“CHANG, THE HEAVENLY TEACHER, CHIEF OF THE TAOISTS, BESEECHES THE GODS TO DRIVE AWAY THE EVIL FLUX. THE COMMANDER HUNG, IN HEEDLESSNESS, FREES THE SPIRITS.”
Again the Commander said, “Truly had I no strength to walk, and even as I thought to climb higher up the ridge I saw come out from among the pines an acolyte riding upon an ox and he blew upon a metal flute. Even as he came around the ridge I asked him whence he came and if he knew who I was and he knew all and he said The Heavenly Teacher had already mounted a crane and riding the clouds had gone that morning to the capital city. For this reason did I return.”
The abbot said, “Pity is it that the Commander has lost such an opportunity! This acolyte was The Heavenly Teacher himself.”
The Commander asked, “If he was The Heavenly Teacher then how did he look so common and so small?”
The abbot answered, saying, “This generation of heavenly teachers is not usual. Although his years are few, yet is he high in the true way. He is one outside the ranks of men and he is everywhere in every sort of guise and truly is he miraculous. Men on earth call him He Whose Wisdom Fills The Heavens.”
The Commander replied, “Is this what manner of man I am, that although I have eyes yet could I not discern the true Heavenly Teacher! I have seen his face and missed the knowing I did!”
The abbot said, “Pray let the Commander’s heart be at rest. If The Heavenly Teacher announced that he had gone already, then wait until the day you return to the capital and by then the great mass will already have been said.”
The Commander listened to this, and only then did he let his heart rest. Then did the abbot bid a feast be prepared to entertain the Commander and the Emperor’s mandate was preserved in the imperial casket and it was placed there in the temple and the dragon incense was burned in The Hall Of Three Clearnesses.
On that day in the guest hall there was prepared a great vegetable feast and wine was poured forth. When the night was come and the feast over, the Commander slept there until the morning.
<Continued – Prologue #10>
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