Chapter 199
Chapter 199
“If I cannot face my true self, how can I cultivate? How can I find liberation? How can I deliver all living beings?!”
The faster Ghost Buddha repeated the words, the louder his voice became-and the more violently his body shook.
Chen Daji watched with growing concern. He edged in front of Deaf Granny and shielded the old woman behind him, not forgetting to warn Hu Fei’er.
“Little Sister, if Bald Brother goes crazy in a minute, take Granny and run. Big Brother, Grandmother, Eighth Master, and I will stay behind to deal with him!”
Eighth Master Chang jolted in fright and hurriedly rebuked him.
“You little bastard, why the hell are you pretending to be the boss? Stop assigning everyone jobs! Haven’t you heard that professional work should be left to professionals?”
As Eighth Master Chang complained, Ghost Buddha Faceless shook harder and harder. His kasaya rapidly shifted between blood-red and gray.
At the critical moment, Hua Jiunan silently recited the Celestial Master’s secret Spirit-Awakening Incantation and slammed a palm onto the crown of Ghost Buddha’s head.
“Bodhi is no tree, nor the bright mirror a stand. Originally there is not a single thing-where can dust alight?
“Master Ghost Buddha, awaken at once!”
The slap was so heavy that it made a crisp crack and left a distinct palm print atop Ghost Buddha’s head.
Even Eighth Master Chang winced at the sight. He shrank his neck and muttered softly, “My young master physician, couldn’t you be a little gentler? What if you make the ghost monk angry…?”
But what Eighth Master Chang feared did not happen.
Instead of flying into a rage and attacking, Ghost Buddha Faceless grew still.
The blood-red kasaya vanished from his body, replaced by a coarse gray monastic robe.
With a long sigh, Ghost Buddha slowly rose and turned to kneel before the weeping Buddha and Hua Jiunan.
He slowly removed the ugly bronze mask, revealing a handsome, deathly pale face.
“Namo Amitabha Buddha! This humble monk thanks you, benefactor, for awakening me!”
Hua Jiunan smiled and stepped sideways, accepting only half the bow.
“There is no need for such courtesy, Great Monk.”
Ghost Buddha Faceless slowly raised his head.
For the first time in more than a thousand years, he looked directly upon the great Buddha and began reciting the *Mahaparinirvana Sutra*.
“Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was in Kushinagara, in the land of the Mallas, between the twin sala trees beside the Ajiravati River.
“At that time, the World-Honored One was surrounded before and behind by countless great bhikshus, eighty billions and hundreds of thousands in number.
“On the fifteenth day of the second month, as he approached nirvana, the Buddha used his divine power to issue a mighty voice. It filled all realms as high as the highest heaven and proclaimed to every class of living being in its own tongue:
“Today the Tathagata, Arhat, and Fully Enlightened One, in compassion for living beings, shelters and protects them, regarding every being as he regards Rahula, becoming their refuge, home, chamber, and dwelling.
“The Greatly Awakened World-Honored One is about to enter nirvana. If any living being has doubts, let them ask now, for this is the final opportunity to ask…”
As he chanted, the ancient Buddha finally stopped weeping tears of blood and slowly closed its eyes.
Seeing this, Ghost Buddha Faceless stopped reciting.
“Namo Amitabha Buddha. This humble monk made my Buddha weep for a thousand years. My sins are beyond forgiveness. Today, I shall give my own eyes to the Buddha so that he may look with compassion upon all living beings.”
His hands flashed like lightning. He gouged out his own eyes, laid them flat upon his palms, and raised them solemnly above his head.
The grave and majestic chanting began again.
As it resounded, the eyes in Ghost Buddha’s palms slowly floated upward and entered the Buddha statue’s empty sockets.
At last, the Buddha’s face was no longer hideously twisted. It became peaceful and compassionate once more.
Only its eyes remained entirely blood-red.
Sensing something strange in the statue, Ghost Buddha Faceless panicked. He repeatedly struck his forehead against the ground and wept uncontrollably.
“Namo Amitabha Buddha! How can this be? It should not be this way! This humble monk is guilty! I am guilty!”
Hua Jiunan reached out to support Ghost Buddha and spoke softly.
“Great Monk, the Buddha is compassionate, but he also possesses the wrath of the vajra. He should bear the majesty and bearing to awe evil throughout the eight directions.”
Only after hearing Hua Jiunan’s words did Ghost Buddha calm slightly.
“Namo Amitabha Buddha. Your grace in delivering this humble monk is beyond anything I can repay… Yet one injustice still weighs upon my heart. I beg you, benefactor, to grant this request as well.”
Now that he had awakened, Ghost Buddha sensed how extraordinary Hua Jiunan was and treated him with even greater respect.
“When helping someone, see it through to the end; when escorting the Buddha, escort him all the way west. Tell me what you need, Great Monk. If it lies within my power, I, Hua Jiunan, will not refuse.”