahmanism itself still lurks within Buddhism along with Brahmanism itself!
In the past, these Buddhas were extremely well hidden.

But at this moment, when these Buddhas all realized the hatred of that Brahma from the past, these orthodox Buddhas suddenly discovered that the Brahma who had manifested as Buddhas was still the same Brahma from the past!
Otherwise, why would he still harbor resentment towards the hatred he felt towards Na Fan back then?

The Western religions perished and transformed into Buddhism, and then many powerful beings took turns reincarnating as Buddhas—that was a completely new beginning!
The past grievances, causes and effects, etc., were all taken over by the two saints who had passed away, and in this way, the reincarnation of all Buddhas was brought about.

This is why, although Buddhism inherited from both Brahma and Western religions, the blood feud between Buddhism and Western religions has never been directed at Buddhism.

But now... judging from the posture of those many Buddhas, they seem to want to take over the karmic debts and causes from the past...

In that instant, the gazes of those Buddhas who had been so clear and serious in discussing the future of Buddhism also began to look strange.

"I knew it, how come Buddhism has become so strange these days."

"I just don't understand how a proper Buddhist community could suddenly become a den of filth and vice!"

In the hearts of these Buddhas, the fire of ignorance and karma also surged, and then they looked up at Shakyamuni.

Shakyamuni Buddha simply nodded slightly and then smiled while holding up a flower.

it is more than words!
(End of this chapter)