Chapter 342

Chapter 342: Weird, you’re really weird, good sir.

“My Buddha is merciful.”

From the crowd of Buddha statues ahead, a small clay statue transformed into a flesh-and-blood child, then with a “heyo,” jumped down from the altar.

The child wore a set of blue-green clothes, with a large string of prayer beads hanging around his neck. His round belly was exposed, and his head and face were both round, looking incredibly adorable.

To be honest, looking at this child in front of him, Xu Ming remembered a game he played in his previous life that featured a “Maitreya Buddha,” who looked very similar to this one.

This little monk was like something straight out of a game.

Inside the temple, everyone watched the child cautiously, not daring to say an extra word, and some even quietly pulled out their weapons.

Although this child appeared harmless to both humans and animals, no one dared to underestimate him.

Anyone who could appear in such a place wouldn’t be simple.

“There’s no need for all of you to be so tense.” The child placed his hands together in a bow. “I am the young monk Maitreya. I apologize for not welcoming you guests properly.”

“Well, it really is Maitreya.” Xu Ming instinctively spoke up.

If it weren’t for the fact that there wasn’t a Sun Wukong in this world, Xu Ming would have thought he had arrived at the Lesser Western Heaven.

“Do you recognize him?” Shi Xin turned her head and asked Xu Ming.

Upon hearing Shi Xin’s question, Xu Ming looked rather surprised. “What? Don’t you know? Doesn’t your Buddhism have Maitreya Buddha or Maitreya Bodhisattva?”

“No.” Shi Xin shook her head.

Xu Ming: “…”

Xu Ming knew that the Buddhism in this world differed quite a bit from the Buddhism on Blue Ocean Star.

But Xu Ming didn’t expect the difference to be this big.

Does this world not even have Maitreya Buddha?

No, it’s not that it doesn’t exist.

It should be said that there are no records yet.

Because Maitreya Buddha has already appeared—right in front of him.

“Who is Maitreya?”

Seeing Xu Ming’s silence, Shi Xin tugged at his sleeve.

Xu Ming lowered his voice and quietly explained to Shi Xin, “In our hometown, there are also many schools of Buddhism.

Among them, there is the ‘Three Buddhas of the Horizontal World’ calculated by space and the ‘Three Buddhas of the Vertical World’ calculated by time.”

“I know that.”

Shi Xin nodded, her voice entering Xu Ming’s mind.

“The Three Buddhas of the Horizontal World refer to Shakyamuni Buddha in the center, Medicine Buddha in the east, and Amitabha Buddha in the west. The Buddha we worship in the Western Regions is Amitabha Buddha.”

Xu Ming asked, “Then tell me about the Three Buddhas in your Buddhism?”

Xu Ming wanted to verify whether the Three Buddhas in this world were the same as those on Blue Ocean Star.

Shi Xin continued,

“Medicine Buddha governs the Pure Land of the East, and he has two attendants, Sunlight Illumination Bodhisattva and Moonlight Illumination Bodhisattva, known as the Three Saints of the East. Generally, praying to Medicine Buddha mainly aims at seeking happiness in this life. Medicine Buddha can bless people to eliminate disasters, prolong life, and remove diseases. Many elderly people and patients will worship Medicine Buddha to seek health and longevity.

Shakyamuni Buddha governs the Saha World in the center, and he has two attendants, the ‘Great Wisdom’ Manjushri Bodhisattva and the ‘Great Practice’ Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, known as the Three Saints of the Huayan. He is the educator of this world and the leader of Buddhism. Amitabha Buddha governs the Western Paradise, and he has two attendants, the ‘Great Courage’ Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva and the ‘Great Compassion’ Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, known as the Three Saints of the West. Generally, praying to Amitabha Buddha mainly aims at seeking liberation after death. Amitabha Buddha mainly uses his vows to guide sentient beings to the Pure Land, escaping the cycle of suffering, hence he is also called the ‘Guiding Buddha.’ Because this Buddha has immeasurable lifespan and light, he is also called ‘Immeasurable Life Buddha’ and ‘Immeasurable Light Buddha.’

There are also different interpretations that the Three Buddhas of the Horizontal World are the same Buddha, just manifesting in different forms to save sentient beings.”

Listening to Shi Xin’s explanation, Xu Ming couldn’t help but fall into deep thought.

Because the Three Buddhas of the Horizontal World in this world were almost identical to those on Blue Ocean Star.

“Xu Ming, what are the Three Buddhas of the Vertical World?” Shi Xin tugged at Xu Ming’s sleeve, extremely curious. “You haven’t answered me yet.”

Xu Ming slowly began explaining, “The Three Buddhas of the Vertical World respectively represent the ‘past’ with Dipankara Buddha, the ‘present’ with Shakyamuni Buddha, and the ‘future’ with Maitreya Buddha.

Dipankara Buddha was a Buddha in the past during the Kalpa of Splendor. He was the Buddha before Shakyamuni Buddha and once predicted in the past that Shakyamuni would become a Buddha. He is the teacher who gave the prophecy to Shakyamuni Buddha, and many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas were once disciples of Dipankara Buddha.

Shakyamuni Buddha is the fourth Buddha of the Good Fortunate Kalpa. Together with the attendants Manjushri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, he uses Dharma to educate all sentient beings in the Saha World.

Maitreya Buddha is the fifth Buddha of the Good Fortunate Kalpa. Before the arrival of the Maitreya era, he remains a Bodhisattva in the Tushita Heaven.

According to Mahayana Buddhism, everyone can become a Buddha, and all Buddhas will educate sentient beings, transcending the cycle of rebirth to attain Buddhahood.”

“Do the Three Buddhas of the Vertical World also include Shakyamuni Buddha?” Shi Xin asked, filled with curiosity about Buddhism. “What’s the difference between the two Shakyamuni Buddhas? Or are they the same?”

“I’m not sure either.” Xu Ming shrugged.

Xu Ming couldn’t possibly say, “All the knowledge I have is from short videos I’ve seen.” In my previous life, I was just a college student, not a monk.

“What is Mahayana Buddhism?” Shi Xin asked, as Xu Ming had mentioned “Mahayana Buddhism” earlier.

“‘Mahayana Buddhism,’ well, that’s not something that can be explained in a few words, and I don’t know much about it anyway. I’m not a monk in my hometown.” Xu Ming said, “Let’s talk about it later. I’ll tell you what I know later.”

“Alright…”

Not hearing about Mahayana Buddhism, Shi Xin lowered her head slightly, her expression tinged with disappointment.

Shi Xin felt that Xu Ming’s hometown must have profound Buddhist truths.

She wanted to visit Xu Ming’s hometown, but Xu Ming said that he might never be able to return there.

Where exactly is his hometown?

“Good sir, do you seem to recognize me?”

Despite Xu Ming and Shi Xin’s conversation being quiet, and even with a small barrier set up so that even those nearby couldn’t hear, it was still picked up by Maitreya.

Everyone followed Maitreya’s gaze and looked toward Xu Ming.

After asking, Maitreya didn’t wait for Xu Ming’s answer but instead stretched out his chubby little hand, as if calculating something.

Finally, Maitreya just smiled. “Weird, you’re really weird, good sir.

But it’s not strange.

In this world, it should be like this. Who can completely see through the Heavenly Way?”