A legend recounts that: there was a monk at a pagoda with a lone disciple named Phlaunch. The boy was very mischievous while the monk so naïve that no devotees, both male and female, were sympathetic to either bringing him the offerings or inviting him to have meals at their home. He lived a hard life, and had an elephant.
One day the monk thought to himself that everyday no one offered him the alms, so to make thing easy, why not buying some stuff to store for meals. With the idea, he told his novice: "Phlaunch! Go and get the elephant. Come with me to the market to get something to be used as food”. The novice got the animal, and the two headed for the market on the elephant.
On arrival, the master said to the disciple: "Buy anything that can last long, unspoiled". Phlaunch got a sack of salt. The master asked why he didn't buy dried fish, instead of salt. The novice replied: "Salt can be kept for a long period without getting spoiled. That is why I bought it". Because of his stupidity, the monk did not utter a word.
The master rode the elephant back home while the disciple walked behind carrying the salt. Half way, the monk looked at his boy. The sound of the carrying pole made him think that it was comfortable to have it on the shoulder. He asked: "Eh boy! Do you feel comfortable with that pole on your shoulder". The disciple replied: "My dear master! Very comfortable, and it is light". The monk then said: "You ride the elephant. Let me carry the salt". He then climbed down the animal and the disciple took over. The master told his student to wait for him under a tree ahead. The student did not do as his master told him. Instead, he rode the elephant as far as the pagoda.
The master carried the salt behind. As the salt was weighty, he frequently took a rest. With his student not in sight, he then thought about getting his disciple to come back and take the salt. When he was about to hide it in the bush, an idea just flashed out in his mind. He thought that if he did not find a secure place to hide the salt, and by accident when someone passed by and came across it, he would take them all. So he thought that the only place that no one could spot it easily was the river. He hid the two sacks of salt in the river and reached the pagoda, where he asked his novice: "Why didn't you wait for me? The disciple answered: "My dear master! I rode the elephant and was indeed willing to wait for you. But the animal did not. I begged it. But he ignored and kept going on until we arrived at the pagoda". The novice asked his master: "Where did you put away the salt?” The monk replied: "I hid it where I marked with a lotus plant".
In the next morning, the monk returned with his novice to collect the salt. He said: “I hid it in the river". The student exclaimed: “My god! It all dissolves". Phlaunch took the two sacks of salt out of the water, only to find out it all dissolves, and the string that was used to tight up the sacks also broke apart. Only a lone fish was found in the sack. The novice told the master that the fish in the sack ate up the salt. He showed the fish and the sacks to his master.
The master was so irritated that he slapped the fish in the face, but only had his hand pierced with the fish barbs. The fish venom caused severe pain, making it so hard for the master to stand. He then shouted: "Pull the barb off my hand. It hurt severely". The barb got stuck so deep that it made it hard for the student to get it out. Once it was out, the blood started to come out so heavily that it caused even more painful. Both the master and the student returned to the pagoda, bringing with them the sacks and the fish. At the pagoda, the monk said to his novice: "Phlaunch, let cook a pot of rice and have the fish grilled. I will have them". After the pain caused by the venom died down, the master felt into a deep sleep.
Plaunch cooked the rice and grilled the fish, He ate all the food, leaving only a small piece of rice and fish bones in the bowl and covered it, but not completely closed. Waking up, the monk asked his disciple to bring him rice and the fish. Phlaunch behaved as if he went and fetch the meal for the monk. When his master emerged, he said: "The fly eats up the rice and the fish. Only a small piece of rice and fish bone remains. The monk believed it and without any doubt, he gave the disciple a rattan rod and said: "Hit and do not let any fly in the abbot". Phlaunch then would spare no flies. Suddenly, a fly pierced on the master’s nose. Urged by the monk, he hit it. The fly escaped, and he accidently landed on his master's nose, which started to bleed afterward. Felt frightened, he rushed to his parents' house and recounted the incident. The parents urged his son to get back to the pagoda, but he refused. The monk went and told him to return; still he did not for fear being hit by his master.
One day the monk holds a ritual to cast magic spell to lure back his disciple. Phlaunch was aware of what his master was doing. To make his master convinced that his magic did work, he came back to the pagoda. Arriving at the pagoda, he sneaked in quietly. He saw his master sit reciting the magic spell and asked: "What are you doing, master?” The monk lied: "I am reciting the magic to make myself invisible. I have just learned from somebody". The monk thought to himself: "My changing magic is powerful. That is why my student gets back". When the morning came, the disciple finished preparing the meal. He said: "The meal is ready". The monk replied: "So bring me the food". Phlaunch brought food on a tray for the monk. He pretended not see his master .and placed it on his master's head. The monk asked: "Phlaunch! Why do you put the tray on my head?” The student said: "I cannot see you". The master turned aside, and Phlaunch again placed it on his master's head. The monk said: "Phlaunch! You have it on my head again". The novice said: "Sony! I cannot see you". That made the master believe that his changing witchcraft work well. And now after he lied to his student about his invisibility magic, he found out that it was equally effective. So he started to learn it by heart.
Phlaunch had the left-over after offering the meal to the monk. One day, devotees invited the monk to have lunch at their home. Phlaunch said: “If you go to have lunch outside, don't wear the robe in order not to make it worn out. Just put on the outer clothing. No one will be able to see you because you learn a powerful magic that can make you invisible". The master believed what was said by his disciple. In the morning, the monk told his student to come along with him to have meal at devotees' house. The worn only the scant outer clothing, thinking that this piece of clothing was enough because his magic was so powerful that no one could see his private parts. He then set off with his novice.
On arrival, the devotees invited him onto the house. The food was brought before him. As he did not put on the robe and was carelessly seated, at one point turning to the left and at the other to the right, the monk then got his private parts exposed. The audience burst into laughter. The monk did not have the food, and feeling embarrassed, he left and returned to the pagoda, blaming his novice: “You told me not to put on the robe, and now I feel embarrassed”. Phlaunch replied: “Don’t be angry with me. There must be something wrong with your treatment of the taboo”. The master asked: “Can you tell me how I acted against the taboo?” Phlaunch asked: “Which road did you take when you went to the devotees’ home?”
The master replied: "When I left, I took the eastern road". The student said: “Oh dear! You might act against the taboo". The other day, you told me that when you learn all magic spells, you must refrain from eating star fruits, let alone walking under the star fruit trees. This will let all the spells just gone away. Your spell vanishes because you walked under the star fruit tree. That is why everyone could see your private parts".
After hearing this, the master agreed: “Yes! Phlaunch, I forget about the taboo. That is why I got a problem. You are right”. Because of his stupidity, his doubt had gone. Since then, Phlaunch had continued to attend to his master happily. Being gentle would have you killed! Being cunning would make you lucky enough to live longer!
- The END -
The master rode the elephant back home while the disciple walked behind carrying the salt. Half way, the monk looked at his boy. The sound of the carrying pole made him think that it was comfortable to have it on the shoulder. He asked: "Eh boy! Do you feel comfortable with that pole on your shoulder". The disciple replied: "My dear master! Very comfortable, and it is light". The monk then said: "You ride the elephant. Let me carry the salt". He then climbed down the animal and the disciple took over. The master told his student to wait for him under a tree ahead. The student did not do as his master told him. Instead, he rode the elephant as far as the pagoda.
The master carried the salt behind. As the salt was weighty, he frequently took a rest. With his student not in sight, he then thought about getting his disciple to come back and take the salt. When he was about to hide it in the bush, an idea just flashed out in his mind. He thought that if he did not find a secure place to hide the salt, and by accident when someone passed by and came across it, he would take them all. So he thought that the only place that no one could spot it easily was the river. He hid the two sacks of salt in the river and reached the pagoda, where he asked his novice: "Why didn't you wait for me? The disciple answered: "My dear master! I rode the elephant and was indeed willing to wait for you. But the animal did not. I begged it. But he ignored and kept going on until we arrived at the pagoda". The novice asked his master: "Where did you put away the salt?” The monk replied: "I hid it where I marked with a lotus plant".
In the next morning, the monk returned with his novice to collect the salt. He said: “I hid it in the river". The student exclaimed: “My god! It all dissolves". Phlaunch took the two sacks of salt out of the water, only to find out it all dissolves, and the string that was used to tight up the sacks also broke apart. Only a lone fish was found in the sack. The novice told the master that the fish in the sack ate up the salt. He showed the fish and the sacks to his master.
The master was so irritated that he slapped the fish in the face, but only had his hand pierced with the fish barbs. The fish venom caused severe pain, making it so hard for the master to stand. He then shouted: "Pull the barb off my hand. It hurt severely". The barb got stuck so deep that it made it hard for the student to get it out. Once it was out, the blood started to come out so heavily that it caused even more painful. Both the master and the student returned to the pagoda, bringing with them the sacks and the fish. At the pagoda, the monk said to his novice: "Phlaunch, let cook a pot of rice and have the fish grilled. I will have them". After the pain caused by the venom died down, the master felt into a deep sleep.
Plaunch cooked the rice and grilled the fish, He ate all the food, leaving only a small piece of rice and fish bones in the bowl and covered it, but not completely closed. Waking up, the monk asked his disciple to bring him rice and the fish. Phlaunch behaved as if he went and fetch the meal for the monk. When his master emerged, he said: "The fly eats up the rice and the fish. Only a small piece of rice and fish bone remains. The monk believed it and without any doubt, he gave the disciple a rattan rod and said: "Hit and do not let any fly in the abbot". Phlaunch then would spare no flies. Suddenly, a fly pierced on the master’s nose. Urged by the monk, he hit it. The fly escaped, and he accidently landed on his master's nose, which started to bleed afterward. Felt frightened, he rushed to his parents' house and recounted the incident. The parents urged his son to get back to the pagoda, but he refused. The monk went and told him to return; still he did not for fear being hit by his master.
One day the monk holds a ritual to cast magic spell to lure back his disciple. Phlaunch was aware of what his master was doing. To make his master convinced that his magic did work, he came back to the pagoda. Arriving at the pagoda, he sneaked in quietly. He saw his master sit reciting the magic spell and asked: "What are you doing, master?” The monk lied: "I am reciting the magic to make myself invisible. I have just learned from somebody". The monk thought to himself: "My changing magic is powerful. That is why my student gets back". When the morning came, the disciple finished preparing the meal. He said: "The meal is ready". The monk replied: "So bring me the food". Phlaunch brought food on a tray for the monk. He pretended not see his master .and placed it on his master's head. The monk asked: "Phlaunch! Why do you put the tray on my head?” The student said: "I cannot see you". The master turned aside, and Phlaunch again placed it on his master's head. The monk said: "Phlaunch! You have it on my head again". The novice said: "Sony! I cannot see you". That made the master believe that his changing witchcraft work well. And now after he lied to his student about his invisibility magic, he found out that it was equally effective. So he started to learn it by heart.
Phlaunch had the left-over after offering the meal to the monk. One day, devotees invited the monk to have lunch at their home. Phlaunch said: “If you go to have lunch outside, don't wear the robe in order not to make it worn out. Just put on the outer clothing. No one will be able to see you because you learn a powerful magic that can make you invisible". The master believed what was said by his disciple. In the morning, the monk told his student to come along with him to have meal at devotees' house. The worn only the scant outer clothing, thinking that this piece of clothing was enough because his magic was so powerful that no one could see his private parts. He then set off with his novice.
On arrival, the devotees invited him onto the house. The food was brought before him. As he did not put on the robe and was carelessly seated, at one point turning to the left and at the other to the right, the monk then got his private parts exposed. The audience burst into laughter. The monk did not have the food, and feeling embarrassed, he left and returned to the pagoda, blaming his novice: “You told me not to put on the robe, and now I feel embarrassed”. Phlaunch replied: “Don’t be angry with me. There must be something wrong with your treatment of the taboo”. The master asked: “Can you tell me how I acted against the taboo?” Phlaunch asked: “Which road did you take when you went to the devotees’ home?”
The master replied: "When I left, I took the eastern road". The student said: “Oh dear! You might act against the taboo". The other day, you told me that when you learn all magic spells, you must refrain from eating star fruits, let alone walking under the star fruit trees. This will let all the spells just gone away. Your spell vanishes because you walked under the star fruit tree. That is why everyone could see your private parts".
After hearing this, the master agreed: “Yes! Phlaunch, I forget about the taboo. That is why I got a problem. You are right”. Because of his stupidity, his doubt had gone. Since then, Phlaunch had continued to attend to his master happily. Being gentle would have you killed! Being cunning would make you lucky enough to live longer!
- The END -
No comments:
Post a Comment