I attained immortality in the real world.

Chapter 45 Five Natures and Nine Senses

Jinshan Temple and its scripture hall.

Elder Jinchi sat cross-legged on the futon, the old monk in deep meditation, his body solemn and dignified.

After a long silence from the monks in the scripture hall, he opened his cloudy eyes and began to preach: "Our Buddha has the wondrous realm of five natures and nine consciousnesses."

"The Five Natures: Śrāvaka, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, Indeterminate, and Non-nature."

“Those who follow the path of sound are indulging in sensual pleasures, rejoicing and grieving because of them, like a lone boat adrift on a raging sea, not knowing where to go.”

"The solitary enlightened one is neither elated by appearance nor saddened by appearance. He seeks enlightenment consciously in the world, unlike a rudderless ship."

“A Bodhisattva is one who is moved by all sentient beings and liberates all sentient beings. There is no distinction between different kinds of beings. He can transform into various forms, such as those of animals with scales, fur, feathers, and insects…”

"Those who are uncertain have transcended the boundaries of living beings, sensing the energy of mountains and rivers, and the spirit of streams; with a single thought, they can transform mountains and seas..."

"Those without nature, all phenomena return to emptiness, transcend all realms, enter stillness and attain enlightenment..."

"........."

The color mentioned by Elder Jinchi.

It refers to wealth, power, entertainment, beauty, etc., and those who listen to it are ordinary people who are addicted to it.

The enlightened one does not regard wealth and power as nothing, but knows that these are only for the service of one's own consciousness, and will not indulge in wine, women, wealth and power.

Chen Jing had reached the realm of Solitary Enlightenment according to the five natures, and thus had some understanding. However, he dared not comment on the Bodhisattva realm and the realms beyond.

"The real world also has the concept of the five natures, but it differs from what Elder Jinchi said."

“The terms 'Sravaka,' 'Solitary Buddha,' and 'Bodhisattva' are divided into 'lower vehicle, middle vehicle,' and 'great vehicle,' and the derived meanings are extremely exaggerated, but it is normal for the purpose of spreading the teachings.”

"If we combine the five elements mentioned by Elder Jinchi with the realm of physiognomy."

"The state of Śrāvaka is the one I aspire to attain."

"Solitary enlightenment is a state that one must reach in cultivating the human form."

"Bodhisattva is the state that sentient beings need to reach through spiritual practice."

"It may not be the level that cultivators need to reach."

"Asexuality is a state that one must reach in the cultivation of immortality."

"........."

The monks below the platform listened with equal rapt attention.

Most of the monks at Jinshan Temple are not poor people who came to the mountain to make a living; they all come from relatively well-off families, just like Chiba.

They became monks to seek the Dharma, and upon hearing the wonderful teachings, they naturally listened attentively, resulting in excellent classroom discipline that did not require maintenance.

After Elder Jinchi finished explaining the wonders of the five natures, he noticed that the monks were either engrossed or scratching their heads, and a smug look involuntarily appeared in his heart.

He continued, “The nine consciousnesses are: eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, mind consciousness, manas consciousness, alaya consciousness, and amala consciousness.”

"Sight consciousness, hearing consciousness, smell consciousness, taste consciousness, and touch consciousness are the five senses, which are manifest consciousnesses. They are all innate. When the eyes see colors, they like beautiful ones and dislike ugly ones. When the ears hear sounds, they like pleasant sounds and dislike harsh sounds..."

"The sixth consciousness: consciousness, is the first awareness, and should not be moved by likes or dislikes, but should be clearly aware of itself..."

"The seventh consciousness: Manas, is the second consciousness of awareness..."

"The eighth consciousness: Alaya consciousness, is the third consciousness of enlightenment..."

"The ninth consciousness: Amala consciousness, which is the fourth consciousness of enlightenment..."

"…………" The five aspects correspond to the levels of cognition and thought.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a state of spiritual cultivation, as it can be applied to all methods of spiritual practice.

The Nine Consciousnesses, like the Method of Form, are both methods of cultivation; however, one cultivates form, and the other cultivates consciousness.

The method of cultivating consciousness is not only like the innate entry point of physiognomy, but also allows any normal person to start directly from the fifth realm. Of the four realms that follow, only the sixth consciousness is relatively easy to cultivate. As you can tell from the awkward names of the subsequent three realms, they are at least as difficult to cultivate as the third level.

There is also the concept of eight consciousnesses, while the ninth consciousness is like the realm of the immortal, which cannot be described in a concrete form and belongs to a state that non-humans can reach.

"........."

Elder Jinchi spoke for an hour before concluding his sermon.

With a pair of cloudy eyes, he scanned the crowd: "If you have any doubts, please feel free to ask. The path to enlightenment is arduous, and this old monk will do his best to answer your questions."

Some monks scratched their heads, while others lowered their eyes and bowed their heads. Asking questions requires skill, and it's easy to reveal one's ignorance if one is not careful.

Chen Jing disregarded all that, rose, performed a Buddhist salute, and asked, "May I ask Elder Jinchi, how should one cultivate the wondrous realm of the Five Natures and Nine Consciousnesses?"

Elder Jinchi remained calm and said indifferently, "Naturally, it is meditation. Everyone has Buddha-nature. As long as you enter a meditative state and delve into the depths of your Buddha-nature, you can reach the wondrous realm of the five natures and nine consciousnesses."

“You little novice monk, although it is good to be eager to learn, you have been too negligent in reciting scriptures and chanting Buddha’s name. Tell your master to have him copy the scriptures more often in the future.”

Chen Jing: "…………"

They talked about the realm of enlightenment, and how wonderful it is to reach that realm, for a full hour—enough to fill several scriptures!

When asked how to cultivate oneself, the answer is always the same vague and unclear question.
Set out the tableware and chopsticks, explain the dining etiquette, and describe how delicious the food is.

But if you don't grow rice, chop firewood, thresh grain, or light fires, how can you possibly eat a big hammer?
The Buddha didn't have children, so where did you inherit your Buddha-nature from?
What is the essential difference between this and unlocking the genetic lock to initiate life evolution, breathing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, refining qi, building a foundation, etc.?
However, the first two are easily exposed. Unlocking the genetic code requires some superpowers, and breathing in spiritual energy requires some magical power, right?

However, the cultivation of mind and consciousness can only be known by oneself; it is not so easy to falsify, and may even be impossible to falsify.

Chen Jing knew that Elder Jinchi was just a figurehead, so he controlled his emotions and performed a Buddhist salute: "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Jinchi. It is because this disciple is not skilled enough."

His temper improved after he began cultivating immortality.

If someone in the real world were to spread this kind of magic, that would be a good example.

Chen Jing had already spat on Elder Jinchi's face.

It's one thing for a fake monk to swindle money from incense offerings, but to deceive people with false teachings is to let them waste their lives.

In a way, substituting the fake for the genuine can be considered a great act of merit.

"........."

"Elder Jinchi's description of the Five Natures and Nine Consciousnesses and their realms is basically correct, but he himself is not a cultivator. I just don't know whose words he picked up?"

"And this set of Buddhist theories cannot be disproven. It is a mix of truth and falsehood, which is extremely convenient for spreading the teachings. Unlike physiognomy, which requires killing a monkey to gain fame, even those who fabricate it possess great wisdom!"

Chen Jing was inexplicably criticized, but the Five Elements and Nine Consciousnesses are also considered knowledge of cultivation. Who knows how much money the cultivation forum would sell them for? This lecture was not entirely without its benefits.

After leaving the scripture hall of Jinshan Temple, we headed towards a nearby peak.

However, he did not notice the unusual meaning in Qingdeng's eyes when he looked at him.

Unlike the Buddha statues on the main peak of Jinshan Temple, which are painted with gold and the beams and pillars are dyed vermilion, Jialan Temple is dilapidated and looks like a wild temple in the mountains.

Chen Jing stepped across the threshold and into the gate. On the altar stood a solitary Buddha statue, holding a nine-ringed staff, with a round face and kind eyes. His face was weathered and worn, and he was dressed as a wandering monk wearing a bamboo hat. This was the Mahayana Buddha statue worshipped by the Yogacara school, which was none other than Tang Sanzang.

The monk Faji sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, his back to the gate, and asked without turning his head, "Did you go to listen to Jinchi's sermon?"

(End of this chapter)