Chapter 251 - Fake It Till It Comes True (2/2)
Right View = Conception Vessel
Right Resolve = Governing Channel
Right Effort = Penetrating Channel
Right Mindfulness = Yin Regulating Channel
Right Concentration = Yang Regulating Channel
Right Speech = Yin Motility Channel
Right Action = Yang Motility Channel
Right Livelihood = Belt Vessels
”We will start in the order of livelihood, speech, action, mindfulness, concentration, effort, view then resolve. It's what completes the cycle from the lowest stage of awakening.”
Hua Tuo took down notes and formulated what was required for the forced cultivation session. The Sage Gods hashed out a few more details about what they would do. This time, Buddha will join in with Zero's cultivation training. According to the Enlightened One, there was no need to split the Trigression Falls training into three like what Hua Tuo intended.
”In terms of awakening, the first three stages are mortal virtues as represented by the Aggression Falls. Livelihood, speech and action make up that tier. Progression Falls is what the meditation stage of awakening is all about. Mindfulness, concentration and effort make up this part of the training. The last stage is the actual enlightenment breakthrough called wisdom or insight. It is usually different for every individual. Some take minutes while other years. Some never make it at all. Regression Falls represent this stage of wisdom. Right resolve and right view are the final trials before one becomes enlightened. Zero doesn't struggle with all of them, only some parts of it. To hasten the training process, one person will have to be Zero's anchor and support and the other has to be Zero's guide.”
The physician compared notes. Buddha's Eightfold Path was rather similar to the teachings of Confucianism.
”I think I understand the majority of it. It is very similar to the teachings of Confucianism back in China.”
Buddha chuckled. He knew why it was similar. ”I know. He was my cultivation friend. We met in the void frequently and shared with each other a lot of things. However, he didn't attain immortality because he had too many earthly attachments even after he died.”
Hua Tuo was stunned. The great philosopher was actually Buddha's friend? How uncanny was it?
”I see... how should we do this then? I'll be the anchor and you be the guide?”
Buddha shook his head. ”You need to be the guide. I don't know anything about human anatomy.”
The physician looked troubled. While it was true that Buddha had no clue about human anatomy, Hua Tuo didn't have a good grasp of the correlation between the virtues and the extraordinary meridians they were meant to match. Confucius' version of the Eightfold Path was very incomplete on the details. the general concept was there but Hua Tuo wasn't confident in interpreting them accurately enough to guide Zero.
”I don't know much about the Eightfold Path. You don't have to worry much anatomically because the cultivation method is non-conforming to logic. If anything, Zero might crate them in his inner dimension instead of an extension of his body.”
Buddha's eyes lit up at that. ”We can create it in his inner dimension then! Nobody said it has to be outside of his vessel. In fact, this can be used when he transfers vessels. Your suggestion is brilliant!”
”I- no, huh? What?” Hua Tuo was confounded. How did this become a suggestion? Also, was it even possible to create extraordinary meridian points in someone's inner dimension? Wasn't the inner dimension a place to recover, store and generate qi?
”How can Zero use the power of the eight extraordinary meridians if it's not part of his vessel?” the doctor asked.
Buddha just raised a brow. ”Amitabha. When there is a will, there will be a way. Zero will find the way, our duty is merely to light the path for him.”
Hua Tuo felt his eyebrow twitched. Buddha was obviously dodging the question. If the Enlightened One didn't have an answer, how can the physician know what to do?
Still, they didn't have much of a choice. Hua Tuo could only hope that Buddha's confidence will bring them through this.
No! The physician wanted to slap himself. In times like this, hoping was not the right thing to do. Zero's entire cultivation future was depending on it. As the teacher, he would fake it until it comes true. Even if they didn't know what was going to happen with such a shabby plan, Zero was a miracle maker. He would show them the way and as his teacher, Hua Tuo was going to hold the sky full of flimsy lies for Zero until he succeeds.
As long as one had faith, anything was possible.