Thousand Miles of Bright Moonlight

Chapter 99: Saved

Yaoying knew that Buddhism originated in the Tianzhu region, spreading to the Western Regions and Central Plains afterward. Its teachings mixed with local beliefs and gradually evolved through centuries of development, giving rise to different sects.

In the Western Regions, Buddhism dominated, with many senior monks and temples emerging from this region. From the king to the slaves, all were devout believers. A large number of Buddhist temples were built in the Western Regions, great quantities of Buddhist scriptures and texts were spread around, and grand Buddhist pujas were held annually. The Western Regions were called "the Small Western Paradise" by the monks in the Central Plains.

In Mondatipa's hometown of Tianzhu, Buddhism was already in decline.

Yaoying remembered when Mondatipa strived to come to the Western Regions despite all the difficulties. Why was he leaving after staying not even a year in the Western Regions?

She asked her question.

Mondatipa smiled slightly: "This poor monk had seen Buddha's son and saw that what I wanted in this life was not vain. Buddha had his own considerations for all living beings; everything has its own cause and effect, in what form it takes, that is, in what form it will be liberated. The Western Regions is not the place where this poor monk is meant to be."

Yaoying remembered Tumorga's turquoise dark lotus-colored eyes and asked, "What is the liberation of the practice that Buddha's son seeks?"

Mondatipa hesitated for a moment, seemingly unable to find words to describe it. After a long silence, he said, "Buddha's son has chosen a very difficult path of practice."

Yaoying sighed slightly in her heart.

She felt that Tumoroga believed in what might be the Mahayana doctrine.

Buddhism was divided into Hinayana Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. In layman's terms, Hinayana Buddhism believed that ordinary people could not attain enlightenment and emphasized practicing asceticism in order to free oneself from worldly worries; enlightenment was something innate that one was born with. Mahayana Buddhism believed that there were countless Buddhas in the three worlds and ten directions and that Siddhartha Gautama was simply one of them. Each and every person had a Buddhist nature, so in addition to self-transcendence, believers also sought to transcend all sentient beings.

Tumoroga, who guarded the Royal Court and did everything with the people in mind, was clearly of the Mahayana sect.

They left the palace, crossed a stone wall, climbed a trestle, and walked through a long, narrow, and gloomy cave. Before them, the cave entrance opened up. Blazing sunlight shone down and the sound of clamorous voices carried over with the wind.

It was very late at night when Yaoying came to the Holy City. Following that, she continuously stayed in the palace, and still had not seen the Holy City during the day, so hearing the sound of people, she looked around curiously.

With this glance, she could not help but hold her breath.

The daybreak's light was bright, the sky was vast and without a cloud; blue and clear.

Dwelling in the horizon, peaks of towering mountain ranges rose and fell, reaching into the clouds. The first beam of morning light came down, adding a layer of brilliant gold to the snow-capped mountain summits that remained pure-white all year round. The beauty and grandeur could not be described in words.

Halfway up the mountain, the ground was a vast stretch of dark green. Through hazy clouds and swirling mist, picturesque and grand, one could vaguely see the grottoes and ancient Buddhist temples hidden in the forests of the mountains. The ravine at the foot of the mountain was deep, the streams of the river valley weaving in and out. The large and small lakes resembled pieces of aquamarine and emerald gems embedded within the earth, reflections of the blue sky. The lakeside's green meadows invited one to take a slumber on its level terrain.