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Heng Ch'au:
Friday
March 3,1978
Bowing in extremely heavy rain outside of Cambria. First a van then a big car tried to run us off the shoulder. They cross over lanes, sliding and careening on the slick roads and head straight for us. "Playing chicken" it's called. Half of the speeding car is on the road, the other half takes up the shoulder we are bowing on. There's no place to run. The road embankment drops straight down 30 or 40 ft. into the sea or barbed wire cattle fences flooded under water.
Fortunately it's the end of the day and so a showdown is avoided. In the streaming rain, we transfer and pile into the Plymouth. We retreat to an abandoned side road for the night's camp. "Sometimes a retreat is an advance," the master told us last month.
Saturday
March 4, 1978
Rains all night. Car won't start. All our clothes are soaked and we are 3 miles from town.
After morning ceremony, we sit in meditation. At 6:00 AM a familiar looking faded VW bus pulls alongside. Heng Ju jumps out. He's really surprised. "I've been driving back and forth since 3 AM trying to find you two. Finally I gave up and decided to pull off onto this little deadened road into these bushes top meditate and her you are! Amazing!"
Heng Ju came to take us along to gold wheel temple in LA. We pushed and started the Plymouth after some hot tea and ploughed through flooded roads and high winds all the way to LA Heng Ju, a veteran sailor, said, "This is the worst storm I've ever seen."
The abbot was waiting for us and listened to our experience and stories.
"The dharma protectors guided Heng Ju to you. That's how he found you,"he said with a smile.
As for the rest of our states and questions, the master simply said, "Not seeking anything, then there are no problems. Use a single mind on one method and you're sure to have a response.
'When you are concentrated, then
it's magic.
When you are scattered, then
There's nothing.'
Hot shower, dry clothes and the rare chance to listen to the turning of the Dharma wheel. Our lives are rich.
Sunday and Monday
March 5-6, 1978
Los Angeles-San Luis -Cambria
Shih fu asks us if we want to join him in a dharma trip to Malaysia this summer. We agree.
We stock up on supplies from LA disciples Cambria. Heng Ju is driving a '56 Chevy he's "fixed for sure" six times en route. Heng Sure and delays with flooded and washed out roads. Lunch at tan isolated railroad crossing on a country back road. Quiet, except for the sound of wrenches on metal as Heng Ju world on the Chevy again. "Think I've got it now."
Arrive at Irelan's in San Luis. Bill Irelan welds our broken tailgate hinge while Heng Ju tunes up the engine. Hot chocolate, welding, grease solvent, and a backyard garden of junk metal. The car was growing mushrooms under the seats from all the dampness.
Bill Irelan lifts his welding goggles to look at an image of Gwan yin bodhisattva and picture of the master hanging inside the car.
' You know, the abbot looks more familiar all the time, it's the darndest thing."
Heng Sure
"The bodhisattva cares only about solidly
upholding pure precepts."
Avatamsaka sutra
"Ten Practices Chapter"
I found a rusty garden hoe in empty field miles from anywhere. I thought, "Hey, wan of Chen could use that hoe." A little voice said, "don't touch it. Leave it right here. It was not given to you, you're breaking a precept if you take it." I listened to the first voice. Why? Because I was false thinking of lunch and the laypeople who had come to visit is that morning. I gave them a hoe to take to LA. One week later we returned to the field and there was a farmer tending a brand new orchard, of course it was his hoe and I had stolen it. How to get it back?
It was not easy. Once the door is open, it is very hard to close. I repented bit could not forget. During our next visit to LA I pulled the hoe out of the garage and set it in full view of the car. I certainly would not forget to take it back. I certainly did. Another month passed and everyday I had thoughts of the hoe. If obstructed my concentration thoroughly. I wanted to concentrate and I couldn't because I had broken the fundamental rules, the a b c's of the bodhisattva path.
Again in LA, I grabbed the hoe and paced it in the bus as soon as we arrived, I was really anxious to get rid of the thing. I had repented months ago. It was fait accompli, nothing could change the offense, still, returning the hoe would ease my mind.
It was late at night as we approached santa maria. We lost the road. The bus was nearly out of gas. We had to go miles and miles out of our way to fund the tiny road leading to the orchard field.
There at last, I lifted the hoe and left the bus. Walking down the muddy, steep path, the little tool weighed a ton. The path seemed endless. My feet got stuck in soft mud. The moonless night hid the road. Owls and coyotes sounded very near; I was spooked. Are the hells like this? On and on; finally, the scene of the crime appeared. I gently planted the hoe in full view and then on impulse, I bowed to the hoe: three full kou-tou's in the mud. Surely I had learned a deep lesson from it. It had been my wise advisor.
The road back to the bus was no easier. Heng Ch'au met me halfway, worried that I had been gone so long. The lights of the bus looked like an oasis in the night. Don't break the precepts. Listen to the little voice. It won't steer you wrong.
"This is what he thinks,' I am holding
pure precepts so I must rid myself of
all bondage and fetters.
I must abandon all greed and seeking, all difficulties and oppression....." -- Avatamsaka sutra
"Ten Practices Chapter"