Chapter 29 An Unorthodox Bodhisattva (2/2)
”Good catch,” Zhang Chi Hang said, ”Immortals and Buddha's sacred arts exist due to people's belief. After it is created, it can gradually break away from the power of belief. But this kind of belief must be in a large-scale. Over a hundred million people must believe in it for a long time. I got this supernatural power just in the past few decades. You know what, Journey to the West had been ranked as one of the four great books only since several decades ago, but many people read it, which resulted in a large scale of belief.”
”What if people later suspect this history?” I couldn't help but think of that possibility.
“Well, it depends,” Zhang Chi Hang returned to a state of not caring about anything, ”the worst situation for me would be loosing that sacred art, so be it. What could I use it for? Besides, there is another unquestionable part in Journey to the West that can be read in many different ways. I still have the chance to have this kind of grey-zone sacred art…”
“Which part?” Liu Shuai and I said simultaneously.
“Make your guess.” Zhang Chi Hang winked at us mischievously. This expression was probably the most human side of this Bodhisattva.
”How? I don't have any clue.” I shook my head, showing that there was nothing I could do.
”That's what exactly I mean,” Zhang Chi Hang laughed, ”you couldn't find it even you looked for it intentionally, how could others without knowing it.”
Liu Shuai seemed to have thought of something. He asked, ”So, Bodhisattva, do you mean that Immortals exist because of people's belief?”
”What a slow mind!” Zhang Chi Hang curled his lips, ”weren't we just talking about this all the time?”
Liu Shuai ignored Zhang Chi Hang's sarcasm and said, ”then are you the Bodhisattva described in the legends, or those figures are actually you?”
”Liu Shuai, what are you talking about?” I didn't seem to understand him, ”what do you mean 'he is them or they are him'?”
Liu Shuai looked at me, ”all myths and legends assume that there's a god first, and then elaborate classics according to the miracles of him to enlighten the later generations. However, what Avalokitesvara said means that god appears after people read the classics and believe in the stories. Then which came first, gods or classics? If classics came first, then where the figures in the stories came from? In addition, the gods described in details in the legends are all orthodox indeed, but this Bodhisattva in front of us seems to be somewhat unorthodox…”
Uh, I was stunned, this kind of a ”chicken first or egg first” question really racked my brain.
”Haha, good question!” This time Zhang Chi Hang was not angry, ”I can only tell you that I originated from the one described in the classics but I am not him. People's faith in him gave birth to me. In this sense you could say that I was him, but once I appeared, I got my own freedom. Well, I could not agree with your comment of me being unorthodox.”
”Aren't you unorthodox?” I laughed, seeing Zhang Chi Hang not angry, I continued half-jokingly, ”I've never seen such an unorthodox Bodhisattva before.”
”What a Bodhisattva does is neither what a mortal does nor a saint does.” Zhang Chi Hang slowly recited these words.
”Ah!” Liu Shuai's eyes lit up. He suddenly realized something and clasped his hands together, ”What a great wisdom!”