PureInsight | October 18, 2007
[PureInsight.org] After Zhang
Daoling obtained the Tao, he had tens of thousands of disciples. He
told them, "Most of you are ordinary people and can not get out of the
triple world, except for Wang Zhan." He also said that someone else
could also obtain the Tao and that person would be there on January
7. He also described what that person looked like. Sure enough,
Zhao Sheng came from the East on that day. After he passed the seven
tests for a cultivator, Daoling passed the Dan Doctrines on to him.
The first test: When Zhao Sheng came to front door of the temple, he
was not allowed to go in and was cursed for more than 40 days. After
Zhao slept outside the door and would not leave, he was accepted.
The second test: Zhao was supposed to guard the harvested wheat and the
crop in the field. They sent a beautiful maiden who spent a night there
to seduce him. The following morning, she claimed that her feet were
hurting and she could not walk. She lingered there for several more
days and continued to try to seduce him. Zhao, however, was not moved.
The third test: They left 30 pieces of gold on the path he traveled and Zhao did not take them.
The fourth test: Zhao was asked to go into the mountain to cut wood.
Three tigers grabbed him and tore his clothes to pieces but did not
hurt him physically. He did not have any fear and said to the tigers,
"I did nothing wrong when I was young, but I want to be an immortal, so
I found myself a master. Are you following the demon's order to test
me?" The tigers heard that and left shortly.
The fifth test: Zhao went to the market and bought more than ten bolts
of silk. After he paid for the goods, the seller said that he did not
pay. Zhao took off his own clothes and sold what he just bought and
paid off the entire amount without any anger.
The sixth test: When Zhao was watching the field, a beggar came alone,
with worn out clothing and looking disgusting. The beggar was smelly,
filthy, and covered with scabs. Zhao was much moved and gave him
the clothes that he was wearing and his personal food.
The seventh test: Daoling took all his disciples to a dangerous
cliff. There was a peach tree full of peaches a hundred feet
below the cliff. Daoling told the disciples, "I'll pass the Tao to
anyone who can get the peaches." There were about three hundred
disciples who looked down the cliff, frightened. In a cold sweat
they backed away from the front row. Zhao Sheng said, "The gods will
protect me and there will not be any danger. My master is here and he
will not let me die going down the cliff. If my master wants the
peaches, there must be a good reason." He jumped off the cliff and
landed right on the peach tree. He picked 202 peaches. But he could not
climb back up the cliff, so he threw them up one by one. Daoling gave
one to every disciple and saved one for Zhao Sheng.
Daoling then stretched his arm down the cliff and all the disciples saw
that his arm was a few dozen feet long. He helped Zhao Sheng come back
up the cliff and eat the peach.
Daoling said, "Zhao Sheng had righteous thoughts and that was why he
could land right on the peach tree. Now, I want to go down and get a
big peach." The disciples tried to persuade their master not to jump
down, but Wang Zhang and Zhao Sheng did not say anything. Daoling
jumped off the cliff. He disappeared and many disciples wept.
Wang Zhang and Zhao Sheng looked at each other for a while and said,
"Our master is our father. Now that our father is down there, how can
we be comfortable up here?" And so the two of them jumped off the
cliff. They ended up right in front of Daoling who was sitting in bed.
Daoling said, laughingly, "I know that you two would follow."
Daoling then taught them the principles of the Tao.
Three days later, the three of them appeared at the old temple and all
the disciples were very happy to see them. Later, all the disciples
watched the three of them ascend into the sky in broad daylight and
disappear among the clouds.
(from Immortals Biography)
Translated from:
http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2007/10/13/48767.html
