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Roving Over The World
- Book 111: Roving Over The World
- Chapter 07:
A Despicable Little World
- Written by Sheng-yen Lu
- Translated by Janny Chow
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Although Hong Kong has a lovable side, When I write about the despicable little world, I am exposing its dreadful aspect.
In Hong Kong, you have to be combat-ready, as any moment , there will be a fight. The security guards working at goldsmith shops carry weapons loaded with real bullets.
All kinds of brothels line the street, even those grand hotels along Kowloon Pond are inspired by carnal desire.
Owners of mobile stalls and rich businessmen share the same kind of anxiety.
It is not uncommon to witness thefts, robberies and triad societies in Hong Kong.
Hong Kongers are more pragmatic than others, they judge your society position by the money you make.
The society is fully commercialized, and is totally motivated by wealth. It is old fashion to talk morality and religion in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, I believe there are still many lovable common folk around. Roaming in the street, I noticed a small book store at the corner of the street. I stopped to browse
My disciple said : \`Grandmaster, please don`t read them!\`
\`Why not?\`
\`These books are decadent, obscene and pornographic materials. They will dirty your eyes.\`
I took a glance, really these pictures are not enriching arts, they are frightening vulgar.
I said: \`Grand master has been purified, I am not afraid of contamination, I want to understand Hong Kong`s culture and media better.\`
There are all kinds of magazines displayed by the stalls - a fascinating world of its own. It occurred to me, Hong Kong is a small island, and the small book stall is an isle in an island!
I saw a magazine entitled \`Number One Magazine\`, which I had very deep impression.
My picture once appeared as the cover for this magazine.
Que Ying Yang , a reporter came to interview me sincerely, and I obliged to answer her. But when the interview was printed, I could not believe it.
None of my answers were printed, and the whole article was fabricated. The special interview turned out to be a con.
My disciples wept. I consoled them: \` It does not matter, such thing happens in Hong Kong.\`
\`Number One Magazine\` has nothing to do with True Buddha School. None of my disciples is working in that publishing firm. We have no mutual friends. Since there is no relationship in the first place why must \`Number One Magazine\` serve our purpose? So the Chinese saying goes \`Those who come are not friendly, and friendly ones do not come!\`
The gossip magazines in Hong Kong are noted to have exaggerated the contents of its reports, using sensational language to increase their sales. They use all kinds of tricks to achieve its aim, paying no regards to the truth and the self-respect of the interviewees.
It has become a prominent feature of these magazines to be fearless in reporting \`fabricated\` incidents unabashedly.
To us, it is a nightmare. To \`Number One Magazine\`, it is common , a daily affair.
To us the \`Number One Magazine\` incidence is horrifying. But to them it is a victory. It sales has increased a lot, and the whole world knows the report.
In \`Perfect enlightenment\` Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha wrote:
\`All sentient beings are born without intelligent eyesight,
Their bodies and minds are full of delusion.\`
As it is, how can I blame \`Number One Magazine\`? How can I fault the blind readers for believing the report to be true?
In Hong Kong , such incidence is quite common, nothing to be alarmed. To me, I have encountered all kinds of insults, not once but many interrelated incidents. All kinds of slanders and rumors surround me have never stopped circulating. I just laughed them off. When my disciples cried, I had to console them.
Hong Kong is different from other cities. It is city of contrast: rich and poor, true and false, noble and mean, real and cheat. It is a place where shady deals hide under the shadows of tall buildings.
Although Hong Kong has police, law and high court. There are even many vices.
A Hong Kong lawyer told me the highest fine for libel case amounts to two hundred thousand dollars. (I do not know the law he cited).
As I never sue others in my life, I do not intend to go to court.
Seeing my sunken and pitiful sights, they asked me how to deal with such a situation?
Sure during that time, the news followed me closely, people talked about it every now and then.
Many disciples showed miserable looks and they wished something drastic could be done.
They looked at me emotionlessly.
And the news spread to all directions. The reports were reprinted in Malaysia, Taiwan and some European countries.
These kinds of report are best liked by hordes of flies.
I can`t do anything facing such species.
And I could care less.
At most, I pen down the origin of such incidence in my article.
\`Grandmaster, why don`t you sue them !\`
\`Who are they ?\`
\`People running Number one Magazine.\`
\`Who are those running the magazine ?\` I asked.
\`Come to think of it, we do not even know them.\`
\`This is Hong Kong, a place full of freedom that frightens us as well as numbs us. The experience that we learned from Hong Kong should be treasured!\` I said it with a slow tone.
Shakyamuni Buddha said in the \`Perfect enlightenment\` Sutra:
\` If you understand the emptiness of self, then there is no self to be slandered.\`
It means if we are devoid of attachment and greed, and reach a stage of no self, then there is no way people can slander us?
Mr Luo Zhu Hui, my disciple Ms Wang Shu Mei`s husband told me his saga.
He runs a lot of business in Hong Kong and elsewhere, and is a owner of many Benzs and Rolls Royces.
Once his Benz was stolen, a thing that happened quite often in Hong Kong. Like enduring the pains in life, Hong Kongers can only be sad and dejected without saying any words, once the cars are stolen.
Guru Lian Han of Hong Kong treasured his car so much that he must pass through four locks before he can drive his car. He had two locks for his car doors, a sterling lock, and an oil tank lock.
I was very tired watching him unlock the long pad lock for his car sterling. To have a beautiful dream fulfill in Hong Kong , one must be able to bear all kinds of sudden pain.
When Mr Luo lost his car, he could not do any thing.
Then he remembered he installed a car phone. And he made a call to the thing, and strange thing happened.
Somebody answered the call.
\`Hello! who is that?\` Mr Luo asked.
\`Me\`, answered the thief. \`And who are you?\` the thief asked.
\`I am the owner.\`
(Both parties know what happened)
Mr Luo wanted to scold him for stealing his car, but somehow he managed to control his rage and talked to the thief patiently.
\`Why do you steal my car ?\`
\`I am sorry! It is just your bad luck.\`
\`Can you please return me my car.\` He pleaded.
\`No way.\`
\`Just return this car to me, it is my favorite!\` He tried to move the other party`s sentiment.
\`I can`t return even one of the cars stolen as the cars are in short-supply.\` the thief answered.
\`In that case, I make a payment for the return of my car, just name your terms.\` Mr Luo forced a show-down.
\`I pay you twenty thousand dollars.\`
\`Too little.\`
\`Thirty thousand dollars.\`
\`Too little.\`
\`What about fifty thousand dollars?\`
\`OK , fifty thousand.\` the thief was very straightforward.
But then he regretted immediately.
\`No, you will call the police to arrest me.\`
\`I would not.\` Mr Luo shouted.
\`How can I trust you ?\`
\`My character.\`
\`No such thing in Hong Kong, we talked for a while, I must go now!\` suddenly he became alert.
\`Please ........\`
\`Da.....\` the line was cut.
Mr Luo had a sudden inspiration, he realized his car was still in Hong Kong, not exported to Mainland China yet. Together with some friends and policemen, he kept watch at the pier that the exported cars must pass through, and finally he saw his Benz. He stopped the car from being loaded into the container ship , and got back his favorite Benz.
The only pity was, the thief was not caught.
Mr Luo recalled the atmosphere when he talked to the car thief, it was fascinating and yet embarrassing.
He felt that the thief was polite, well-planned, and gentle.
I have deep feeling after hearing his saga:
In Hong Kong, there are many homeless staying beside the grand and posh buildings. They tried their best to find a tiny place to stay put.
I have been to the poorest place in Hong Kong. The so-called house is nothing but a mixture of mud, waste papers, and cartons. Flies are dancing over the rubbish heaps and human wastes scattered all over. The dilapidated building is tipsy turvy and rundown, and the air is full of foul smells.
I saw beggars with tattered clothes, thin and skinny children, sad-looking jobless people, and child prostitutes.
Under such living conditions, human beings have no time to talk about self-pride, it is very natural for the young to do evil deeds fearlessly.
When you are at your wit`s end, you do not have any money nor any place to stay, you do not have a job, you are sick, and you have to worry about your next meal, you will be forced to take a great risk, to steal and rob reluctantly.
I sympathy those who have to steal under such circumstances.
I sympathy their plight, and not what they did.
In a modern and civilized world, we must promote social welfare. A person must be able to do his best, then the evil can be eradicated. Everybody in this world is sure to have a beautiful dream to fulfill.
Crime will surely reduce if everybody `s aspiration comes true and has a better tomorrow!
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