Chapter 205 - 200: Zhuang Zhou Dreams of Being a Butterfly
Let’s talk about a Buddhist Temple in Jiangnan named Bodhi, where there lived a monk named Hui Zhi.
Hui Zhi’s family encountered a great misfortune; his parents were cruelly slain amid the chaos of war, and with all hopes dashed, he sought refuge in monastic life, devoting himself to the pursuit of Buddhism in serenity.
As a diligent monk, Hui Zhi would meditate daily and occasionally descend the mountain to perform acts of kindness, guiding those lost in confusion. In the Jiangnan region, he was known as a compassionate and highly revered monk with an excellent reputation.
One day, a young woman visited Bodhi Temple. Clad in red, as vibrant as her youth, she blossomed in her prime, enchanting in appearance, moving with the grace of Luo Shen gliding across the water, swaying delicately in her gait.
This woman entered Bodhi Temple and saw the ascetic Hui Zhi meticulously cleaning the statue of Buddha, utterly absorbed in his task.
The woman couldn’t help but smile and said, "Master Hui Zhi, the statue of Buddha is spotless. Why trouble yourself to clean it every day?"
Turning around, Hui Zhi saw a familiar face, brought his palms together, and greeted her, "It turns out to be Benefactor Yu Gui."
As it happened, this woman’s name was Yu Gui, a rather nice name that suited her.
Yu Gui cheerfully asked, "Master, I’m asking you! What’s the point of cleaning the already spotless Buddha statue every single day?"
Hui Zhi replied with a smile, "It is so to prevent the statue from being tarnished by dust! You must have heard this Buddhist teaching, too, ’Only with constant care will it remain untainted.’
Yu Gui responded, "Indeed, it is not like a bright mirror needs frequent polishing to stay dust-free! ’The mirror is not a stand, so where can the dust settle?’"