milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

A monkey wanders into the Bar, picking its teeth and singing loudly in Chinese. Picking its teeth with its feet, because it's walking on its hands.

The monkey is wearing a bright saffron robe, and waving a short metal baton around with his tail.

Na Mo A Mi Tuo Fo
Ba Ni Chi De Gei Wo
Wo Shi Yi Ge Hou Zi
Ni Yao Gei Wo Chi Shi?

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"That is the idea," he says glumly. "But only the Buddha dao will grant me true immortality, and I have sought that all my days , since I knew of death and rebirth."

"I do not think--" and here Raven's voice is hesitant--"I do not think one can gain such immortality when that is the goal. The desire for it defeats the purpose of it, perhaps."

He blinks.

"Or so I have seen, I think."

"Mysticism," Monkey says sourly. "What is the Buddha? Five pounds of flax."

Raven snorts.

"Practicality, really. Those who crave immortality never know what to do with it. Except the ones that do, of course."

He blinks.

"Is he really? That is interesting. I have heard that God is a sponge. Though I do not understand, if this is so, why he is not more effective at cleaning up messes."

"Because...

mysticism," Monkey says grumpily. "I knew what to do with immortality. I ate and drank and fought and laughed. But the immortality I have now is not true immortality; not the escape from the wheel of death and rebirth the Buddha promises."

Raven blinks.

"Why do you want to escape the wheel? It is boring, out there."

"All life within the wheel of samsara leads inevitably to suffering, because all things that bring joy will pass away in time, leaving us sadder than we were before. Desire leads always to suffering." This is in the nature of a recitation.

Raven looks puzzled.

"But sorrow also passes. Every coin must have two sides."

He blinks.

"It is a thing I do not understand, perhaps."

"You should ask the Buddha." Monkey shrugs, with wings.

"It is possible we have different paradigms. We would speak at cross purposes. But should we meet, I will try to understand something."

"Tripitaka says, if you meet the Buddha in the road, you must kill him," Monkey says dubiously.

"Then I will not meet the Buddha. I will call him Frederick, instead."

Headcock. "I think that is either very Zen or very silly. We have to ask Tripitaka."

Raven blinks.

"It cannot be both?"

"Tripitaka doesn't think so." Bitterness!

Raven snorts.

"Perhaps Tripitaka needs more silly in his life."

"I do my best!" Monkey turns bright pink.

"But do you use sparkles?"

Raven is honestly curious.

Monkey turns back into himself, but wearing a silk Daoist robe rather than his Buddhist one. The back is covered with a huge panorama of gods, spirits, priests and supplicants, all picked out in sequins.

Raven blinks, and grins.

"Now that is very pretty."

He appears fascinated. Then he pulls out a container of body glitter.

"This is also fun. People are surprised when you spread it on their face. Maybe Tripitaka will like it."

He hands the container to Monkey.

Monkey hides it somewhere in his robe. "It shall be done."

Raven beams.

"If that does not lighten him up, we can try to think of something else."

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