958 Shadow and Bell (1/2)
The wheelchair was not big, but it was still too big for the Abbey Dean, for he was very thin now. Even if he were to wrap himself in a blanket, he couldn't take up too much space. Any great person would end up in a small casket after death, but of course we couldn't use this to deny the greatness of that person.
He quietly looked at the gray sky with bleakly. He was no longer in high and vigorous spirits as the day he entered Chang'an. At this point, he was old and ailing like a candle guttering in the wind.
If one were to disregard the issues of good, evil, morality or the future of mankind, then the Abbey Dean was certainly a great man. Although he had one foot in the grave, he was still thinking about great things.
Putting Haotian in his plan, who dared to say that this was not great?
Long Qing went silent for a long time and then couldn't help but asked, ”What if?”
The Abbey Dean answered, ”There is no 'what if'.”
He was the greatest person of Taoism in the millennium, and he was the most devout follower of Haotian. Although he was scheming against Haotian, he would never doubt the almighty Haotian. ”No one can kill Haotian, not Headmaster of Academy, not even Buddha.”
Long Qing looked at the gray sky and said, ”But Buddha trapped Haotian in the chessboard.”
The Abbey Dean explained, ”The chessboard is the Nirvana of Buddha. Although I can see that Buddha had reached Nirvana, I clearly know what Buddha wants to do, but it is all in vain.”
Long Qing replied, ”I don't understand.”
The Abbey Dean said, ”Haotian knows everything and is capable of doing anything. Although she thought she didn't know, she still knows. Even if God's Plan doesn't work, she still has God's Heart. And God's Heart falls exactly in the chessboard. It is her own intention to go inside the chessboard. Otherwise why is she looking for the trace of Buddha in the human world?”
Long Qing asked, ”Why does Haotian want to look for the chessboard?”
The Abbey Dean answered, ”Because she needs the chessboard to go back to the Divine Kingdom.”
Long Qing replied, ”I still don't understand.”
The Abbey Dean answered,”I guess she hasn't figured it out either, let alone you.”
Long Qing frowned and said, ”But you understand.”
”Because Haotian had given me a hint.”
The Abbey Dean pointed to the dark sky and said, ”It's not Taoism that had tried to scheme against Haotian, and it's not me who wanted to kill Haotian with the help of Buddha's plan. It was Haotian herself who wanted to go back.”
Long Qing was silent for a long time. He understood what the Abbey Dean meant. Even if Buddha were to kill Haotian in the chessboard, it only meant it would help Haotian to turn back into the purest rule.
But...is this really her own idea? Or is it the idea of Haotian in the Divine Kingdom? What is her relationship with Haotian in the Divine Kingdom? Who is the real Haotian?
”They are both Haotian,” the Abbey Dean said.
”If Buddha is really in the chessboard and can suppress and even occupy Haotian forever, then how could she return to Divine Kingdom if Buddha were to never kill her or were to never let her out?”
Long Qing said, ”One year ago, the Chief Monk of Scripture said that there is only affinity to Buddha, never Heaven's Will.”
Hearing this, the Abbey Dean couldn't help but laugh, and he laughed happily and innocently, like a child who secretly opened a gift in a tree house. And he even shedded tears.
”Except for Haotian herself, nothing would last forever. Maybe she will die inside the chessboard, and then she will back to the Divine Kingdom. Or maybe she will survive the chessboard, and then she will also go back to the Divine Kingdom.” The Abbey Dean took over the handkerchief that Long Qing handed over, wiped away the tears on his face, and said with a smile, ”Who can trap Haotian? How can Haotian be trapped? Even if one were to escape God's Plan, then how can one ever escape God's Heart? Even Haotian herself can't escape her own mind, let alone the Headmaster of Academy or the bullshit Buddha. What a joke!”
Long Qing still didn't understand. If Haotian were to die in the chessboard, then maybe she could turn back into rule and return to Divine Kingdom. But why is the Abbey Dean so sure that she will return to Divine Kingdom if she were to survive?
The Abbey Dean felt cold and held up his skinny right hand.
The middle-aged man stood behind the wheelchair in silence. Seeing the gesture, he pushed the wheelchair to the stone house.
The Abbey Dean gave Long Qing his instruction, then refreshed his spirit by closing his eyes.
”Tell Xiong Chumo to get ready.”
...
...
Morning bells and evening drums. Spring flowers and autumn fruits. Pickles and rice/ Black crows and creeks. Buddhist scriptures and the sky. Lakes and white towers. Time and space seemed to be flowing and also staying still.
Ning Que had finished reading hundreds of volumes of Buddhist scriptures, and began to read the notes left by the previous generations of monks. Accompanied by the bells, he cultivated Buddhism in silence, and his understanding of the Buddha Dharma gradually deepened. His mind was naturally tranquil like a well without any waves.
Sangsang was still watching the sky, sometimes in the small courtyard, sometimes by the lake, sometimes through the stream and sometime through the lake water. It seemed that she could never get bored.
One morning, Ning Que came to the White Tower Temple after making breakfast. As usual, he gossiped with the demented monk named Monk Qingban, and then went to the meditation room to read the scriptures.
His heart was filled with joy and peace while reading some wonderful contents in the Buddhist scriptures, and he only felt that he was suddenly enlightened. Listening to the bells coming from the distant hall, he seemed to have forgotten his troubles.
All of a sudden, he saw a shadow on the wall, which was the figure printed by the candlelight. The shadow was sitting with the legs crossed, as if it was cultivating.
It wasn't until now did he notice that the sky was dark outside the window and it was late at night. He couldn't help but feel that Buddha Dharma was indeed wonderful and reading Buddhist Scriptures could make people forget the passing of time and all the sadness and suffering.
Sangsang did not accompany him to the White Tower Temple today. Thinking that she was still waiting for him to go back to make dinner, Ning Que collected the Buddhist scriptures on the table and blow out the candles, preparing to leave.
He suddenly took a step back before he was about to cross the threshold.
He was silent for a long time while standing inside the threshold, and sweats gradually appeared on his forehead.
He wanted to turn back, but he dared not to do so. He had a strong feeling that something bad would happen and he would lose the wonderful life he had now if he were to turn back.
He struggled for a long time and eventually turned around.