A collection of stories to thrill, entertain, and enlighten . Thought provoking tales of fantasy, mystery, murder, love, sci-fi, and war. Within the mind and around the globe and universe, journey with the heroes and fools, the victims and the villa...
"You are so far from the sea." Quang chuckled. "You are like a bird stuck in the mud... alive but unable to fly."
"I'm just here helping the ARVN, that's the Army of the Republic you mentioned. We, the Americans, are leaving soon, I think, and we're teaching them how to use the boats we're leaving behind... how to repair them and such. I'm not that fond of the ocean anyway... it's too big and too lonely."
"Just like the sky where the bird soars. You need to find your path, the one for you alone."
"I don't think I have one, Quang. I don't feel like anything in my life is mine. I don't know where I'm going or where I want to go... hell, I barely remember where I've been."
"Few men do... without effort," he answered, "I will ponder your journey, land-sailor, and tell you what I think." We walked on in silence until the pagoda of the Thien Mu Temple loomed ahead of us.
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The temple itself is best described as an enclave built within a pine forest. It was a refuge from the depression and gloom of Huế. There was an enormous tower surrounded by several buildings and courtyards, each bustling with orange-garbed monks and priests; cleaning, meditating, teaching, and praying.
I was greeted by more genuine smiles in one afternoon than I had seen during my entire deployment. Quang seemed pleased by my reaction and showed me around, taking great pride in his home. He explained that the pagoda had been built in the seventeenth century by a nobleman after a local woman had had a vision of Buddha on the hill upon which it was located.
He took me to an enormous carved turtle, a symbol of longevity, and then into the main hall to show me an impressive carved Buddha. Being unfamiliar with his faith, I didn't understand why there were so many dissimilar representations of Buddha. I said as much.
He laughed, "There are many Buddha. All men have within them a perfection... a Buddha nature. If they achieve that perfection, they are Buddha. This," he pointed at the statue, "is the Buddha known as Maitreya. It is said he will return when dharma is forgotten." He saw the confused look on my face and smiled warmly, "Dharma is many things, it is what we learn and improve in ourselves, it is the order of the world and heavens, and it is the duty which we have toward the world. In war, as now, it seems that dharma is forgotten," he sighed, "perhaps Maitreya will return soon."
I asked a question which in retrospect seemed incredibly ignorant, "Is he your favorite Buddha? Is he the one closest to your heart?"
Quang was quiet for a while. I imagined him going through a list of different Buddha manifestations, though I suspect he was trying to answer in a way which wouldn't make me feel foolish. He looked up at me with his warm brown eyes and spoke very slowly. "I follow most closely Amitābha, the Buddha of the pure land. He teaches us to see our world as paradise. In doing so the veil is lifted and the path to enlightenment made clear. We see the good and wish all beings peace and bathe them in the light of our joyous thoughts. When the bindings of this life are untied we are reborn in a purer world, but until then we must see the beauty of our world, not the illusions of darkness in which we often allow ourselves to drown."
