Adapted from pages 12 and 13 of the August 2012 Living
Buddhism magazine published by SGI-USA, based on the gosho "Wu Lung and I Lung" page 1099 of the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin.
CHARACTERS:
Wu Lung
I Lung
The King
INT. - CALLIGRAPHY ROOM - DAY
Wu Lung and his son I Lung are seated side by side at a
writing desk, carefully doing calligraphy with brushes and
ink. Wu Lung writes with confidence, due to his long
experience. I Lung, however, is timid and writes slowly
with nervous attention; for he is just learning.
WU LUNG
Not like that, son. Watch what I am
doing, if you want to become a
Master Calligrapher.
I LUNG
(Bowing low) Yes, Father.
The King enters and strides regally up to the writing desk.
He lays a scroll on the desk near to Wu Lung.
KING
Wu Lung, my Master Calligrapher. I
want you to copy this document.
WU LUNG
(Bowing low) Yes, my King.
The King exits with great pomp.
Wu Lung unrolls the scroll and scans the contents.
WU LUNG (CONT’D)
I Lung, prepare more ink. We have a
lot of work ahead of us.
I LUNG
Yes, Father.
Wu Lung continues to read over the scroll. Meanwhile, I Lung,
completely with mime, places the ink stone in front of him
and pours some water in it. He keeps the ink stick upright;
holding it with the thumb on one side and the index and
middle finger on the other side.
He presses the ink stick on the ink stone very lightly and
describes circular movements with the stick.
Wu Lung is still reading the scroll.
WU LUNG
Good thing our King is not
asking us to copy anything Buddhist.
Wu Lung lowers the scroll. He has a very angry and determined
look on his face.
WU LUNG (CONT’D)
For I despise Buddhism.
Wu Lung abruptly faces his son, with great seriousness.
WU LUNG (CONT’D)
I Lung, I want you to promise me
something.
I Lung pauses from his ink-making task and faces his father
with full attention.
I LUNG
Yes, Father.
WU LUNG
Promise me that, no matter what,
you will never - not ever - copy a
single word from a Buddhist
writing.
I LUNG
Yes, Father. I promise to obey you
and never copy a single word from a
Buddhist writing.
Wu Lung smiles with great satisfaction.
WU LUNG
Good!
Suddenly, Wu Lung’s facial expression changes to one of
panic. He drops the scroll and clutches at his heart. He
gasps for breath and stumbles offstage where he collapses
dead.
WU LUNG (CONT’D)
(From offstage) Gak!!!!!
I Lung is mortified. He weeps in extreme mourning.
The King enters with another scroll in his hand. I Lung stops
weeping and greets the king with a deep bow.
KING
I Lung, your father’s funeral will
be sumptuous as befitting his rank.
Now it is your task to carry on
your father’s work.
I LUNG
Yes, my King.
The King extends the scroll to I Lung.
KING
I want you to copy this Buddhist
writing, the Lotus Sutra.
Offstage we hear WU LUNG’S VOICE, with a ghostly tremor. I
Lung hears the voice, but the King appears to not hear
anything.
WU LUNG
Promise me, my son, that no matter
what, you will never - not ever -
copy a single word from a Buddhist
writing.
I Lung trembles, torn. Whose command should he follow?
The king continues to extend the scroll of the Lotus Sutra to
I Lung, looking a bit impatient that he has not yet accepted
it.
The voice of the deceased Wu Lung talks at the same time
as the king.
KING
I want you to copy this
Buddhist writing, the Lotus
Sutra.
WU LUNG
(From off stage) Promise me
you will never - not ever -
copy a single word from a
Buddhist writing.
I Lung closes his eyes and places his hands over his ears in
great anguish.
KING
I want you to copy this
Buddhist writing, the Lotus
Sutra.
WU LUNG
(From off stage) Promise me
you will never - not ever -
copy a single word from a
Buddhist writing.
Emotion bursting out, I Lung drops his hands from his ears,
open his eyes and shouts.
I LUNG
Yes, Father! Yes, Father!
The King, perplexed gazes at I Lung.
KING
And just what is THAT supposed to
mean?
Trembling, and looking at the ground, I Lung explains.
I LUNG
My father’s dying wish was for me
to promise to never, not ever, copy
a single word from a Buddhist
writing.
Obviously highly irritated at having his imperial edict
denied, the King gets a calculating look on his face, as if
imagining what future punishments he can come up with to
reprimand I Lung for his insubordination.
I Lung notices this royal glare and trembles in deep fear.
KING
(In a threatening tone of voice) I
can’t make you break your promise.
But can you at least copy the title
of the Lotus Sutra?
I Lung, afraid of going against the King any more, hangs his
head in remorse and reaches out his hand to accept the
scroll.
I LUNG
Yes, my King.
The King hands over the scroll and exits with haughty
triumphant steps.
Obviously shaken with deep fear, I Lung sits at the
calligraphy desk, mimes rolling out a fresh sheet of paper
and places weights on the corners to hold it in place. He
dips his brush in the ink and with mortal fear, paints the
characters as he recites them aloud.
I LUNG (CONT’D)
(Stuttering) M-m-m-myo-ho Re-re-re-renge K-k-k-kk-
k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k--------Kyo!
Emotionally exhausted, I Lung collapses with his head resting
on his folded arms and falls asleep with TWO SOFT SNORING
SOUNDS.
I LUNG
Zzzzzz. Zzzzzzz.
Enter Wu Lung, walking in a happy heavenly dreamlike way. He
addresses the sleeping I Lung.
WU LUNG
I Lung, my son.
Still sleeping, I Lung talks in his sleep.
I LUNG
I’m sorry Father. I’m so sorry I
broke the promise to you. Please
forgive me Father!
WU LUNG
Forgive you? Why, I have come to
visit you in your dreams in order
to THANK you for ignoring my order.
I LUNG
Thank me???!!??
WU LUNG
Because I went against Buddhism, I
had been miserable ever since I
died. But when you wrote myoho-renge-
kyo, each word turned into a
Buddha who came to encourage me.
I LUNG
(Smiles in his sleep) Aaaahhh! That
is great you are happy now, Father!
WU LUNG
(With a stern reprimanding tone,
hand on hip and wagging an
accusatory finger at I Lung) And I
would have been happier a lot
sooner if you had thought for
yourself, instead of blindly
following orders.
I LUNG
Yes, Father.
Wu Lung throws his hands in the air and looks heavenward,
shaking his head as he exits.
I Lung wakes up, stretches and yawns. He has a bright
expression on his face. He leaps up and paces around with
great vigor.
I LUNG (CONT’D)
I WILL think for myself, and never
again blindly follow orders. And
what my heart tells me to do right
now is to copy the entire Lotus
Sutra for everybody’s happiness.
He sits back down, dips his imaginary brush into the ink and
writes with a flourish. As I Lung writes, we HEAR I Lung, the King and Wu Lung chanting strong joyous
daimoku in unison.
ALL
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Nam-myohorenge-
kyo. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
The King and Wu Lung enter. I Lung stands. The three
characters stand together center stage, take a bow to the
audience and together exit.
THE END
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Bicycle Camping in Mexico, Colombia, and Beyond: An Interview with Andreas Hubl and Anita Burgholzer
I met them as they rested in Copacabana, Bolivia. We chatted about their almost two-year journey-in-progress.
What were your experiences in Mexico and Colombia?
As a rule of thumb we can say that 99% of the people ALL over the world are good! With a little bit of preparation and common sense you will be able to travel in most of the countries which are "oh so dangerous." We always try to carry our smiles, and even more important to keep our hearts open. Most of the encounters we have are positive. The people in Mexico (and especially in Colombia) were always very helpful, enthusiastic and hospitable. We did not have any problems regarding safety. In those countries, most of the criminal activity happens internally, between rival cartels, the police and para-militaries. If you avoid traveling in high-risk areas (locals will tell you where those are), you will most likely be safe. Even in the States, or in Europe, there's a chance of being robbed at night in the wrong 'hood. In Colombia and El Salvador we felt extremely welcome. Very few tourists go there, and locals treated us like family members. In Colombia, we received many invitations into people's homes, and had a wonderful time. It was just great, far better than we expected.
How did you decide to do this journey?
Traveling and cycling have always been essential parts of our lives. We started saving money – just in case our dream would someday turn into reality. I (Andreas) read a lot of books from other adventure cyclists and was fascinated by the way they see the world. Traveling by bicycle they are part of the environment, and get a much deeper understanding of a country and its day-to-day culture. These stories, written in a sensible and critical way in the natural voice of the author, created a lot of pictures in my mind. They fed my yearning for someday breaking out of the routine.
How did you prepare for this trip?
In 2008 we made our first "test-trip." We spent three weeks bicycle camping on the small island of Socotra (Jemen). It was such a wonderful experience that we decided to set off when the time was right. At the end of 2009 we were no longer happy with our jobs (although now, after seeing how most people live, we have learned not to complain). We knew that we could not wait much longer as we dream of having a family one day. So we set a date (May 5, 2010), and communicated our decision to our families and friends – which was the most important step of the whole journey.
Why was that?
First, we figured out the logistics of what to do with our jobs, flat, etc. before we told anyone. That way when they raised objections, we could explain in detail how we would take care of those situations. Then, the reactions were stunningly good! It was the most important step because once other people are involved in your plans, it gets more difficult to say, "No, it all has just been a joke." The acceptance motivated us a lot. We knew that we were doing the right thing, and that our family and friends support us.
What were your jobs/careers?
I (Anita) worked as a Graphic Designer in a small advertising company. I (Andreas) worked as a purchaser for a company which produces solar panels.
Why do you prefer bicycling, instead of flying or driving?
It is the slowness of our travel that makes it so intense. You are urged to stop in small, remote villages – talk to people with different social backgrounds. Some are bitterly poor, and would give you their last piece of bread. But also many rich people showed us respect and were very hospitable.
What does "slowness" mean to you?
There's a saying which describes "slowness" perfectly: "The snail can tell you more about the way than the rabbit."
On your travels, what have you learned about human beings?
The most important thing for ALL human beings is being happy. For most people this means having good relations with their families and/or friends, a harmonic social environment. No matter if we are rich or poor, educated or "simple," settled down or nomadic – we all have to eat, sleep, love, cry, laugh. We all want to live in peace and harmony.
What countries have you bicycled through?
Austria, our home country - Czech Republic - Poland - Lithuania - Latvia - Estonia - Sweden - Norway - Denmark - Iceland - USA - Mexico - Belize - Guatemala - Honduras - El Salvador - Nicaragua - Costa Rica - Panama - Colombia - Ecuador - Peru - Bolivia. We will continue our trip to Argentina and Chile. Around February 2012 we want to reach Ushuaia, Patagonia – the southern-most city on the Americas. After that? We'll see if we still feel wanderlust. Maybe we'll continue to India and return to Europe overland.
What have you experienced with people in different countries?
Generally speaking you can say that as soon as you enter a new country, the "energy" changes: the environment, nature, the weather and history, praegt – the people, everything. Eastern Europeans are more reserved. It is not so easy to get in touch with them. But once a conversation is running, it can rapidly turn into deep friendship.
In Iceland we experienced a deep connection with ancient traditions and nature. Young, trendy Reykjavikians wear exactly the same, woolen sweaters as their grandparents wear. Ancestral mythology is still very much a part of everyone's daily life.
The USA was a completely different world for us. Everybody was talking to us, wanting to know more about our trip. We were fascinated by the easy way of making contact with people there.
In Latin American countries it depends on where you travel. In coastal areas people were mostly very emotional and outgoing. In the Andes, especially in areas with a lot of indígenas, it got a bit more difficult to get in touch with people. But nevertheless, our way of traveling helps us to meet and learn from people who often live a simple life in harsh conditions where there is not much time and space for an easy-going lifestyle. But be warned – once a fiesta starts, the indígenas turn into hedonistic, happy party-people!
What thoughts do you hold in your minds and hearts as you encounter new languages, cultures, people?
In Eastern Europe we mainly talked with our hands and feet. In Northern Europe the majority speak decent English. For more than a year we have only needed Spanish, which [we now speak] on an intermediate level. Learning the language makes traveling and talking to people much easier. Regarding cultures and people, with open hearts and no expectations, we have never been disappointed or surprised.
How do you think traveling by bicycle and tent-camping (rather than traveling in an RV) affects the way you perceive and interact with other people?
Our style of traveling lets us understand a little bit better about the conditions in which local people live. Sometimes the homes are very simple adobe huts with straw roofs at altitudes of more than 4.000 meters. In Colombia we saw people living in huts made of trash. When we passed, it was pouring rain and the temperature was below 10 degrees Celsius. The water ran directly through their huts. We personally would feel a bit bad if we traveled in such areas with a luxurious RV. On the other hand, our camping equipment is very good, allowing us to withstand very harsh conditions. Our gear is quite luxurious and unaffordable for most of the people here. And many times we need help from exactly these people! In remote areas it is often necessary to ask locals for water, or for a camping spot. The conversations following our requests help us understand and learn from the people. They are happy to have contact with some crazy folks from a far-away country. These moments make our journey unique for us. We experience and take part in the everyday life that has nothing to do with the "white" picture travel books, and TV shows.
How have your travels affected other people?
Two of our best friends are currently traveling overland from Europe to India. They always mention that if we had not made our dreams come true, they most likely would not have made the decision to travel in this way. Also, our blog is a big success. For many people it has become essential to read our stories, and vicariously travel with us.
You can read Anita and Andreas' blog (in German), and see their photos. Maybe you, too, will become inspired to live your dreams.
Article first published as Bicycle Camping in Mexico, Colombia, and Beyond: An Interview with Andreas Hubl and Anita Burgholzer on Blogcritics.org
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