At the summit of Spirit Mountain, the Great Thunderclap Monastery gleamed with brilliant crystal light. Ten thousand rays of golden light poured down like waterfalls. The Buddhas lowered their eyes, and the sound of chanting drifted through the air, filling the place with peace and solemnity.
The Merit-Bearing Sandalwood Buddha, Tang Sanzang, wore a purple-and-gold kasaya as he slowly crossed the Seven-Treasure Lotus Pond. His eyes and brows were gentle, and a compassionate smile touched his lips. Each step he took brought a golden lotus into bloom, while the aura of Buddhahood flowed around him. Yet no one noticed the surging undercurrents hidden deep in those kind eyes.
