劍問蒼天 - 第179章 化解 - 清風書屋

The morning bell rang faint and long, the evening drum beat deep and heavy; Mount Sumeru bathed in drifting mist and cloud. From the first rising of the dawn sun to the last glow of the twilight afterglow, the skies shifted and changed, white clouds racing past like grey dogs, and time, in the end, lingered for no one.

The Brahma Sound Temple stood magnificent and grand, towering upon Mount Sumeru like a compassionate giant gazing down upon the world. Countless mortals gathered from every direction in the morning, bowing and worshipping before the divine images in the temple halls, voicing their joys and sorrows, begging the gods for blessing. Thousands came and gathered; thousands dispersed and parted. Day after day, never changing—the years of gathering and scattering. Only the gilt statues of the buddhas and gods within the temple, the undying lamps before the halls, and the curling incense smoke had seen all the vicissitudes of the world.

Ming Li—or rather, Zhang Qingyue of that year—had entered once more the little room where the Dharma-body remains of the Divine Monk Pu Zhao lay. Another day and night had passed, and in all that time there had been not the slightest stir from within the little room. Master Pu Cheng had come out into the small courtyard in the interval, stood there a long while, and then departed with a sigh. Only Fa Cheng, ever since Ming Li had entered that room, had stood in the courtyard outside, keeping his vigil with a patience beyond all expectation.

No one knew why Fa Cheng stood there, but none of the other monks of the Brahma Sound Temple, Master Pu Cheng included, had asked him; and Fa Cheng simply stood on, alone and steadfast, as though waiting for something.

The setting sun was like blood, dyeing red the evening clouds on the western horizon. Seen from afar, the edges of the clouds seemed to bear a fine layer of golden light—very beautiful. The fine scenery of heaven and earth is in truth always close at hand; it depends only on whether you look, and whether you care.

Fa Cheng gazed at the distant evening clouds, staring rapt and lost. Having stood a day and a night, his fair face showed not the least weariness; rather, in his clear eyes flickered a profound light of wisdom.

"What are you looking at?" Suddenly a voice sounded beside him. Fa Cheng gave a start, waking from his thoughts, and saw that it was Master Pu Cheng, who had come into the courtyard again at some unknown hour and now stood beside him, smiling at him.

Fa Cheng pressed his palms together and answered, "Replying to Master, this disciple was gazing at the evening clouds in the western sky when a sudden insight came to him, and he fell into a reverie. I did not know Master had arrived—forgive my discourtesy."

Master Pu Cheng smiled faintly. "Such trifling courtesies need not concern you. But I wonder—what insight did you draw from those evening clouds in the west?"

Fa Cheng pondered a moment, then said, "This disciple has stood here a day and a night, watching the stars by night and the blue sky by day, until now, when the splendor fades and the rising sun sinks west, leaving only a few stray rays to illumine the western sky. I could not help but feel sorrow in my heart. Such is human life, such is time, such are all things under heaven and earth. For a moment this disciple knew not—born into this world, so small as a grain in the vast sea, what meaning is there in living?"

Master Pu Cheng nodded. "You truly have a wisdom beyond others, my disciple. All things in heaven and earth have their own destiny; though they change in ten thousand ways, in the end there is a course of heaven's decree that cannot be defied. That you could grasp this truth from the rising and setting of the sun is already most remarkable."