Snow in August (4 page)

Snow in August

Our play traverses 250 years of Chinese history from the middle of the seventh century (High Tang Dynasty) to the end of the ninth century (Late Tang Dynasty). The legend of Huineng, the sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism is told in drama and song.

Characters in order of appearance:

Huineng, the sixth Patriarch (633-713)

Boundless Treasure, a Buddhist nun

Hongren, the fifth Patriarch (602-675)

Shenxiu, a Zen master (c. 606-706)

Lu Zhen, a painter

Huiming, a Buddhist monk

Yinzong, a Zen Master (627-713)

(Young) Shenhui, an apprentice Buddhist monk

Writer

Singsong Girl

Fahai, a Zen master

Xue Jian, Court Messenger

Shenhui (c. 684-c. 758)

Crazy Monk

Old Woman

This Master, That Master, One Master, Another Master, Quite Master, Nice Master, Right Master, Wrong Master, Old Master, Big Master, Monks, Discipline Teachers, Novice Monk, Messenger, Soldiers, and Laymen A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I. There are more than 30 characters in total.

Act I　Scene 1

In which Huineng Listens to the Sutra on a Rainy Night

[
Enter Huineng in front of the curtain. He sports a short Chinese jacket and a cloth waistband, in which is tucked an axe used for cutting firewood. He has on straw sandals but no stockings. He is holding a carrying pole with iron tips. Sound of wooden clappers
.

Huineng:

Greetings, members of the audience!

I am Huineng. My original surname is Lu. I was born in New Prefecture in the twelfth year of the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty. My father came from Fanyang. He was an official, but he offended the court and had his office taken from him. After returning to civilian life, my parents became exiles in Canton, a place far away from civilization. My father died when I was young, and my mother, being a widow with a young son, decided to move the family to Nanhai. So here I am, trying to eke out a living by cutting and selling firewood.

[
The curtain rises. Sound of wooden fish and fast clappers. There is an altar at stage centre, lit by a single lamp. A single incense stick is burning; its smoke forms circles which hover in the air. The nun Boundless Treasure is dressed in a Buddhist kasaya robe, her head wrapped in a piece of plain blue cloth. She is sitting cross-legged on a futon in front of the altar, her head lowered, her back facing the audience. She is chanting the sutra while beating the wooden fish. She is mumbling, so the words are indistinct
.

Huineng approaches. He stands motionlessly beside her and listens to her chanting
.

Boundless:

(
She stops beating the wooden fish but does not turn to look at Huineng
.)

Who is it?

Huineng:

It’s me. I’m here to deliver firewood.

Boundless:

Just put it in the kitchen.

Huineng:

I’ve stacked it there neatly for you already.

Boundless:

I am chanting the sutra. Come back early tomorrow morning for your money.

Huineng:

I don’t take money from anyone serving Buddha.

Boundless:

Amitabha. The grace of Buddha!

(
She beats the wooden fish three times then stops suddenly
.)

Why aren’t you leaving?

Huineng:

I want to listen to your chanting.

Boundless:

(
She stands up and turns to leave
.)

It’s getting late. I have to close the doors now.

(
She looks up, revealing her bright eyes and delicate facial features. She is in her prime and obviously in possession of grace and beauty
.)

Huineng:

I’ll go and close the doors for you. Just leave them to me.

Boundless:

If you want to listen to our chanting, you should come here early. We regularly hold our morning chanting sessions at four o’clock. You can join us if you want to.

Huineng:

I have to go up the mountain to cut firewood before the cock crows three times in the morning. I’m afraid I won’t be able to come and listen to your chanting. Our family is very poor, and I have to support my aging mother. I really cannot come in the morning. I hope you will forgive me.

Boundless:

We followers of Buddha aim at delivering humanity from their miseries. There is no need to speak of forgiveness.

Huineng:

Can I stay by your side and listen to your chanting, if it’s not too much trouble?

Boundless:

The temple has rules. I presume you are familiar with them. Even though I’m a nun, I’m still a woman and I should avoid being here with you. If you really wish to become a monk, you should take this copy of the sutra and recite the words of wisdom in it. Then you will have obtained some merit for yourself.

Huineng:

I wouldn’t know any words even if they were as big as a rice dipper. My family is poor, and I never went to school. If I had a copy of the sutra in my hand, I wouldn’t be able to understand a single word.

Boundless:

(
Thinks to herself
.)

What should I do now? I’m a nun, and I should not get caught in any romantic entanglement. That was the reason I decided to seek refuge here at the Mountain Stream Temple! But now…

Deep autumn, early chill, the raindrops hit the banana leaves. The night is long, and this young woodcutter insists on staying by my side. He refuses to leave the temple. What should I do? Amitabha, what should I do?

Huineng:

It’s fine with me. Please keep on chanting. I’ll stay by your side and listen. Just ignore me.

Boundless:

If you don’t know any words, how can you understand what I am chanting just by listening? (
Beats the wooden fish twice then stops. Thinks to herself
.)

Maybe this guy has an ulterior motive or something wicked on his mind?

Huineng:

When we’re thinking we don’t need to write anything down. Especially with the profound wisdom of Buddha nature, how can it be explained by words? Why should literacy be a barrier? Please go on chanting. I’m listening.

(
Boundless Treasure resumes her position, beats the wooden fish and starts to chant rapidly
.)

Huineng:

You’re chanting too fast.

(
Boundless Treasure turns to look at Huineng and frowns
.)

Huineng:

The words can’t get into your heart if you chant so fast.

(
Boundless Treasure beats the wooden fish and chants slowly
.)

Huineng:

Now you’re too slow. You see, the sentences are all cut up and the thoughts broken.

Boundless:

Do you want to listen or not?

Huineng:

(
Takes one step forward and leans to one side, paying full attention
.)

I’m all ears.

Boundless:

(
Thinks to herself
.)

This guy is a real pain! (
Beats the wooden fish continuously
.) (
Music
.)

Huineng:

(
Thinks to himself and turns to look at the nun
.)

What’s her problem? I thought nuns didn’t have problems.

Boundless:

(
Thinks to herself
.)

A woodcutter, and he knows not a single word! How can I make him understand?

(
Rubs her hands
.)

Cut, cut, cut, let me cut out his delusions.

(
She lowers her head to untie her blue head cloth and reveals her shaved head. Turning around, she finds herself face to face with Huineng. She starts to sing in a high-pitched voice
.)

Boundless Treasure am I—

Boundless troubles occupy.

Huineng:

(
Sings
.)

Hair can be cut and thrown away,

But it’s not as easy,

To keep troubles at bay

Boundless:

(
Sings
.)

From Spring to Autumn,

Day after day,

A lonely lamp is my only company

To keep loneliness away.

Huineng:

(
Sings
.)

From sunrise to sunset,

I cut and carry firewood.

I’ll cut more and more,

And sell as much for my livelihood.

Boundless:

(
Sings
.)

Long and endless is the night,

Who’ll understand my plight?

Huineng:

(
Sings
.)

Year after year,

What do I want for myself?

Boundless:

(
Sings.
)

Boundless Treasures am I,

Boundless troubles occupy…

Huineng:

(
Sings
.)

I don’t understand why…

Boundless:

(
Sings
.)

The night rain hits the banana leaves,

The wind and the rain,

When will they ever end?

Huineng:

(
Sings
.)

The thoughts keep coming,

Now and then,

Then and now.

They can’t be cut,

They can’t be blocked.

Boundless:

(
Sings
.)

Endless regrets,

Boundless remorse;

Endless and boundless sorrow.

Huineng:

(
Sings.
)

Is it true,

Troubles lead to Bodhi?

And Nirvana is the other shore?

[
The stage turns dark. Huineng steps forward as the curtain comes down behind him. One clap of the soundboard
.

Huineng:

One day, Huineng went to a store after selling firewood in the market. There he saw a man reading the Diamond Sutra at the front. He stopped and listened and his mind was illuminated. He asked the man, “Sir, where did you find this sutra?” And the man answered, “I went to pay my respect to Hongren, the old master at the East Mountain Temple in Yellow Plum County and he pre-sented the sutra to me. He has nearly a thousand disciples, including monks and laymen. And he enlightens the people with this sutra, which reveals the true nature of things, so that they may all become Buddhas on the instant.”

[
Silence. Huineng focuses his thoughts and meditates. Exit
.

Act I　Scene 2

In Which the Dharma Is Passed on at East Mountain Temple

[
Thuds of pounding rice
.

Enter Hongren. He stops and listens
.

Enter Shenxiu hurriedly. He is good-looking and personable
.

Hongren:

(
Raises his hand
.) Instructor Shenxiu.

Shenxiu:

Yes, Patriarch. (
Stands in attention at once. Clasps his hands in greeting
.) What is your wish?

Hongren:

Who is pounding rice down the hall?

Shenxiu:

A young layman. His surname is Lu, and he is known as Huineng. I’m not sure if that’s his ordination name. As far as I know he has not been ordained. He’s been here for about eight months now. When he first arrived I brought him here to have an audience with Your Holiness.

Hongren:

Yes, I remember him now. He’s the barbarian from the south. As soon as he opened his mouth, he said he wanted nothing but to become a Buddha.

Shenxiu:

What arrogance! An out and out savage from the mountains. And he even dared to talk back to Your Holiness.

Hongren:

(
Smiles
.) He talks as he thinks. Don’t mind him. It’s not his fault. Don’t hold a grudge against him.

Shenxiu:

At least he’s honest. Every day he pounds rice in the shed and talks very little.

Hongren:

His words are few but every word is to the point. Do you remember what he told me? He said, “You can separate men into northerners and southerners, but you can’t divide Buddha nature into north and south. Barbarians are not monks, but what difference is there in their Buddha nature?”

Shenxiu:

Who does he think he is? This is really preposterous.

Hongren:

Someone that discerning can’t be all that bad. If that was really his idea, then he’s not doing too badly. Today I’m going to give a lecture on the Supreme Sutra. Inform all the monks and staff to drop whatever they’re doing when they hear the bell, and come immediately to the assembly hall. Invite the monks and laymen who are staying with us at the temple as well. I have something to tell everybody.

Shenxiu:

Yes, master. Should I also invite Lu the painter to come? We’ve commissioned him to paint two pictures: “The Transfiguration of the Assembly in the Lankavatara Sutra” and “The Buddha Passes on His Robe.”

Hongren:

This doesn’t concern him. Let him think in peace. Have the walls in the hallway been whitewashed?

Shenxiu:

Please be reassured. Everything has been kept neat and tidy, ready for the painter to do his job tomorrow.

Hongren:

In that case, leave me.

[
Exit Shenxiu. Hongren listens to the sound of pounding rice. The bell tolls loudly and the pounding stops. Enter the monks one by one. Hongren ascends the hall. The tolling stops.