Volume 3: A Long Journey, Chapter 339: Seeking Causality

Wukong asked in surprise, “What’s so remarkable about the Yin-Yang Divine Ape?”
Laozi replied, “I don’t know what’s so special about the Yin-Yang Divine Ape, but when all seven Divine Apes gather, they can create their own cycle of creation, which is extremely beneficial for cultivation—truly extremely beneficial!”
Wukong was stunned. Kunpeng had once said, “The essence of creation is divided into nine parts: Pangu got three, Kunpeng got two, and the seven Divine Apes got one.” Could it be that when the seven Divine Apes gather, that one-ninth of the essence of creation becomes complete?
Laozi added, “Although you haven’t found the Armless Divine Ape yet, with six out of seven gathered, the situation is almost settled. Finding the Armless Divine Ape is only a matter of time!”
Seeing Laozi’s urgency, Wukong slowly said, “The Armless Divine Ape has already been found. He only has a soul but no physical body; he’s currently cultivating in the Abyss of Nine Netherworlds.”
Laozi was shocked again, “If it’s already been found, why not gather them all right away?”
Wukong smiled and asked, “Why are you so eager to boost the power of the Divine Apes, Laozi?”
Laozi replied, “Ah! If the seven Divine Apes can regain their peak strength, with our help and that of Ran Deng, who could fear all the demons and monsters in the world? Only with this foundation can the whole world unite!”
Wukong exclaimed in amazement, “It’s that powerful?”
Laozi chuckled and said, “Back then, when the seven Divine Apes united, they could almost confront the entire world. Just think about how powerful they were.”
Although Wukong had heard from others that the seven Divine Apes were hunted down by all the immortals and demons in the world, hearing it from Laozi gave it a different meaning. How powerful could they be? More powerful than Dayu? Houyi? Even the Three Pure Ones? Wukong faintly felt that if what Laozi said was true, even the Primordial Lord might not be a match for the Divine Apes.
This temptation was hard to resist. If the seven Divine Apes gathered, their strength would soar. What should he choose?
Wukong calmed his thoughts and said, “I certainly appreciate your earnest concern, Laozi, but this is a major matter. How about we discuss it again later?”
Seeing Wukong’s indifferent expression, Laozi sighed and said, “The seven Divine Apes are scattered and hiding because of their weak strength. If you listen to me, I’m willing to combine the power of the Three Pure Ones to create a new world to protect you all!”
For some reason, Wukong always felt something was off. Didn’t the Three Pure Ones highly value following the way of nature? Why were they so anxious now? Creating another world was nothing short of fuelling chaos. If the quest for the scriptures stopped, the world would immediately fall into disorder. Buddha had planned everything carefully. It was easy to imagine that if Wukong and Tang Seng disappeared together, he would search everywhere to find them. Did Laozi really have no concerns at all?

Wukong said, “Lord Laozi, please forgive me. This isn’t just my concern; I must go back and discuss it with others first.”
Seeing that he couldn’t persuade Wukong, Lord Laozi said, “Very well. I’ve finally figured something out.”
Wukong asked, “What is it?”
“You and Fengtong are truly different, aren’t you?”
Wukong asked, “In what way?”
Lord Laozi replied, “Tang Seng is two or three thousand li away from Qitianling, yet Fengtong can sense him. You, who spend day and night with Tang Seng, can’t sense him at all. Isn’t that quite strange?”
Wukong said, “That’s not strange. Fengtong has already remembered past events, while I’m still unconscious.”
Lord Laozi said, “I naturally know you’re unconscious. Back when Fengtong was learning under the Great Heavenly Lord, he immediately remembered he was the Divine Ape Fengtong as soon as he reached the realm of the Taiyi Golden Immortal. You’ve now entered the Hunyuan realm, yet you remain confused.”
Wukong thought about it and agreed, “Perhaps ‘clarity of mind’ is just a name; I must be the stupidest one.”
Lord Laozi shook his head and said, “Clarity and chaos are just a thin line apart. I dare not speak rashly about their profound mysteries. The point is, you’re vastly different.”
Wukong was also confused. Was the ‘clarity of mind’ of the Divine Ape really related to chaos, or was it just a coincidence?
Lord Laozi said, “Guanyin led Tang Seng away from Qitianling because the Tathagata was worried that the Yin-Yang Divine Ape would be recognized by Fengtong and the others.”
Wukong nodded. “That’s exactly right!”
Lord Laozi added, “Then there’s an opportunity to take advantage of this.”
Wukong asked, “What opportunity?”
Lord Laozi said, “Guanyin Bodhisattva is truly a pitiful person!”
Wukong suddenly understood Lord Laozi’s intention. Although Guanyin had been with them from the beginning, she never knew that Tang Seng was the Yin-Yang Divine Ape. If she learned that the Tathagata had ordered her to kill the Creative Divine Ape, she would likely hate the Tathagata deeply! Lord Laozi’s plan was—Guanyin Bodhisattva could indeed turn against them.
Guanyin Bodhisattva held a high status in Buddhism and was one of the bodhisattvas the Tathagata trusted most. Though her position might prevent her from knowing many of the Tathagata’s hidden secrets, the Tathagata at least didn’t guard against her. If she could truly turn against the Tathagata, it would be a great advantage for future actions.
Wukong asked, “What exactly is Guanyin Bodhisattva’s background?”

Laojun said, “In Buddhism, many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have no clear origins, which is quite different from our Taoism. You must know that those in our Taoism, if they wish to attain the great path, must sit in meditation, practice hard, refine their energy, and search for the true path like searching for a needle in a vast ocean. Yet it’s often as difficult as finding a mud ox in the sea or snow falling into a furnace. The Taiyi Mysterious School is truly extremely profound; one must understand the principles of fate and destiny, as well as the interrelationships of cause and effect. Among thousands of people, only one can break free from the mundane world and become an immortal—a truly remarkable achievement.”

Wukong, aware of the difficulty of attaining enlightenment, asked, “What about Buddhism?”

Laojun replied, “I’ll only speak of what I know. Buddhism emerged tens of thousands of years later than Taoism, yet it can rival Taoism—surely because of some secret methods. People in the world all say they practice Buddhism, but they don’t realize that Buddhism relies not on practice but on enlightenment. And with this single word ‘enlightenment,’ there are countless shortcuts.”

Wukong asked, “What shortcuts?”

Laojun said, “One can achieve enlightenment by constantly reflecting in meditation, by studying scriptures, or even with guidance from others when nothing else works.”

Wukong countered, “Isn’t it the same in Taoism?”

Laojun replied, “It’s very different. In our sect, even if you achieve enlightenment and reach a certain state of mind, you still need to gradually cultivate your skills on your own. In Buddhism, as long as your words and actions touch upon the essence of emptiness, if someone approves of you, they can save you a lot of effort.”

Wukong exclaimed, “This seems somewhat similar to the secret methods used to train the Eight or Nine Golden Immortals!”

Laojun shook his head. “It’s not the same. The Eight or Nine Golden Immortals were truly created through the accumulation of treasures from the Peach Garden. Though it involves some shortcuts, it’s still understandable. In Buddhism, there’s a technique called ‘Enlightenment by the Nectar of Wisdom,’ which is much more efficient than eating peaches. That’s why Buddhism has so many skilled practitioners—many rely on this method. Thus, although Buddhism started late, it was able to catch up.”

After listening for a while, Wukong finally understood that what Laojun meant was that Buddhists could cultivate much faster than Taoists. Even though Buddhism emerged tens of thousands of years later, it could still rival the Heavenly Court. In terms of the strength of its core forces, it was no weaker than Taoism.

Naturally, Wukong asked, “Then who founded Buddhism? Was it the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng?”

Laojun nodded. “He says no, but in my opinion, it was him!”

Wukong asked, “How long have you known the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng?”

Laojun replied, “I only really interacted with him after Buddhism was established.”

Wukong added, “It’s truly admirable that the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng started from scratch and built such a great foundation!” His implication was that the Three Pure Ones were figures from the previous era, and even if Ran Deng was very old, he couldn’t surpass them. From this perspective, Ran Deng was far superior to the Three Pure Ones.

Laojun said, “That’s natural. Most of the bodhisattvas and Buddhas in Buddhism originated from the teachings of Ratnasambhava.”
Wukong asked, “Laojun once said that Ratnasambhava practiced both Buddhism and Taoism, but he never joined the Taoist sect. Where did he acquire his Taoist skills?”
Laojun replied, “Taoist teachings are spread throughout the world. It’s not surprising that he knows these things. You see, there are truly extremely intelligent people in the world—things that we can’t do, others might accomplish easily.”
Wukong felt that Ratnasambhava had an extraordinary background, but since Laojun both admired and trusted him, Wukong hesitated to say certain things. According to Laojun, Ratnasambhava had grasped the true essence from the superficial Taoist teachings spread across the world and then created Buddhism on his own… This seemed rather incredible.
Laojun said, “I’ve said a lot today. I don’t know if it’s useful or not. Here are these three peaches of immortality for you. Eat them soon—it’s certainly not a bad thing to have more strength to protect yourself!”
Wukong took the peaches, thinking to himself that the Three Pure Ones and Ratnasambhava were consistent in this regard—both aiming to improve their own cultivation. Meanwhile, the one who had spread rumors since ancient times and gone to great lengths to suppress the divine ape stood in opposition to the Three Pure Ones. At first glance, it was clear who the friends and enemies were, but Laojun’s urgent demeanor today made Wukong wonder—was it really a good thing for the divine ape’s cultivation to improve?
Seeing Wukong holding the jade box in silence, Laojun laughed and said, “Do you still need me to teach you how to eat them?”
Wukong replied, “Of course not. I’ve suddenly made up my mind. Please forgive me, Laojun.”
“What decision? Not eating the peaches?” Laojun asked.
Wukong quickly tucked the jade box into his bosom and said, “It’s not that. It’s better to postpone the gathering of the Seven Divine Apes for now.”
This time, Laojun didn’t argue anymore. “If you say so, then so be it. What can I do?”
Wukong said, “Laojun, think carefully. Why have I been traveling from the Five Elements Mountain to Qi Tian Ling with such trepidation all this time?”
Laojun pondered for a while and said, “I don’t know.”
Wukong replied, “I’ve already told you this before. It’s fine to say it again today. It’s to ‘not lose one’s true heart, and to help others not lose theirs’!”
Laojun asked, “What does that mean now?”
Wukong said, “Heaven and earth are indifferent—neither good nor evil. Fate plays tricks on people—neither a joke nor mockery. I am part of fate, and I can’t bear to see fate trampled upon by humans, even slightly. That’s my true heart.”
“Whether it’s humans or demons, immortals or Buddhas, towering trees or delicate grass—in my eyes, they are all part of fate. When the divine ape was first born, it was hunted by everyone in the world. The people weren’t evil, nor were those who started it. All evil stems from ignoring fate!”

“I can do this without losing my true nature. Now, I want to see what the true nature of those behind the scenes really is!”
“Back then, I established my base on Flower-Fruit Mountain, living a carefree life, but was attacked by both the Heavenly Court and the Western Heaven. Over trivial matters, hundreds of thousands of immortals and demons lost their lives. Whose fault is that? Although Qi Tian Ling gathered many demons, they did not engage in conflicts with the world. Yet, they somehow offended someone else. After several battles, disaster struck again. The common people of Benbo, Yueduo, and Gaochang could have enjoyed the pleasures of the mortal world, but with the descent of divine power, their entire nation was reduced to dust. Where is justice in this?”
“Laojun might think it’s because of our inferior strength, but while there are differences in cultivation levels in the world, there is no hierarchy in fate. All things are born in heaven and earth—how can there be distinctions of high or low, noble or humble? Yet the strong oppress the weak, and the weak suffer under oppression. If this is the way of heaven, then heaven and earth are heartless! I vow to use my own body as evidence and uncover the laws of cause and effect in this world!”
“The Kunpeng once said, ‘Before the weak, everyone has the power to life or death, but this power must not be abused casually, otherwise, retribution will surely follow!’ If retribution does not come, then what am I, if not retribution?”