Once upon a time, there was a man named Wang; he was kind-hearted, eager to help others, and devoted to Buddhism. He was known as “Wang Shannian (meaning a virtuous man).” One day, he visited a temple to consult an oracle about when he could attain enlightenment. The monk told him: “You must worship Buddha every day and offer incense. When the ash from the incense accumulates to three stones and six dou, you can take it to the West to see the Buddha and surely achieve enlightenment.”
After returning home, Wang followed the instructions sincerely. Day by day, year after year, he finally accumulated three stones and six dou of incense ash. He then bought a donkey, loaded most of the ashes onto it, and stored the remaining part in a bag, which he carried on his back as he set out on his journey. Wang urged the animal along for a day, and as the sun set in the west, his mouth was dry and the sky was growing dark.
Searching for the Buddha, Wang meets an old man
He prepared to find an inn to rest. Suddenly, he saw an old man standing by the roadside, who stopped him and asked: “Where are you from, and what is your name? Why are you carrying such a heavy load?” Wang answered his questions, one by one. The old man said: “Well then, we are fellow travelers; it must be fate. Now I have a request; would you be willing to agree?” Wang wanted to know more, and the old man added: “I have been walking all day and can truly go no further. Would you let me ride your donkey for a while?” Wang felt troubled, but then thought: Since I am accumulating virtue, how can I not help this tired person? He took half of the ashes from the donkey and carried them on his back, allowing the old man to sit on his animal.
The elderly man then felt much more energetic, so he asked Wang: “Hey! Where did you say you were going? At my age, my memory is feeble!” Wang patiently told him again: “I am going to the West to pay my respects to the living Buddha and express my sincerity.” The old man answered: “Oh, now I understand.” When night fell, they found an inn to rest in. Wang thought to himself: “Carrying such an old person is slow and tiring; when am I going to be able to reach the Western Paradise to meet the living Buddha? No, I must get up early tomorrow and shake off this burden.”
As dawn broke, Wang quietly urged the donkey carrying the incense ash and set out on his way west. He saw the old man waiting by the roadside at the village entrance, who called out to him: “Oh, Wang Shannian, what’s wrong with you? I see you are a kind person. Since we are fellow travelers, how can you leave me behind without even saying a word? Luckily, I got up early and didn’t miss anything. Come, come, let me ride your donkey again for a while!” Wang had no choice but to accept and carry half of the ashes on his back, once more.
As they walked, the elderly man asked: “Hey! I am so old and forgetful. I know I just asked you this yesterday, but I can’t recall it today. What exactly are you going to the West for?” Wang impatiently replied: “To pay respects to the Buddha in the Western Paradise.” After a while, the old man questioned him again: “Oh, I remember your name is Wang Shannian, but I can’t remember what you are going West for. Could you please tell me again?” Wang was furious, but facing such an old “enthusiastic” person, he patiently answered once more.
They walked all day until dark, and the old man asked the same question countless times. Wang was about to explode with anger. Finally, when the night fell, they found an inn to stay, ate, and caught their breath. Wang thought: this time, no matter what, I must leave early without this troublesome man! After feeding the donkey hay and giving it water, he realized that it was not even 3 a.m., so he loaded the ash onto the donkey and set out in the dark.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he reached the village entrance, he noticed a shadowy figure blocking his way: “Wang Shannian, how can you call yourself by this name and not do good deeds? We are traveling together. I am old and slow; how can you abandon me and leave earlier each day, wanting to get rid of me? How can you bear to do that?” Wang had no choice but to endure his anger and again took half of the ash from the donkey and carried it on his back, while the other traveler sat on the animal.
The living Buddha chastizes Wang
Not long after, he asked again: “Wang Shannian, you are traveling day and night; where are you going? What important matter do you have to tell me?” Wang exploded with anger: “You, old man, do you not understand the suffering of others? I let you ride the donkey while I walk and carry the ash on my back, and it’s both hard and tiring. Yet you don’t know what’s good for you, asking over and over. Aren’t you tired of asking? I’m tired of answering!” In the end, he cursed: “Has your heart been eaten by a dog?!” The old man lightly jumped off the donkey, pointed at Wang, and said: “Go home; do not go to the Western Paradise. The living Buddha will not accept someone like you who ‘cultivates kindness.'” After speaking, He soared into the air and disappeared into the western sky.
Wang suddenly realized: The old man was the living Buddha! Sitting on the ground, he beat his chest and stomped his feet, filled with regret, but there was no point now.
Translated by Joseph Wu and edited by Laura Cozzolino
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