Monk and shoemaker

Dieu Ke, an abbot of a large temple standing in Bich Khe village. He was a person who didn’t know much about Buddhist scripture but, because he was patience to follow elder monks so that he had studied a little. At last, Dieu Ke became one of elder monks and had the current position after many years of hard work. Since the time he was abbot, he had been welcomed at everywhere he came. People respected him as Buddha who directed other monks. Dieu Ke went to many other temples, stayed and ate at those then he himself discovered the truth of life, to lead a religious life was nothing but a way to live. And so he didn’t obey five commandments of Buddha which made him feel difficult to live. About virtue, he was not person who did evil things but he was also not true monk.

Dieu Ke used to steal money people donated and used it himself but no one seemed to know it because he’s skillful.

Dieu Ke had a friend who lived in the same village and was a shoemaker. The shoemaker was person who had much knowledge of life so that it’s not unexpected as they easily became best friends. The shoemaker used to bring food and wine to his friend and then they came in Dieu Ke’s room, locked and drank. And while they drinking, they didn’t hesitate to tell the other secrets that not only came from where they lived but also come from outside. The shoemaker could keep the secrets and so that Dieu Ke really liked him. Whenever the shoemaker in difficulty needing money, Dieu Ke always helped him.

Though Dieu Ke had never had a day off reading Buddhist scripture but that’s life not all people liked him. Local officials though didn’t know Buddhist scripture, doubted what Dieu Ke read everyday wasn’t Buddhist scripture. So that, they always found the way to discover the truth.

That time, in the world of monks the name of an old monk who was living in a southern temple was spread. He was known as a great knowledge person, virtuous and ever coming to home of the Buddha. He was appointed as a national monk by the current king. The position could let him to go to all temples in whole the country and lived in where he liked. Though he was very old, the monk usually ate vegetarian dishes and slept on floor. Especially, he followed the way to understand people, “No Words”. He didn’t talk that he only used gestures and acts to communicate with others.

The news that the old monk would come there spread in whole of this village. Local officials had prepared all things to welcome the old monk and that’s the chance they could unmask Dieu Ke. They would not hesitate to expel Dieu Ke if he was not true monk.

Dieu Ke felt very worried as he heard about that. He’s sure that he couldn’t pass the old monk's example and so that he would lose everything, his position, the easy life and respect of people.

“Alas! I will lose all, money from fields and money from people. My life would end at there”, though Dieu Ke. He didn’t want the thing happened so he thought trying to find someway to escape from that. Then, he remembered his friend, the shoemaker who always thought that he was knowledge and clever. Dieu Ke sent his friend a message and then his friend came. After the shoemaker heard whole the fear of Dieu Ke, he appeased.

“I thought that you have something big deal. Don’t worry, I will answer all question of the old for you”, said the shoemaker.

“How?”asked Dieu Ke.

“It’s not difficult friend”, said the shoemaker, “I look like you and I can pretend as if I am you. What you need is requesting people to let you stay with only the old monk in a private room and then I will do the rest”.

Dieu Ke felt really peace in mind as he heard his friend said that.

Few days later, the old monk came. The old monk agreed with local officials to check Dieu Ke. When the private room was locked all lights in this room were spread from oil lamps. The shoemaker had his hair gone, wore in monk clothes. He went out to be challenged.

The challenge started. The old monk didn’t speak he slowly raised his hand, touched on head and groped. Immediately, the shoemaker raised his foot and stomped strongly on ground. After that, the old man face up to sky and then touched on his armpit by his hand. The shoemaker had his hand behind his back and then lightly punched on his back few. The old monk smiled he raised three his fingers up but the shoemaker glowered he raised five fingers up.

The old monk nodded his head, didn’t gesture more he found the way out this room while the shoemaker found the way to hide himself again.

Before the old monk left, he left local officials a paper which was result of the exam. That was:

“I have ever gone to many places but have never seen anyone who had knowledge like Dieu Ke, understanding deeply Buddhism. He not only understood my gestures but also he could reply me exactly by his gestures. Firstly, I implied that, keeping Buddha’s teachings in your head and he immediately replied me, stepping on temptations of the devil. Then I implied that, cranes bring people's wishes under their wings to Buddha and then he replied me, tortoises bring stones standing front temples. At last, I raised up three fingers to refer to three rules then he raised five fingers to refer to five precepts and that’s not thing normal monks could know. He could fastly and correctly reply the proved he was person who had deep knowledge about Buddhism that very few people could reach his grade.

After local officials and others read the paper, all of them made the way to Dieu Ke and said sorry him.

“We seem to be blind as we stand front of a living Buddha but dare to doubt. All things because of rumors, bad words of bad guys. Now all things are unmasked and all my doubt had gone. We come here to say sorry and hope you can forgive our foolishness”, said the people.

Of course, Dieu Ke had no reason to keep the thing in his head he pleasantly forgave them. The people happily left after that. When all of them had gone, Dieu Ke found his way meeting his friend.

“What have you done?” asked Dieu Ke, “Now, my name is much more worthy than ever”

“It’s nothing”, said the shoemaker, “He asked me if I made hats and I replied him I only made shoes by stepping hardly on ground. Then, he pointed in his armpit to referred that he wanted a shoe couple made of armpit skin but I only had back skin which is also great to make shoes so I punched on my back to let him know. At last, he wanted to buy a shoe couple by three “quan” but I didn’t agree I wanted five “quan”. So that he left because he thought that’s expensive, old poor man”, said the shoemaker.

THE END

"Translator: Hung Nguyen"

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