Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Collapsed...
Tang Sanzang wasn't thinking too much, having heard the name of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara many times but never having seen her. Now that he finally saw her true form, he couldn't help but take a few extra looks. However, this was perceived by others as a sign of guilt, and they urged him even more urgently.
"Your golden body, enveloped in virtues, indeed shows you're a good Bodhisattva, what a pity you don't lead your followers. Today, you bear the consequences of my worship all by yourself."
Having said that, Tang Sanzang straightened up, pressed his palms together, and slightly bowed his head.
Just at that moment, a crack sound was heard, and a crack appeared on the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara's Dharma Aspect Golden Body!
The crowd saw it clearly and were immediately terrified!
Before they could react, Tang Sanzang's head bowed even lower!
Boom!
The Dharma Aspect Golden Body of Avalokiteshvara directly shattered!
Even more horrifying, as Tang Sanzang lowered his head further, the entire hall began to tremble until, with a loud rumble, it collapsed right in front of everyone!
At that moment, everyone present was stunned, their eyes wide open!
The old dean fell to the ground with a thud, muttering to himself, "How... how could this be possible? The Bodhisattva couldn't withstand even one bow from him; who on earth is he?!"
The followers were also cluelessly baffled...
Just then, a breeze blew by, and the monk from the East emerged from the ruins, shaking his head as he walked and said, "I told you, she couldn't withstand it, but you wouldn't believe me. Now, look what happened! The house has collapsed, and I'm not paying for it!"
At that moment, Guang Zhi leaped out, "Impossible... The Buddhist Law of the Bodhisattva is limitless, how could she not withstand a mortal's bow? It must be a coincidence... our temple of Avalokiteshvara has a history of hundreds of years, this hall of Avalokiteshvara was in disrepair...
Right, the earth trembled when you entered.
It must have coincidentally coincided with an earthquake, and that's why the hall collapsed."
The moment those words were uttered, a fire rekindled in the eyes of all the followers present, as they shouted, "Yes, yes, that's it!"
"Exactly, it must be so!"
"That monk from the East, what merits and abilities does he have to collapse the temple of Avalokiteshvara, it certainly must be a coincidence."
...
The people became more and more excited as they spoke, increasingly convinced that their speculations were the truth, the actual facts, their eyes burning red in a manner that brooked no arguments.
Seeing this, Sun Wukong stopped ringing the bell, leapt down from the bell tower, and was about to argue when Tang Sanzang stopped him.
"Master, when did you become so compassionate, to let them spout such nonsense?" Sun Wukong looked at Tang Sanzang, puzzled.
Tang Sanzang shook his head and said, "Belief can sustain a person but also crush them. To avoid being crushed, they will always have reasons to believe what they choose to believe. It's not something you can clarify in just a few words...
We'd better take off...
Otherwise, if we wait, they'll have us paying, and I really have no money to compensate!
If it comes down to it, we'll only be able to pawn our pets and mounts."
After hearing this, both Sun Wukong and the White Dragon Horse had black lines on their foreheads, realizing that during work they were beloved disciples, but for settling debts, they were just pets and mounts; this worthless bald man was really something!
Nevertheless, both of them still closely followed Tang Sanzang, ready to make their escape.
Just then, the old dean recovered his senses and shouted loudly, "Mage Tang Sanzang, please wait!"
Tang Sanzang's footsteps halted abruptly as he turned back and asked, "Old Dean, is there anything else?"
The old dean hummed and looked at Tang Sanzang with dissatisfaction, "The coincidence just now has embarrassed our Guanyin Zen Temple; how can I let you just walk away like that?"
Tang Sanzang looked at the monkey and the horse by his side, already calculating whether these two things were enough to settle the debt.
The black lines on Sun Wukong's and the White Dragon's foreheads were increasing...
Tang Sanzang asked, "So what do you suggest?"
The old dean said, "Today, our Guanyin Zen Temple is holding a Kasaya Festival. Since you are a monk and a high monk from the distant Great Tang, you must be carrying some Buddhist treasures. Why not take them out for us to see, let's see what kind of elegance a high monk from Great Tang possesses?"
Upon hearing this, Tang Sanzang hesitated. Buddhist treasures? Where would he find those?
If being bald counted as a treasure, he could indeed overshadow all the other monks.
Just then, Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Master, the Kasaya on you isn't bad; why not show it to them?"
At these words, everyone present laughed.
Sun Wukong frowned and said, "What are you laughing at?"
Guang Zhi laughed even harder, "You just said you have a treasure Kasaya? Hahaha... Maybe you have forgotten what today's grand event is about?
The Kasaya Festival, which is all about Kasayas!
If it were other Buddhist treasures, we might not be able to compete with you. But when it comes to Kasayas alone, any monk here has at least twenty to thirty pieces.
Our founder, who has been a monk for over two hundred years, holds seven to eight hundred pieces of fine and exquisite Kasayas.
That is why we are holding this Kasaya Festival.
Now you are talking about Kasayas?
Hahaha..."
Guang Zhi laughed out loud.
The old dean coughed and said, "Guang Zhi, Guang Mou, stop just talking and bring out the Kasayas, let them have a look!"
Clearly, the old dean and the disciples of the Guanyin Zen Temple wanted to use this incident to embarrass Tang Sanzang and regain some face themselves. Otherwise, the collapse of the Guanyin Hall, no matter whether due to an earthquake or caused by worship, would indeed be rather embarrassing!
Seeing that he might not be able to leave without a comparison, Tang Sanzang simply stopped trying to leave and sat down to wait.
Speaking of Kasayas, he did indeed have one on his person. But until now, he had not remembered where that Kasaya had come from.
Certainly, it had not been on him when he was thrown into the River of Time...
"Ah, this mysterious Kasaya, I don't know if it can outshine the monks' collection. If it can't, that will be embarrassingly...," Tang Sanzang thought, suddenly slapping his thigh and a smile appearing on his lips, "Wait a minute, they all take me for that Tang Sanzang who went to the Western Paradise to fetch scriptures. So the embarrassment isn't mine at all!"
With that thought, Tang Sanzang's mood instantly brightened. He sat there grinning, ready to watch a great show.
Suddenly, a thousand or two thousand Kasayas were carried out in forty to fifty large boxes, then clothes racks were set up on both sides and the Kasayas were hung up one by one for everyone to see.
Sun Wukong also went to take a look around, only to see the Kasayas there were all embroidered with colorful silk, and although they were extremely ornate and beautiful, not one of them was a true treasure.
For a time, Sun Wukong felt completely confident about the upcoming competition, pondering how to shame these monks.
Just then, a very bald, gleaming head lifted the tiger skin it was wearing, revealing a Kasaya that shone with golden light, adorned with Jade Streamed Rosy Clouds and various Treasure Beads. Amidst the exclamations of the crowd, he cheekily maneuvered among the assembled Kasayas.