Free Snow in August by Gao Xingjian

righteousness, then the merits will be full and abundant.
    Xue Jian:
    I don’t understand the Grand Master’s words. Would you mind if I recited them word for word to His Majesty?
    Huineng:
    Thus I have spoken. I have no other teachings to expound to His Majesty. When self-nature is deluded, Buddha is all sentient beings; when self-nature is enlightened, all sentient beings are Buddha. Compassion is Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy; equality and uprightness are Maitreya , the future Buddha. Abandon any thoughts of the good and the evil, and nature will then enter into the body of the heart, which will become peaceful and be in a state of perfect rest. Please beg forgiveness from the Empress Dowager and His Majesty on my behalf, for Huineng has to stay in the mountains to recuperate from his illness and to take care of the temple. Extend my thanks to His Majesty for his benevolence. ( Clasps his palms .)
     
    [ Xue Jian is silent. He retreats and exits .
     
    Monks:
    ( Chant .)
    Excellent, excellent!
    ( Sing .)
    Even His Majesty the Emperor
    Wants to be a merciful Buddha!
    In this world of myriad phenomena,
    It’s Pure Land, Pure Land everywhere.
    Why are we still fighting, you and I?
    They keep soldiers and generals, tell us why.
     
    [ Exit monks .
    Huineng turns, his back facing the audience. He walks to the depth of the stage, coughs, then exits .
    The stage turns dark. In the dark, there is a dish of charcoal burning in front of the meditation bed .
    Enter Huineng holding a staff. His other hand is holding the kasaya robe. He coughs, throws the kasaya into the fire and pokes at the fire with the staff. The fire is burning more vigorously now, and it is reflected on his face .
    Enter Shenhui, now grown up, on the side. He stops and observes silently .
     
    ( Huineng halts his coughing, turns .)
    Huineng:
    Is it the little apprentice who has returned?
    Shenhui:
    Your disciple has been following the instructions of the Master and traveling all over the country. I have set foot in the forest and the groves of the north, and I also visited Master Shenxiu’s temple.
    Huineng:
    Why have you come back?
    Shenhui:
    Master Shenxiu answered the Emperor’s call and went to the capital. Now he is the Patriarch of the two capitals and Master Holiness of His Majesty. So your disciple decided to come back to serve you.
    Huineng:
    What kind of things did you see over there?
    Shenhui:
    How about Master yourself? What kind of things did you see?
    Huineng:
    How dare you fool around in your old master’s presence!
    ( Hits him three times with his staff .)
    It hurts, doesn’t it?
    Shenhui:
    Now it hurts, now it doesn’t. ( Giggles .)
    Shenhui feels the hurt, but Buddha nature doesn’t.
    Huineng:
    Shenhui! Don’t you try to be smart with me!
    Shenhui:
    ( Lowers his head .)
    Please forgive me. It was my fault.
    Huineng:
    It is the same with me. Now I see it, now I don’t.
    Shenhui:
    ( Looks up .)
    Allow me to ask why.
    Huineng:
    If I look in front of me, I see self-nature, which is void and silent, but I don’t see anything at the sides. There is no puzzlement inside or out. Is there anything else you do not understand?
    ( Shenhui makes obeisance .)
    Huineng:
    Summon all the people in the temple. I have something to tell everybody.
     
    [ Exit Shenhui. Huineng, supported by his staff, climbs on the meditation bed and sits cross-legged .
    Bell tolls. Enter Fahai and monks .
    Tolling stops. Enter Shenhui. He stands aside .
     
    Fahai:
    What is the Master’s wish?
    Huineng:
    ( Stops coughing .)
    Come forward, all of you. I will leave the world in this month of August. I came to this world of humans with nothing on me, and I will leave empty-handed, not taking anything away. As long as I can remove your doubts, as long as we are peaceful and happy, then I will be content. Do you have any more doubts? Ask me while there is still time.
    Fahai:
    Old Master, please stop saying things like this. It saddens us all.
     
    [ The monks either lower