continued from issue #94
COMPOSED BY THE VENERABLE MASTER HSUAN HUA
illustrated by a student of prajna
translated by Bhikshu Heng Yo

RETURNING FROM WU T'AI TO CH'ANG AN #51

The Master ate the rice gruel, which warmed him and restored his health. The tramp asked, "From where have you come?"

The Master said, "Nan Hai."

"And where are you going?"

      The Master replied, "I'm making a pilgrimage to Wu T'ai Mountain."   The Master then asked the beggar his name.

"My surname is Wen, and my personal name is Chi."

"Where do you live?" asked the Master.

"I'm returning from Wu T'ai Mountain to Ch'ang An," he said.

"Since you are from Wu T'ai Mountain," asked the Master, "do you know people in the monasteries there?"

The beggar smiled and said, "They all know me there as Wen Chi the Miserable."

The Gatha says:

To endure suffering puts an end to suffering;

life turned back his death.

To squander one's blessings exhausts those blessings

for wealth can make one greedy.

Manjusri Bodhisattva arrived

with miraculous auspiciousness.

He rescues people from hardship and suffering

and lifts them out of confusion.