Chapter 1759
Because I made it this way. (4)
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Hwang Jong-ui stared blankly at the young man for a moment, as if his very soul was being drawn in. From the moment he laid eyes on him, he couldn’t look away.
“…..Master.”
“Ah.”
It wasn’t until he heard the people around him hesitantly calling out that Hwang Jong-ui managed to gather his scattered thoughts.
‘What a disgraceful display.’
He was the head of the Eunha merchant guild. He had seen, with his own eyes, many figures who commanded great presence across the world. Even here in Shaanxi, there were two giants who were the talk of the world – Hyun Jong and Jongli Gok. And wasn’t there also the legendary Hwasan Geomhyeop, whose presence surpassed even those two?
Yet, the sensation he felt from this young man was different in nature from the heaviness of those men. No, it was impossible to even compare them.
Just looking at him made his soul quiver.
“My apologies…”
Hwang Jong-ui quickly bowed his head. Then, still unable to calm his gaze, he spoke to the young man.
“I don’t know if the verification… will have any meaning, but there are procedures to follow, so I must commit this discourtesy.”
He paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and spoke again.
“Could it be that you are… the Lord of the Potala Palace, the king of the Western Region… No, the great master, the Dalai Lama… His Holiness [성하(聖下)]?”
At his cautious question, the people around him widened their eyes in shock. They all wore expressions of great surprise. The young man in question, however, simply shook his head calmly. Hwang Jong-ui held his breath, not immediately understanding the meaning. Soon, a calm voice reached his ears. It was the Panchen Lama.
“My master considers the title of ‘His Holiness’ to be excessive. Simply, ‘Lama’ is sufficient. After all, you do not follow the teachings of the Palace.”
Hwang Jong-ui gasped.
‘Could he really be the Dalai Lama…’
Yes, it was indeed a foolish question. A meaningless conversation. If this young man were not the Dalai Lama, then who in the world could possibly be? There could not be two such people in all of existence.
Cold sweat formed on Hwang Jong-ui’s forehead.
“I have committed a great offense against an esteemed person. It was born out of the ignorance of a lowly merchant, so I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”
These were words spoken with the utmost respect. As a merchant, he was accustomed to humbling himself. But this time, his words were not just the posture of a merchant – they were a sincere expression of his deep reverence for the Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama, without any particular reaction to Hwang Jong-ui’s words, simply continued to gaze at him with the same unchanging look as before.
Hwang Jong-ui felt a bit flustered but quickly realized that he had not yet answered the Dalai Lama’s question.
“Ah, Chung Myung Dojang is not here at the moment.”
Panchen Lama then asked,
“Isn’t this where Hwasan Sect is located?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Hwasan is on that mountain over there. However, the disciples of Hwasan are currently staying with Wudang Sect in Hubei.”
“Hubei, you say…”
Panchen Lama murmured softly, furrowing his brow. Though he wasn’t deeply knowledgeable about the Central Plains, he knew well enough that Hubei wasn’t exactly close to this place.
“Do you happen to know when they might return?”
This question made Hwang Jong-ui suddenly realize how little they knew about the current situation in the central plains.
“At present, Hwasan, as a part of Cheonumaeng, is engaged in a war with a group of Evil Sects known as Sapaeryeon. Depending on the outcome of the war, it could take at least a month before they return.”
“A month, you say…”
Panchen Lama fell into a brief contemplation. At that moment, Dalai Lama quietly pressed his palms together and bowed deeply towards Hwang Jong-ui.
“Thank you.”
“What? Ah… no, no! It wasn’t anything significant…”
The young man, who had been gazing at Hwang Jong-ui with deeply thoughtful eyes, turned his body lightly. Panchen Lama then asked,
“Master, are you planning to leave?”
“I must.”
“There is the option of waiting here.”
The Dalai Lama shook his head.
“Time can sometimes be a fleeting moment, and other times it can stretch into eternity. We do not have the luxury to wait now.”
After nodding in agreement, Panchen Lama clasped his hands together once more in respect, this time on behalf of the Dalai Lama, towards Hwang Jong-ui.
“We apologize for the inconvenience. We shall take our leave now.”
“W-Wait! Are you planning to go to Mount Wudang right now?”
“My master has decided so, and I am merely following his lead.”
“But…”
Hwang Jong-ui became greatly flustered. Regardless of how extraordinary the Dalai Lama might be, he couldn’t sense any traces of martial arts in his physical body. If the Dalai Lama hadn’t trained in martial arts, heading to the treacherous lands of Hubei, especially during a time of war, was exceedingly dangerous.
“As I mentioned earlier, Hubei is currently embroiled in war. Traveling there now may not be the best choice.”
As Hwang Jong-ui tried to dissuade them, Panchen Lama instead responded with a gentle smile.
“We are simply grateful that a stranger would show such concern for us. However, it is not something we can avoid simply because there is danger.”
“Ah…”
With that, Panchen Lama seemed to have said all that was necessary and made one final gesture of respect. Caught off guard, Hwang Jong-ui instinctively clasped his hands together in return.
“Then, we shall be on our way.”
The two of them quietly left the place, leaving Hwang Jong-ui behind.
As Hwang Jong-ui stood there, staring blankly at the door through which they had left, one of the guild members cautiously spoke up.
“Master, does that mean the person just now was the Dalai Lama, the King of the Western Region, the one they call the Great Living Buddha [대활불(大活佛)]?”
“…It seems so.”
“Heavens… such a young boy…”
The members of Eunha merchant guild were all equally shocked, finding it hard to believe. When one thinks of the ‘Great Living Buddha,’ the image that naturally comes to mind is that of an elderly, venerable monk. Yet, the Dalai Lama they had just encountered appeared so young that it was almost embarrassing to even call him a young man. Their astonishment was, therefore, understandable.
However, despite their surprise, there was no doubt in their minds. Just by looking at him, they could feel it – it was undeniable. It made perfect sense why that young man would be called the Great Living Buddha, a title of the highest reverence.
“This is no time to be standing around!”
“What?”
“Send a message to Wudang immediately! And did those two have any other companions with them?”
“…From what I could see, it was just the two of them.”
“Escort! We need to arrange for an escort for those two immediately, right now!”
“Us? You mean us?”
“Didn’t you hear me? Move, now!”
In an uncharacteristic outburst, Hwang Jong-ui shouted and urged his men to take action.
The Dalai Lama, the Great Living Buddha himself. If something were to happen to him while he was traveling to Hubei, the consequences would be unimaginable, beyond anything Hwang Jong-ui could handle. No, he couldn’t even begin to fathom what would follow.
“I’ll prepare everything right away.”
Seeing the uncharacteristic intensity in Hwang Jong-ui’s demeanor, those around him were startled and hurriedly set to work. Only then did Hwang Jong-ui slump into his chair, as if all the strength had drained from his body. It felt as if he were utterly exhausted.
“They’re searching for Chung Myung Dojang…”
Finally, a delayed question arose in his mind. Why was the Dalai Lama seeking Chung Myung Dojang? It didn’t seem to be related to the Alliance’s matters. Could it be that he had traveled all the way from distant Xizang just to meet Chung Myung? But why?
No matter how much he pondered, Hwang Jong-ui couldn’t find an answer to his questions. Licking his dry lips, he continued to gaze endlessly in the direction the Dalai Lama had taken.
Leading the way, the Dalai Lama was called upon gently by Panchen Lama.
“Master.”
“…”
“Master.”
But there was no response.
“The path ahead will be dangerous. Are you still determined to go?”
Silence was the only reply.
For his master held a profound enlightenment beyond anything worldly.
Yet, the body that harbors such profound enlightenment is still the fragile vessel of a human. This is why Panchen Lama couldn’t help but be filled with concern. What if this journey ends up harming the physical form of his revered master?
“Master, what do you intend to achieve by meeting him? Is this something I should not ask about?”
At last, the Dalai Lama turned to face Panchen Lama. The moment Panchen Lama met his master’s clear and profound gaze, it felt as if his breath was caught in his throat.
For quite some time now, he had served the Dalai Lama, yet his respect for him had never diminished. In those eyes, Panchen Lama saw a depth of enlightenment in the ways of Buddha that he, still dwelling in the realm of ordinary mortals, could not begin to fathom.
The Dalai Lama’s lips parted, and a clear, refreshing voice flowed out.
“It is not something you cannot know, Lama.”
“Then…”
“But even if I told you, you would not be able to understand.”
Panchen Lama quietly closed his mouth. Although he could not compare himself to the Dalai Lama, he was nonetheless a figure who held the respect of many monks as the assistant to the Dharma King. Yet, even he would not be able to comprehend this matter – what on earth could it be?
“Master…”
“It is merely a painful…”
The Dalai Lama’s gaze drifted into the distance.
“A matter filled with the suffering of this world.”
Panchen Lama suppressed the frustration building within him and brought his hands together in a respectful gesture.
“Is this something that must be prevented?”
“It is something that cannot be prevented.”
“Then is it something that must be changed?”
“It is something that cannot be changed. It will simply flow as it is destined to.”
Panchen Lama’s gaze filled with uncertainty. The world flows within the currents of cause and effect [인과(因果) – karma] – that much is certain. However, karma does not imply that everything is predetermined. With effort and perseverance, things can be changed – this is the very essence of karma. This is the belief of the Dharma, and acting in accordance with this belief is the path of Buddhism. Yet now, the Dalai Lama spoke of something that even he could not alter.
Panchen Lama’s mind, however, fixated on a different aspect altogether.
“If that is truly the case, if this is something even you, Master, cannot change or prevent… then why are you in such a hurry?”
“…”
“If everything must flow as it is destined to, then no matter how hastily you move, nothing can be altered, can it?”
“It will not change. But that does not mean it will be the same. Even if the end result is the same, there is a difference between acting with knowledge and acting in ignorance.”
Panchen Lama fell silent for a moment. It was a difficult concept, something that seemed almost within reach, yet remained elusive. The Dalai Lama, still gazing into the distance, continued to speak.
“That is why I must go. To convey what must be known to one who is unaware.”
“…Is this for his sake?”
The Dalai Lama closed his eyes for a moment, a deep silence settling over him as if he were fighting with profound inner turmoil. After a long pause, he slowly opened his eyes again.
“Master…”
Panchen Lama’s expression hardened at the sight before him. A single, clear tear was rolling down the Dalai Lama’s cheek.
“This is not for him. It will never be for him. It is solely…”
“…”
“For the suffering beings in this world.”
If that were truly the case, if this was indeed for the salvation of those who suffer, then why would his master shed tears?
Panchen Lama could not bring himself to voice the question that rose within him. Even if he were to ask, he knew he would not understand the answer. It was something beyond his comprehension.
“…I will accompany you, Master.”
He could only believe – believe that whatever his master sought to do, it was rooted in the pursuit of the greater good.
The Dalai Lama began to walk again, his steps measured and deliberate.
One leading and the other following, their steps continued in a straight, unbroken line, moving towards someone who did not wish for this meeting.
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