Traveling through time and space.

Chapter 35: The Sublimation of the Solitary Enlightenment Stage - "The Solitary Enlightenment Stage Arises, the Bodhisattva's Aspirations Expand"

In Lingxu Mountain, a peaceful place blessed by the Buddha's light, Amin did not stop after experiencing the fusion and exploration with the wisdom of the solitary awakened land. Instead, he immersed himself in how to further sublimate the wisdom of the solitary awakened land and make it bloom more brilliantly in the practice of the Bodhisattva Path.

Time flows slowly, and the days in the mountains remain peaceful and orderly, with the morning bell and evening drum. In between his daily meditation and sutra recitation, Ah Ming carefully ponders how to further integrate the wisdom of the Pratyekabuddha with the practice of the Bodhisattva Path. He understands that the key to Bodhisattva practice lies in providing practical assistance to sentient beings in times of suffering. The profound insight of the Pratyekabuddha, when combined with this, will yield an even more powerful force, not only elevating his own spiritual attainments but also allowing the light of the Dharma to shine in the hearts of even more people.

One day, news arrived from beyond the mountains that a town had been ravaged by plague. The once bustling and bustling place was now shrouded in a haze of fear and despair. A deathly silence permeated the streets, and every household remained shut up, fearful of the dangers. Those who were ill struggled with pain, while those who were not were filled with dread, fearing the unseen disease would strike at any moment.

Upon hearing this news, Ah Ming's heart was instantly filled with boundless compassion. Without hesitation, he decided to lead several fellow initiates to that town, hoping to bring hope and salvation to the people there through his insights gained from his elevated wisdom.

When Amin and his group reached the edge of town, they were immediately struck by an oppressive atmosphere. The air seemed to smell like disease, and painful groans and desperate cries echoed from all around. Amin took a deep breath, calming his mind. He knew that he must rely on his own profound insights to quickly find a solution to this chaotic situation.

Amin first wandered the town's streets and alleys alone, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's, taking in every detail. He observed the symptoms of the sick, the distribution of outbreaks, people's living habits, and environmental hygiene. In this process, he not only observed with his eyes but also felt with his heart, seeking to discern the truth hidden behind all these appearances. With his heightened insight, he seemed to discern the invisible veins of disease spreading through the town, as if catching a faint flicker of light in the darkness.

At the same time, Amin keenly sensed the root cause of the panic. Fear spread like a plague through people, robbing them of both reason and hope. Some families, to protect themselves, even refused to see their sick relatives. Family bonds became so fragile at this moment. Seeing this, Amin was filled with heartache, but he understood that the most important thing at this moment was to stabilize people's hearts.

Ah Ming quickly returned to the temporary shelter to discuss countermeasures with his fellow practitioners. He said, "Brothers and sisters, this plague is coming with all its force, but we must not panic. With my solitary awareness, I have located the source of the disease; it's likely the sewage river east of town. But even more critical is people's hearts. Fear is pervasive among the people. If we don't calm them down first, even if we find the source, it will be difficult to effectively provide relief."

The fellow practitioners nodded in agreement. Then, Ah Ming began his work. He led fellow practitioners in cleaning up the sewage river, improving sanitation and preventing the spread of disease at its source. He also visited every household, comforting the sick and frightened with the compassion of a Bodhisattva.

Wherever he went, Ah Ming would first gently hold someone's hand, gaze into their eyes with a gentle yet firm gaze, conveying boundless compassion and strength. He told the sick, "Don't be afraid. Although illness is painful, it is also an opportunity to practice. As long as we have hope in our hearts, the Dharma will protect us and help us overcome this difficult time." To those who had shut themselves in their homes out of fear, he patiently counseled, "Everyone, in this difficult time, we must support each other. Shutting out our loved ones will only multiply the suffering. Let us face this together, trusting that the compassion and wisdom of the Dharma will resolve this disaster."

While rescuing people, Amin encountered an elderly woman. Her son and daughter-in-law had contracted the plague and were dying, and she herself was faltering from overwork and worry. Seeing Amin, the elderly woman felt as if she had found a lifeline. She tumbled to her knees, sobbing and begging him to save her family. Amin hurriedly helped the elderly woman up, his heart aching. He knew that words of comfort were not enough; concrete action was necessary.

Amin applied his medical knowledge, combined with his unique insights into nature and life, to prepare herbal remedies for the elderly woman's family and provided them with meticulous care. Under his meticulous care, the elderly woman's son and daughter-in-law gradually began to recover. The elderly woman, overcome with gratitude, took Amin's hand and said, "Master, you are truly a living Bodhisattva! If it weren't for you, our family would be doomed." Amin smiled and replied, "Old donor, this is all the compassion of the Buddha's teachings. We are merely transmitters."

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Amin and his team, the town's epidemic was gradually brought under control. The sick's condition improved, and the people's fear slowly dissipated. The town gradually regained its former vitality, and the streets and alleys were once again filled with laughter and joy.

After the rescue operation, Amin returned to Lingxu Mountain. He knew that this experience was not only a successful rescue, but also a practical verification of the sublimation and integration of the wisdom of the Bodhisattva path.

Amin decided to share his experience with other Bodhisattva practitioners, hoping to jointly explore how to make this integrated practice work in more regions and more situations, and open up new ideas for the spread of Buddhism.

In his mountain meditation room, Ah Ming gathered his fellow practitioners. He sat before them, his expression solemn yet tinged with relief. He slowly began, "Fellow practitioners, this relief effort for the plague-ravaged town has given me a deeper understanding of the integration of the wisdom of the Pratyekabuddha and the practice of the Bodhisattva Path. In the face of such a severe disaster, the Pratyekabuddha's profound insight enabled me to quickly identify the source of the illness and the root of the people's panic, while the Bodhisattva's compassion compelled me to take action to comfort and aid everyone in need."

A fellow practitioner asked, "Brother A-Ming, how do you think we can better integrate the wisdom of solitary enlightenment with the practice of the bodhisattva path in this situation?" After a moment of reflection, A-Ming replied, "This requires continuous practice and experience in our daily practice. For example, during meditation, we should not only visualize the bodhisattva's compassionate vows, but also try to apply the solitary enlightenment's insight to examine every thought within ourselves to see if they align with the true meaning of the Dharma. When faced with the suffering of sentient beings, we should first quickly perceive the situation with the solitary enlightenment method, then act with the bodhisattva's compassion. During this process, we should constantly reflect on whether our actions have truly achieved the goal of saving sentient beings and spreading the Dharma."

Another practitioner asked, "Brother, how can we promote this integrated practice to other regions and situations?" Ah Ming smiled and said, "That's exactly what we need to discuss together. We can start with small things around us, like trying this integrated approach when helping villagers in the mountains overcome their daily difficulties. Then, we can gradually summarize our experience and develop a model that can be replicated. At the same time, we can also communicate and collaborate with practitioners in other regions, sharing our experiences so that more people can understand and try this practice."

During this discussion, fellow practitioners expressed their own perspectives, some sharing their own experiences in similar situations, while others raised new questions and reflections. Ah Ming listened attentively to everyone's words, his heart filled with emotion. He knew that through this discussion, everyone had gained a deeper understanding of the integration of solitary wisdom and bodhisattva practice, which would lay a good foundation for spreading the Dharma in more regions and situations in the future.

In the days that followed, Ah Ming and his fellow initiates continued to explore the integration of the wisdom of solitary enlightenment with the bodhisattva path through practice and experience. With this devotion to the Dharma and compassion for all beings, they repeatedly practiced the bodhisattva's vows in different places and situations, allowing their solitary enlightenment to continuously elevate through the practice of the bodhisattva path, blossoming with ever-greater brilliance and bringing more light and hope to the world.