Journey to the West: Beginning with the Apprenticeship of Bodhi Patriarch

Chapter 213 Liu Heming the host and the guest, meeting Laojun in the mountains
When Zhenren entered Liu He's house, he saw someone borrowing rice. Zhenren looked around, but saw it was a poor scholar. He just glanced at him and then looked away.

After the scholar borrowed rice from Liu He's family, he was sent away.

Liu He went to the Immortal's desk again and said, "Immortal, you said that studying is not for fame, but I have a different opinion. Why don't you tell me? It really makes me feel itchy."

Jiang Yuan sat at the table and said with a smile: "I won't argue with you, but you still feel itchy. What's the reason? If you think what you said makes sense, then just follow your words. I won't say any more to you."

Liu He shook his head and said, "If that's the case, it's boring. I listen to what the real person said. It's reasonable and well-founded. That's what's interesting."

Jiang Yuan heard this and felt that Liu He was a bit strange. He smiled and said, "Well, since you say so, I will help you. It's okay to talk to you. You think that studying is for the purpose of passing the imperial examinations. Where is the logic of this?"

Liu He became interested and talked eloquently, saying, "There is a saying that goes, 'Learn the arts of literature and martial arts, and sell them to the emperor'. If you don't study for the purpose of passing the imperial examination, what is the point of studying?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "If you still want to talk like this, then there is no need for me to talk to you. Let my junior brother explain it to you. Wukong, you talk to him first."

Wukong heard this and stepped forward to accept the order, then said: "You are a scholar, how can you say that studying is for fame? Even if you have reached the highest position, you will be old and it is nothing but a figment of your imagination, how can you take it seriously?"

Liu He said, "This is wrong, this is wrong! If you study not for fame, but for those empty words of ghosts and gods, it is all in vain. If you study but don't even have fame, you can't even support your wife and children, let alone other things. You will be like a dog that has lost its home all day long, just like my neighbor Liu Yanchang, who can hardly even have a full stomach."

Wukong laughed and said, "As you said, if I become an official, pass the imperial examinations, and become wealthy, then the pain of studying will be worth it?"

Liu He nodded and said, "That's right."

Wukong pointed at Zuo Liang and said, "Do you know who this person was before he followed the Immortal to practice?"

Liu He looked at Zuo Liang carefully, shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Wukong said, "Zuo Liang, tell him first."

Zuo Liang stepped forward and bowed, then said, "I am the head of the Zuo family in a border county. I am a wealthy man and I inherited the family business when I was young. That kind of money, let alone me, even if there are hundreds of people in my family eating and drinking together, we can't spend it all in three generations. As for reading, although I have never achieved fame, I am also knowledgeable and talented. I have read many books. I have read all the books you have read, and I have also read books you have not read."

Liu He was dumbfounded and said, "With such wealth, why do you follow that immortal to become an ascetic monk? Seeking such ghosts and gods is absurd."

Zuo Liang shook his head and smiled, "You are young, so you don't know. What's the use of having a fortune? Just like what Buddha said, it's all in vain, like flowers in the mirror and moon in the water. When I was young, I was just like you said, I didn't believe in ghosts and gods, so I was really free with money. There is nothing in the world that cannot be obtained with money. With money, I can enjoy all kinds of things. Later, when I was old, I realized how ridiculous my thoughts were. Only by talking about ghosts and gods can I be free."

Liu He was silent for a while, then shook his head and said, "I beg to differ."

Zuo Liang smiled and said, "I am not trying to get you to agree with what I say. I am just telling you my experience. What you think is none of my business. I am now wholeheartedly following the True Man in cultivation, and I have absolutely no second thoughts."

Say it.

Zuo Liang sat down without saying a word.

Liu He was silent for a while, opened his mouth to speak, but didn't know what to say, so he gave up in the end.

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "You can study for fame or wealth. But you can't deny that those who study are Confucianists, and Confucianism is about etiquette and morality. Use reading to cultivate your character, understand etiquette and value morality. After that, it's okay to take the exam for fame or to get a fortune, but the host and the follower can't be reversed."

Upon hearing this, Liu He said, "How can you say that the host and the guest are reversed?"

Sun Wukong smiled and covered his mouth, "In the past, the Immortal once taught me that the host and the guest are reversed. This is the theory of the mind method. The mind is the host and the method is the guest. With the mind as the host, practice and cultivate the mind, the mind will be successful. Then the method will be born, and the mind and the method will be obtained, and the host and the guest will be in order. The same principle applies to your study. The host and the guest should not be reversed. Propriety and virtue are the hosts, and those who are officials and rich are the guests."

Liu He asked again: "You may be able to explain in detail the reversal of host and guest, but I am confused."

Sun Wukong shook his head and said, "The host and guest theory is very easy. Just like you have this house and the beauty now, you two are the hosts, but if a guest comes in, you are the host and you are weak, while the guest is strong. Seeing that you have a house and the beauty, he will have evil thoughts, so he will bully you and occupy your house. From then on, the guest is the host and the host is the guest. This is called the host and guest are reversed."

Liu He heard this and pondered for a long time before saying, "As you said, studying is not for fame. It is not to tell me that I cannot pass the imperial examinations, but that studying should enlighten one's mind and morality. Only when fame and honor are achieved can one obtain them, not that they are unattainable."

Wukong smiled and said, "That's right."

Liu He stood up and bowed, saying, "I understand. Thank you all."

Wukong waved his hands and said, "Thank you, Immortal. All of this was taught to me by you."

Liu He then bowed to the immortal and expressed his gratitude.

Jiang Yuan said: "No need to thank me, it would be good if you could understand."

Liu He continued talking with the immortal for a long time at the table. Compared with before, Liu He's words this time were much more respectful.

They talked for a long time and it was getting dark.

Liu He said: "Master, you can stay in my room for one night."

Jiang Yuan laughed and said, "How come there is a room for me to live in your house?"

Upon hearing this, Liu He burst out laughing and said, "Master, you only came in here, how do you know there is no room in my house?"

Jiang Yuan said: "Is there or not, how can I not know?"

Liu He smiled and said, "You are wrong, Immortal. I still have an empty room in my house, which can accommodate you."

Jiang Yuan smiled without saying anything, then talked to Sun Wukong and others, led the white deer, and was about to leave.

Niu Mowang and others naturally took the order and went out together.

Liu He had no choice but to see Jiang Yuan and the others off, and only returned home after bidding farewell to the immortal.

The fox girl came forward and said, "My dear, has the Immortal left?" Liu He nodded and said, "He has left. It's really strange. I have a house at home, why didn't the Immortal stay? You said there is no house in the house, but you are wrong."

The fox girl said, "My dear, don't talk nonsense."

Liu He smiled and said, "I know, I know."

As he was about to close the door and read, he suddenly heard a sound coming from outside the room.

"He'er, He'er!"

Liu He looked up and saw that his relatives were coming. He immediately knew why the immortal said there was no room in the house. If the immortal had stayed before, his relatives visiting at this time would definitely make him in trouble.

Liu He was shocked. How could he not know that the immortal was indeed an immortal who could predict the future?

……

But it is said that the real people were walking in the city.

Sun Wukong said: "Big Brother, that scholar has some understanding."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "It's good that you can listen to me. We will continue to move forward. We can find an inn to stay for one night and set off again tomorrow."

Zuo Liang stepped forward and said, "Sir, if it were me, there would be no need to go to the posthouse. I would not feel tired at all."

Jiang Yuan asked: "Really?"

Zuo Liang bowed and said, "I dare not deceive you, sir. I really don't feel tired at this moment."

Jiang Yuan smiled and said, "You have been traveling for more than a few days, but you have rested for a while at Liu's house. This is indeed different from the past."

Zuo Liang suddenly realized that he had not realized how long he had been walking. Now that the immortal had pointed it out to him, he realized that he had been walking for more than several days.

He then bowed and said, "Mr. Lao Lei, teach me how to practice."

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "The way is under your feet."

Zuo Liang thanked him again and again.

Jiang Yuan helped him up, and the group did not stay and intended to leave the city.

After walking for a long time, when everyone was about to go out of the city gate, Jiang Yuan suddenly stopped the white deer, felt something in his heart, and looked towards a mountain outside the city.

Jiang Yuan pointed to a mountain outside the city and said, "Wukong, Niu'er, let's go to that mountain."

Sun Wukong led the white deer and asked, "Big Brother, is there any evil spirit causing trouble there?"

Jiang Yuan shook his head and said, "No. The Lord is in that mountain. Let's go and see him."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "It's Laojun. I'll hurry over now."

Say it.

Sun Wukong led the deer forward.

Everyone quickened their pace and entered the mountain. Jiang Yuan dismounted the white deer and walked up the mountain to show respect.

After walking for a long time on the mountain, the immortals finally reached the top of the mountain. They saw a thatched hut on the top with auspicious light circling its windows. They also saw auspicious clouds floating on the top of the hut and clear air, as if there were immortals in it.

When Sun Wukong and Bull Demon King arrived here, they did not dare to act recklessly and were extremely respectful.

Jiang Yuan took off his whisk and Zhenwu sword, placed them on the back of the deer, walked forward, bowed towards the thatched cottage, and said, "Guangxin, the great disciple of Bodhi Patriarch in the Three Stars Cave of the Slanting Moon on the Fangcun Mountain of Lingtai, pays homage to Laojun."

Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong and Bull Demon King both bowed down.

Zuo Liang didn't know what was going on, but he still bowed down. He knew that the immortal was a god with great supernatural powers, but the person who could make the immortal bow down must be someone he could hardly imagine.

The real person paid homage not long ago.

The door of the thatched cottage quietly opened, and Taishang Laojun walked out. When he saw Jiang Yuan, he smiled, helped Jiang Yuan up, and said, "Guangxin, get up quickly."

After helping Jiang Yuan up, Laojun looked at Bull Demon King, Sun Wukong, and Zuo Liang and said, "You don't need to be so polite. Stand up now."

Everyone thanked Laojun.

Laojun listened to Sun Wukong's thanks and said with a smile: "Monkey, why are you here? I heard from the Tathagata in the West that you have achieved success and become a Buddha, sitting on a lotus throne, and are the 'Fighting and Victory Buddha'. Why are you here to thank me? I am flattered. I am afraid you will steal the elixir from my Tushita Palace again."

Sun Wukong bowed and said, "I won't dare to do it again, I won't dare to do it again. I was young and ignorant at that time, so I did that. Now I won't dare to bother you or be rude. Please don't blame me, Old Lord. Don't blame me."

After he finished his greeting, he said, "I heard that my senior brother is walking in the human world, practicing the law for Emperor Xuan, so I came to accompany my senior brother and protect him."

Upon hearing this, Taishang Laojun nodded and said, "You, a monkey, can be taught to think like this, which is enough to say that you have succeeded in your practice."

Sun Wukong smiled and said "I don't deserve it", without any trace of his former rebelliousness. Now he could only practice devoutly.

(End of this chapter)