PureInsight | March 27, 2024
[PureInsight.org] Mo Le began preparing to build a tower and selected eight hundred unmarried men with good looks, excellent character, and strength from all over the country. They were all about 5.2meters tall. At that time, the warriors were called "Venida" (warriors on the earth, with the meaning of vigorous and brave). Mo Cai selected one hundred graceful and pure young women to assist in painting the stones. At that time, the one hundred young women were called "Meinijia" (meaning purity and chastity). On the west side of the tower construction site, a wooden house was built for Venida and Meinijia to rest. Venida lived in the simple left house, while the right house where Meinijia lived was decorated with flowers and plants at the door. There were also two houses in the middle for Mo Le and Mo Cai to rest. Everyone felt as if there was a bud waiting to bloom in their hearts, filled with joy and hope.
In the southeastern region of the Land of Motian Kingdom, there is an elderly man named Mo Xi. He is eighty-nine years old, physically strong, mentally sharp, and highly respected. Since he turned eighty, Mo Xi has been sleeping and eating once every ten days, and recites the Buddha's name "Ju Xi Le Fo" in his daily life. He sits cross-legged and recites the Buddha's name all night, often entering a state of forgetting oneself and everything around. He feels that his body is exceptionally large, and there is often a sweet sensation of fluid flowing out of his mouth. He also feels warmth and softness around his knees, which makes sitting very comfortable. Therefore, sometimes Mo Xi sits in meditation with a smile on his face all night, constantly feeling infinite joy in his heart.
One night, while Mo Xi was sleeping, he dreamt that a building was being constructed in the imperial city, and the place was emitting golden light. Upon waking up, when he was offering incense to the Buddha, he saw the same scene from his dream. He felt that he could not miss this opportunity to witness the construction process. Therefore, he quickly set out on the journey, traveling day and night and wearing out nine pairs of shoes to reach the imperial city. On the day he arrived, it was early morning. Mo Xi cleaned himself up, changed his clothes, and went to the construction site of the tower. He sat nearby and recited the Buddha's name for a while. Before long, he saw the King wearing a yellow robe and the priest wearing a purple robe coming with a crowd of people. Mo Xi stood up in a hurry.
Mo Le dug five shovels of earth in each of the southeast, northwest, northeast, southwest, and central directions (when constructing a large building, the king first digs five shovels of earth in each direction, which is called the foundation soil). Every time he dug the soil, the old man knelt down and worshiped. After Mo Le finished digging the soil in the central direction, someone told the King about this. The King and the priest approached the old man, and the old man knelt down when he saw the King approaching (kneeling is a major courtesy, usually used when offering to gods and buddhas. It is also used for priests and venerable old people. At that time, when the people saw the King, they did not kneel, but men put their left hand in front of their right shoulder, with their palms inward, and their right hand behind their back, with their palms outward, showing no reservation and bowing in tribute. Women, when they see the King, fold their hands together, with the left hand outside and the right hand inside, placed in front of the left abdomen, and bow in respect).
Mo Le helped the old man up and asked him why he had been kneeling. The old man said, "When the King dug the first shovelful of earth in the east, I saw a child wearing a red bellyband, with two towering hair buns, a red collar, and red jingling bells on his hands and feet. He was barefoot and carried a red silk ribbon, bouncing around. When the King dug the first shovelful of earth in the south, I saw a child wearing a blue bellyband, with two towering hair buns, a blue collar, and blue jingling bells on his hands and feet. He was barefoot and dancing with a blue silk ribbon. The child in the red bellyband saw him and happily ran over to play together. When the King dug the first shovelful of earth in the west, I saw a child wearing a purple bellyband, with two towering hair buns, a purple collar, and purple jingling bells on his hands and feet. He was barefoot and carried a purple silk ribbon, bouncing around. The child in the blue bellyband saw him and happily ran over to play together. When the King dug the first shovelful of earth in the north, I saw a child wearing a green bellyband, with two towering hair buns, a green collar, and green jingling bells on his hands and feet. He was barefoot and carried a green silk ribbon. The child in the purple bellyband saw him and happily ran over to play together. When the King dug the first shovelful of earth in the center, I saw a child wearing a yellow bellyband, happily sitting there with one towering hair buns, a yellow collar, and yellow jingling bells on his hands and feet. He was barefoot with yellow ribbons wrapped around his arms. The four children laughed and surrounded the child wearing a yellow bellyband. After they spoke a few words, the five of them sat cross-legged together. I saw them spinning individually and collectively, and the colors bloomed like flowers. I thought the King must have great merit to create such a marvelous scene, so I knelt to show my respect."
Meng Gang, excitedly said after hearing it, "Could it be the appearance of the Five Celestial Children?" Mo Le looked at Meng Gang with an inquiring expression. Meng Gang said, "I have seen records of it in ancient books. In the past, people have seen purple and green boys in large buildings, holding purple and green silk ribbons dancing. In the dance, the two ribbons are twisted into a flower. The flower rotates, and the two boys fly around the flower. Some people have also seen red and blue boys using ribbons to dance into a flower. As the flower rotates, the two boys fly around with it. These buildings are all famous and will be preserved for a certain period of time. There is also a legend that says when a certain period of time comes, the heavenly fairy grass will descend to the earth. Three days later, the spirit of the fairy grass will be taken away by the sacred bird, and the place where the fairy grass stayed will have the appearance of the Five Celestial Children."
As Meng Gang spoke, he felt his body shake and a hot stream flowed through his whole body. He said to Mo Le, "Do you remember the three days of white fog in the capital city?" Mo Le nodded. Meng Gang said, "The princess said she saw a curtain of feather-like white fog, and I saw a white and noble bird. Could it be the sacred bird in the legend?" Meng Gang paused for a moment, his heart filled with excitement, tears flashing in his eyes. He placed his right hand on his chest and said, "I am very excited and fortunate. I thank God for letting me live in an era where ancient legends come true. According to the legend, when the Five Celestial Children appear, there will be immortal buildings left for future generations. In these immortal buildings, there is the veneration of saints who can save all people from suffering." Meng Gang's words made everyone around him feel shaken and determined to build the Buddhist pagoda well.
Mo Le commanded Venida to excavate the foundation, and Meng Gang often came to check on the progress. When the foundation was dug to one-third, Meng Gang stood on top and saw five colorful lotus flowers in red, yellow, green, blue, and purple flying and spinning inside, emitting light. At this time, Mo Le and Mo Cai came to him, and Meng Gang asked Mo Le and Mo Cai to look down. After watching for a while, Mo Cai showed a happy expression. Mo Le smiled and asked Mo Cai, "Sister, what did you see?" Mo Cai blinked and said, "I saw five little boys appearing in the south, east, north, west, and middle positions. These are the Five Celestial Children, right!" Meng Gang said, "Take another look." Mo Cai looked and said in amazement, "I saw five colorful lotus flowers spinning in the five positions just now. They are so beautiful! There are red, yellow, green, blue, and purple colors. Oh my god, the flowers are flying and emitting light." Meng Gang looked at Mo Cai thoughtfully. Mo Le asked Meng Gang, "Priest, what did you see?" Meng Gang said, "I saw five colorful lotus flowers flying and spinning, emitting light. The divine has repeatedly shown its wonders, and I feel a greater sense of responsibility. We must make every effort to build the golden tower." Mo Le nodded.
(To be continued)
Chinese version: https://www.zhengjian.org/node/154056
