Chapter 252 - Ba Guai the Octopus (1/2)
Zero woke up feeling completely refreshed. Instead of Hua Tuo cooking dinner, Zero was surprised to see Buddha taking over kitchen duties for the day. He didn't think that the Enlightened One was capable of cooking and it surprised him.
Buddha stirred the pot and tasted the soup before nodding. For some reason, Zero thought that Buddha was very used to cooking with that sight and rubbed his eyes. Was this an illusion? He didn't think that the Wise One would be doing chores and menial tasks himself with the number of servants he had running around in Nirvana. Buddha didn't really have to do anything he didn't want to, he was rich. Besides, from what he heard from Merlin, Zero knew that Buddha was once royalty while he was human.
Zero wasn't complaining when Hua Tuo told him to run back to the hut for an extra set of cutlery and bowl. Buddha was joining them for a meal and Zero was thrilled to try someone else's cooking, not that Hua Tuo's wasn't great. The physician didn't even have time to add on to the list of things he needed from the hut when Zero disappeared through the portal. He sighed and shook his head while checking the rice that was steaming in a wooden basket. Dinner was almost done and the physician wanted an early night.
Zero returned in a flash and the three immortals ate in silence with only the sound of occasional slurping and clinking of chopsticks as the background. The water roared outside but thanks to Zero's soundproofing magic, they were spared that unnecessary din.
”Zero, tomorrow we will resume training. Buddha will be joining us but we won't be continuing the cultivation using the three waterfalls method. Buddha will explain what we are going to do next,” Hua Tuo told his startled student.
The Enlightened One found Zero's surprised expression endearing. Zero couldn't help but look like a fawn who saw a lion in the middle of playing. Buddha smiled and told Zero to read up on the Eightfold Path.
”We are going to create the eight extraordinary meridians based on the dharma wheel. Remember how you wanted to have many things in your inner dimension? We can start creating that using a different cultivation method. However, the Dharma Wheelmust be the base for all your future cultivations. While you sleep tonight, make use of the time to think about what you'd like your first creation to be. Remember, it is going to be the centre of your inner world. If the creation is weak, you cannot make much future progress.”
Zero nodded and Buddha left the cave for Nirvana again. Hua Tuo let Zero have some time to think about what he wanted to do. He didn't even scold the boy when the teenager zoned out and let water drip all over the cave floor.
Out on the edge of the cliff, Zero looked up at the sky and felt the cold wind in his face. The waterfall's roaring below him wasn't as loud as it could have been from high up. Still, it covered up the sounds of insects buzzing around in the night. The stars in the sky reminded him of the sky in his inner dimension.
What did he want to create first? He wanted to make something strong in the inner dimension and while plants are the basic form of all life on Earth, Zero didn't think creating a tree for his foundation would be good even if it made sense. That would be too boring and predictable. Besides, he wanted something he could interact with while he was there.
That's right, Zero wanted to have a huge lake in there. Maybe he should start with that first and then slowly add the other plants and animals he wanted over time. He looked down into the spring below and thought about that monster koi. Maybe he could create a lake guardian too. If the dharma wheel had a physical form, Zero was certain that it would have eight limbs too.
Feeling inspired, Zero went to bed and had a pleasant dream about the beautiful inner world he would create.
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Four hours. Zero knew he spent four hours in his inner dimension without much success. So far, he managed to complete six out of eight paths. Livelihood and Views were proving to be exceptionally difficult for the inexperienced and pampered teenager.
”This isn't working,” Zero groaned and voluntarily exited the inner dimension.
Buddha and Hua Tuo were surprised by Zero's decision to end the rials earlier. He made good progress with six out of eight paths and Hua Tuo couldn't be more pleased. However, the two paths that Zero had yet to comprehend were tricky to explain.
”I'm sorry, I couldn't do it...”
Buddha smiled and left Hua Tuo to do the debriefing for their first meditation session.
”Don't apologise. You're still young and have not experienced the world. Many people don't succeed in cultivation. It took Buddha forty-nine days of meditating to understand the eight paths completely to be enlightened. It's only the first day.”
Zero still looked down and Hua Tuo sighed. Sometimes he thought that Zero put too much pressure on himself.
”What do you have trouble comprehending?” Hua Tuo asked. Master and student were still on the giant lotus pad but it had a far more casual atmosphere now as if it was a grandfather speaking with their grandchild.
Zero sulked. ”Right Views and Right Livelihood. How can one know they'd always have the right views and opinions in a world full of unknown? Also, I've never had to work for anything to know what a livelihood feels like.”
Hua Tuo chuckled and sighed. He ruffled Zero hair with affection and smiled. ”My boy, Right Views isn't the same as Correct Views. You are right. Nobody knows for sure what's the best decision to make for the best outcome. However, we can follow a set of principles to guide us towards a path we won't regret. What is the one thing you want to abide by even in times of the unknown?”
Zero thought about it. He wanted to explore the world Solo created and help people who are hurting along the way. In his eyes, anyone who doesn't have ill-intentions should be helped. However, there were people like Douglas who did bad things out of circumstances even if was a choice he made. Zero frowned. How did Carrabas, Douglas and Rhinestone differ? Ill-intentions weren't that easily identified if that were the case.
Hua Tuo left Zero alone to ponder over it. He did his job at pointing Zero in the right direction so as a teacher, all he could do now was have faith in Zero.
A dinner, Zero was still thinking about it. This time, Buddha decided to give Zero a little nudge in the direction both Sage Gods were waiting for.
”Do you know why the Dharmachakra is in the shape of a wheel?”
Zero snapped out of his thoughts and blinked. Now that Buddha mentioned it, there wasn't really a need for the eightfold paths to be a wheel. Then the realisation hit Zero. The Eightfold Path wasn't a crossroad, it was a cycle.
Buddha didn't say anything else when he saw that light in Zero's eyes. The teenager was a really fast learner if he had a teacher who could point him in the right direction to run in. Hua Tuo watched his apprentice closely as Zero ate. The boy's mind wasn't present and it didn't take long for food to be spilt all over the floor.
After finding out that the Dharma Wheel was a cycle, Zero looked closer into the relationships of all eight paths. If he had to describe it, their relationship was more complicated like a spider's web instead of a simple wheel. If he mapped the image out in his head, the Right Views were created by Right Resolve and Right Mindfulness. If he was to put that into context of what made a view correct, it was more than just intention. It was the ability to see the world from a top-down perspective as well as feel the pain of others as his own and consider all factors to make a decision was what made the right view. It can only be considered correct once Zero understood all the possibilities. Judging someone based on one perspective didn't make that view right even if the person had good intentions.
Neither Sage Gods were expecting for Zero to achieve a breakthrough over dinner and a simple conversation. Normally, meditation and focus were required for that. Still, they rejoiced. Buddha decided to give Zero another hint for the Right Livelihood concept that he couldn't grasp.
”What's the difference between a livelihood and a career?”
Hua Tuo who was doing the cleaning up paused for a while before resuming his chores. Why didn't he think of that? No wonder Buddha was the cultivation monster and not him.
Zero tilted his head to the side. Was there a difference between career and livelihood? People worked for both of it. ”I don't understand. People work for them, right? I've never had to work for anything I needed.”
Hua Tuo raised a brow when Zero said that. ”If you've never had to work for anything you needed, do you think I'd allow you to eat dinner?”
Zero looked at the half-finished bowl of rice. ”But working means earning money right? All I did was hunt and help to cook or dinner. I don't have a job, I just help out around where I can.”
Buddha didn't offer any other hints and Hua Tuo wondered how he should explain the concept of work to Zero. People did work that they didn't get paid for too and instead, they were given lodging, food and shelter.
”What use if money if nobody wanted to accept it? The only reason why many people work for money is so that they can use it to buy lodging, food and things that they want. We don't use money to exchange for dinner between the two of us because it's too troublesome. However, you still do work in the form of cleaning, hunting and tending to my garden.”
Zero frowned. ”What's a career then?”