Chapter 768: Tenmon
Borneo, Fenglin, and East Shakya each had a stationed Great Sage and a first-rank Spirit Guard personally overseeing affairs. In a sense, the territorial reach of the Daoist Order exceeded that of the Imperial Court. For example, the jurisdiction of the Western Region Daoist Mansion was even greater than that of Xizhou. In name, these regions were vassal states of the Imperial Court, offering tribute and pledging fealty, but the Great Xuan Court did not directly interfere in the region’s internal affairs.
However, Fenglin was an exception, having its own emperor. That was because Fenglin was a single, united country with considerable strength and separated by the sea from the Central Plains. It was unlike the fragmented Borneo, which had multiple small nations that stood no chance against the Great Xuan Empire.
The Daoist Order held a prestigious position in Fenglin, but it was far from stable. That was because there were two major religions in Fenglin—the native Tenmon and the foreign Buddhism.
The Buddhist Sect’s reach was, in fact, far greater than that of the Daoist Order. Wherever it went, it adapted to the local customs and culture, resulting in many distinct branches with enormous variation.
The first leader of Central Plains Buddhism, also known as Chan Buddhism, was from beyond the realm. But its second leader was a native of the Central Plains, whose father had been a scholar at the Wanxiang Academy. So from a young age, the second leader was well-versed in Confucian and Daoist thought.
When the first leader founded Central Plains Buddhism, the second leader came to seek instruction at the temple. However, the first leader judged him as unfit to comprehend Chan teachings and refused to accept him as a disciple due to his heavily biased knowledge.
The second leader pleaded for a long time but to no avail. At last, he drew his sword and severed his own arm to show his determination. Moved by such sincerity, the first leader finally accepted him as a disciple and passed on the Vajrayana Lineage.
This was how the second leader inherited the mantle and came to enlightenment through The Vajra Sutra. There was a saying that the enlightenment would go to those whose minds were clear and whose bodies were healthy.
After the first leader passed into nirvana, the second leader continued to study the profound meanings of Buddhism. When he encountered unresolved doubts, he left the temple and traveled to famous mountains, seeking wisdom from eminent monks, Confucian scholars, and Daoist masters. Gradually, he achieved a deep understanding and integration of the Three Religions.