Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 37 The Three Vehicles (Upper, Middle, and Lower)

The New Year is just around the corner.

In the Jiang family's courtyard, the stove was burning brightly, the radishes were stewed until tender, and the tofu was fried until golden brown.

After the firecrackers went off, the family enjoyed a lively and joyful reunion dinner with hot soup and rice.

The festive atmosphere was still bubbling in the pot when Jiang Liang couldn't sit still any longer.

He would pester his older brother all day long, insisting on mastering that "flashy" stick technique.

Jiang Ming didn't hold back either, patiently and methodically countering each move.

While teaching, he had to dodge a blow from his little sister.

Jiang Xi broke off a thin stick from somewhere and imitated the movements perfectly, even making "whoosh whoosh whoosh" sounds as she did so.

The wind whistled beneath the stick, startling even the chickens, which scrambled onto the wall.

The three men circled around in the courtyard, their sticks flashing, chickens and dogs scattering – a scene straight out of the New Year celebrations.

As for Jiang Yi, he was also keeping busy.

Whenever I have free time, I always take out that book on sitting in oblivion, flip through a few pages, and use it as a pastime.

Strangely enough, this booklet is quite interesting. It doesn't seem to contain any profound philosophical principles, yet it's incredibly hypnotic.

After turning just two pages, my eyelids started to droop, my head started spinning, and before long I was slumped over.

I slept soundly after that, and when I woke up, my complexion was rosier and my mind was less restless.

Over time, Jiang Yi actually figured out some tricks of the trade.

At first, I could only manage two or three pages before my head started to wobble, but now I can barely make it to the fourth page, and even my brow has relaxed a lot.

His heart began to pound, and he wondered if this thing was actually not meant to be understood by people at all.

It's not about asking people to comprehend some profound and mysterious divine secrets, but rather about deliberately writing the words in a convoluted way and explaining the principles in a confusing manner.

It makes you feel numb and confused as you watch, until everything is a mess and turned into a jumbled mess.

When thoughts become chaotic, one feels empty.

When you empty your mind, your heart will be at peace.

The eldest son, Jiang Ming, saw all this, but it's unclear what he was thinking.

One day, he brought back several old scriptures from the private school and slammed them on the table.

It was as thick as a palm, the cover was so dry it was peeling and crumbled at the slightest touch, and there were a few scraps of ink from an unknown era tucked between the pages.

“Studying the classics together might help one grasp the essence of the theory of sitting in oblivion more quickly.”

Jiang Ming spoke casually, with an air of "teaching a man to fish".

Jiang Yi looked at the few "bricks" in front of him, his throat tightened, and he swallowed hard, as if to quench his courage.

But thinking of his son's good intentions, he finally steeled himself and, with trembling fingers, pulled out a book to read.

After flipping through just a few pages, the paper was covered with dense, tangled writing that made one's eyelids twitch and head throb.

But then Jiang Ming slowly added:
"This is just the beginning. If I find it useful, I'll go and bring back all of Master's hundreds of books as well."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi's hand trembled, and the pages of the book rustled, nearly hitting his own nose on the spot.

All the energy I had just mustered up was instantly wiped out.

With three or five books, you might be able to manage to cram them through if you grit your teeth.

If you were to pile hundreds of thick bricks into the room, you might not achieve "sexual cultivation" but instead develop "eye disease."

I have a large family to support, so I don't have that much free time to waste.

Silently, I gently closed the book, wiped the dust from my fingertips, and stopped thinking about it.

A few days later, the family's medicinal herbs were almost gone, so Jiang Yi carried the medicine basket and strolled over to Doctor Li's pharmacy. As soon as he stepped inside, he saw that Master Liu was already waiting for him.

An old medicine jar sat in front of him, with a prescription on the lid, the handwriting flamboyant and elegant.

The two exchanged greetings, bowed to each other, and exchanged a few pleasantries.

As soon as the conversation warmed up, Jiang Yi followed up by asking the question that had been bothering him for the past few days, albeit indirectly.

Master Liu stroked his beard, a slight smile playing on his lips, but his tone remained as gentle as tea:
"Brother Jiang's insights are quite good."

He put the prescription aside as he spoke, his tone softening:
"This theory of sitting in oblivion is not some proper, timeless secret technique."

"To be precise, it doesn't even qualify as 'merit,' it's just a minor technique that helps people calm their minds and spirits."

Seeing Jiang Yi's serious expression and the questioning look between his brows, he also became somewhat interested.

He flicked his sleeve and slowly began to explain:
"The methods of cultivating one's nature can be divided into three levels: superior, middle, and inferior."

Master Liu spoke slowly, but his tone was gentle and soothing:

“The lowest level is this kind of sitting in oblivion theory, which is a minor path that does not seek deep understanding, but only talks about the two words ‘mind calmness’.”

As he spoke, he paused, and a meaningful glint appeared in his smile:

"The minor path is ultimately not mainstream. My mind is at peace, but I lack the confidence to take that crucial step of 'determination'... If I really want to move forward, I need to find a proper way."

Jiang Yi listened intently, but a subtle ripple was stirring within him.

"What about the Middle Way?"

Upon hearing this question, Master Liu's lips curled up, and his smile deepened.

"The middle level is the kind of family-inherited skill passed down from ancestors. It is not fancy or shortcut, but is honed stroke by stroke and honed by hammer and chisel."

"Though the progress is slow, it is steady. If one has the comprehension, over several decades, one can also cultivate the state of 'concentration of mind'."

At this point, he frowned, and his tone softened slightly:
"But if we want to take another step forward, to reach the realm of 'divine mind and spirit'..."

He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the yellowed Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic scroll on the wall of the pharmacy. His eyes deepened, and he sighed softly:

"Then it's not a path that can be traversed by innate talent or the ability to endure hardship alone. Insight, opportunity, favorable timing and location... none of these can be lacking."

Jiang Yi listened, completely absorbed in the conversation.

The path of "cultivating one's character" sounds simple and unassuming, but in reality, it is several times more arduous than strengthening one's muscles and bones or practicing martial arts.

At this point, Master Liu paused, flicked his sleeve, and said softly:

"That most superior method, in fact, is a return to simplicity."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, as if he were shaking a line of old words from a dusty old book.

"Neither shun the world nor detach oneself from it. One must thoroughly study all the scriptures and classics circulating in this world, whether Confucian, Taoist, or Buddhist, and find a path to enlightenment from the vast sea of ​​books."

There was no hint of passion in his words; it sounded like he was just chatting casually.

"This method is the simplest. It doesn't involve practicing qi cultivation, meditation, or seclusion in temples. It only teaches people to read, understand principles, clarify their minds, and see their true nature."

As he spoke, he suddenly chuckled softly, his tone slightly self-deprecating:
"However... this simple thing is the hardest to do."

"The combined classics of the three religions number far more than thousands of volumes. Just reading them through once would take three to five years, let alone truly understanding their principles."

"Even if there were someone with such great enlightenment and composure, who was determined to bury himself in books and not look up for a hundred years... he would probably not achieve enlightenment before his body decayed."

At this point, his gaze softened, but his expression remained calm, a half-smile playing on his lips.
"So, this path sounds the most enlightened, but in reality, it is the most ruthless."

"Not only do you need to have excellent comprehension and patience, but most importantly, you also need to meet a senior master who is well-versed in the three teachings and is willing to break down the principles and teach you step by step."

He lightly touched his temple with his finger, his tone unhurried:
"Only by doing it day after day for decades, without getting tired of it, can one perhaps... become half a son."

(End of this chapter)