Su Beishan directed someone to prepare wine and invited the monk into the library, where they sat drinking wine and discussing ancient and present affairs. Ji Gong revealed to Su Beishan the splendor of his erudition and the aspirations hidden within his breast. Su Beishan than knew that Ji Gong was one who transcended the great men of the world. Su Beishan begged Ji Gong to become his teacher, and wanted to give him new clothing. But the monk would accept nothing, saying, “If you wish to thank me, it need only be as it is between us at present. Now I must go.”
Su Beishan said, “My teacher, here it will always be as if this were your worldly home. When you wish to come, you may live here.”
The monk replied, “Nicely said. Today I will return to the temple.” He left the Su household, and in the street began singing as he walked on his way.
Where now are the sounds of their laughter?
Where are the flowers and brilliant brocades?
Where are those years we once were so joyous?
Lonely tombs echo back my cry.
Though I grieve for my old companions,
I must follow the light of truth.
May I flee the world and its pleasures;
May the world only pass me by.
So Ji Gong returned to the temple. The superintendent of the monks, Guang Liang, wanted to destroy Ji Gong. Guang Liang was holding a grudge because Ji Gong had stolen his robe and also had played a trick on him with a bundle of dust and dirt that the superintendent had thought was an object stolen by Ji Gong.
Guang knew that Ji Gong slept in an upper room of the Great Pagoda, and sent one of the acolytes to make sure that Ji Gong was there—and, if he was, to burn him to death during the night.
The first time that the fire was set, Ji Gong had risen to relieve himself, and the water he made showered the little acolyte on the head and put out the fire.
When the little acolyte started a fire the second time, the high, blazing flames were seen at once. The multitude of monks in the temple cried out: “This is terrible! Quick, let us put out this fire! That crazy monk Dao Ji is up in the Great Pagoda sleeping and will be burned to death—perhaps he can be saved.”
Superintendent Guang Liang thought that this time he had been able to burn the mad monk to death. Although no one knew it, Guang Liang was just savoring this delight when he saw Ji Gong coming out of the Great Hall of Treasures. He was laughing loudly, saying, “When men call upon men to die, heaven may be unwilling; but when heaven calls upon men to die, there does not seem to be any difficulty.”
When Superintendent Guang Liang saw that Ji Gong was not dead, he was most unhappy. He went to the temple master and told him, “We are now obliged to punish Ji Dian for the burning of the Great Pagoda.”
The old temple master replied, “The fact that the Great Pagoda caught fire was the will of heaven. How can it be attributed to Dao Ji?”
The superintendent answered the temple master saying, “Nations have the law of kings; temples have the Buddhist rules. In this temple, when one person has a lamp lighted, everyone has a lamp lighted according to the time specified—such as when they come together to eat, and when they go to their rest at night. Dao Ji keeps his lamp burning all night and makes it burn like a supernatural fire. This is against Buddhist rules and he should be punished for that. He should be sent out of the temple and not be allowed to be a monk.”
The old temple master said, “The punishment you recommend is too severe. He could be sent to collect alms for the restoration of the Great Pagoda. Have Dao Ji called to see me.”
Not long after, Dao Ji was seen to come in and stand in front of the temple master, greeting him and saying, “Reverend Temple Master above, I press my palms together in greeting.”
The temple master said, “Dao Ji, you have not been keeping the Buddhist rules and as a result the Great Pagoda has burned. I am sending you to solicit funds to repair this building. Ten thousand ounces of silver are needed for the task. Ask your brother teacher to specify how many days you should be given.”
Ji Gong asked, “Brother teacher, how many days would you give me?”
The superintendent of the monks asked, “Can you raise ten thousand ounces of silver in three years?”
Ji Gong replied, “It won’t do—it’s too long. You must say some time less.”
The superintendent asked, “Can you raise ten thousand ounces of silver to repair the Great Pagoda in one year?”
Ji Gong replied, “It won’t do. It’s still too long. You can come down a little more—try again.”
The superintendent said, “Half a year.”
Ji Gong shook his head and said to come down a little more.
The superintendent said, “One month.”
Ji Gong said it was still too long.
The superintendent asked, “Can you raise ten thousand ounces of silver in one day?”
Ji Gong retorted, “If ten thousand ounces of silver can be raised in one day, you go and raise it! I can’t!”
All the monks discussed the matter together and said that there should be a limit of one hundred days. They asked Ji Gong to go out and solicit funds. If he were able to raise the ten thousand ounces of silver in that time, he would triumph. He would have paid his debt and that would be the end of his punishment.
Ji Gong agreed, and every day went out to solicit funds. In the vicinity of Linan there were countless young monks taking pledges as they begged for the salvation of all souls. Either pretending to be stupid or acting terrified, not one of them would raise his eyes from his signature book to look at Ji Gong.
One day near the Monastery of the Soul’s Retreat, on the rear slope of the Flying Cliff Mountain, where there were hares, deer, foxes, and cranes, Ji Gong saw two hunters. He stopped them on the road saying, “What are your honorable names and where are you going?”
One of the men replied, “I am Chen Li; my nickname is ‘The Man with the Beautiful Whiskers’. That man is my sworn brother, Yang Meng, who suffers from a mysterious illness. We are going to hunt hares on the mountain and then return. May we ask who is the teacher?”
Ji Gong explained, laughing loudly, and then remarked, “Every day you are on the mountain hunting hares. In order to preserve your life, you terminate the life of other things.”
Yang Meng and Chen Li realized that the monk was a superior recluse and knelt to offer greetings, asking Ji Gong to be their teacher and saying, “We two from now on will change our occupation and will henceforth seek our living by acting as armed escorts for travelers.”
The monk said, “Good! Soon your business will be flourishing.”
After the two had gone, the monk went into the monastery. He spent his days drinking and no longer solicited alms. The superintendent did not press him, thinking that when the time limit had passed, it would be a fine thing to have Ji Gong sent away out of the monastery.
The days went by, first slowly and then swiftly, until over a month had passed. Ji Gong had not collected one ounce of silver. One day he noticed that none of the temple monks were nearby. Ji Gong went into the hall where the image of Wei Tuo, an ancient Hindu ruler, was located. He contemplated the ruler’s benign face.
In its bright gold leaf, the image of Wei Tuo seemed like that fabulous dancing phoenix which was said to herald and protect a just and benevolent emperor. So, it was believed, had the spirit of this ancient Vedic king of the Hindus come to herald and protect the Lord Buddha and to assist him in his teaching that all reality was one and that the goal of each believer should be to transcend the limitations of the individual. The kind and reassuring face of the image was like that of the