Journey to the West: Signing in for 500 Years-Chapter 460 - 454: Tathagata: I Wish to Go There [Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets]_1
Guanyin’s indignation knew no bounds. Sha Chen’s utter disrespect had deeply angered her and violated her dignity.
She shouted sternly, "Sha Chen, your bullying knows no end! Don’t think that this humble one truly cannot deal with you."
"I’m telling you the truth: my coming to resolve our enmity was your last chance. If you miss it, you will regret it endlessly when the time comes."
Sha Chen let out a cold laugh as his clay clone gradually disappeared.
Guanyin did not attack but proclaimed loudly, "The Calamity of the Journey to the West is imminent; you can’t escape it, nor can you withdraw from it."
"Even if you hide within the Flowing Sand River, you are still a part of it. Everything is ready except for your entry; the Calamity of the Journey to the West is an obstacle you cannot dodge."
"Today you reject me, but there may come a day when Tathagata Buddha himself will arrive, or even the two enlightened saints of Buddhism will come looking for you."
Sha Chen did not respond at all.
Guanyin called out a few more times, but still, there was no response from Sha Chen. She knew that he must be feigning death.
Despite her rage, she truly felt helpless.
The Flowing Sand River was impregnable; nothing could breach it. Even she could only sigh in frustration.
She had thought she might be able to trade with Sha Chen for some Innate Earth. Then, she could directly use it to cultivate the unenlightened willow trees. Moreover, she could have obtained a willow leaf from Sha Chen to increase her chances of successful cultivation.
But who would have thought that Sha Chen would be so unappreciative and actually refuse her offer.
The Goddess of Mercy became furious and turned away to leave.
「Half a day later.」
Guanyin returned to Lingjiu Mountain and arrived at Daxiong Hall.
Tathagata was expounding the Buddhist Law.
All the Buddhas were listening intently. Upon seeing the Goddess of Mercy enter, Tathagata gradually stopped speaking.
He then asked, "Guanyin Bodhisattva, how was your trip to the Flowing Sand River?"
Guanyin replied, "Sha Chen is arrogant and haughty, refusing to be disciplined. This humble one is at her wit’s end with him."
The assembly of Buddhas became angry at once.
Kassapa said, "Sha Chen is indeed arrogant. When I approached him before, he actually dared to ignore me, showing complete disrespect for our Buddha."
Ananda also said, "Sha Chen’s power has indeed increased rapidly, but he has become even more disdainful. I feel that this child cannot be allowed to continue like this. At the very least, we must expedite his subjugation; otherwise, it will become difficult."
All the Buddhas nodded in agreement.
They all knew that to make Sha Chen join the Calamity of the Journey to the West, they had to subjugate him while he was still weak.
Should Sha Chen become powerful enough, any attempt to deal with him then would be in vain.
A truly powerful individual is very difficult to subdue.
Only by making them submit when they are weak can an indelible mark be left on their vulnerable psyche. Only then can they be truly subdued. Otherwise, they will only comply outwardly but not inwardly, and will inevitably rebel sooner or later.
Moreover, powerful individuals possess their own ability to discern right from wrong. Once they are set in their ways, changing their state of cultivation or converting to another path becomes incredibly difficult.
Even Tathagata Buddha, who was once a Daoist practitioner, had to recultivate the Buddhist Law under the Bodhi Tree before he could attain enlightenment as a Buddha.
The same was true for the Goddess of Mercy and Ran Deng Buddha. They both faced grueling challenges to abandon their former Dao Techniques and, with utmost determination, achieved their current greatness.
That was their voluntary choice; if they had been coerced, the process would have been even slower.
They wished for a powerful individual to join willingly, heart and soul, and contribute to the prosperity of Buddhism, not one who might rebel at any moment, for that would be like negotiating with a tiger for its hide.
The Buddhas were furious with Sha Chen’s attitude, all seething with rage, wishing they could go to the Flowing Sand River immediately and flay him alive.
Maitreya Buddha said, "Buddha, Sha Chen is indeed despicable. Why not have the Buddha himself take action, destroy the Flowing Sand River, and capture Sha Chen?"
Upon hearing this, many Buddhas deeply agreed.
They all asked Tathagata Buddha to take action. However, some knew that Maitreya Buddha was deliberately throwing this difficult problem to Tathagata. As supporters of Tathagata, they opposed it.
After all, even Zhenyuanzi couldn’t breach the Flowing Sand River. Although they believed Tathagata was more formidable than Zhenyuanzi, it was not certain that he could destroy the Flowing Sand River.
If he couldn’t destroy it, Tathagata would undoubtedly lose face and become a laughingstock to the world. Moreover, Sha Chen would surely become even more rampant and show even less regard for Buddhism, losing all reverence.
Currently, Sha Chen still maintained a trace of reverence for Buddhism precisely because of Tathagata’s might and the formidable power of the Buddhas.
Everyone knew that a clenched fist, not thrown, always possessed the greatest deterrent power. A fist that has been thrown can never match the deterrent power of one held back.
Tathagata was their clenched fist, yet unthrown. If it were thrown and failed to break the Flowing Sand River Cave, then Tathagata would have no deterrent power over Sha Chen in the future.
When Maitreya Buddha proposed that Tathagata take action, his followers, along with some neutral parties, all deeply concurred.
But most of Tathagata’s followers felt it was absolutely unacceptable. They did not wish for Tathagata to risk his reputation.
However, there were also some followers of Tathagata who believed it was a great opportunity. Should Tathagata manage to destroy the Flowing Sand River Cave, his status on Lingjiu Mountain would be unshakable thereafter. No matter how Maitreya Buddha and others might try, they could not shake Tathagata’s position.
Kassapa and Ananda exchanged glances. They had considered numerous possibilities and weighed all the pros and cons. They were also somewhat indecisive and uncertain, making them even more hesitant to make a decision.
Tathagata silently watched the Buddhas arguing. After a long while, he said, "Silence."
Only then did the Buddhas stop and turn to Tathagata, knowing he was about to make a decision.
But Tathagata looked toward Ran Deng Buddha and asked, "Ran Deng Buddha, you have been to the Flowing Sand River before. Do you know the situation there?"
Ran Deng Buddha had always been rather quiet and was being very low-profile this time as well, yet he was unexpectedly called upon by Tathagata.
He stepped forward and said, "This old monk feels that the Flowing Sand River is indestructible and should not be rashly approached."
Maitreya Buddha and the followers of Ran Deng Buddha were somewhat dumbfounded. They hadn’t expected Ran Deng Buddha to oppose Tathagata’s intervention!?
Maitreya Buddha, in particular, was almost taken aback. He had thought Ran Deng Buddha would be the first to support it; to be met with refusal was unreasonable.
Then, he fell silent.
Ran Deng Buddha continued, "The Buddha is of supreme importance, residing high in the sacred hall, and should not casually set foot in a place like the Flowing Sand River."
"When this old monk went there previously, the Flowing Sand River was still vulnerable; even I, using all my strength, could have breached it. But now, the Flowing Sand River has become overwhelmingly formidable. Even Zhenyuanzi cannot overcome it. Though the Buddha is stronger than Zhenyuanzi, he should not take such a risk lightly."
The assembly nodded in agreement.
Maitreya Buddha’s frown deepened. He truly couldn’t understand why Ran Deng Buddha would speak in Tathagata’s interest.
The Goddess of Mercy was also taken aback. She had originally come from the Chan Sect, like Ran Deng Buddha, but had been the earliest to follow Tathagata, so she wasn’t particularly close with Ran Deng Buddha. Yet unexpectedly, Ran Deng Buddha’s words today were clearly considerate of Tathagata’s position.
She looked again at Tathagata, who wore a slight smile, and knew there must be an untold secret behind this.
Tathagata nodded and said, "What Ran Deng Buddha has said is reasonable. However, although the Flowing Sand River is extremely perilous, for the sake of all sentient beings in the world, I am willing to go."
