Chapter 757: Difference between Buddha and Demon

Thus I have heard: Simply purify the original mind, enabling the six consciousnesses to emerge from the six sense organs, and within the six sense objects, to be without defilement or impurity, coming and going freely, unhindered in their function. This is Prajna Samadhi, self-liberation, observing the self, seeing the Tathagata; everything originates from the mind, free and unconstrained.

Therefore, teach these sentient beings to cultivate the Holy Dao, to depart from illusory thoughts. Once illusory thoughts are departed from, they will attain the Tathagata’s boundless wisdom, benefiting and bringing peace to all sentient beings. This is the tenth aspect of the Tathagata’s mind, which all Great Bodhisattvas should understand.

These are the original words of the Buddha.

Because the meaning of the four characters “Thus I have heard” refers to having heard it directly from the World Honored One Tathagata, it can only be used in this context. This is Sariputra clearly indicating to Li Qi that he heard these words in the presence of the Buddha.

The meaning of this sentence is that although ‘Above the heavens and below, only I am honored,’ in reality, everything originates from the mind, but this does not mean the mind is determined by everything. The so-called freedom of the ‘mind’ is limited.

And the boundary of the mind is the boundary of freedom, and the boundary of freedom is determined by wisdom.

The ‘Tathagata in the mind’ is not the sole subjective entity, but one’s own subjective entity.

In other words, my subjective entity is not a ‘celestial demon,’ but ‘myself.’

This is a very clear logic.

If truly everything is free, and the ‘mind,’ which is self-awareness, is the greatest, most extreme freedom, then… how was the celestial demon sealed?

Therefore, the celestial demon’s freedom, in reality, also requires the celestial demon to use wisdom to negotiate for it.

Even if it is the ‘sum of all reality,’ the ‘end of all dharmas,’ the celestial demon believes itself to be all things, and that everything is a part of him, yet the boundary of his freedom is still his own ‘wisdom.’

The celestial demon desired to pursue an absolutely free mind, to become a perfect being of everything, and so… the celestial demon achieved absolute unfreedom.

The seemingly free celestial demon, the seemingly ‘everything originates from the mind’ celestial demon, due to this point elucidated by the Buddha, led to the absolute distinction between Buddha and demon.

How turbid it is, how can one, by remaining still, gradually become clear? How can one, by remaining still, gradually give rise to life through movement? He who holds to this Dao does not desire to be full; only by not being full can he be concealed and not newly completed?

The meaning of this sentence is, Chaos is like turbid water; who can make the turbid still and gradually clear? And who can make the still move and gradually reveal life?

No one can.

The world is Chaos, everything will be in flux.

Therefore, the “Dao” will not be complacent. Precisely because the ‘Dao’ is never complacent, it can shed the old and embrace the new, maintain progress, and constantly innovate new realities.

This is freedom. A world driven by the ‘Dao,’ a world that changes like this, has the motivation for progress, because only by satisfying wisdom itself will one undertake various tasks and accomplish things that were once impossible.

Therefore, the Buddhist Heavens chose to teach sentient beings to learn to think, to learn to use wisdom to seek their original mind, and ultimately to gain wisdom and freedom.

The difference between Buddha and demon is precisely this; it is the definition of freedom.

The Buddha frankly acknowledged the boundaries of ‘freedom’ and the limitations of the ‘mind.’ The Buddha is not as greedy as the demon, and does not consider himself the ‘ultimate,’ not wanting everything, and thus gained freedom.

The demon expanded the ‘mind’ to the boundaries of everything, making the ‘mind’ the cause of all things, the foundation of all things, yet thereby bound his own mind to ‘all.’

Since the ‘mind’ is ‘all,’ then the ‘mind’ is also bound to ‘all,’ and beyond ‘all,’ there is nothing.

But the Buddha completely released the mind’s fetters. The Buddha’s freedom is the freedom attained by humans after enlightenment, reaching great wisdom and being liberated from all suffering.

This alone is enough to explain how the Buddha suppressed the celestial demon.

Yes, the Buddha is the demon.

Because… the Buddha is the mind, and the demon is also the mind. In this respect, they are identical.

But with the Buddha’s subtle point, the ‘Buddha mind’ and the ‘demon mind’ became distinct. The Buddha mind, which everyone possesses, and the demon mind, which is unique to all things, became separate.

The unity of Buddha and demon, it seems, is not so difficult to understand.

Those who are forever free from illusory thoughts and attachments will see the Tathagata, with vast wisdom, within themselves. This is called Buddha.

The demon is extreme illusory thought, extreme attachment—imagining his mind is all reality, clinging to achieving perfection beyond perfection. Only by abandoning such attachment, clarifying confusion, and emptying out anger and delusion, can one become a Buddha.

How can the boundless nature of Dharma be measured by the mind? How can the true nature, being formless, be expounded by words? Therefore, sentient beings are boundless and endless, and the ocean of Dharma is vast and limitless.

The celestial demon said, it is like seeking a reflection in a mirror; understanding the Dharma as unborn, transcending in a single thought, is not found in lengthy discussions.

This is Prajna Paramita, which means: the wisdom of the other shore, or ultimate wisdom.

The Buddhist Heavens have a true scripture, called the “Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra,” which must be like this.

Of course, the celestial demon certainly does not accept this conclusion, but as long as this conclusion makes sense, it can prove the difference between Buddha and demon.

After the Buddha’s insight and explanation, Li Qi suddenly felt… the celestial demon seemed to be subtly pitiable.

That’s why he couldn’t help but praise the Buddha.

Is this the Buddha’s wisdom?

Everything Sariputra explained was now completely understood by Li Qi.

Seeing this, Sariputra formed a hand Seal, and his Dharma appearance arose behind him. His Dharma appearance was not human-shaped, but a Bodhi Tree.

On the Bodhi Tree grew hundreds of millions of leaves. Blown by a gentle breeze, the wind rustled the branches and leaves, producing countless wondrous Dharma sounds. Their sound spread, clear, sorrowful, bright, subtle, and harmonious.

Looking at the leaves, there were hundreds of millions of Buddha lands. Each Buddha land chanted Karma, praising Sariputra.

Li Qi witnessed the Bodhi Tree, heard its sound, smelled its fragrance, and touched its light and shadow. Immediately, he felt his six senses clear, free from all afflictions, abiding in non-retrogression, and all suffering instantly vanished.

Seeing Li Qi’s relieved expression, Sariputra smiled faintly and then recited: “Benefactor, listen to my words. You must eradicate all unwholesome dharmas and achieve all wholesome dharmas. By the adornment of divine feet, always keep the body light and the mind joyful. By the adornment of the five roots, have deep and firm faith, diligent and tireless effort, always without delusion, tranquil and compliant. By eradicating all vexations, by the adornment of strength, all enemies are extinguished, none can destroy. By the adornment of the awakening factors, always awaken well to all dharmas. By the adornment of the Righteous Path, attain right wisdom always present.”

“The great ocean can still be measured, the deep abyss can still be plumbed. Sentient beings should seek the Dao with utmost sincerity, diligently without ceasing. They will surely achieve the fruit; what wish cannot be attained? You yourselves reflect, you yourselves will know, the Purification Method, you should embrace it yourselves.”

These words made Li Qi, who had already closed his eyes, open them again.

the Purification Method!

He knew that the method by which the Buddha suppressed the celestial demon in the Heavens of the Formless Realm was the Purification Method!

And now, what the other party said was the essence of the Purification Method.

Li Qi immediately sat down, listening intently to the true meaning of the Dao within it.

Because these words were merely ‘principles,’ and having known the principles, to acquire the method, one needed to observe the Dharma performance. This was also why Sariputra manifested his Dharma appearance.

Li Qi observed the Dharma appearance, and subtle magical techniques began to operate within it.

At the same time, these techniques began to form a Dharma field.

Sariputra put his hands together, and suddenly, many ghosts appeared before him.

There were vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts, all, without exception, having died violent deaths.

These ghosts had a Karma connection with Li Qi and Sariputra. In fact… they were killed by Li Qi.

When Li Qi acted against the celestial demon earlier, he directly and violently crushed a world in the cosmic belt, annihilating all living beings within that world.

Precisely because of this, most of these ghosts had ugly death appearances; some were swollen all over like steamed buns, some were disfigured by an unknown explosion, or had mutilated bodies, or were covered in blood. In any case, none of them had been properly laid to rest.

Now, these evil ghosts were summoned, and towering resentment surged forth.

Li Qi, however, seemed oblivious. After all, to him, the combined resentment of these evil ghosts could be extinguished in an instant. These evil ghosts couldn’t even approach him; the ‘Heavenly Principles’ flowing around him alone were enough to annihilate everything.

However, facing Sariputra, the many vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts showed no resentment or ferocity.

Because Sariputra sat there, behind him stood a Bodhi Tree made of seven treasures. The seven-jeweled flower leaves were all complete.

Coral, amber, and other seven treasures adorned it, and among the leaves grew many wondrous flowers. Each flower and leaf had a thousand colors, and their veins seemed to have a hundred kinds of paintings, like celestial garlands.

There were many wondrous flowers, of Jambudvipa gold color, like a spinning fire wheel, with great light. On the wondrous flowers, countless banners and precious canopies transformed, and within the flowers, fruits formed. The fruits were the Buddha lands of the ten directions, and all Buddhist deeds also appeared within them.

As Sariputra performed the Dharma, Lotus flowers appeared out of thin air in the sky, perfectly round with twelve petals. Heavenly flowers rained down, playing Dharma sounds. Their sounds were subtle, expounding the Paramitas of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and no-self.

These heavenly flowers were all golden, emitting subtle light. Each petal of the Lotus flower formed a small boat, with eighty-four thousand veins, like a celestial painting. Each vein had eighty-four thousand lights, clearly visible, allowing all to see them.

As the Lotus transformed, Bodhisattvas expounded wondrous Dharma, saving suffering sentient beings.

Countless ghosts sat on the boats, reverently gazing at the precious image. Their bodies also became Jambudvipa gold, and as they sat in the small boats and saw the image, their mental eyes opened, clearly and distinctly.

Countless small boats formed from heavenly flowers carried countless vengeful spirits, sailing towards the Buddhist Heavens.

That’s right, salvation is not Reincarnation, but direct ascension to the Heavens, becoming the ‘heavenly beings’ of the Buddhist Heavens, enjoying many blessings. However… after that, heavenly beings will also undergo Reincarnation. After the five signs of decay of heavenly beings, it depends on their Karma.

But it was already a great benefit. This was Sariputra’s compensation to them.

As for the price of them becoming heavenly beings without having perfected their Dharma, it was naturally borne by the one who saved them, namely Sariputra.

The ghosts raised their hands to their heads in reverence, riding the scattered heavenly flower boats, and were reborn into the Pure Land. They saw the Bodhi Tree continue to emit light, and as the flowers bloomed, the ghosts praised the Four Noble Truths, the three insights and six supernatural powers, and millions of vengeful spirits attained the eight liberations.

“We respectfully invite Namo Great Compassionate Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva for compassionate protection,” Sariputra said, forming a hand Seal.

Sariputra was salvaging the many evil spirits that arose from the Karma Li Qi created for himself.

However, for a Shaman, what is Karma?

When nature operates according to its own rules, there is simply no such thing as Karma. Life and death are merely a part of the natural operation, a strategy implemented by ‘perfect’ reality.

So, for a Shaman, killing any number of people doesn’t cause any feeling. Li Qi didn’t act simply because he didn’t like it.

If it were some ‘fond’ Shaman…

Then one can only say that Shamanes already have a bad reputation…

One must know that, in the eyes of many Dao paths, Shamanes are synonymous with the strange and terrifying. If Shamanes were all good people… how could such a stereotype exist?

Li Qi and Shen Shuibi, this couple, are both typically neither good nor evil. Whether saving people or killing them, they don’t bat an eye. Killing holds no pressure for them. Shen Shuibi also did not shy away from annihilating worlds during the Human-Shaman War.

Killing and saving people are the same to them, purely stemming from their own will, depending on whether they want to do it or need to do it.

But for Sariputra, it was not so.

He used the process of expounding the Dharma to Li Qi to simultaneously salvage the departed souls.

Li Qi also knew that this was being done for his benefit.

But he wasn’t going to pay attention.

Meaningless, pay attention to what? Those vengeful spirits? They were all salvaged anyway. He had no other choice at the time. Sariputra couldn’t possibly expect him to feel guilty, could he?

Li Qi’s life was without regret. Once he made up his mind, he would not regret it, and naturally, he would not feel guilty.

However, at this moment.

Both Li Qi and Sariputra suddenly looked up. Sariputra stopped chanting, and Li Qi respectfully stood up immediately.

Because they both saw that, with Sariputra’s salvation mantra, a Bhikkhu, holding a precious pearl in his left hand and a tin staff in his right, floated towards them, standing on a thousand-petaled green Lotus flower.

The other party should not be the true body, but a projected Dharma body, summoned by the incantation Sariputra had chanted earlier.

This image was simply too classic to be mistaken.

Both immediately retracted their hand Seals, clasped their hands together, and even Li Qi began to perform the Buddhist greeting, respectfully calling out in unison: “Welcome, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva…”

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

Li Qi saw this famous Bodhisattva and thought, this time I’ve truly had my eyes opened, to actually meet this great figure.

If Sariputra hadn’t personally chanted the Ksitigarbha Sutra, Li Qi didn’t know when he would have been able to meet him.

By calling the Buddha’s name, in every thought, the sins of eighty billion kalpas of Reincarnation are removed.

At the time of death, a golden Lotus flower, like the sun, appears before that person.

Upon hearing what the Buddha said, one immediately sees the appearance of the Pure Land.

With such utmost sincerity, let the sound be continuous, complete ten recitations, calling upon the Great Compassionate Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

This one before them was the legendary Ksitigarbha, a top-tier existence among the First Grade, a Great Bodhisattva, capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the Buddha, just one step away from the ‘Buddha’s’ fruit position.

It’s just that this step could never be crossed, and he could never become a Buddha.

Because everyone knows that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva once made a great vow: “As long as Hell is not empty, I vow not to attain Buddhahood.”

This great vow established his Bodhisattva fruit position, but it prevented him from continuing to become a Buddha. Unless he emptied Hell, he could absolutely not attain the final fruit position.

A grand vow actually has no binding force. What truly binds Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is his Dao Heart.

To empty Hell, this is the direction of his Dao Heart. A grand vow actually brings no power, nor does it bring restraint. If you deny the grand vow within your Dao Heart, then nothing will happen.

Perhaps this could also be considered a kind of obsession… or rather, a kind of demonic thoughts.

Only by seeing through this last obsession, or fulfilling this grand vow, will the last brick of his First Grade path be completed.

Li Qi looked at Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. He had long heard of his experiences and had thought of visiting him several times.

Nothing else, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is truly capable of achieving First Grade at any time. He could become a Buddha on the spot with just a single thought.

But his Dao Heart constrained him, preventing him from raising that thought.

What kind of wonderful Realm is this?