Traveling through time and space.

Chapter 41: The Fifth Stage of Bodhisattvas - "It is difficult to overcome the disturbances of demons, and the mind is calm and cool"

Deep within the misty depths of Lingxu Mountain, Ah Ming, in the fourth stage of the Bodhisattva Realm, burned away his afflictions with his flaming wisdom. He diligently worked tirelessly to rebuild the temple, and now, he had entered the fifth stage. This place felt like a treacherous path filled with fog and traps, with demonic interference lurking at every turn, constantly testing his resolve and concentration.

Amin chose an ancient cave deep in the mountains as a place for further cultivation. The cave was so deep that it seemed to connect to another mysterious world. Tiny specks of phosphorescence flickered on the walls, and a cold, damp atmosphere permeated the air. Shortly after Amin entered the cave, the demonic realm quietly descended. First, a chilling, eerie wind howled past, carrying a faint, mournful cry that chilled his spine. Amin's heart trembled, but he quickly regained composure, realizing this was the beginning of the demonic realm.

Then, horrifying scenes unfolded before him. In the darkness, savage ghosts loomed, their eyes gleaming with a faint green light, and their mouths uttered chilling roars. Amin's body instinctively tensed, but his mind struggled to remain clear. He knew these were merely illusions conjured by the demonic realm, designed to shake his faith. Yet, despite this intellectual understanding, as the ghosts drew closer, a wave of fear inevitably welled up within him. This fear, like a cold, venomous snake, slowly crawled along his spine, trying to penetrate the depths of his heart.

Just as fear threatened to overwhelm him, Amin recalled his years of spiritual practice and his bodhisattva's mission. He took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, and began to sink into deep meditation. He focused his attention on his breathing, striving to calm his mind with each breath. As his meditation deepened, he began to use the power of concentration to contemplate the true nature of these terrifying visions. He silently pondered, "These ghosts appear real, but in reality, they are nothing. They are merely projections of my inner fears, illusions created by the demonic realm, exploiting the weaknesses of my subconscious mind."

Through his meditation, Amin seemed to see the ghostly forms begin to blur. Their roars grew fainter, like distant thunder. As Amin continued to contemplate, he saw that the root of these visions was his deep-seated fear of the unknown and his anxiety about the difficulties of his spiritual path. He understood that as long as he remained steadfast in his faith and refused to be deceived by these appearances, the demonic realm would be unable to truly harm him. Thus, he immersed himself more firmly in meditation, allowing the power of meditation to shine like a bright light, piercing the darkness of the demonic realm.

Gradually, the terrifying visions faded, and the ancient cave returned to its original silence. However, the demonic realm didn't relent. No sooner had the terrifying illusion been dispelled than a new, alluring vision appeared. Suddenly, before Ah Ming's eyes, a fairyland ablaze with blossoms appeared. Fairy music filled the air, and beautiful fairies danced gracefully among the blossoms. Their smiles were captivating, their eyes filled with allure, as they beckoned Ah Ming to join in the fun. A ripple of emotion stirred within Ah Ming, a natural yearning for beauty. But he quickly became alert, realizing this was another trap set by the demonic realm.

Ah Ming closed his eyes again, deepening his meditation. He considered these alluring illusions like bubbles, beautiful but illusory. He warned himself, "These pleasures are only fleeting temptations. If I indulge them, I will stray from the true path of the Bodhisattva. I cannot be swayed by present desires; I must remain steadfast to my original aspiration." Through his meditation, Ah Ming saw the figures of the fairies gradually distort, and the flowers in the fairyland began to wither. He clearly realized that the essence of these illusions was his own inner greed and desire. Only by completely abandoning these distracting thoughts could he truly defeat the demonic realm.

After a strenuous struggle, Amin finally succeeded in dispelling these alluring illusions, regaining inner peace and tranquility. He slowly opened his eyes, revealing the resolve and wisdom of someone who had endured hardships. This experience of spiritual practice in the ancient mountain cave had given him a profound understanding of the key to the fifth stage of Bodhisattva cultivation: in the face of demonic interference, only through unwavering faith and profound meditation can one maintain a calm and serene mind, unmoved.

After returning to the temple, Ah Ming gathered his fellow practitioners to share their experiences overcoming demonic realms. In the temple courtyard, the practitioners gathered together, their eyes filled with anticipation and awe. Ah Ming, seated in the center, slowly began, "Fellow practitioners, during the fifth stage of Bodhisattva cultivation, demonic realms are everywhere. They exploit our inner fears, doubts, delusions, and desires, transforming into various terrifying or alluring images in an attempt to dissuade us from our practice."

A young practitioner asked, "Brother A-Ming, when demonic realms appear, how can we immediately recognize them?" After a moment's reflection, A-Ming replied, "Brother, the key is to maintain inner vigilance. When we encounter unusually strong emotions during our practice, whether it's fear or joy, we must pause and examine our hearts. If these emotions don't align with the normal course of our practice, they could very well be interference from demonic realms. For example, sudden onset of extreme fear or uncontrollable desire could be the work of demonic realms."

Another practitioner then asked, "Brother, once we recognize a demonic realm, how should we respond?" Ah Ming smiled and said, "This requires us to utilize the power of tranquility. First, we must calm ourselves and, through meditation, deeply contemplate the true nature of these demonic realms. We must understand that they are illusory and unreal, manifestations of our inner thoughts. Just like when I encountered visions of ghosts and fairies in the ancient cave, through meditation I saw that behind them were my fear and greed. As long as we can maintain our faith, not be deceived by these illusions, and use tranquility to dissolve our inner thoughts, the demonic realms will naturally dissipate."

After listening to Ah Ming's sharing, the fellow practitioners fell into deep reflection. They realized that the path of spiritual practice is not always smooth, and that the interference from the demonic realm is a severe test of their practice. In the days that followed, the fellow practitioners followed Ah Ming's teachings, focusing more on cultivating inner vigilance and tranquility in their practice. They shared their experiences and discussed how to better cope with the interference from the demonic realm.

During a group practice, a fellow practitioner was suddenly disturbed by a demonic state and fell into deep fear. His body trembled, his face pale, as if he had seen a terrifying vision. Seeing this, the other practitioners did not panic. They gathered around the practitioner, chanting sutras and praying for him, while also guiding him to cultivate the power of meditation and reflect within. With their help, the practitioner gradually regained his composure and successfully overcame the demonic state.

Over time, the entire practice group's ability to cope with interference from demonic realms has significantly improved. Their practice and psychological resilience have greatly improved, and they are moving forward more resolutely on the path of the Bodhisattva Realm. Watching his fellow practitioners' growth and progress, Ah Ming feels filled with joy. He knows that they have taken a solid step forward in this challenging fifth stage of Bodhisattva practice, and that in the future, even more realms of practice await them to explore and conquer.