One sunny day Hotei came to a
small village. Now there was nothing Hotei liked so much as to give the little
children sweets and trinkets to play with.
He looked in his cloth sack and – nothing! ‘How can this be? I was sure
I had something,’ Hotei thought. The children were going to be disappointed. This
thought saddened him. He must not let that happen but what could he do or what
could he think of to prevent unhappy, sad faces? Should he even venture into
the village empty-handed? So, it was that Hotei turned abruptly on his heels,
his belly wobbled as he did so, and started back on the path he had been
following for many months.
It was not long after this
that he met a monk on the dusty road who recognized the illustrious wanderer
and saw his chance to ask him some exacting questions. Hotei knew what was
coming and smiled a very happy, knowing smile, and awaited the question. ‘What
is the meaning of zen?’ the monk inquired, perhaps even thinking that he would
be the first to stump the master. Hotei merely dropped his bundle to the ground
without uttering a word. Seeing no verbal answer was forthcoming the monk
ventured another poser, ‘How does one realize zen?’ Hotei retrieved his
belongings from the ground and went on his way.
It was his custom to charge a
penny’s worth from those practicing zen, be they lay or monk, for any
preachment he might make but on this occasion it was not warranted. Still, he
thought how he might scrape enough coins together to buy some sweets for the
children of the village he had to avoid for the time being. He was sure an
opportunity would come: people delighted in sermons and words, and they were of
great benefit to others.
Tired from so much walking
Hotei rested under a large shady tree on the roadside. Other travellers had put
together a crude stone table and seats so he was thankful he didn’t have to sit
on the ground. He looked into his sack and retrieved a morsel of rice cake and
nibbled on it. Now you might wonder how such spare dining could result in so
ample a waistline as he so obviously possessed. Some believe his appearance was
a form of supernatural disguise to
prevent people from assessing him on his erstwhile good looks but it’s more
likely the welcoming feasts at almost all the villages he passed through were
the real cause of his having put on so much weight. Still, for all that he was
quite fit from all the walking and could move as nimbly as any man should it be
required of him; for example, if he quickly had to get out of the way of a
rushing carriage.
He admired the tree under
which he was sitting – it put him in mind of the tree under which the founder
of Buddhism had so long ago first attained enlightenment. Hotei had a special
fondness for trees. He really could sit for hours in contemplation of the
beauteous trees he encountered on his travels, and in fact, he often did. His
water bottle was nearly empty and it was time to find a stream to replenish his
supply. He got up and walked until he came to a stone bridge. Before crossing
it he went to the river’s edge and filled up his water bottle, then he returned
to the bridge to cross it but lo and behold there was a creature there that
blocked his way. It looked fierce and wore a nasty expression. ‘Er, may I
pass?’ inquired Hotei.
‘You may not unless you pay
the toll!’ it demanded.
‘What is the toll?’ asked
Hotei.
‘500!’ the clawed hand of the
half-human half-monster gestured.
‘500!’ blurted Hotei.
‘Yes, or 300 and 2 rice
cakes.’
‘I don’t have anything right
now,’ Hotei explained.
‘Then you cannot pass!’ the
creature retorted.
Normally a very happy person
Hotei felt a tinge of unhappy confusion. He could not go forward since he had
no money and he could not go back to the village children empty-handed. It was
useless to explain this to this hard-hearted savage-looking thing. He had no
choice but to turn around and head in the direction of the village again.But he thought - happy once
more - perhaps I will encounter some people on the road with charitable
natures?
And under the very tree he had
rested at earlier on that day he spied from a distance that there were a few
people gathered. He rejoiced and quickened his pace. Soon he was among them and
they were pleased to see him and offered him food and drink. There were even a
few children with their parents and the children pressed close upon him basking
in his friendly radiance and he delighted in speaking with them about things
that would usually have their parents’ ears close ere long. He had no sweets
for them but they didn’t seem to mind and so he took heart that the village
children might be the same. All was working out so well he found himself
laughing happily out loud which made the children laugh too, and even their
parents laughed and a merry time was had by all even as the sun was setting and
the fires were lit for the night.
This is a work of fiction and
any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
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