Chapter 37

The place where the three of them sat was within four pillars, with grass mats spread on the ground. In front of the two people were only two small desks and two teacups, with nothing else. Lu Zheng knew that this should be the two-story wooden building he saw at the center of the square on the mountain, which the ascetic monk called the "Heavenly Circle and Earthly Square Pavilion." Although it was called a two-story building, there was no staircase to be seen anywhere in the room.

The room was empty, with nothing to look at. Lu Zheng, hiding behind the ascetic monk, boldly and secretly observed Mr. Le. Mr. Le wore a white robe with wide sleeves, had a ruddy complexion, kind eyes, and no beard, looking very elegant and graceful, like a god sitting on a cloud!

His expression seemed to be in a daze, and it was unclear what he was thinking. His hair was neatly combed but casually draped over his shoulders. Occasionally, a few strands would fall in front of his eyes, highlighting a sense of laziness. He leaned against the desk, as if embracing a sentiment and feeling weary, making it hard to guess his age. At first glance, he looked thirty, but a second glance made him seem seventy, and a closer look made him seem more like fifty. However, sometimes a hint of childish mischief could be seen in his occasional gaze.

Lu Zheng thought to himself, "This must be a god, so this is what a god looks like!"

"Hey, what are you looking at?" Mr. Le suddenly spoke, addressing Lu Zheng, who was secretly observing him.

Lu Zheng didn't expect Mr. Le to notice his small actions without even looking at him. He quickly retreated behind the ascetic monk, feeling somewhat embarrassed. He secretly tugged at the ascetic monk's sleeve, but the ascetic monk didn't look at him, clearly not intending to speak on his behalf.

Lu Zheng, with no choice, had to harden his resolve and peek out from behind the ascetic monk, honestly answering, "I was looking at you."

"Oh, why were you looking at me?" Mr. Le seemed surprised by such a direct answer, propping himself up on the desk and leaning forward with interest.

Lu Zheng felt that Mr. Le wasn't scary at all, but rather very kind, so he replied, "I've never seen you before, so I was a bit curious. Are you a god?" He was initially nervous, but after a few words with Mr. Le, he felt more relaxed and his courage grew.

Mr. Le laughed heartily, and with his laughter, the cool breeze that blew in from the windows and doors seemed to flow with it. His laughter made Lu Zheng blush and hide behind the ascetic monk again.

Mr. Le looked at Lu Zheng a few times, then suddenly stopped laughing and said to the ascetic monk, "Master?" His eyes carried a question.

The ascetic monk, understanding his question, said to Lu Zheng, "Lu Zheng, go outside for a walk. I have some words to say to Mr. Le."

Before Lu Zheng could answer, Mr. Le said, "Hmm, young friend, wait a moment... Xin'er, take this young brother out to play, remember not to be naughty!"

Lu Zheng was still wondering who Xin'er was when he heard a cheer. A voice full of joy said, "Great! No need to write anymore!"

A blur appeared, and a little girl, about eleven or twelve years old, shorter than Lu Zheng by half a head, wearing a pink dress with several small braids tied with pink ribbons, appeared. She looked very playful. She shouted to Mr. Le, "I'm going out to play!" Without waiting for Mr. Le's response, she turned around, grabbed Lu Zheng, and ran out the door, saying, "Big brother, let's go catch butterflies!"

As soon as the two children ran out, the scene inside the room changed. The desks, grass mats, and the two people disappeared from their original place. When they reappeared, they were already at the place where the ascetic monk and Lu Zheng had overlooked the Sun and Moon Cottage on the Two Realms Mountain. It was unknown how Mr. Le had done it, but it must have been a highly advanced supernatural technique.

The ascetic monk, clearly puzzled by this technique, sighed, "I have known Mr. Le for ten years and have seen his supernatural abilities several times, but I still don't know what kind of supernatural power he has cultivated or what level he has reached."

Mr. Le smiled and said, "Each realm has its own transcendence. The cultivation in the Sun and Moon Cottage is different from that of Buddhism and Taoism, and cannot be measured by levels. The path I follow is consistent from beginning to end, with only the depth of the realm, not different levels. Just like the Mahayana Bodhisattva path in your Buddhist tradition, there are many consistent cultivation methods, but later practitioners do not recognize them and reduce them to minor techniques."

The ascetic monk recited a Buddhist chant, "Amitabha, I practiced the Hinayana path of asceticism in the past, clinging to ascetic practices. Fortunately, ten years ago, Mr. Le enlightened me that all beings suffer, and thus I suffer. I finally understood the true meaning of the Buddha's teaching that all beings suffer, and I instantly grasped the Mahayana path of asceticism, abandoning my own suffering to see the suffering of all beings. Over the years, I have traveled through the human world, gaining many insights, which have greatly benefited my cultivation. I thank you, Mr. Le!"

Mr. Le waved his hand and said, "The great monk is too polite, let's have some tea." As he spoke, both of them lifted their teacups.

The ascetic monk savored the tea and sighed, "Ah, back then, Mr. Le used tea to enlighten me about the true meaning of suffering. I finally understood that the bitterness of tea followed by sweetness is the essence of tea."

Mr. Le smiled and said, "Then the great monk should thank Zhonggui. This tea grows in an extremely cold place and is made through a very complicated process. I have never had such patience, so I always rely on Zhonggui. Both the great monk and I are just enjoying the results. Ha, life is full of ease!"

The ascetic monk knew that Mr. Le often said, "Life is full of ease," and laughed, "Then I must thank Mr. Zhonggui for making such good tea, ha!"

Ten years ago, when Le Zhongping first met the ascetic monk, the Eight Sufferings Monk, he also invited him to have tea. When the ascetic monk lifted his teacup and took a sip, Le Zhongping asked, "Great monk, your Dharma name is Eight Sufferings, which must come from the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, specifically the truth of suffering. May I ask, great monk, this tea tastes very bitter at first, but after the bitterness fades, there is a sweet aftertaste. Is this tea sweet or bitter?"

This seemingly simple question left the Eight Sufferings Monk stunned, and he was momentarily at a loss for words.

The sweetness after the bitterness is naturally the charm of drinking tea, a familiar experience. However, Mr. Le was not just asking about the taste of the tea. He was using the tea as a metaphor to ask a deeper question. According to Buddhism, everything in the world is suffering. Mr. Le was using the tea to ask the ascetic monk, "Is life in this world happy or painful?"

Is life happy or painful? Each person, due to their different experiences, has their own view. However, the ascetic monk practiced the truth of suffering, which is the core of the Four Noble Truths. The truth of suffering teaches that the world is impermanent, and because of impermanence, there are the eight sufferings: birth, aging, illness, death, separation from loved ones, meeting with those one dislikes, unfulfilled desires, and the burning of the five aggregates. To escape these sufferings, there is the ascetic path, known in Buddhism as the Dhutanga practice.

This practice is very strict, with numerous strict rules. For example, it requires one to stay away from all comfortable and happy places, to beg for food and wear patched robes, to sleep under trees, and not to stay under the same tree for more than three days, among others. The purpose is to train the mind, free the body from burdens, and liberate oneself from material desires, restoring the purity of mind and body. The ascetic monk practiced such asceticism.

Therefore, according to Buddhist teachings and the ascetic monk's practice, he should have answered that the taste of tea is bitter, indicating that the world is suffering. The so-called sweetness is just an illusion caused by the difference in taste, implying that all happiness in the world is illusory!

However, the ultimate goal of the ascetic monk's asceticism is to escape suffering and reach the state of Nirvana. This is like experiencing the bitterness of tea and then welcoming the natural sweetness. In this sense, the taste of tea should be sweet, and life should be happy! Even if many people do not find happiness, they do not deny their desire to pursue a happy life. The ascetic monk himself is on this path, seeking happiness through suffering.

This is why the ascetic monk was stunned. Mr. Le used a cup of tea to raise this question: If everything in the world is suffering, where do you find happiness? If you say the world is happy, why do you need to practice asceticism?

At this point, Mr. Le explained his reasoning.

People drink tea not just for the bitterness. If it were for the benefits of the bitterness, they might as well drink medicine. The charm of tea lies in the sweetness that follows the bitterness.

The sweet aftertaste is not just a difference in taste. Medicinal soups are more bitter than tea but do not have a sweet aftertaste, which is the unique quality of tea.

So, is tea bitter or sweet? It is both! Just like life, there is no inherent happiness or suffering, only different experiences that bring different feelings. Each person's experiences will bring a certain aftertaste.

Some people fear the bitterness and seek the opposite sweetness, but they go in the wrong direction. Some people try to avoid pain but end up on the opposite path, thinking it is happiness. For example, people think hard work is suffering and comfort is happiness, but after a long time of comfort, they find it is also suffering. They realize they do not have a true goal to pursue, but are just tired of the current situation!

The true taste of life lies in carefully savoring the bitterness, truly facing all one's experiences, like savoring the bitterness of tea. The more one understands the true essence of the bitterness, the more beautiful the sweet aftertaste becomes. The bitterness of tea does not make the heart bitter; it is all a matter of the heart. Only by understanding the bitterness and sweetness can the originally confused heart become clear and pure!

Therefore, life does not have inherent suffering or happiness; it depends on how the heart perceives it. The true purity lies in the heart that perceives everything, and it is precisely through experiencing everything that one understands everything!

Mr. Le's words were actually enlightening the Eight Sufferings Monk, telling him not to seek suffering for the sake of suffering, as that would be like seeking fish in a tree, not the true path of cultivation.