Traveling through time and space.

Chapter 69: Approaching the Ground of Remaining Dependence (Part 3) "Wisdom as Deep as the Ocean, Illuminating All Confusion"

In the tranquil Sutra Library of Lingxu Mountain Temple, time flows slowly as Master Amin, immersed in the profound ocean of Buddhist wisdom, tirelessly writes. Outside the window, the rustling of bamboo leaves seems to softly recite his writings.

On this day, a young scholar named Su Jin, filled with a burning desire to understand the profound meaning of Buddhism, hurried along the winding mountain road. Beads of sweat covered his forehead, but his eyes revealed a determined look as he entered the temple. Led by a young novice monk, Su Jin arrived at Master A Ming's meditation room.

Su Jin bowed respectfully and asked eagerly, "Master, I have long heard that the concepts of 'emptiness' and 'dependent origination' in Buddhism are like sacred peaks in the mist, difficult to grasp. I hope that Master can illuminate the path forward for me with the light of wisdom."

Master Amin raised his eyes, his gaze filled with compassion and tranquility. He smiled and gestured for Su Jin to sit down. "Su Jin, imagine the bright moon in the sky. Emptiness is like the moon itself: bright, constant, and immortal. And dependent origination is the myriad shadows cast by the moonlight on rivers, lakes, seas, mountains, and vegetation. The moonlight's shadows are infinitely shifting because of the flowing rivers, the rippling lakes, and the swaying vegetation. All things in the world are born from the combination of causes and conditions. When causes and conditions come together, they appear; when they disperse, they disappear. However, the emptiness behind them remains the same. Just like the candlelight in this temple, when the wick, wax, air, and other causes and conditions come together, a flame burns. When these causes and conditions are exhausted, the flame dies out, but the nature of the void that can generate fire never changes."

Su Jin listened intently, his eyes gradually brightening, like the sun breaking through the clouds at dawn. "Master, your analogy is like a revelation. I feel a sudden enlightenment within me. The wisdom of Buddhism is truly boundless." His heart was filled with admiration and gratitude for Master A Ming, as if, after groping in the darkness for so long, he had finally grasped a guiding light.

Master Amin watched Su Jin's realization and felt a wave of joy in his heart, deeply aware of the importance of passing on wisdom. From then on, Master Amin became increasingly focused on organizing his own insights. At his desk, he pondered day and night, meticulously untangling the wisdom of Buddhism like unraveling threads of silk, and compiled them into a series of Buddhist treatises.

As the treatises became volumes, the monks at the temple often gathered to read and discuss them. However, dissemination faced difficulties. Brother Huineng, who was in charge of temple affairs, approached Master Amin with a worried look on his face. "Master, if these treatises are to be widely disseminated, the paper and ink required will be very expensive. Furthermore, we will need to hire people to copy and bind them, not to mention the labor and material costs of sending them to other temples and distant believers. The temple's incense donations can support its daily needs, but this additional expense is truly burdensome for me."

Master Amin stood up and paced the meditation room, lost in thought. He knew this wasn't just a matter of financial expenditure, but also of the allocation of temple resources and the expectations of all parties. "Brother Huineng, this treatise is a treasure of wisdom, and we shouldn't abandon it because of difficulties. We could establish a merit book in the temple, explain the purpose to pilgrims, and raise funds. We could then select devout and intelligent disciples within the temple to copy and escort it. They would also be practicing merit by spreading the Dharma along the way."

Senior Brother Huineng frowned slightly and said worriedly, "Master, the pilgrims may not all understand and support us. If we don't raise enough money, what will we do if our disciples encounter storms or bandits while escorting us? These many uncertainties are truly unsettling."

Master Amin clasped his hands together, his gaze firm and penetrating, as if he could see through the current predicament and see the bright future of the spread of Buddhism. "Brother, the path of spiritual practice is inherently fraught with thorns, but the power of Buddhism can protect all good thoughts and deeds. We simply need to maintain righteous thoughts, do our best, and leave the rest to fate."

During this exchange and inner struggle, Master Amin clearly realized he was at a critical juncture in his practice, the "Stage of Remaining Dependence." His life and practice were closely intertwined, and every decision and response was like a solid step on the path of the seventeenth stage of cultivation and realization described in the Yogacarabhumi Sutra. He resolved conflicts with inner wisdom and compassion, steadily advancing toward higher realms of practice. He hoped to use his ever-more-perfect wisdom to enlighten more sentient beings wandering in the world's confusion, allowing the light of Buddhist wisdom to illuminate all.