Primordial Era: Reborn as a Qi Immortal, Steadily Cultivating

Chapter 48 Helping Oneself and Others
A gentle breeze blows outside the mountain gate.

The magnificent Buddhist chants and the ever-revolving Five Elements Daoist rhythms that were enough to shake the hearts of Golden Immortals have all vanished without a trace.

However, the aftershocks left by their debate on the laws of nature made the laws of this world more active.

Shi Ji, Ao Xuan, and the others stood at a distance, not daring to even breathe, only looking at the two figures sitting cross-legged on the blue stone with awe.

They knew that this seemingly peaceful sitting opposite each other was not what it seemed.

Its danger and mystery far surpass the earth-shattering battle of supernatural powers just now.

That was a true struggle for the Great Dao.

Faced with Maitreya's direct question about the heart of the Tao and the root of the Tao, he was met with a profound inquiry.

Ma Yuan did not answer directly.

His calm, still eyes looked at Maitreya and asked in return:
"May I ask you, fellow Daoist, before the Great God Pangu created the world, where was heaven and earth? Where did the Dao of Heaven exist?"

Maitreya pondered for a moment, then replied in a deep voice:
"In the chaos, the Great Dao was obscure, the Heavenly Dao was not yet revealed, Heaven and Earth were not yet separated, and all things returned to oneness."

"good."

Ma Yuan smiled slightly before slowly saying, "That's exactly right. Heaven and earth were created by Pangu, and the Great Dao evolved from Pangu. But where did Pangu's heart come from?"

He looked at Maitreya, his gaze becoming incredibly profound.

"The way of the Daoist is to follow the great trend of the world that has already been created, and to find a way to save all living beings and glorify the Western lineage within the established laws of the world."

This method can be described as going with the flow.

As soon as he finished speaking, he extended a finger and gently tapped his chest.

His expression became more solemn and resolute than ever before.

"But my path lies in seeking truth and tracing back to the source!"

"I do not seek to conform to the existing world, but rather to seek within myself, to recreate the earth, water, fire, and wind within this small space, and to recreate yin and yang and the five elements!"
What I seek is to transform this precious physical body into a true miniature chaos!

Upon hearing this, the smile in Maitreya's eyes vanished completely.

Look inward! Reenact chaos!
What an extraordinary and audacious ambition this is!
Ma Yuan's voice became increasingly firm and powerful.

"Fellow Daoist asks me where my roots lie?"

"My heart is the root of my path! My body is the source of my path!"

"When my little world is truly perfect and flawless, with the five elements unified, yin and yang in harmony, and earth, water, fire, and wind returning to chaos, it will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the vast and primordial world outside, and prove each other's worth!"

"When the great calamity ends and the world is turned upside down, what does it have to do with me? I will be my own world, eternally free!"

After saying this, Ma Yuan fell silent.

She simply looked calmly at Maitreya, waiting for his answer.

Maitreya, however, fell into a long silence.

In the primordial world, countless cultivators sought how to better adapt to and conform to the Way of Heaven, and how to steal a sliver of life from it.

But the person before me is doing the opposite, wanting to create a primordial world within himself!
After meditating for a long time, Maitreya finally exhaled a long breath and sincerely bowed to Ma Yuan once again.

“Fellow Daoist, your heart is close to the Dao. I admire you greatly.” Maitreya’s voice was utterly sincere.

He then changed the subject and spoke again.

"But have you ever considered that even if you cultivate your small world to perfection, it will ultimately only contain one person? In contrast, there are countless beings in this great primordial world."

A look of compassion and empathy appeared on Maitreya's face.

“I come from the West and have been traveling in the mortal world. I have seen all living beings struggling in the midst of killing, birth and death, with no way out.”

Fellow Daoist, you have created your own realm, observing the fire from across the river. Though you have gained great freedom and ease, you have also lost great compassion. Is this not also a kind of attachment?

Faced with Maitreya's question, which contained the profound truths of Buddhism.

Ma Yuan simply shook his head slowly.

"Fellow Daoist, you are mistaken."

“My way is not to be heartless, but to ‘save oneself first, then save others.’”

"If I myself am but a small boat that may capsize in the storm at any moment, how dare I boast that I can carry countless beings and ferry them out of the sea of ​​suffering?"

"Only by first making my own ship, which is indestructible and indestructible, can I overcome all obstacles."

If, at that time, this humble Taoist feels compelled, he may extend a helping hand, leaving a haven of peace amidst this sea of ​​suffering for those with affinity.

"Only by helping oneself can one help others. If one cannot stand on one's own feet, how can one help others?" "This is not heartlessness, but great compassion. This is not selfishness, but selflessness."

Ma Yuan's voice was firm and resonant, causing Mile to fall into deep thought once again.

"First save yourself... then save others..." He pondered these six words repeatedly.

His eyes were sometimes confused, sometimes clear.

The two stood outside Skull Mountain, on a blue stone, where there was no longer any supernatural combat, only the words of the Great Dao.

You say something, I say something.

Sometimes he quotes classical texts, and sometimes he explains his own insights.

From the Five Elements and Yin-Yang, we can discuss cause and effect, and karma.

From the myriad phenomena of the mortal world to the origin of the Great Dao.

This debate lasted for over eight hundred years.

Inside the mountain gate, Shi Ji, Ao Xuan, and the others were already completely engrossed in listening.

Although I cannot fully understand the mysteries involved, I feel that my own cultivation has been greatly improved in a subtle way.

Until one day in the 800th century.

Maitreya suddenly clapped his hands and laughed, his laughter filled with unprecedented joy and open-mindedness.

He stood up and performed a Buddhist salute to Ma Yuan.

"Hearing your words is better than cultivating for thousands of years. Your profound teachings have broadened my horizons and I have benefited immensely."

"However, if you wish to reopen the Lesser Chaos within yourself, it is tantamount to going against the Heavenly Dao. The perseverance, opportunities, and mental strength required are beyond the imagination of ordinary people."

He paused, but his words carried a deeper meaning.

"I deeply admire your aspirations, fellow Daoist, but there are countless paths to the other shore."

In the future, if you, fellow Daoist, feel that you are struggling alone on this path, or encounter an insurmountable bottleneck, you may wish to come and take a look at my Western Paradise.”

"My Western teachings, though not seeking to restore chaos within ourselves, have a great vow to universally save all sentient beings, and also have supreme and wonderful methods to enlighten the mind and see one's true nature, and to attain great freedom and great purity."

At that time, perhaps we can discuss the Great Dao again and explore its profound mysteries together.

Upon hearing this, Ma Yuan simply smiled indifferently, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Seeing this, Maitreya did not try to persuade him further. He knew that the seed of these words had already been planted, and that was enough.

He took out three crystal-clear lotus seeds that radiated golden light of merit from his treasure bag.

"This is the lotus seed of the Golden Lotus of Merit nurtured in the Eight Treasures Merit Pool of the West. It contains a trace of innate merit and the energy of creation, which can cleanse the body and stabilize the primordial spirit."

"Today, I, a humble Taoist, will present this item as an apology for my previous unauthorized trespassing at your mountain gate. I hope you will not refuse."

After saying that, he gently placed the three lotus seeds in his hand.

The lotus seeds then transformed into three golden rays, landing steadily in front of Ma Yuan.

Ma Yuan did not refuse and accepted it with a flick of his sleeve.

He knew that if he hadn't been strong enough, the mountain gate would probably have been breached long ago.

He deserved the apology.

Maitreya bowed again, a carefree smile on his face: "Today's discussion has left me indebted to you, fellow Daoist. If you ever need anything in the future, I will do my best to help without hesitation."

"This humble Taoist priest takes his leave!"

Once he finished speaking, he didn't linger for a second.

With a flicker, he transformed into a golden light and vanished into the horizon.
Ma Yuan stared in the direction he had left, remaining silent for a long time, his expression calm.

This discussion was also a great gain for him.

Although the wondrous Western Dharma displayed by Maitreya is vastly different from his own path, it can serve as a source of inspiration for self-improvement. Through mutual understanding of profound principles and verification of subtle meanings, his Dharma can become more perfect and complete.

“The Western Religion…” he murmured to himself, a deep sense of dread flashing in his eyes, “Indeed, none of them are easy to deal with.”

If it weren't for my own solid cultivation and profound supernatural powers, I wouldn't be where I am today.

It seems that this smiling, plump Taoist priest will not be discussing Taoism, but rather directly converting people.

(End of this chapter)