Chou-king on your Ambitions (D11, MA)

[Jihen]

Following the court the wind brought in dark clouds which spattered rain across the city...

Seeing this, Jihen elected to walk the halls of the Tenshu as he waited for the rain to cease.

He found himself in front of the mural in the genkan... The history of the last contentious ascension on display despite the particular facts of those days being increasingly lost to the sands of time.

Jihen went to his knees and began thinking upon the nature of that change... the impermanence that this realm is so bound to...

He thought on it... and thought... and thought... until disturbed only by the sound of approaching feet.

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D11 MA, Meditation for VP | 8k4 ⇒ 31 (TN: 20)

[Chou-sin]

"An interesting spot you've selected for your meditations, Brother," says Chou-sin, giving a short bow as he approaches. "But the ascension of the Empress Yugozohime seems an apt enough subject for them."

[Jihen]

Jihen opened his eyes and nodded gently. He did not stand from his position... perhaps inviting his master to join him.

"It is an interesting spot to be brought for my meditations... My master's first invitation to accompany him to Winter Court... and it is just such an 'auspicious' occasion as the one depicted on this wall."

He pauses and remarks, "The Little Teacher said... What is now has been before and will be again. It is the short sighted and foolish who believe that life has no patterns, no purposes. All that is now is part of what has been and what will come to be. I wonder if it is foolishness or short-sightedness to know that there are patterns... but find it difficult to make clear sense of them when one sees them."

[Chou-sin]

"A pattern can be an intricate thing," Chou-sin says. "That it repeats does not mean it repeats soon."

But he does take a seat beside Jihen.

[Jihen]

"But when it does... and that intricate pattern comes to view... what differentiates one who can see it as it really is and one who can't?" He asked.

[Chou-sin]

"It is the perpetual question," Chou-sin replies. "The Little Teacher could perhaps see it; the rest of us must stumble afterwards as best we may, hoping not to trip too many times along the Way on stones and branches left for the unwary."

[Jihen]

"One must not be clumsy when following the Way I suppose. Else we can trip on stones of our own making..." Jihen replies... hinting at perhaps a recent clumsy occurrence of note.

[Chou-sin]

Chou-sin looks at Jihen from the side of his eye.

"You know the story of the monks and the woman at the river?" he asks.

[Jihen]

"I would gladly hear it from my master." He replied honestly.

[Chou-sin]

Chou-sin nods.

"It is an older story, of course," Chou-sin begins, "but that does not make it less true.

"The story is that two monks were walking together, on which perambulation, they came to a river. Beside the river sat a woman, comely in form, who asked for their help in crossing that river; one monk demurred, while the other lifted her onto his back, and so both monks crossed over.

"Later in the day, as the monks continued, the one who demurred turned to the other and asked why he had carried the woman, given the risk of temptation she represented. The other said 'I put her down beside the river; why do you still carry her?'"

He shrugs.

"I am not so skilled a storyteller as you, Brother, I concede."

[Jihen]

He shakes his head, "Your story is well-spoken master... and your correction fair."

He lets out a breath softly, "I suppose it is simply the events of court yesterday and the whispers on the wind today that cause me to cling to this feeling... Particularly since the woman refused to help the monks as they slipped on the opposite shore and splashed back into the river..."

He adds sincerely, "But I suppose I should let that go..."

[Chou-sin]

Chou-sin chuckles.

"A quick bath does wonders sometimes," he says. "But if you are concerned for the songs carried on the wind..."

He trails off, lifting an eyebrow.

[Jihen]

He nods, "We both know the wind is not empty... It whispers things to people's hearts. And what people think of the Way... affects how willing they are to listen to it and its messengers."

[Chou-sin]

"The messenger can but deliver the message," Chou-sin replies. "What those who hear it do is not the messenger's to do. The messenger has enough to do to tend their own affairs."

[Jihen]

"I suppose that is in part true... A wise child can learn from even a neglectful parent. However, negative examples tend to lend itself to better explaining what not to do... Making the disseminator of knowledge into a cautionary tale rather than an exemplary one."

He asked, "Should we not intend to live our lives in a way that others would be drawn to?"

[Chou-sin]

"What would that look like for you, Brother?"

Chou-sin shifts to face Jihen directly.

[Jihen]

"I am not sure... I am still learning. Watching the examples that are put before me." He replied.

[Chou-sin]

"And to which examples do you look most, Brother?"

[Jihen]

"The ones who remind me that I also can be great..." He replied paraphrasing.

"Ones like you... the Little Teacher... and men and women I admire."

[Chou-sin]

"Like the Miya, I am no hero," Chou-sin replies. "But you seem to have some here."