Men Chow: And what happens then?
Fu Hsiang: It becomes part of
reality, and when it does, it loses its
story-like quality and becomes indescribable and
many-sided. It acquires qualities it never had
when it was just a story. It can trap us and
devour us if we are not careful. The old story
tellers knew this, that is why there are folk
tales about spirits who grant three wishes to
people. Often people feel worse off when their
wishes come true than if they had never wished at
all. You look troubled.
Men Chow: Master, I am
troubled. You have taught me that good and evil
are unreal, but as a Buddhist I have been taught
to do good. What can I make of your teaching as a
Buddhist?
Fu Hsiang: This is too large a
topic to discuss in one sitting. We need to rest
our minds as well as our bodies. We will speak on
this tomorrow.
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