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Roving Over The World
- Book 111: Roving Over The World
- Chapter 20:
Dancing
- Written by Sheng-yen Lu
- Translated by Janny Chow
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There was a dance floor on board the \`Big Red Ship\`.
One night all of us were there. I suggested: \`Let`s sing!\`
Dharma sister Tang from New York sang a Cantonese song, followed by Lian Hua Xiu Xiang from North Carolina.
A disciple then shouted :\`Grand master, please dance for us!\`
\`Grand master, please dance with your wife!\`
Frankly speaking, I learned dancing from a very young age. In fact, I met my wife in a dance party. I know all kinds of steps. My style is natural and elegant, I am a little out of shape now though.
Two words can describe my character \`Never Mind.\` If I am asked to dance, I will smile and obliged immediately. Although I have never danced for a long time, I believe I am still capable.
My wife guru Lian Xiang was very shy, she said \`No\`. And she went to the last row to sit with Guru Lian Miao. Losing my partner, I can only look at my feet quietly.
\`Grandmaster , please dance!\` a disciple shouted.
I felt uneasy unable to fulfill a disciple`s request.
Dharma sister Chian Hui Yu from Diamond Chapter of New York once told me she could dance. I believe she can as she is frank, likes to dance and has a slim and graceful body, telltale sign of a good dancer.
She was looking at me. I said to her: \`Ask Dharma sister Chian to dance!\`
\`What tune is this ?\` she asked.
\`Don`t worry about the tune, just dance to the rhythm of the music.\`
\`Can you lead me?\`
\`Sure.\`
I led her to tango and `chacha`. Frankly speaking, in order to dance elegantly, the dancing partners must dance together for a while so that they can know each other`s steps and have mutual understanding.
Ms Chain was really good, she got used to my steps very fast. It is difficult to be relax and natural for the first time we danced together.
During the dance, we must be able to show the exquisite, beautiful postures and catch the counterpart if necessary. It is not a simple task.
We enjoyed our dance and won applause from the crowd.
Since she can dance well, I led her into two more difficult movements naturally.
The first:
My left arm must surround her waist from her back and my right hand must catch her left hand. I must also slant my body and support her back with my left hand.
When I slanted and signaled her to lie down, she had to ensure that her body is parallel to the floor and that she uses her left foot to support her weight. When the movement was completed, I would pull her up.
She did well and earned a round of applause.
The second movement:
My hands hold hers, and surround her body. Upon release of our hands, I must raise my hands and signal her to lie down. My left foot must move to the direction she is supposed to lie down. She must still use her left foot to support her weight, and lie down parallel to the floor. She knows how to do the movement.
But when I wanted her to lie down to the left, she lied to the right. As my left foot was without any support, my hands seemed hopeless. I was unable to pull her, and she lied down on the floor.
Since my hands were still holding hers, I lost my balance, and fell to the floor.
Ms Chian fell first; followed by me.
I acted according to the circumstance, and did a somersault and stood up first, then I pulled her up.
There was a laughter.
In fact, I always think about these few questions:
There are different views on dancing. To the Westerners, it is not a problem. While the Orientals are more conservative, they are of the opinion that those who indulge in dancing must have a lot of problems.
We cannot deny the fact that they were many incidents arising from dancing. But I am not the same!
Although I am an emotional sentient being, but I walk a solid path the whole life. My reason rules my emotion.
My dance:
Gently flows like stream murmurs,
Aand yet turbulent and tempestuous,
It is elegant and lively.
My dance belongs to me. I danced to show my inner beauty, my happiness and my joy. I was able to reach a stage of oblivion. Within seconds, I was able to embody the true, the good and the beautiful.
When I was young , I liked to dance, I was fond of my own dancing styles. And I did not bother about the strange glance from the surrounding. How do these common folks know about my inner feeling? Although I am warm, I still can keep my cool.
In my view, dancing is the best form of exercise. It exudes beauty and voices our joy.
Apart from song and dance, what else can express our utmost bliss?
When I walk the cultivation path, I noticed the path is very narrow. There are so many precepts to observe, so many systems and restrictions to comply with.
I started to tie myself down. Wearing lama costume, shaving my head bald, I cannot go to the so-called \`normal world\`, as if I have fallen into a trap that has no freedom, a trap that is quiet, miserable and lonely. And I started to seek the inner truth.
Cultivation is an important issue in life, its meaning is deep and profound. It is also a road of no return,
I will not regret my decision as I have the utmost confidence and perseverance. I am fully aware, that I am the brightest ray of rainbow in the sky. My salvation is the many hues of rosy clouds.
Finally I am enlightened.
Without attachment to \` ego\`,
Without attachment to \`dharma\`,
I am released from my bondage,
And able to use my mystic powers.
I do not have a past, nor do I have a future, I am living right now...........
When my disciples like to see me sing, I will sing;
When my disciples like to see me dance, I will dance.
Then I realize, I am no different from others. I live what I like to live and adapt myself to different circumstances. I try to do whatever I have to do perfectly, and I understand the meaning of
\`happiness is be contented with one`s lot\`.
I have no demand on the earthly things, although I still like to dance, listen to music and paint.
Beauty is my life style in this world.
I do not want to be bonded by restrictions for cultivators set by the secular world, nor do I like to be tied by the mundane affairs. I have my own taste in cultivation.
I am warm but not amorous.
This is how I propagate the True Buddha Tantra.
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