157: Chapter 157 Enlightenment

Lu Mingyuan stood within the Chaos.

Before him was the light from the shattered mirror.

That light remained within his heart.

Within his heart, each found its proper place.

Laozi's 'one' was at the root.

Tongtian's 'interception' was on the path.

Jieyin and Zhunti's 'emptiness and existence' were within the heart.

Nuwa's 'creation' was in the hands.

Houtu's 'Reincarnation' was in the earth.

Yuanshi's 'order' was within everything.

Fear was beneath his feet.

Doubt was within questioning.

Attachment was within walking.

The self was within emptiness.

Each found its proper place.

Each fulfilled its function.

No disorder.

No crowding.

Just right.

He stood there, standing and standing, and suddenly felt something quiet down.

It wasn't the quiet outside.

It was the quiet within his heart.

It was the quiet of walking for a very, very long time, finally reaching a place where he could stop and look.

It was the quiet of having carried so much, so much, and finally, each finding its place, no longer needing to carry it.

It was the quiet of having passed through fear, doubt, attachment, and self, finally having nothing to fear, nothing to ask, nothing to force, nothing to think about.

He stood within that quiet.

Quiet as a mirror.

Within the mirror, there were things.

There was the path he had walked.

There were the places he had stood.

There were the things he had done.

There were the people he had met.

There were the tears he had shed.

There were the moments he had laughed.

There was the fear he had feared.

There was the doubt he had questioned.

There was the attachment he had forced.

There was the self he had thought about.

There was every step he had walked.

There was every moment he had stood.

There was every thing he had done.

Those things were all within the mirror.

Clear and distinct.

Bright and plain.

Neither increasing nor decreasing.

Neither arising nor ceasing.

He stood there, looking at that mirror.

Looking and looking, he suddenly discovered that the mirror was not a mirror.

It was the heart.

It was his heart.

It was the heart that had finally quieted down after walking so many paths, standing for so long, doing so many things, comprehending so much of the Dao, and passing through so many demons.

That heart was very quiet.

Quiet as if it had never moved.

Yet within that quiet, there were things.

There was all movement.

There was all walking.

There was all standing.

There was all doing.

There was all comprehending.

There was all passing through.

Those things were all within the quiet.

Within the quiet, clear and distinct.

Within the quiet, bright and plain.

He stood there, looking at that heart.

Then, he smiled.

That smile was very light.

Light as the wind.

Yet within that wind, there was something.

There was the clarity of finally seeing one's own heart.

He opened his mouth.

'So, this is the heart.'

His voice fell into that quiet.

Within the quiet, there was an echo.

That echo was not sound.

It was light.

It was the light of the heart.

It was that bit of light he had when he left Heyin.

It was that bit of light that lit up when he stood before The Rift.

It was that bit of light that grew when he debated in Zixiao Palace.

It was that bit of light that grew brighter and brighter as he walked through the Chaos.

It was that bit of light that finally shone through after he passed through fear, doubt, attachment, and self.

That light emerged from his heart.

Illuminating the paths he had walked.

Those paths lit up.

From Heyin to Zhongnan Mountain, from Zhongnan Mountain to the Three Mountains of Daoism, from the Three Mountains of Daoism to the Three Temples of Buddhism, from the Three Temples of Buddhism to the Three Academies of Confucianism, from the Three Academies of Confucianism to the Three Sects of Martial Arts, from the Three Sects of Martial Arts to The Rift, from The Rift to Zixiao Palace, from Zixiao Palace to the Chaos.

Those paths were all within the light.

Within the light, clear and distinct.

Within the light, bright and plain.

That light illuminated the places he had stood.

Those places lit up.

The ancient temple on Zhongnan Mountain, the mountain gates of the Three Mountains of Daoism, the ancestral halls of the Three Temples of Buddhism, the academies of the Three Academies of Confucianism, the training grounds of the Three Sects of Martial Arts, the position before The Rift, the meditation cushion in Zixiao Palace, every step within the Chaos.

Those places were all within the light.

Within the light, clear and distinct.

Within the light, bright and plain.

That light illuminated the things he had done.

Those things lit up.

Copying books, drawing in Qi, Foundation Establishment, drawing talismans, practicing swordsmanship, contemplating Zen, investigating things, practicing martial arts, standing at The Rift, debating in Zixiao Palace, walking through the Chaos, passing through the Heart Demon.

Those things were all within the light.

Within the light, clear and distinct.

Within the light, bright and plain.

That light illuminated the people he had met.

Those people lit up.

Xuanweizi, Iron Ox, those Loose Cultivators, Zhang Lingyun, Fa Ming, Li Haoran, Yue Wushuang, Sun Wukong, Yang Jian, Nezha, Laozi, Tongtian, Jieyin, Zhunti, Nuwa, Houtu, Yuanshi.

Those people were all within the light.

Within the light, clear and distinct.

Within the light, bright and plain.

That light illuminated the tears he had shed.

Those tears lit up.

The tears when Iron Ox died, the tears when the Loose Cultivators died, the tears when he was stumped by Duobao's question in Zixiao Palace, the tears when Zhenyuanzi said 'thank you', the tears when Houtu said 'they are watching', the tears after passing through the Heart Demon.

Those tears were all within the light.

Within the light, clear and distinct.

Within the light, bright and plain.

He stood within that light.

Within the light was everything of his.

There was his path, his standing, his doing.

There was his fear, his doubt, his attachment, his self.

There was his passing through, his walking, his arriving.

There was his birth, his death, his living.

There were his tears, his laughter, his pain.

There was his love, his hatred, his fear.

There was his right, his wrong, his regret.

There was his inability to let go, his reluctance to part, his necessity to walk.

There was his willingness to walk, his walking, his arriving.

Those things were all within the light.

Within the light, clear and distinct.

Within the light, bright and plain.

Within the light, each found its proper place.

Within the light, each fulfilled its function.

Within the light, no disorder, no crowding, just right.

He stood there, looking at that light.

Looking and looking, he suddenly discovered that the light was not light.

It was the heart.

It was his heart.

It was the heart that had finally shone through after walking so many paths, standing for so long, doing so many things, comprehending so much of the Dao, and passing through so many demons.

That heart was very bright.

Bright as the sun.

Yet within that brightness, there were things.

There was all darkness.

There was all fear, all questioning, all forcing, all thinking.

There was all walking astray, all standing in the wrong place, all doing wrong.

There was all death, all pain, all tears.

Those things were all within the brightness.

Within the brightness, they were not dark.

They were bright.

Having feared, they were bright.

Having questioned, they were bright.

Having forced, they were bright.

Having thought, they were bright.

Having walked astray, they were bright.

Having stood in the wrong place, they were bright.

Having done wrong, they were bright.

Having died, they were bright.

Having felt pain, they were bright.

Having shed tears, they were bright.

Those things were all bright.

Having become bright, they were no longer things.

They were light.

They were the light of the heart.

It was that tiny bit of heart-light he had when he left Heyin.

It was the heart-light that had finally shone through by the time he walked to this point.

He stood within that heart-light.

Standing and standing, he suddenly remembered something.

He remembered the songyun jade pendant.

That was given to him by his Master, Xuanweizi.

What Daoist Songyun left upon it was not just the nine-hundred-year suspended question.

There was also something else.

Something he had never discovered.

He reached out, taking the songyun jade pendant from his chest.

The Jade Pendant was warm in his hand.

But this time, it was different.

The Jade Pendant was glowing.

It wasn't lit up by an external light.

It was glowing on its own.

It was that something within its heart was lit up by his light.

He looked at the Jade Pendant.

Within the Jade Pendant, there were characters.

Not characters carved on the surface.

Characters hidden within.

Characters Daoist Songyun sealed inside with his final mental effort.

Those characters slowly surfaced.

Surfaced to the exterior.

Surfaced before his eyes.

'The heart is the pivot. The pivot is the heart. Heart and pivot are not two.'

This he had seen in the ruins of the East Sea.

But there was more after.

What he hadn't seen before.

'Nine hundred years later, if someone sees these characters, then my Dao is not alone. After the Heart as the Mysterious Pivot? The answer is: After the Heart as the Mysterious Pivot, it is still the heart. If the heart does not move, all dharmas naturally return. If the heart moves, all dharmas naturally arise. But why does the heart move? For all living beings. For the great Dao. For the one that escaped. For those who stand, not standing in vain. For those who walk, not walking in vain.'

He looked at those characters.

Looking and looking, his eyes reddened.

It wasn't sorrow.

It was the joy of finally receiving an answer.

It was the clarity of finally understanding a question.

It was the warmth of shaking hands with someone across nine hundred years.

He stood there, holding the songyun jade pendant in his hand.

The light from the pendant merged with the light in his heart.

Indistinguishable from each other.

He suddenly understood.

Daoist Songyun did not lack an answer.

He had an answer, but he knew the answer was not spoken.

It was walked.

He left that nine-hundred-year suspended question not for someone to answer.

But for someone to walk.

To walk to that day nine hundred years later, to walk to the place where that answer grew on its own.

He walked for nine hundred years.

Now, he had arrived.

He stood there, looking at that light.

Looking and looking, he suddenly sensed something.

He raised his head.

In the Chaos ahead, there was light.

Not his heart-light.

Seven kinds of light.

Pale, azure, golden, colorful, yellow, white.

And one more, purple.

The purple of Zixiao Palace.

The Seven Saints had arrived.

Laozi, Tongtian, Jieyin, Zhunti, Nuwa, Houtu, Yuanshi.

They stood within that light, looking at him.

In their gazes, there was something.

There was relief, admiration, the joy of watching a child finally grow up.

Laozi spoke.

'You have understood your heart.'

Lu Mingyuan nodded.

'Understood my heart.'

Tongtian asked, 'Understood what?'

Lu Mingyuan said, 'Understood that the heart is the mysterious pivot. Understood that when the heart moves, all dharmas arise; when the heart is still, all dharmas return. Understood that movement and stillness are one and the same. Understood that arising and returning are one and the same. Understood that the heart and all dharmas are one and the same.'

Jieyin asked, 'What about emptiness?'

Lu Mingyuan said, 'Emptiness is when the heart is still. Existence is when the heart moves. Emptiness and existence are one and the same. Because when the heart is still, it is not that there is nothing. There is, but it does not move. When the heart moves, it is not that there is no emptiness. There is emptiness, but it moves.'

Zhunti asked, 'What about function?'

Lu Mingyuan said, 'Function is knowing. Knowing the heart moves, knowing the heart is still. Knowing that when it moves, all dharmas arise. Knowing that when it is still, all dharmas return. Knowing is function.'

Nuwa asked, 'What about creation?'

Lu Mingyuan said, 'Creation is that which makes the heart move. It is that which makes all dharmas arise. It is that which makes what should arise arise, what should grow grow, what should live live.'

Houtu asked, 'What about Reincarnation?'

Lu Mingyuan said, 'Reincarnation is that which makes the heart still. It is that which makes all dharmas return. It is that which makes what should go go, what should come come, what should sleep sleep, what should wake wake.'

Yuanshi asked, 'What about order?'

Lu Mingyuan said, 'Order is that which makes the heart and all dharmas each find their proper place. It is that which makes there be no disorder when moving, no death when still. It is that which allows the heart and all dharmas to live well.'

The Seven Saints looked at him, their gazes filled with relief.

Laozi smiled.

'You have understood your heart. Having understood your heart, there is no more need to learn.'

Tongtian also smiled.

'Having understood your heart, there is no more need to remember.'

Jieyin smiled.

'Having understood your heart, there is no more need for emptiness.'

Zhunti smiled.

'Having understood your heart, there is no more need for existence.'

Nuwa smiled.

'Having understood your heart, there is no more need to create.'

Houtu smiled.

'Having understood your heart, there is no more need for reincarnating.'

Yuanshi smiled.

'Having understood your heart, there is no more need for ordering.'

Lu Mingyuan stood there, listening.

Listening and listening, he suddenly recalled a phrase.

That phrase was what Daoist Songyun carved on the wall of Zixiao Palace.

'The heart is the pivot.'

He hadn't understood it then.

Now, he understood.

The heart is the pivot.

The pivot is the heart.

Heart and pivot are not two.

He stood there, looking at the Seven Saints.

The Seven Saints also looked at him.

Laozi spoke.

'Let's go.'

Lu Mingyuan asked, 'Where to?'

Laozi said, 'Back to Zixiao Palace. You have understood your heart, but your Dao is not yet established.'

Tongtian said, 'Understanding the heart is seeing one's nature. Establishing the Dao is completing one's nature.'

Jieyin said, 'Understanding the heart is knowing. Establishing the Dao is doing.'

Zhunti said, 'Understanding the heart is being born. Establishing the Dao is living.'

Nuwa said, 'Understanding the heart is arriving. Establishing the Dao is departing.'

Houtu said, 'Understanding the heart is seeing. Establishing the Dao is accomplishing.'

Yuanshi said, 'Understanding the heart is the mirror. Establishing the Dao is the light. The mirror is present, but the light has not yet shone forth.'

Lu Mingyuan stood there, listening.

Listening and listening, he smiled.

That smile was very light.

Light as the wind.

Yet within that wind, there was something.

There was the steadiness of finally knowing what to do.

'Alright. Back to Zixiao Palace. To establish the Dao.'

He turned and followed the Seven Saints, walking towards Zixiao Palace.

Walking and walking, he suddenly remembered the characters within the songyun jade pendant.

'After the Heart as the Mysterious Pivot? The answer is: After the Heart as the Mysterious Pivot, it is still the heart.'

He smiled.

Not smiling because Daoist Songyun's answer was wrong.

Smiling at himself, for always wanting to ask for an answer.

But the answer was never in the words.

It was in the walking.

Having walked for nine hundred years, arriving here, he finally knew—after the Heart as the Mysterious Pivot, it was still the heart.

Not the heart that remained motionless in place.

But the heart that, after walking, returned to its original place.

The heart that, after containing all dharmas, became empty again.

The heart that, after passing through fear, doubt, attachment, and self, was clean and pure.

The heart that, after understanding the heart and seeing one's nature, had shone through.

He followed the Seven Saints, walking.

Step by step.

Not fast.

Not slow.

Simply walking.

Behind him, the heart-light still remained.

Within the Chaos, shining.

Bright as the sun.

Bright as the heart that had finally shone through after walking so many paths, standing for so long, doing so many things, comprehending so much of the Dao, and passing through so many demons.

That heart-light illuminated his back.

Illuminated the paths he had walked.

Illuminated the places he had stood.

Illuminated the things he had done.

Illuminated the people he had met.

Illuminated everything.

Illuminated the person walking.

That person walking was him.

It was Lu Mingyuan.

It was the scholar copying books in Heyin.

It was the Disciple of Master Xuanweizi.

It was the person standing before The Rift.

It was the person who received the Legacy of the Seven Saints.

It was the person living for Iron Ox.

It was the person walking for those who had died.

It was the person who had passed through fear, doubt, attachment, and self.

It was the person who understood his heart and saw his nature.

It was the person walking.

It was the person walking.

Zixiao Palace was just ahead.

That purple light drew closer and closer.

He knew that upon returning to Zixiao Palace, he would establish his Dao.

Establish his own Dao.

Xuan-shu Path.

Not a Dao received from another.

But a Dao walked out by himself.

The Dao he had finally walked out after walking so many paths, standing for so long, doing so many things, comprehending so many principles, and passing through so many demons.

He walked.

Step by step.

Not hurried.

Not restless.