Journey to the West: Man in heaven, working nine to five

#2295 - Bowing to the Buddha? What a joke!

Tang Sanzang put on an appearance of extreme kindness and friendliness towards Kou the Benevolent, even reciting a Buddhist prayer.

"Amitabha, Benefactor Kou, you are too kind. Please lead the way, and my disciples will follow."

Sun Wukong and the other two immediately agreed and followed behind Tang Sanzang.

Kou the Benevolent led the way, and this time, he was extremely particular about the pomp and circumstance.

He brought dozens of servants from the Kou mansion, making a grand and noisy procession with gongs and drums towards the square where the Merit Dharma Assembly was to be held.

When they arrived at the square, it was already packed with over a hundred thousand people from Diling County.

A hundred thousand people gathered together, forming layer upon layer, a sea of people stretching as far as the eye could see.

"Hearing that the Venerable Tang Sanzang is personally presiding over the Merit Dharma Assembly, the people of Diling County are incredibly enthusiastic. The entire county has gathered here to listen to the Venerable Tang Sanzang's Buddhist chants, hoping to experience the Dharma and receive its cleansing.

My people are so enthusiastic, I hope the Venerable Tang Sanzang will do his best to pray for blessings for the people of Diling County, and also fulfill my wish."

Kou the Benevolent spoke in this way, seemingly flattering Tang Sanzang, but actually with a deeper meaning.

He was showing Tang Sanzang and his disciples his influence and authority in Diling County, that he could command a hundred thousand people with a single word.

This was clearly a veiled threat, so that even if Tang Sanzang and his group sensed something amiss, they would not dare to act rashly and would have to compromise with him.

Although Tang Sanzang had been temporarily fooled by Kou the Benevolent's hypocrisy, he immediately understood the deeper meaning of these words.

"Benefactor Kou is highly respected, giving alms to the people and accumulating merit through good deeds. That is why he has such influence, which has little to do with this humble monk and my disciples.

If he were an evil person, bringing disaster to the area, how could the people obey him? He would surely be scorned by all and die without a burial place."

Tang Sanzang's answer was naturally a double entendre, but Kou the Benevolent did not understand it.

This was because the previous schemes and plots were not due to Kou the Benevolent's cleverness, but because he had Guanyin behind him offering advice.

Although this Merit Dharma Assembly was extremely large in scale, its procedures were relatively simple. After all, it was a Dharma Assembly, and even if they tried to make it fancy, it would still follow those procedures.

The arrangement for the Dharma Assembly was to first have Kou the Benevolent go on stage to give a speech, which Kou the Benevolent was naturally very enthusiastic about.

"Fellow elders of Diling County, recently a High Monk from the Tang Dynasty passed through my Diling County. Kou was fortunate enough to receive him, fulfilling his wish to provide a vegetarian feast for ten thousand monks.

The High Monk from the Tang Dynasty is willing to assist Kou in holding this Merit Dharma Assembly, firstly to show our sincerity in revering the Buddha, secondly to pray for blessings and eliminate disasters for Diling County, to protect the people of Diling County and ensure they have enough food and clothing, and thirdly to give Kou's act of providing a vegetarian feast for ten thousand monks a satisfactory conclusion.

… … ."

Kou the Benevolent spoke eloquently, not because of his good speaking skills, but because he had prepared a speech long ago, which may even have been written by Guanyin.

"Now, let us invite the High Monk from the Tang Dynasty to the stage to chant sutras, so that our people can also receive the cleansing of the Buddhist Dharma."

As Kou the Benevolent spoke, he invited Tang Sanzang and his disciples to the stage.

After Tang Sanzang and his disciples stood on the stage, the people below immediately cheered, appearing extremely enthusiastic about Tang Sanzang and his group.

The people in the crowd immediately cheered and shouted.

"Please, High Monk from the Tang Dynasty, chant sutras and pray for blessings, to eliminate disasters and remove misfortune for Diling County."

"Since the High Monk from the Tang Dynasty is a person traveling to the West, he must be a devout believer of the Buddha."

"We, the people, are willing to accept the salvation of the Buddhist Dharma and break free from the shackles of suffering."

Hearing the people shout like this, Tang Sanzang and his group couldn't help but frown. It seemed that Diling County was a nest of Western Heaven believers, and the people here seemed to have a very good impression of Western Heaven.

Of course, in the eyes of Tang Sanzang and his group, this was most likely due to Kou the Benevolent, who used the guise of providing vegetarian feasts for monks and giving alms to deceive the ignorant people.

"Master, why not agree to him for now, and we will act according to the circumstances."

"Yes, the people's reaction shows that they have been deeply deceived by this Kou the Benevolent. We need to find an opportunity to succeed in one fell swoop."

"Master, don't be too hasty, let's chant sutras first."

Sun Wukong and the other two whispered to Tang Sanzang, reminding him.

"Very well."

Tang Sanzang nodded and, following Kou the Benevolent's guidance, came before the golden statue of the Buddha. He first lit three sticks of incense, and then prepared to sit on the futon to chant sutras.

Sun Wukong and the other two followed behind Tang Sanzang, preparing to sit down and chant sutras with Tang Sanzang.

But at this moment, Kou the Benevolent seemed to have a strong opinion and spoke up.

"Venerable Tang Sanzang, in my opinion, this Merit Dharma Assembly, with the sacred image of the golden statue of the Buddha and the testimony of my hundred thousand people of Diling County, is truly grand in scale and extremely sincere.

Therefore, in order to show our sincere reverence for the Buddha, Venerable Tang Sanzang should also treat it seriously and earnestly, and it is imperative that the chanting of sutras be sincere."

Hearing Kou the Benevolent say this, Tang Sanzang, who was already somewhat displeased, retorted and asked Kou the Benevolent.

"I don't know what you mean by sincerity?"

Kou the Benevolent smiled at Tang Sanzang and his group, pointing to the golden statue of the Buddha and saying.

"Facing the golden statue of the Buddha, feeling the magnificence and grandeur of the Buddhist Dharma, we should naturally prostrate ourselves on the ground and reverently worship.

Therefore, Venerable Tang Sanzang, you should prostrate yourselves three times and kowtow nine times to the golden statue of the Buddha, and then kneel and chant sutras. Only in this way is it reverent worship of the Buddha."

Hearing Kou the Benevolent say this, Tang Sanzang could no longer suppress the anger in his heart and was about to rebuke him.

But Sun Wukong and the others had already spoken first, because they were even more angry.

"What? Prostrate ourselves three times and kowtow nine times to the golden statue of the Buddha? What a joke!"

"And want us to kneel and chant scriptures? Dreaming!"

"Even if we arrive at the Great Thunderclap Temple in Western Heaven, the Buddha is not qualified to make us kneel and worship like this!"

Sun Wukong and the other two rebuked Kou the Benevolent.

"The Buddha himself said that all beings are equal. Since we are equal beings, why should people kowtow? Doesn't this mean that he is high above?"

The Buddhist Dharma says that everything is just an illusion. Why should people prostrate themselves and worship? Doesn't this kind of illusory red tape detract from the essence of the Buddhist Dharma?"

Tang Sanzang also said to Kou the Benevolent, but he was obviously more skilled than Sun Wukong and the others, using the Buddhist Dharma to refute him.

Faced with Tang Sanzang's words, Kou the Benevolent was just a mortal, and naturally did not know how to refute him.

However, in order to complete the task assigned by Western Heaven, he could not care about anything else at this time. If Tang Sanzang and his group did not kneel and worship, he would use force to compel them to bow their heads.

"Venerable Tang Sanzang, you are praying for blessings for my Diling County, fulfilling my Kou's vow, and expressing your sincerity to the Buddha of Western Heaven.

No matter what reasons you give, you must kneel and worship the Buddha and kneel and chant the scriptures today!"

Kou the Benevolent no longer pretended, revealing a fierce and domineering face.