Legend of Maitreya Buddha

Author: Zhang Zhijun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The Empty-bag Monk returned to Yuelin Monastery with empty hands. As soon as he entered the mountain gate, Abbot Xiankuang asked him, "Where have you taken the timber?" The Empty-bag Monk replied, "Of course, I have brought it back to Yuelin Monastery." The young monk who accompanied Abbot Xiankuang smiled broadly, "I finally understand what's in the belly of my Empty-bag." The Empty-bag Monk teased him, "You're not a worm in my belly, so how do you know what's inside?" The young monk said, "Your belly is full of lies, so it's stretched out." The Empty-bag Monk smiled innocently, not caring at all. Abbot Xiankuang sternly scolded the young monk, "Don't talk nonsense! When did your senior monk lie?" The young monk said with great grievance, "He is lying! He said he has brought the timber back to Yuelin Monastery. But look, there isn't a single new piece of timber in the monastery. Isn't he just telling a blatant lie with his eyes wide open?" Abbot Xiankuang said, "A firefly knows nothing of the brightness of the sun and moon; ordinary mortals cannot fathom the realm of sages! You foolish boy, quickly go and repent to the Empty-bag Monk!" The young monk stubbornly stood there—after all, there wasn't a single piece of timber in the monastery. The Empty-bag Monk gestured magnanimously and said, "Children are unfiltered in speech, free and sincere—there's nothing right or wrong about it." Turning to Abbot Xiankuang, he said, "Teacher, please ask a few fellow monks to fetch timber from the ancient well in front of the original Great Assembly Hall. I have already transferred them from the vast sea of Xiangshan Port to the bottom of the well." The young monk smirked and muttered in his heart, "Lying!" Yet, Abbot Xiankuang didn't doubt his words at all. He actually called over several strong young monks, who set up a tall eagle frame (an ancient triangular with wooden pulleys) above the well. Under Abbot Xiankuang's command, the crowd worked diligently—some installed the pulleys, others sorted the ropes, some attached iron hooks, and even cleared a large space to stack the timber. Seeing this, the young monk couldn't help but wonder: Could this ancient well in Yuelin Monastery really be connected to the sea eighty miles away? He suddenly remembered that someone had said that if you are calm, you could hear the waves rising and falling and the tide ebbing and flowing in this well. He couldn't help but walk to the edge of the well, stretching his neck to look inside—the well was empty of timber, but it reflected the image of a young monk—his own. The water in the well was so still! Earlier, the young monk had been scolded by Abbot Xiankuang and now finally had grounds to confront him. He was a clever child and didn't directly report to the old monk. Instead, he brought a water bucket and hung it on the large iron hook that was originally meant to pull timber out of the well. Abbot Xiankuang saw this and said, "You little troublemaker, creating trouble out of nothing!" The young monk replied, "There's only clear, pure water in the well. You've wasted manpower and effort setting up this eagle frame—what's the point of not drawing water?" Abbot Xiankuang looked at the Empty-bag Monk, who said, "The old monk should wash his hands, burn incense, strike the bell, and thank the Dharma protectors for their hard work." So, Abbot Xiankuang put on his robe and ritual implements and went to the Dharma protectors' hall. He burned incense and bowed in reverence. P207-208