The Battle in Journey to the West
Chapter 205 - 200: Zhuang Zhou Dreams of Being a Butterfly

Chapter 205: Chapter 200: Zhuang Zhou Dreams of Being a Butterfly

Let’s talk about a Buddhist Temple in Jiangnan named Bodhi, where there lived a monk named Hui Zhi.

Hui Zhi’s family encountered a great misfortune; his parents were cruelly slain amid the chaos of war, and with all hopes dashed, he sought refuge in monastic life, devoting himself to the pursuit of Buddhism in serenity.

As a diligent monk, Hui Zhi would meditate daily and occasionally descend the mountain to perform acts of kindness, guiding those lost in confusion. In the Jiangnan region, he was known as a compassionate and highly revered monk with an excellent reputation.

One day, a young woman visited Bodhi Temple. Clad in red, as vibrant as her youth, she blossomed in her prime, enchanting in appearance, moving with the grace of Luo Shen gliding across the water, swaying delicately in her gait.

This woman entered Bodhi Temple and saw the ascetic Hui Zhi meticulously cleaning the statue of Buddha, utterly absorbed in his task.

The woman couldn’t help but smile and said, "Master Hui Zhi, the statue of Buddha is spotless. Why trouble yourself to clean it every day?"

Turning around, Hui Zhi saw a familiar face, brought his palms together, and greeted her, "It turns out to be Benefactor Yu Gui."

As it happened, this woman’s name was Yu Gui, a rather nice name that suited her.

Yu Gui cheerfully asked, "Master, I’m asking you! What’s the point of cleaning the already spotless Buddha statue every single day?"

Hui Zhi replied with a smile, "It is so to prevent the statue from being tarnished by dust! You must have heard this Buddhist teaching, too, ’Only with constant care will it remain untainted.’

Yu Gui responded, "Indeed, it is not like a bright mirror needs frequent polishing to stay dust-free! ’The mirror is not a stand, so where can the dust settle?’"

Hui Zhi nodded and said, "Correct! It seems you have remembered this saying, Benefactor Yu Gui."

Yu Gui couldn’t help but laugh, saying, "I remember every word you say very clearly, Master! If it weren’t for you, I’m afraid I might have already taken my own life. But why won’t you let me become a nun here?"

Hui Zhi answered, "The Buddhist life is one of tranquility. You, Benefactor Yu Gui, do not seem sincerely devoted to Buddhism, so naturally, I cannot allow you to join the order. Moreover, this temple does not accommodate nuns. If you wish to become a nun, you’d have to go much farther away!"

Yu Gui couldn’t help but stick out her tongue and shook her head nonchalantly, "Being so far from you, I’d rather not go! I just want to become a nun at Bodhi Temple."

Hui Zhi laughed softly and shook his head, "That is simply not possible. If you truly desire to follow Buddhism, you may enshrine a Buddha statue at home, recite scriptures, and pray daily. If Buddha Ancestor senses your sincerity, he will naturally ensure your safety."

Yu Gui replied, "I do have one! The day before yesterday, when I saw you reading the Diamond Sutra, I also read the scriptures at home, but I couldn’t understand anything."

Hui Zhi said, "Not understanding is not an issue, as long as you are sincere."

He tossed the cloth into the bucket and smiled, "Do you have any doubts you wish to resolve today, Benefactor?"

Yu Gui placed her bundle in front of the Buddha statue on the incense table and unfolded it, revealing a kasaya inside. The kasaya was not extravagant, but it was sewn by her, stitch by stitch, and one could only imagine how much effort and how many pricked fingers it had taken to make it.

"Master, this is for you!" Yu Gui said with a smile, presenting the kasaya with both hands.

Hui Zhi said, "Amitabha Buddha..."

Before he could finish, Yu Gui stuffed the kasaya into his arms, stamped her foot in feigned annoyance, and said, "Stop with the Amitabha Buddha! I’ve sewn this myself, and only you can wear this kasaya! If you don’t want it, just throw it away then!"

With that, Yu Gui turned and trotted off, hastening away like a flicker of flame.

Helplessly shaking his head, Hui Zhi bowed to the statue of Buddha, then carefully stored the kasaya back in his room.

The room was sparsely furnished, with just a table that held many scriptures, and beside it stood a wooden bed with just a meditation cushion and no blankets or covers. A string of Buddha Beads hung on the wall.

Hui Zhi neatly folded the kasaya and placed it at the head of the bed before taking a seat on the meditation cushion and silently reciting a passage of scripture.

Time flies swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, several days passed.

Hui Zhi was still cleaning the Buddha statue when Yu Gui, dressed in her bright red clothing and moving with light and agile steps, once again arrived at Bodhi Temple.

"Master Hui Zhi, you’re cleaning the Buddha statue again!" Yu Gui laughed.

"Hello, Benefactor Yu Gui," Hui Zhi greeted her with his palms together.

Yu Gui, accompanied by a fragrant breeze, approached him. Feeling she was too close, Hui Zhi instinctively stepped back.

Yu Gui, with her picturesque features and lovely appearance, had almost taken her own life due to a family tragedy. But after Hui Zhi consoled her, her disposition had become lively and cheerful. Such a young woman was truly endearing.

With a gentle smile, Hui Zhi nodded and asked, "Benefactor Yu Gui, do you have any questions this time?"

Yu Gui said, "I’ve been reading the Heart Sutra at home, but it’s so profound, I just can’t understand it."

Hui Zhi replied, "Not understanding is alright. If you read it more times, you will naturally come to understand. Buddhist Scriptures require heartfelt contemplation to truly grasp their profound teachings."

Yu Gui pouted and asked, "You still refuse to let me become a nun here?"

Hui Zhi smiled and said, "Patron, why must you do this?"

Yu Gui snorted, seeing that Hui Zhi had finished polishing the statue of the Buddha Ancestor and sat down to start striking the wooden fish and reciting scriptures to cultivate Zen, she couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

She jumped beside Hui Zhi and said, "I have something for you here!"

Hui Zhi shook his head and did not speak, only silently continued his meditation and chanting.

"Didn’t the clothes I sent you last time fit? Why don’t I see you wearing them?" Yu Gui asked herself, not caring that he wasn’t speaking.

"If they don’t fit, just tell me, and I’ll help you alter them! This time I’ve brought you something nice!" As Yu Gui spoke, she drew up her sleeve, revealing a snowy stretch of skin, and on her wrist was a string of Buddha Beads. These beads, made of purple sandalwood, were extremely pricey and rare, seldom seen in the world.

"Here! These Buddha Beads are for you." Yu Gui extended the beads to him, but he did not take them, so she slapped them onto the desk, startling the incense ashes perched atop the incense sticks, causing them to break off and scatter all over the desk.

Hui Zhi stopped and gave Yu Gui a look, sighed, and said, "Such precious purple sandalwood Buddha Beads, how could I accept them? Patron, you should take them back."

Yu Gui snorted, "They’re left here now, whether you want them or not, it’s up to you! I’m off!"

Having said that, she had already left swiftly, her thin-soled boots seeming to tread on a breeze, and she quickly vanished from sight.

After Hui Zhi completed his duties, he picked up the Buddha Beads, shook his head, and silently turned back into the Zen room. He placed the beads on the desk and thought to himself, "If she comes again next time, I’ll give them back to her! I am a disciple of the Buddhist sect, how can I allow myself to develop such thoughts so lightly? This female patron is indeed persistent."

Hui Zhi sat down again on the meditation cushion and resumed his chanting and meditation, reciting the "Heart Sutra," its full name being the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra.

Another two days passed, and just as Hui Zhi finished cleaning the Buddha statue and held the Buddha Beads in front of the statue to cultivate Zen and chant, Yu Gui, right on schedule, arrived.

Outside, a misty light rain fell. She held an oiled paper umbrella, her thin-soled boots already stained with mud. She cleaned the mud off her shoes outside the door, set the umbrella aside, and then slowly entered.

"Master Hui Zhi, you’re chanting again! It’s raining today; I almost took the wrong path. But I remember the way to Bodhi Temple even clearer than the way home!" Yu Gui said with a smile as she walked into the hall.

Yu Gui saw Hui Zhi chanting and spontaneously took three sticks of incense, lighting them with the candle, she bowed in front of the statue, touched her head to the ground three times, whispering something, then placed the incense into the censer and stood up. There were wet traces on the ground; perhaps it was rainwater from her.

Knowing he would be meditating for a few hours, Yu Gui said, "Master, let me dance for you!"

Yet, Hui Zhi’s eyes remained closed, the wooden fish tapping rhythmically as he sang in Sanskrit.

Yu Gui didn’t mind and began to dance in front of the Amitabha Buddha statue. Her dance, named "Startling Swan," was as graceful as a startled swan and as ethereal as Luo Shen, meant to be performed only for the one she loved. The simple tapping of the wooden fish and the resonant, singular bell of the ancient temple echoed, accompanied by the pitter-patter of the rain. She danced as if possessed by madness.

"Master, I am leaving now! I fear that it will be a long time before I can come to see you again!" Yu Gui stopped, beads of sweat on her forehead, her eyelids gently drooping, "These are the monk’s socks, hat, and cloth shoes I have made for you. Keep them for yourself!"

With that, she placed her bundle on the altar and turned to leave.

The striking of the wooden fish halted, perhaps a bit too forceful earlier, as it suddenly cracked with a snap.

Hui Zhi turned and saw that fiery figure already descending the temple mountain under her umbrella. Amid the hazy rain and the azure mist, whom was she awaiting?

Hui Zhi bowed his head, lost in thought; before he knew it, night had fallen.

Picking up the bundle, he took it back to his Zen room. Upon untying it, inside were a pair of white socks, a monk’s hat, and a pair of black cloth shoes with red specks on the white soles—perhaps she had pricked her finger while sewing them?

A fleeting touch moved Hui Zhi’s heart, like a light pluck on a string, eliciting a note, but after the sound faded, tranquility returned once more.

Hui Zhi pushed open the old window, gazing out into the misty rain.

Wutong leaves fell outside, with fallen flowers piling into mounds—a blanket of yellow petals thinned the ground, adding both autumn hues and loneliness.

Hui Zhi, cradled by the Third Watch of the Night’s rain, could not shake off the cool and clear state of mind.

In times of war and turmoil, amidst flames and smoke, landscapes shattered, volumes of poetry and paintings were burnt in hesitation; only the Buddhist Scriptures remained, further withering these already desolate days.

He stood up, opened the door, and proceeded through the rain, seemingly losing his calm mindset, unable to find the Zen of yesteryear, wishing to hunt for that bright red in the wind, only to find the wind had carried her far away.

Searching and seeking, indescribable are the moods of the clouds and wind.

A round of wind and rain, a bout of bleakness.

Hui Zhi returned to his Zen room and sat on the meditation cushion. His heart finally calmed down.

Borrowed dreams always end in emptiness; half a tune on the lute, from where does the wind summon the resting Phoenix tree?

Amitabha Buddha...

If you want to know what happens next, please stay tuned for the next part. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Starting Point (qidian.com) to vote your recommendation and Monthly Ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)