The old man sat quietly at the foot of the multi-coloured waterfall, watching the waters swirl and splash around him. He had never experienced so much bliss and contentment. Around him, the birds chirped, beautiful swans floated by serenely and the trees and flowers swayed gently in the breeze. Elsewhere, graceful deer and other animals played together joyfully. Where is this place, he thought to himself. He tried to recollect what had happened to him. He knew he had been ill, but for how long he couldn't remember. But he could remember the golden phoenix that came and took him away. "I'm taking you to your new home," it said to him. More memories surged through his mind and it was some time before he realised with a start that he had died and this beautiful paradise was now his new abode.
A wave of sadness suddenly came over him as he thought of the friends he had left behind. Even as he thought of them, their images appeared in the waters below him. "Ning! Da! Ah Hoe!" he cried excitedly. But of course they couldn't hear him.
A golden carp which had been watching him swam up and said, "Don't be sad, old man. They, like you, have to work out their karma too. You will meet up with them again some day."
"I hope so, little fish," said the old man. "I shall look forward to that day."
Suddenly all came to a standstill and the sky glowed with a brilliance he had never seen before. He saw to his amazement that the trees and flowers were bending low, the birds and animals had prostrated, and as he gaped in wonder, he saw a golden pink light approaching. He felt a presence that he had never felt before - a presence that radiated boundless love and compassion ......quickly he too fell to the ground, lowering his head in utter humility and obeisance....
Back at the temple .....
"Vege Cat, you had better not get into trouble again. Lao Lo won't be able to rest in peace trying to save you every now and then!" said Head Nun reproachfully.
"I'm sorry, Head Nun. Trouble seems to find me wherever I go. I didn't for one moment think that we were going to be ambushed by robbers."
"Yes, those two nuns still haven't got over their terrible experience."
Even as she spoke, the two nuns in question ran into the room and fell at Head Nun's feet.
"Head Nun," gasped Nun No.1. "We have come to ask for your forgiveness."
"Oh?" said Head Nun.
"Well, before the incident, we both had always wanted to go out of the temple and do some exploring in the forest nearby. But you had strictly forbidden us to do so. Now we realise why, you were concerned for our safety and we want to ask your forgiveness for calling you a "square" and "mean and unreasonable" ....
Her voice trailed away.
"Really, is that what you thought of me?" Head Nun murmured.
The two nuns nodded, heads bent, afraid to meet her eyes.
"Hmmm ..." She sighed, got up and walked out of the room. Head Nun sometimes does this, especially when she's under stress or worried about something. She will "disappear", then make a reappearance.
The two nuns knelt there, afraid to move. I heard Nun No.2 whisper to Nun No.1. "Now we've had it. She's going to punish us and make us do meditation the whole day....."
After some ten minutes, Head Nun returned. There was complete silence in the room and you could hear a pin drop. Then Head Nun said, "No, I'm not going to punish you or make you to do meditation the whole day. There's nothing to forgive, you may go."
The two nuns leapt to their feet, surprise and relief written on their faces and rushed off, probably afraid Head Nun would change her mind.
Head Nun shook her head and said, "Those two still have a long way to go."
Meantime, I was bursting with curiosity. "Head Nun, you went out of the room just now, you couldn't possibly have heard what the two nuns whispered to each other. Yet you knew their exact words! You must have ears as sharp as a razor."
Head Nun smiled. "There's an Eastern proverb which says: "He who knows, doesn't say; He who says, doesn't know." I'm not saying anything."
With that, she patted my head and sailed out of the room.
Like I said, life in the temple is full of mystery and intrigue.
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