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HENG CH’AU: June 13, 1977. To the eight winds a ninth can be added: semis. Diesel trucks. Along the oily Detroit River it is always windy. The trucks ride the asphalt rapids and the winds follow. Awesome power, I was lifted back on my heels this morning by a 1-2 combination of a Whiteliner followed by a piggy-back Fruehauf International.
Walking up to Heng Sure bowing after parking the van I realized how strange and stupid we must look. In a monastery the clothes, reverence, and slow bowing all fit, blend in, make sense. It’s what you expect. But along the highway? Why?
Well there’s lot of reasons. One, there’s a saying "After reading 10,000 books one should walk 10,000 miles." Theory without practice is sterile; practice without study is blind.
But there’s also the cultivation of "no dwelling." Literally one purposely moves about, travels light and lives simple to become detached from worldly things and states of mind of security and permanence. Stay on the edge; don’t get too comfortable. Avoid hanging on to the anchor of material pleasures and "home."
But ultimately, why not? Why not pray and bow and meditate along the road? What is the world for?
…a man stops his car, gets out and walks over to us. He is a little theatrical in his mannerisms, but seems sincere. Maybe just a little uncertain about us. Turns out he lived in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery for nine months and heard of Gold Mountain through some contact by mail. "You’re the first people I’ve seen from there, though." Tell me, is this Chinese Buddhism?"
Monk: "If it’s really true Buddhism then it isn’t any race or country’s or even just for people. It’s everything, all beings."
Man: "Right. That’s really true…"
…so why not? A couple of years ago along this same highway I picked up a hitchhiker. An American Indian, he was on his way back to this tribe after "being in the world and cities to see" for a couple of years. Had this fascinating idea that the planet earth was just one of many advanced and civilized specks in the universe. Eventually this planet like countless others would peak and extinguish because of uncontrolled technology and wars. If that didn’t occur, the universe naturally would reclaim the earth just as the earth naturally reclaims itself (people, plants, cities, etc. all get eaten up by the earth). "Just watch the ocean reclaim the coast" he said as we rode along and pointed to piers and houses leaning into the sea, corroded autos and dead fish.
This process had reclaimed a number of planets in our solar system, and according to Indian calculations, earth was next. There was a way out--a way to get off the planet and move on, dwelling nowhere and anywhere, he believed. And now he was going back to study with the old men of his tribe to learn how "to leave and return home." As he got out he said "It’s getting late. I’ve wasted much of my time and spirit. They are precious gifts."
Later, at Gold Mountain, I heard an almost identical explanation of the universe and life on other planets. Somehow it felt a little clearer and ok to be out bowing after remembering that other incident along this same highway #1.
Police car pulls up, this one not so friendly. "So what are you two going to do--flip flop on the side of the road some more?"
Us: "Well we’re bowing to San Francisco and then north to Mendocino County."
Unmoved and in a tough voice he throws his thumb over his should saying, "Well don’t stay in my area too long, you know what I mean? San Francisco’s that way."…three steps, one flip flop.
Red VW pulls up blocking our way. We sidestep and go on. Young woman and child get out. Folded hands, respectful but…something feels off. She hands me a lapel button with a color picture of Guru Maharaji. I hand it back and continue bowing.
Not put off she comes back, stands real close with the child again. "The Guru Maharaji is all you need. Do you know?"
Me: "We know about him. We weren’t interested. Excuse me but I want to keep bowing."
"You know. You know about him! And still you want to do this?"
No answer, keep bowing.
"He is here, now. There’s no reason to pray, he is in your heart--quit this."
Keep bowing.
She pushes around front. Really persistent and kind of shaky, searching in her intensity to convert me. The kid is leaning down, staring curiously at Heng Sure. She has brought back pictures, pamphlets, newspapers. I decline and try to keep bowing.
Finally she says, "I love you so much" and embraces me tightly. Lucky for the slippery nylon sash I swivel out. This is getting sticky. The cop is back watching this all across the highway. The kid can’t decide which is more interesting--Heng Sure crawling on the road or his mother trying to corral and hug the other one. Who knows what the cop is thinking.
"You are being trickled! Think only who is the Guru Maharaji, who is the Guru Maharaji" she keeps repeating this like a hypnotist on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour.
"The guru is in your heart. He is your Lord." She is getting frenetic; I’m getting a little nervous. I’m feeling a little dizzy and numb for some reason after the hub. I think of Shih Fu and Kuan yin Bodhisattva. In a few seconds a garbage truck drives toward us and the cop starts to move. She gets scared and splits shouting "remember I love you. Who is the Guru Maharaji, who is in your heart…so much." The kid still hasn’t made up his mind and now there’s a garbage truck too. The cop has made up his mind and keeps us under tight surveillance the rest of the morning and through lunch. We are in Topanga Beach.
Bowing along a long empty stretch for over two hours. Hot, thirsty, tired, but ok, I thought. Suddenly a man steps up ot of nowhere (Neptune’s locker?) and says, "yeah, but why Buddhism?" I couldn’t find any words. How many times have you been someplace where all the words left?
"Hey, boys, Jesus Christ wants to save you from Hell’s fire." When I came up from the bow, whoever it was was walking away behind us. Never saw his face. Fast redemption.
Two brothers from Massachusetts, just out of the service, sit frozen on a fence next to their new MG watching us pass. They look like they took us to see the country together. They have military haircuts and one is dangling a Frisbee loosely in one hand. Very quiet, just the waves breaking and the four of us crossing circles.
I thought of an answer to "But why Buddhism?" Because I wanted to get to the heart of things, to the ultimate and Buddhism has a tradition over 3000 years old that goes just that--it’s direct, democratic, and honest. It shows you the Way, asks nothing in return, no hpe and you either walk or you don’t, it’s up to you. That’s why Buddhism.
We found a shower on the side of an abandoned lifeguard tower. Cold water, but it works.
If I only do one step at a time, it’s all ok. As soon as I look ahead or around or outside in any direction I feel the contradictions and knots shrink my world and a light spirits gets heavy. Dusty.
At the transference of merit at day’s end a skate boarder rolled up and watched. On our last bow he put his palms together, did a half bow, turned and rolled away. About 30 yards later he stopped, paused, turned and gave us the thumbs up salute and a smile.