Week 07 Story: The Fate of Two Friends

 The Fate of Two Friends

    

    It was a peaceful day, even with Sun so close by. Bodhi was in mild shock something hadn't gone wrong because of his friend today. So far, there hadn't been pranks or tricks. No one had yelled. Sun hadn't gotten anyone riled up either. The weather was fair with a soft steady breeze flowing through every room.

    Yes, it was a perfect day.

    Bodhi frowned and rubbed his forehead. If it was so perfect, why couldn't he meditate? No matter how hard he tried to concentrate on it, he couldn't quiet and empty his mind today. He was tempted to blame Sun, but he really hadn't done anything today. Yet.

    "That may be my fault," a man said.

    Bodhi turned to admonish him who dared interrupt his prayers and meditation but stopped. Sitting serenely by him was a man dressed in glowing garments. Bodhi was stunned into silence. His brain catching up to him, Bodhi jumped up and bowed to the stranger.

    "You are a celestial being of Heaven," Bodhi said.

    "I am the Evening Star," he confirmed.

    "It is an honor," Bodhi said, "but to what occasion do I owe it?"

    Evening Star was silent for a moment. "Sun Wukong is your student."

    "I would even consider him to be a friend," Bodhi said. He re-seated himself and smiled ruefully. "If Sun has committed any offense toward you, please forgive him. He is still learning, and taming his wild nature is not easy for him."

    Evening Star shook his head. "I have come to tell you, you need to send Sun Wukong away."

    "Send him away?" Bodhi shouted. He immediately apologized. "I don't understand why. He hasn't committed any major offense to—"

    Evening Star held up a hand to silence him. "It is not a punishment," he said, "for either of you. Hundreds of years from now a great monk named Xuanzang will be born. He will journey far to the West to retrieve immensely powerful and important Buddhist scrolls. He will need protection on his journey."

    "Sun."

    Evening Star nodded. "Sun will be his first and also his staunchest protector. Because of Sun, Xuanzang and others will achieve their greatest potential."

    "And what of Sun?" Bodhi asked. "Surely he will not be left out."

    "No," he said. "He will be made the god of Victorious Strife."

    Bodhi smiled sadly. "That does sound like the thing he would be in charge of." He sighed. "Very well, I will do as commanded by you."

    "You will see him again yet in the future," Evening Star said. Bodhi wondered if the celestial being was just trying to be kind in saying that. "And one more thing, before I depart. Sun will have many adversaries between now and then. Perhaps make it to where he will not have more."

Author's Note: This story is based on "Sun Wu Kung Departs." In the story, Sun turns into a pine tree to make the other students of Bodhi laugh. Bodhi gets angry at this, sends Sun away, and threatens him under pain of eternal hell to not tell anyone he was Bodhi's student. I thought this was all very sudden and out of character for him. Later in the unit in "The Lord of the Heavens" and "Notscha, Son of Li Dsing," the character Evening Star makes an appearance. The celestial being is on Sun's side 100%, and it almost seems he's directing the events to ensure Sun is where he needs to be to go with Xianzang on his journey. I made this story from Bodhi's point of view detailing it really was Evening Star behind the scenes orchestrating the events that would lead to Journey of the West.

Bibliography

Sun Wu Kung Departs from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and trans. by Frederick H. Martens

The Lord of the Heavens from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and trans. by Frederick H. Martens

Notscha, Son of Li Dsing from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and trans. by Frederick H. Martens

Image: "The moon through a crumbling window" in the "A Hundred Aspects of the Moon" series, Bodhidharma. by Yoshitoshi. 1887. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)