A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 348

348. Who Gives the World?

Son Bin gazed into the young Princess’s eyes, shimmering with gold.

Her eyes shone with a vivid golden hue, as if made of pure gold.

Even before this strange, otherworldly phenomenon, Son Bin strangely felt no fear or unfamiliarity.

Perhaps it was because the Princess appeared as an innocent child, especially one familiar to Son Bin?

“Do you wish to ascend to a noble position?”

Son Bin asked in a gentle tone. Just moments ago, the young Princess had clearly stated that he should become her guardian deity, destroy her adversaries, and help her ascend to a noble position.

“I do.”

The eyes shimmering with gold answered Son Bin.

“Why does the master of Bodhicitta… Ah, please forgive my impudence.”

Son Bin bowed his head respectfully as he spoke.

“I am, by nature, a scholar, so questioning everything is a habit of mine.”

“I know. Doubting, questioning, and inquiring are also paths to wisdom, so I respect your questions.”

The young Princess said, looking down at Son Bin. It was awkward to hear the cute, childlike Princess speak in such a mature and archaic manner.

“Thank you for understanding.”

After a light smile, Son Bin asked again.

“I ask, why do you seek to ascend to a noble position?”

“I am the master of all Bodhicitta and the one who holds the white lotus.”

The Princess’s eyes emitted a brilliant golden light. Her unwavering voice echoed resonantly throughout the wide room.

“It is my mission to lead the suffering sentient beings of this land to enlightenment, and that is also why I seek to ascend to a noble position.”

“I see. A truly admirable reason.”

Son Bin nodded, saying.

It was by no means mockery or sarcasm.

Helping those who suffer is certainly a good and righteous motive. Of course, the Princess’s methods might differ slightly from what Son Bin thought.

“But there are those who obstruct it. Why do they do that?”

He could guess who they were. Probably the ‘Great Monks’ or high-ranking monks of the Four Great Sects, whom the Princess of Potala had mentioned as opposing the Princess’s enthronement.

“They are trapped in delusion.”

At the unwavering answer, Son Bin tilted his head.

To be called a ‘Great Monk’ or ‘High Monk,’ especially in this place, meant they had undergone tremendous asceticism and training.

Yet to be trapped in delusion was truly a strange thing to say.

“Really? Could it be that they simply have different opinions?”

The young Princess lightly smiled derisively.

“Nothing can be hidden before my Immaculate Light. Their hearts are consumed by greed and ego, defiled by self-contradiction, so boundless compassion and supreme wisdom are no longer within them.”

A strange term, ‘Immaculate Light,’ was used, but Son Bin did not show it. It seemed to be how the Princess referred to the phenomenon of emitting golden light from her eyes.

‘Greed, ego, and self-contradiction…’

Son Bin pondered the young Princess’s assessment.

If there were a perfect being looking down on people, even the greatest high monks would seem lacking. They, too, have the fundamental limitations of being human.

Therefore, the words of the Princess of Potala, called the ‘Master of All Bodhicitta,’ sounded obvious at first glance.

But at that moment, Son Bin thought of another possibility.

‘Could it be…’

Son Bin did not miss a single inference that suddenly came to mind.

Son Bin smiled and asked in a gentle tone.

“So you said that the foolish ones must be destroyed because they are not giving you the position that they should rightfully give to you.”

“That is so.”

“But something is strange.”

“Strange?”

The young Princess frowned slightly. Son Bin spoke to her eyes, shimmering with golden light.

“How can foolish ones, trapped in greed and ego, give a supremely noble position? Do they have such ability? No, in the first place…”

Son Bin looked straight at the young Princess.

“Is the position given by such people truly noble?”

It was a very dangerous statement.

No one can question the authority of the Princess of Potala Palace, the pinnacle of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism and the master of all Bodhicitta.

Although the Great Monks and high-ranking monks of the Four Great Sects make decisions, that is merely acting on the will left by the previous Princess.

Therefore, Son Bin’s words could be seen as a doubt about the authority of Potala Palace and an insult to the entire Tibetan Tantric Buddhism. He could be immediately accused of blasphemy.

However, Son Bin believed that ‘some’ inference he had made was true. And the result appeared before Son Bin’s eyes.

“Hmm.”

The young Princess did not get angry or furious. She looked at Son Bin with her golden eyes and said.

“You are not lying.”

After a moment of silence, the Princess let out a soft sigh.

“You are right. Those trapped in greed and ego have no qualification or ability to give a supremely noble position. So the position they give is meaningless.”

At the Princess’s words, Son Bin bowed his head and paid his respects.

“Thank you for understanding.”

The Princess said that nothing can be hidden before the Immaculate Light. Perhaps that was true. But who judges what is revealed?

A divine being revered as the master of all Bodhicitta? Or the young child monk in front of him?

The words that even the high monks are defiled by greed, ego, and self-contradiction, might it not be the perspective of a child with a pure heart rather than some transcendent being?

Listening to the young Princess’s words, Son Bin suddenly thought of the Seo Won children grumbling to him. Children who are pure and simple, and therefore make judgments too easily.

It is easy to be mistaken because of the noble status of being the master of Bodhicitta and the golden Immaculate Light, but the essence is still an innocent child.

Son Bin once again thought of the Seo Won children. Those cute children who always looked straight at him with sparkling eyes.

“Then what should I do?”

At the young Princess’s voice, Son Bin raised his head.

“Should I not ascend to the throne?”

It was very special for the master of Bodhicitta to ask someone other than the Great Monks. But even if Son Bin knew that, his answer would not have changed.

“No. You must ascend to the throne.”

“What does that mean? Isn’t that different from what you just said?”

“It is not different.”

Son Bin looked at the young Princess and opened his mouth in a gentle tone.

“In the place where I lived, there is a word called ‘천자(天子, Cheonja) [Son of Heaven].’ 천자(天子) means the one born from the heavens, meaning the monarch who governs the world by receiving the mandate of heaven.”

With a serious expression, Son Bin continued.

“But a wise man once said this.”

The shimmering golden eyes looked at Son Bin. Looking straight into those eyes, Son Bin said without hesitation.

“Even 천자(天子) cannot give the world. The world is given by the heavens, which is to say, by the people. Because the heavens see what the people see, and hear what the people hear.”

As if speaking to the Seo Won children, Son Bin wore a gentle smile.

“A noble position is not received from someone with power. A truly noble position must be received only from the people of this land.”

The golden eyes stared intently at Son Bin. Son Bin did not avoid the gaze.

And after a while, the young Princess nodded.

“I see. I understand what you are trying to say.”

Son Bin’s words were simple.

If you want to ascend to a truly noble position, you must focus on taking care of the people rather than fighting over the enthronement. Only then does the noble position have meaning, Son Bin said.

“Your words are not much different from what the Princess told me. She also used to tell me to take care of the suffering sentient beings first.”

The shimmering golden light in the young Princess’s eyes gradually disappeared.

“But your words are easier to understand. The Princess did not say such things.”

Son Bin smiled.

“The Princess is the companion of all who suffer.”

“Yes. She is particularly sensitive to the suffering of the weak sentient beings. That is her ability and essence. That is also why she recognized you and asked you to acknowledge her as the incarnation of the Eight Legions of Gods.”

“Pardon?”

Son Bin asked back, wondering what she was suddenly talking about. The young Princess shrugged and said. Now the golden eyes had completely disappeared, and she had returned to the appearance of a curious child monk.

“As sensitive as she is to the suffering of the weak, she can also recognize beings with great power. I don’t know exactly. That is an ability that only the Princess can have.”

‘Ah, so…’

Like the young Princess, the Princess of Potala seemed to have some special ability. Perhaps that was why she asked Saja Hyuk to become Indra, the chief of the Eight Legions of Gods.

Son Bin nodded, thinking so. Seeing that, the young Princess suddenly asked.

“You are thinking about the Princess. Are you perhaps interested in her?”

“Ah, I…”

The young Princess smiled at Son Bin, who was reflexively answering.

“There is no need to hide it. My Immaculate Light reveals everyone’s heart. It was a little… what should I say, strange for you though.”

The Princess said, looking at Son Bin.

“If you want, why don’t you try embracing her once? If it were you, I would allow the Princess’s right of first night [droit du seigneur].”

“Pardon?”

Son Bin momentarily forgot his manners and asked back. He wondered if what he had just heard was real.

Could he have misheard? Or did the Princess say something wrong?

However, the young Princess looked rather puzzled at Son Bin’s reaction.

“Why? If you are recognized as the incarnation of Gandharva, can’t you also exercise the right of first night? Ah, of course, there must be agreement from family, relatives, and the parties involved, but since the Princess has no family, it is possible if I allow it.”

Son Bin’s mind could not keep up with the Princess’s words.

No, he understood the meaning of the words themselves.

But how was he supposed to accept words like the right of first night and trying to embrace her once?

Regardless of Son Bin’s situation, the young Princess continued to speak.

“It is a natural principle that heaven and earth should unite [天地交泰, Cheonji Gyotae], and that compassion and wisdom should merge, so the Princess will not refuse if it is you. Perhaps by uniting with her, you too will gain new wisdom. She is a special woman.”

Son Bin’s face flushed at the word ‘uniting.’

In fact, the words themselves were not that strange. But he never imagined he would hear them from a young Princess who looked only about twelve years old.

Son Bin was very embarrassed and greatly ashamed of this whole situation.

“I, I…”

“Could it be that you have never embraced a woman before?”

It was a pure question, not mockery or teasing.

But Son Bin’s instincts were refusing to answer that question to the young Princess, or even if she wasn’t young.

However, the young Princess had already realized the answer from Son Bin’s reaction. Perhaps it was thanks to that ability called Immaculate Light.

“Hmm, then it’s difficult.”

The young Princess frowned and muttered to Son Bin.

“It doesn’t make sense for the incarnation of Gandharva to still be a virgin, does it?”

The young Princess asked Son Bin as if seeking agreement. But Son Bin could not answer with his face flushed red.

* * *

Hwang Bang-ju sighed softly after hearing Son Bin’s story.

“…There is such a thing.”

At those words, Son Bin frowned. The right of first night was an evil custom that Son Bin could not even imagine.

“There is something called 비의(祕儀, bieui) [esoteric rituals] in Tantric Buddhism.”

No-gun said as if throwing it out. 비의(祕儀, bieui) refers to religious rituals transmitted in secret, or methods of attaining enlightenment.

“Among them, there are those who affirm sexual desire and use it as an active method of seeking enlightenment. Sometimes there are 탱화(Tanghwa) [Tibetan Buddhist paintings] depicting men and women intertwined, right? It is quite common in places like 천축교(Cheonchukgyo) [ancient Indian religions]. They say there is no such thing as the right of first night though.”

At those words, Son Bin nodded. He had certainly seen such things. But using it as a metaphor to convey religious truth and actually practicing it were completely different stories.

“That’s ridiculous. How can such…”

As Son Bin muttered with a bitter expression, Hwang Bang-ju said.

“We shouldn’t judge everything from our perspective. These people have their own reasons.”

“Well, that’s true. Is there any grave without an excuse? And it’s their business if they do evil or outdated customs, so what can we say?”

No-gun, who usually doesn’t care about other people’s affairs, shrugged.

“And they say we used to have such times in the past too.”

‘Ah.’

At those words, Son Bin quickly recalled his memories.

Historically, there was a time when Tantric Buddhism flourished throughout the continent and even in neighboring countries. Of course, it has disappeared now, but some people say that that time was rather liberal.

However, most Confucian scholars lament the sexual depravity of that time. Son Bin was in that very situation, which had now become past history.

“But the right of first night only applies to brides who are about to get married. Is that Princess about to get married?”

Hwang Bang-ju shook his head at No-gun’s words.

“The Princess of Potala does not marry. The Princess is the companion of all suffering sentient beings.”

Then it was irrelevant to the right of first night. Son Bin felt relieved, but somehow he felt sorry for the Princess.

Devoting her whole life to people without even getting married was certainly a great sacrifice, although it was a noble thing to do.

“But it’s a different story if you are the incarnation of Gandharva.”

Son Bin tilted his head at Hwang Bang-ju’s words.

“Why?”

He was just about to ask about Gandharva anyway. Hwang Bang-ju smiled bitterly and said to Son Bin.

“Among the Eight Legions of Gods, Gandharva is a god who plays heavenly music and enjoys 음주가무(eumjugamu, drinking, singing, and dancing) [pleasures]. He especially likes beautiful women…”

Son Bin’s expression distorted as he listened. Enjoying drinking, singing, and dancing, and chasing after women, he was no different from a 풍류공자(pungnyugongja, playboy) in the entertainment world?

“He is famous for his jealousy and free sexual life. So much so that in 천축(Cheonchuk) [ancient India], 남녀(namnyeo, men and women) living together without a formal wedding is called ‘Gandharva marriage.’”

Son Bin groaned lowly. He was said to be the incarnation of the Eight Legions of Gods, but this was no different from an irresponsible 바람둥이(baramdungi, playboy) beyond 화류공자(hwaryugongja) [a playboy from the entertainment world].

“Hoo, so that’s why. Is it because he is the incarnation of Gandharva that he can mess around with this woman and that woman regardless of marriage or anything?”

“That’s right. Moreover, here they consider a man’s intellectual ability first. A scholar like Son Gongja will be welcomed anywhere. Since he is the incarnation of Gandharva, there is no need to get married.”

Son Bin’s face looked like he had bitten something at Hwang Bang-ju’s voice, who was chiming in with No-gun’s words. In an instant, he had become a human trash named ‘incarnation of Gandharva’ who goes around messing with this woman and that woman.

Was this what the former Okryong meant when he said, ‘This place is quite interesting’?, Son Bin thought, when suddenly No-gun asked.

“So, you said you wouldn’t do it?”

Son Bin wondered what this was about, then realized it was about the story of the Princess of Potala’s right of first night.

“Ah, of course…”

Son Bin’s eyes wavered as he was about to answer. Come to think of it, he had never said he wouldn’t do it. He was so surprised and embarrassed by the young Princess saying such things, and above all, he was too ashamed to answer properly.

“You don’t mean…”

No-gun’s white eyebrows distorted. Seorin and even Hwang Bang-ju were looking at Son Bin with a look of disbelief, but especially Sasu-yeon and Dang Wol-ah’s surprised eyes were no joke.

“No!”

Son Bin hurriedly waved his hands.

“I expressed that it was a ridiculous story! No, I didn’t say it in words, but that’s definitely the same as refusing!”

“But will the other party really accept it that way?”

No-gun said with a frown.

“Isn’t ‘This is difficult’ or ‘I’m not supposed to do this’ the typical thing that guys who take bribes behind the scenes say?”

Son Bin had nothing to say to those words. Because it was as No-gun said.

Son Bin showed a reaction that it was absurd, but would the other party really regard it as a clear refusal?

Thump.

“I’ll go meet the Princess right now…”

“That’s enough. What are you going to meet now?”

No-gun stopped Son Bin, who was 벌떡(beoltteok) [abruptly] getting up from his seat.

“It’s okay if you don’t do it. There’s no way you’d do such a thing.”

It was like a ray of light found in hell. Son Bin nodded greatly.

No-gun said with a grandfatherly smile.

“Okay, that story is over now.”

Son Bin inwardly let out a sigh of relief. It was then, just as he thought this story was over.

“How do you get recognized as the incarnation of the Eight Legions of Gods? Did you ask that?”

At those words, Son Bin realized. Come to think of it, he hadn’t asked that. No-gun frowned again when Son Bin couldn’t answer.

“What, you didn’t ask that either?”

There was nothing to say. Since he had talked about the story of the Eight Legions of Gods, he should have asked about the specific method to be recognized for it.

But he was so embarrassed by the words right of first night and uniting that he had forgotten about it.

“Tsk tsk.”

No-gun clicked his tongue and said.

“What on earth did you go there to talk about? The Princess is still a child, but did you just go there to talk dirty with a child?”

It was a ridiculous slander, but Son Bin had nothing to say.

He had clearly shared an important story, but all he could think of now was the memory of being flustered by an embarrassing topic.

Looking at Son Bin’s reddened face, No-gun clicked his tongue again and Hwang Bang-ju shook his head. The gazes of Sasu-yeon and Dang Wol-ah were somehow stinging, but that was not just Son Bin’s mood.

(Author’s words)

You are now forgetting what Son Bin and the young Princess talked about in the first part of this episode.

For reference, the time when Tantric Buddhism flourished on the continent was the Yuan Dynasty, and we are in the Goryeo Dynasty.