Chapter Seventy-Eight: Three Ascend to Sainthood

Hearing the words of the Supreme Elder Lord, the three men were not only tense in appearance, but their hearts surged with excitement. Jieyin and Zhunti finally understood the opportunity for their own sanctification. Unable to contain his emotions, Jieyin addressed Tongtian, “We in the West owe you a debt of karma. This favor, the West will repay you in time.”

Tongtian wished to speak further, but Jieyin and Zhunti vanished by means unknown, employing some secret technique that even Tongtian, with his late-stage Grand Luo Immortal power, failed to perceive.

“Senior brother, the twelve-petaled golden lotus in the Eight Treasure Pool has fully blossomed.” The moment of sanctification had arrived; Jieyin and Zhunti’s powers, along with the spiritual treasures to stabilize their sect’s fate, were all prepared.

“Excellent!” Jieyin exclaimed, slapping his thigh with delight.

Meanwhile, Yuanshi Tianzun's mind was clear and tranquil. The eldest brother had become a saint, and as one of the Three Pure Ones, he could not lag behind. Humanity now possessed faith, but no one had yet expounded its truth. Having received recognition from Master Hongjun, Yuanshi Tianzun knew his own moment of sanctification was at hand.

Moreover, the Primordial Purple Qi between his brows quivered restlessly. Yuanshi Tianzun nodded firmly, as if determined to undertake something.

“I am Yuanshi Tianzun of the Three Pure Ones, Jade Purity. Now, seeing the three thousand Great Ways in the vast world, yet no one to elucidate their truth, I am moved to establish a sect named ‘The Clarifying Sect.’ All those in the world with great resolve, merit, and fortune may come to Kunlun Mountain to cultivate, and I shall teach them. The Clarifying Sect is founded!”

His voice spread throughout the world, and all living beings once more fell to their knees, calling him Tianzun. Here was the fourth saint of the world, recruiting disciples and followers. Instantly, the realm erupted in excitement; everyone longed to visit Kunlun Mountain.

Colorful auspicious clouds appeared above Yuanshi Tianzun’s head, and waves of merit energy descended upon him. When Pangu created heaven and earth, Heaven had not granted all merit energy to the Three Pure Ones; today, it suddenly bestowed it generously, arousing suspicion.

Yet Yuanshi Tianzun felt perfectly well, noticing nothing amiss.

He did not return to Kunlun Mountain, instead remaining near the gathering place of humanity.

“It seems we all owe Tongtian a debt of karma,” Yuanshi Tianzun thought, quickly sitting cross-legged to stabilize his strength. His heart swelled with joy; at last, he had attained the power of the Hunyuan Grand Luo Golden Immortal! His vast magical power was inexhaustible, his primordial spirit entrusted to the Wheel of Heaven’s Law—he was now eternal, indestructible!

“If I attain supreme Enlightenment and become a Buddha, in the Pure Land I reside, there will be boundless, inconceivable merit and splendor, no hell, no hungry ghosts, no animals, no creeping creatures; all beings, even those in the realm of Yama, in the three evil paths, who are reborn in my land and receive my teaching, shall all attain supreme Enlightenment.

Never again shall they fall into evil destinies. If I fulfill this vow, I shall become a Buddha; if not, I shall not take supreme Enlightenment. When I become a Buddha, beings from all ten directions who are reborn in my land shall possess bodies of purple-gold, pure and upright, all alike; if there be differences in form, good or ugly, I shall not attain Enlightenment. When I become a Buddha, all beings in my land shall know their past lives through countless kalpas.

When I become a Buddha, all bodhisattvas from other worlds who hear my name shall attain freedom from birth, acquire dharani, dwell in purity and joy, practice the bodhisattva path, possess the roots of virtue, and, in due time, attain the three kinds of patience; if they cannot realize non-retreat in Buddha’s Dharma, I shall not attain Enlightenment.”

These were the “Forty-Eight Great Vows” made by Jieyin and Zhunti. Though they cultivated enlightenment in dreams and only now awakened, they felt there was still something lacking. If sanctification were so easy, then merit should have descended from heaven already—yet why had it not?

Jieyin and Zhunti were already halfway into the threshold of sainthood, but the step was too lofty to cross at once. Originally, they did not wish to make the “Forty-Eight Great Vows,” for such vows would offend many. The East boasted four saints—was Tongtian not predestined? If they all opposed the West, the West would never prosper.

Thus, Jieyin and Zhunti made a vow, looking up at the auspicious clouds for merit energy, then another, and another, until they had uttered forty-eight great vows in succession.

Why could the Three Pure Ones and Nuwa become saints without making vows?

The reason was that the Three Pure Ones were descendants of Pangu, inheriting the merit of creation; Heaven could not prevent their sanctification. Nuwa, meanwhile, became a saint by creating humanity and repairing the sky.

But Jieyin and Zhunti? Jieyin was born from the Divine Banner, and Zhunti from a bodhi tree.

That is why Jieyin possessed the Divine Banner—to guide those with Buddhist nature in the underworld to the Western Pure Land.

Zhunti refined his own body into a treasure called “The Seven-Treasure Mystical Tree.”

Moreover, the West’s unique environment, with its pervasive baleful energy, easily led beings astray, making life difficult.

As the saying goes, “Pressure breeds motivation.” Perhaps Heaven was testing Jieyin and Zhunti, compelling them to make such great vows.

Thus, the two hurriedly blended their previous thoughts into the “Forty-Eight Great Vows.” Not only that, they established a sect named the “Western Sect.”

This added fuel to the already chaotic world.

Jieyin and Zhunti did not restrain their saintly prestige. “You, Laozi and Nuwa, dare to slight us? Then let us show you the might of the West.”

At that moment, Zhunti produced two wooden fish from somewhere, and began chanting the “Forty-Eight Great Vows” with all his strength.

The gentle, resonant voice filled hearts with warmth. In just an hour, it calmed the restless energies of the West, dispelling them.

They increased the magical power needed for their recitation and slowly pressed toward the East.

All beings who heard the Western “Forty-Eight Great Vows” were moved by these beautiful aspirations. Soon, the curiosity of the Eastern beings toward the West grew, and many felt the urge to journey westward. How could the three Eastern saints—Supreme Elder Lord, Yuanshi Tianzun, and Lady Nuwa—accept this?

“If you wish to compete, then draw the line and do battle!” The three Eastern saints no longer cared about stabilizing their own powers. They quickly brought out the Dao De Jing, which Tongtian had earlier bestowed upon the world—not only themselves, but their entire forces joined in chanting. “If you wish to compete, we’ll accompany you to the end!”

Tongtian, watching from the side, was dumbfounded. What was happening?

The Western side was reciting the future Buddhist classic, the Infinite Life Sutra; the Supreme Elder Lord’s side was chanting the Dao De Jing, the future Daoist classic. Not even the later Dao-Buddha wars were as fierce as this. He was determined not to miss such a spectacle.