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Post by Admin on Nov 21, 2020 18:31:57 GMT
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Post by Admin on Nov 21, 2020 18:49:03 GMT
The Parable of the Desert Cat IntroductionThis parable is an integral part of the Avant Guard story The Adventure of the Desert CatSettingChina : An Indeterminate time, an unguessable location - who knows when or where a parable takes place?Chang Kong-sangChan Kong-sang paused, drew a deep breath, not an easy feat this high up the great mountain Chomolungma, then wiped the blood from his rock-sliced hands on one of the rare tufts of grass. Gazing further up the mountain, the weary sage saw that he still had a ways to go before reaching his cloudy destination. As if offering him one final chance to turn back, a stiff, snow-laden wind blew down from the heights and pushed his robes in the direction from which he had just come. Without so much as a sigh of discomfort, Kong-sang started climbing again.
The persistent wise man stopped thrice more before becoming engulfed in Chomolungma's billowy crown. Each time he took a moment to look back, and each time he could still see the mountain falling far below him. Each time he continued upward, stopping finally when he could no longer see out of the cloud.
Perched precariously on an ice-covered ledge, Chan Kong-sang sat himself down in the lotus position and began to chant into the wind. The words were as ancient as the Chinese people, calling first to the Jade Emperor, then to the ancestors, and finally to the ta-jen who dwelt on top of the cloud. He sat thus until seven days and nights passed, not once stopping to eat or drink or sleep. The chant was continuous. On the morning of the eighth day, a ray of sun broke through the cloud to reveal a golden stairway.
The mound of snow that covered the sage began to shift and fall away as Kong-sang slowly climbed to his feet. The moment his sandals touched the bottom step, the light of the sun embraced him and all signs of cold fled from his body. By the second step, his robes were dry and all signs of his travels to reach this place were gone. At the third step, his bodily needs were magically attended to. He was no longer hungry or thirsty, and he felt as healthy as a young man. As he continued to mount the steps, his chant continued to rise before him.
After reaching the one hundredth step, Chan Kong-sang felt his need to chant was ended. He was now able to see beyond the head of the great staircase. Spread out before was a great castle. Although he was certain that it in no way compared to the glory of the Jade Emperor's home, the sage was nevertheless amazed at the site before him. With no hesitation, he placed his foot firmly on the cloud and walked toward the building. Reaching the doors that were easily seventy-foot tall, the sage extended his right hand and grasped a green silk rope that was connected to a brass bell above the door. Tugging the rope twice, he stepped back onto the now-visible path he had trod into the springy surface of the cloud and sat down, once again in the lotus position. He sat thus for seven more days, this time silently contemplating all he had learned in a long life of learning.
On the morning of the eighth day, he was again brought to his feet by holy activity. The towering doors swung open and Chan Kong-sang fell to his knees and lowered his eyes before the great armored giant facing him. He knew immediately that this was the ta-jen he sought.
The ta-jen, a massive ancient warrior with long white hair and an equally long beard that constantly danced in the wind, stared down at the human. They remained thus for another day.
At last, the ta-jen spoke. “I was thirty six years in the womb of my mother. I trust your wait was not an inconvenience.”
Chan Kong-sang spoke clearly, but did not raise his head. “To sit at your feet, a thousand years would not be too long to wait.”
The ta-jen nodded, satisfied at the respectful response. “Arise, blessed mortal, and enter my home.”
Doing as he was bid, the sage rose to his feet and followed the master of this place through the doors. As they closed behind him, Kong-sang found himself crossing a vast, open courtyard. Around the parameter, massive lions of gold rested on great pedestals. Occasionally, one would raise its head and watch the mortal follow in their lord's wake.
The ta-jen led his guest to a long porch where two chairs, each perfectly sized for their intended occupant, sat on either side of a three-legged, jade table. Bowls of fruit and bread and a jug of wine, each as large as a small house, set ready to be tasted. Although his chair was much lower than the table, the sage sat himself down. Once he was seated, the chair's legs began to grow until Kong-sang's chest was level with the tabletop.
“Eat,” the giant said, as he tilted the jug and poured his guest a drink. Although his cup fit easily in his hands, Kong-sang couldn't help but be amazed at the amount of wine it received. If one fourth of the jug's contents were not in his cup, the sage would swear himself to be a fool.
Reaching out his tiny hand, the mortal pinched off a small piece of bread. “Thank you for this sumptuous fare,” Kong-sang said to his host. He spoke with a reverence that made his words a prayer to the ta-jen's ears. Despite his gnawing hunger, the sage slowly opened his mouth and placed what amounted to a crumb of the giant loaf inside. He chewed longer than he expected, and when he swallowed, his belly felt as full as if he had eaten a complete meal.
The ta-jen did not eat.
Once the short, but very satisfying meal was ended, the ta-jen spoke. “You have come a long way, showing a patience that is uncommon among your kind, to listen to my words of wisdom.”
“I have traveled far,” Chan Kong-sang said, saying nothing of the patience he had shown. “Your wisdom is a flawless pearl, greatly to be treasured.”
“I see your patience is tempered with wisdom,” the ta-jen said. “You are truly a rare mortal, to have acquired both at such a young age.”
Despite being in his early sixties, the sage knew that his years were indeed few compared to the giant's own.
“Listen, then, as I speak of the time when the Jade Emperor accused Monkey of stealing his most favored pet, his Chinese desert cat
Next: The Wisdom of the Tj-jen: The Jade Emperor's Desert Cat |
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Post by Admin on Nov 21, 2020 18:50:15 GMT
The Parable of the Desert Cat The Wisdom of the Tj-jen: The Jade Emperor's Desert CatMost Venerable and Highest Jade Emperor of All-Embracing Sublime Spontaneous Existence of the Heavenly Golden Palace upon occasion found joy in walking the breadth of the Earth in the guise of a very old man. Once, while traversing the northeastern Tibetan plateau in Sichuan, the Most Venerable Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Golden Palace heard the pitiful cry of a very young creature. In his infinite wisdom, his most esteemed steps led him to a small Chinese desert cat tangled precariously in a great thorny bush. With a wave of his hand, the thorny bush carefully untangled itself and released its grip on the animal. Free from its sharp prison, the small kitten began to lick its wounds. Reaching down, the Supremely High Emperor of the Heavens, Holder of Talismans, container of Perfection and Embodiment of Dao passed his hand over the small creature, instantly healing the cat's many scratches. As he continued on his journey, the mewing of the kitten was constantly in his ears. In his omnipotence, the Jade Emperor knew that the animal had no mother to care for it and decided to carry it back to Heaven when he returned to his palace. The Chinese desert cat, which he named Mao Di, soon became one of his most favorite pets.
One morning, the Jade Emperor called for Mao Di but the desert cat did not appear. Summoning the numerous pages of the Imperial Court to his chambers, the Ruler of Heaven commanded them to search all of Heaven until they found his beloved pet. For nearly a week, the pages went about their assigned task, searching every corner of their celestial home to no avail. Finally, one of the pages decided to reexamine Mao Di's room. With meticulous care, the page searched every inch of the grand room until, at last, he found a single strand of hair. Comparing it to the many hairs shed by the missing animal, the page determined that it belonged to an animal of a different kind. With all haste, he carried the hair to his master.
“Monkey!” the Jade Emperor exclaimed, his anger building with each passing second. “I should have known that mischievous simian is involved. Summon both Tripitaka and Monkey at once.”
Knowing Monkey's penchant for wandering, the Jade Emperor assumed, and rightly so, that Tripitaka would be the first to arrive. As the young Buddhist monk entered the throne room, the Lord of the Celestial Empire met him on the plush carpet holding the single strand of monkey hair firmly between his thumb and forefinger.
“That buffoon has stolen Mao Di, my desert cat,” the Emperor said. “Here is the proof.”
Tripitaka took the hair from his lord and shook his head. “Though the proof is before me, I can scarce believe that my traveling companion has done such a thing.”
“His precociousness is unbound,” the Jade Emperor said. “The lengths he would go to for his own amusement are without limits.”
The monk knew his Lord's patience was unparalleled, but when it came to the Monkey King, that patience was easily tested. He knew what would next be asked of him.
“Monkey still wears the golden headband that Guan-Yin created for him.”
Tripitaka nodded, then bowed his head.
“I bid you now, speak the words of the Headache Sutra.”
With a silent prayer of forgiveness, the young monk's lips began to move.
Hundreds of miles away, the Monkey King was holding court with his own kind. As he was about to issue a decision on the true ownership of a greatly coveted banana tree, the effects of his Buddhist friend's chant were suddenly felt. With a primal scream that sent his subjects fleeing into the trees, the immortal simian dug his fingernails into the flesh surrounding the circlet upon his brow. He was still on the ground, curled up in a ball and crying when the Jade Emperor's servants found him.
Next: Monkey |
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Post by Admin on Nov 21, 2020 18:51:18 GMT
The Parable of the Desert Cat Monkey“Where is my precious Mao Di, thief?” the Jade Emperor demanded.
“Please, no yelling,” Monkey replied, trying to bring a little levity to the situation. “My head may explode.”
“Do not presume to command me,” the Ruler of Heaven said. “Your trickery has been tolerated for centuries, but no more.”
Monkey looked into the eyes of his lord. “What is my crime?” he asked. “Or has your great celestial ego driven you to pass false judgments on the innocent for your own pleasure?”
Before the Jade Emperor could respond, Tripitaka intervened. “The Most Venerable Jade Emperor of the Heavenly Golden Palace believes that you have spirited away his beloved Chinese desert cat, Mao Di.” He held up the coarse strand of dark brown hair. “Here is his proof.”
The Monkey King's mouth fell open. With his own paw, he pushed his furry chin back up. “That could have come from any monkey,” he said.
Tripitaka looked at his friend, beginning to doubt his innocence for the first time.
“Any monkey but me,” the Monkey King continued. “That hair cannot be mine.”
“Enough of you pitiful lies,” the Jade Emperor said. “Until my Mao Di is returned, I hereby banish you from the Celestial Cour…”
“Wait!” Monkey said, throwing his paws up. “I can prove my innocence.”
Without waiting for a yea or nay to continue, the immortal jerked a single strand of hair from his forearm and tossed it into the air. Before it had fallen even an inch, the hair had transformed into a monkey equal in size to the original.
“See,” Monkey said. “If it were my hair,” he said, waving a paw at his duplicate, “this is what would have happened.” With another wave of his paw, the monkey disappeared.
Tripitaka glanced from his friend to the Jade Emperor, wondering if Monkey had proven his case.
The Chiefest of All Celestial Bureaucrats looked at Monkey for a moment, then let his shoulders sag. “My poor little Mao Di,” he finally said.
Immediately, the Monkey King was filled with compassion. Leaping to the Emperor's side, he put a comforting paw around the god. Although it was prohibited to touch the Ruler of Heaven, Monkey was no stranger to doing the prohibited, and it seemed the Jade Emperor didn't mind.
“I will find Mao Di for you,” the Monkey King whispered, “even if it takes all eternity.”
Monkey was quickly beginning to regret his bout of compassion. 'There are many other things I would much rather be doing than chasing around after a cat burglar.' Then he laughed, amused at the nonsense of a cat burglar actually stealing a cat.
He had given the whole situation a lot of thought before it dawned on him that someone had done this solely to get him in trouble. 'If there is one thing that I don't need, it is help getting into trouble; that is an art in which my expertise is unparalleled!' As he gave it more and more thought, Monkey soon realized that the list of those who might want to see him get in trouble could turn out to be very long. 'It could have been Lao Zi, still upset because I gobbled up all of his longevity pills; or, maybe, it was Yen Lo Wang, the God of Death, seeking revenge for the vandalization of his filing system and the fact that monkeys are now immortal. Then, there are the Dragon Kings who are constantly complaining that I am rude and a thief.' Monkey shook his head in disbelief over the fact that so many of the immortals were petty enough to hold a grudge over such little things.
Throughout his travels, Monkey had found very few beings that had not been upset by his tricks. He decided to pay them a visit and see if, perhaps, they might be able to help him. Since this list was much smaller than those who couldn't take a joke, it was easier to narrow down who might be the most help. He immediately ruled out Sandy and Pigsy, his two closest friends. Had they known if anyone was trying to frame him, they would have brought it to his attention immediately. Among his loyal monkey subjects, there were none that were displeased with him, so he mentally crossed them of his list. Tripitaka was another one whom he trusted completely. Then a thought came to him.
'The lovers!'
Next: The Lovers |
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Post by Admin on Nov 21, 2020 18:52:20 GMT
The Parable of the Desert Cat The LoversMonkey King immediately gave a great leap and landed, unerringly on Earth, in the couple's small, grassless yard. Bi Yu was seated in front of an easel painting cherry blossoms dancing on the wind. She looked up when she heard the ape lightly touch down.
“Monkey,” she said pleasantly and graciously, placing her brush in water and rising to greet her visitor. “Welcome again to our home.”
“Thank you, Bi Yu,” Monkey said. He cocked his head slightly, listening for the sound of music. “I do not hear Chung Yu. Is my favorite musician ill?”
“He is well,” the artist said. “He has gone to the village.” After studying her visitor's face, Bi Yu bid him sit. “What is wrong?”
Monkey was about to explain when the sounds of a bamboo flute could be heard off in the distance. “I shall wait for Chung Yu before I explain.”
The young woman nodded and reached for a pot of tea. “Perhaps something to drink while we wait.”
“Thank you,” Monkey replied.
The two were almost finished with their tea when a handsome young man entered the yard. His dark brown eyes lit up when he spotted Monkey. “My friend,” he said, as he rushed forward and embraced the immortal. “It is good to see you again.”
“And you, as well,” the ape said. “I only wish it were on a happier occasion.”
Chung Yu glanced at Bi Yu and the woman merely shrugged. “Please, sit,” he said to Monkey, “and tell us of your problem.”
Within minutes, Monkey had told them of what he had been accused of and what he knew. As the artist patted his paw, her husband paced back and forth.
Pausing in his pacing, Chung Yu rubbed his chin, then slowly brought his finger up and began to shake it. “A little over a week ago, I went to see the witch, Yip Chi Mei, for a fortune reading,” he said. “She made several attempts, but was unable to give me one. She told me that perhaps the Dragon Kings were on a journey.”
Monkey slammed his fist into his palm. “Then I shall go to the Dragon Kings and demand they give me Mao Di.”
“It might merely be coincidence,” Bi Yu suggested.
“No,” Monkey said. “I am sure they are the ones behind the theft.” Under his breath, though not silent enough not to be heard, he added, “And they call me a thief.”
“Do you think they will just hand the Jade Emperor's pet over to you?” Chung Yu asked.
“If they know what is good for them,” Monkey said. “If not, I shall go straight to the Jade Emperor.”
Thanking the lovers for their help, Monkey rose to his feet and prepared to leap to the home of the Dragon Kings. With a final wave goodbye, he soon leaped high in the air. He was not, however, too far away to hear Bi Yu's final words.
“Let us know if we can do more to help.”
Next: The Dragon Kings |
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Post by Admin on Nov 21, 2020 18:53:24 GMT
The Parable of the Desert Cat The Dragon Kings“Face me, you great scaly toads,” Monkey said as he landed just outside the Dragon Kings' home. “You call me thief, then steal from the Ruler of Heaven? Cowards.”
As his final word echoed throughout the surrounding hills, the great crimson gates began to swing inward. The assembled Dragon Kings stood before Monkey, one of them stroking the fur on Mao Di's back.
“Bothersome ape,” one of them said. “How dare you accuse us of theft? We found this poor creature in your possession and merely retrieved it for safe keeping.”
“Liar!” Monkey screamed, as he began to hop around and wave his arms.
Watching the spectacle before them with much amusement, one the kings raised his hand and motioned for a group of servants.
Despite his anger, Monkey's curiosity was greater. As the servants drew near, the ape could see that they were pushing a bamboo cage. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw what was inside. It was a duplicate of himself.
'This explains everything,' Monkey thought. 'The Dragon Kings must have captured this duplicate and used one of its hairs to implicate me in the theft. There was no way the Jade Emperor would believe it was not as he originally suspected.' All the Dragon Kings had to do was present the captured monkey and Mao Di to the Lord of Heaven and repeat their story and he was doomed. Immediately, Monkey's mind began to race.
“A trade,” Monkey suggested.
The Dragon Kings laughed. “A trade? What do you have that we would want?”
Again, Monkey thought. What indeed? “My promise,” he said, suddenly.
“What kind of promise could you make that we would accept?” a magnificent red and gold dragon, his 70 foot length indicating that he was at least 7000 years old, asked scornfully.
“I promise not to bother you for one thousand years,” Monkey said. “No pranks, no jokes, no tricks.”
“Make it two thousand years,” an older, even more magnificently colored king replied.
“Done,” Monkey said, without hesitation.
“What else do you have to offer?” another king asked.
Monkey's mouth dropped open. “What else can I offer?” He couldn't believe the audacity of these pompous immortals. Suddenly, he remembered Bi Yu's words. “A painting and a song.”
The Dragon Kings laughed.
“Do you truly think something as mundane as a song and a picture are equal to what we have here?” the oldest, largest, and most magnificent replied, pointing to Mao Di.
“Give me one week,” Monkey said, “and you shall see the worth of what I offer.”
“Let us amuse him,” the red and gold suggested.
The Dragon Kings spoke among themselves for a moment before agreeing.
“You have one week.”
Next: The Gifts |
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Post by Admin on Nov 21, 2020 18:54:24 GMT
The Parable of the Desert Cat The GiftsWithout another word, Monkey turned and gave a great leap, landing again in the yard of his friends.
After quickly explaining what he had gotten them into, and begging their forgiveness, Monkey waited for an answer. It was not a long wait.
“Thank you for you confidence in us,” Chung Yu said, “but there is no way our work will be good enough for the Dragon Kings.”
“We don't even know what they look like,” Bi Yu added.
“I can show you,” Monkey said. He reached out and touched the foreheads of his friends. Instantly, their minds were filled with images of the kings.
Bi Yu looked at her husband. Chung Yu nodded. The artist looked back at Monkey.
“We will try,” she said. “The image of their magnificence will be our greatest inspiration.”
For the next week, the couple spent every waking hour trying to complete their tasks. As they worked, Monkey sat patiently in the yard. Through the heat of the day and the chill of the night, he did not move. He wanted to do nothing that might distract the lovers from their work.
“Friend Monkey,“ Bi Yu finally said to him at noon on the seventh day.
Immediately, Monkey jumped to his feet and faced his friends. “You are finished?”
They both nodded.
Monkey could tell that the couple was tired, and that was to be expected, but Chung Yu's face held something else. He put his paw on the man's shoulder. “What's wrong?”
“You can carry Bi's painting to the Dragon Kings,” Chung Yu said, “but how will you carry my song?”
Monkey had been giving that some thought during his quiet time. Reaching into a pouch on his belt, he pulled out a small jar and handed it to the musician.
“Play your song into this jar,” Monkey said. “It will hold it until I deliver it to the Dragon Kings.”
As Chung Yu did as he was told, Monkey examined Bi Yu's painting. He couldn't believe his eyes. When the man handed the jar back to him, Monkey placed it back in his pouch.
“Thank you both for all you've done,” Monkey said. “I vow that I shall one day repay you for this great kindness.”
“Before you return the Jade Emperor's pet,” Bi Yu said, “may we see it?”
Monkey thought for a second. “I see nothing wrong with granting you that request.”
Tucking the picture under his arm, Monkey promised that he would see them soon. Leaping into the air, he was gone.
“I think it is time for a nap,” Chung Yu said, slipping his arm around his wife's waist.
“You go ahead,” the woman said. “There is something I need to do first.”
When Monkey landed outside the gates of the Dragon Kings' home, they were already assembled there waiting for him. Walking forward, he knelt down and bowed his head.
“I, Monkey, do vow that for the next two millennia, I shall do no mischief to any of the revered Dragon Kings. I shall neither steal from them nor prank them in any way. I shall, if I see them, greet them with politeness and honesty. This, I swear.” Having said that, he held up the painting for all to see.
There were many gasps of surprise among the Dragon Kings. Never had they seen a thing of such beauty. This painting of them would make them the envy of the other immortals.
Quietly, one of them spoke. “And what of the song? Can it even compare to this painting in beauty?”
Reaching into his pouch, Monkey drew out the jar and removed the covering. As Chung Yu's song began to drift from the opening, tears began to appear in the eyes of the Dragon Kings.
“Look,” one of them said, pointing at the painting.
As the song drifted unending on the breeze, the images on the canvas began to move in time with the music.
Knowing that the deal had been reached, the servants brought forth the cage that held Monkey's duplicate. When they opened the door, the ape leaped out and promptly disappeared.
The Dragon King who held Mao Di's leash walked forward and handed it to Monkey. “The deal is, indeed, acceptable, Monkey King.”
Before Monkey could respond, the Dragon Kings, still enraptured by their gifts, disappeared into their home and the gate closed behind them.
True to his word, Monkey returned to the lovers before continuing on to Heaven. Before he left, Bi Yu slipped a small clay desert cat into his paw.
Next: Epilogue: The Moral of the Story |
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Post by Admin on Nov 21, 2020 18:55:02 GMT
The Parable of the Desert Cat Epilogue: The Moral of the StoryChan Kong-sang looked at the ta-jen. “Master?” he asked.
“Yes?”
“Is there a moral to this story? When did it take place?”
The ta-jen took a sip of wine. “Perhaps there is a moral hidden in the story,” he said. “If so, it is there for you to find. As for when it took place, what is time to the immortals? It could have taken place a thousand years in your past, or a thousand years in your future. Some things are simply timeless.”
Back to the AVant Guard story: A Desert Cat for Tammi |
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