Moods of Love (风花雪月)

965 A.D.

During the Sung Dynasty in China

The new magistrate Liu Xuan-jiao of Lin-an city

set out for Shui Yue Temple

under the pretense of worship

But instead he had an ulterior motive

Master... the new magistrate

Master Liu is here!

Notify Master, I'll greet the magistrate

He's not to be disturbed during meditation

You notify him, I'll greet the magistrate

Let's go

Which one of you is Master Yu-tong?

He's in meditation

He's not aware of your visit

Please excuse us for not greeting you

A lowly magistrate like me

is not worth mentioning

Please!

Have a seat!

Ming-yue!

Excuse me!

Who is it?

The new magistrate of Lin-an

You must be Master Yu-tong

Yes

Please accept my apology

for not greeting you

No, pardon my imprudence

I didn't mean to intrude

Please...

Who summoned you?

Don't come in unless I call you, now get out

Yes, sir!

Please!

How can I be of service?

I wouldn't dare

Before I assumed office,

I've been told that Master Yu-tong of Shui Yue Temple

has the undisputed reputation

of being a living Buddha

That's why I wish to pay a visit

I have neither aspiration nor virtue

You're too modest

When I took office,

Masters of other temples have greeted me

But you wouldn't do me the honor

That reminded me of a story

I'm all ears

An eminent monk from Zhong-nan Shan

subjected himself to penance

One day he went into town to collect alms

Tofu...

His 6 roots and 4 elements were not pure and void

He was unable to free himself from mortal desires

No matter how hard he tried

Eventually he disappeared

I presume you seldom leave the Temple?

Of course

Your constancy and comprehension

must have no equal

and you have attained 33 days in Heaven

But Confucious said food and sex are normal for humans

Of those 33 days, 6 days for lust

23 days for the material world

and 4 for contemplation

They add up to 33

We say the Heaven of 33 Devas is the highest

and lovesickness is the worst sickness

Appearance is a void and vice versa

What's your opinion

of the word "lust"?

It refers not to lust, but appearance

People say the 4 elements are void

without knowing which 4 elements

People say the 6 roots are pure

without knowing which 6 roots

4 elements mean earth, water, fire and air

Our flesh and muscles come from earth

Blood and fluids from water

Warmth and cold from fire

Breathing and circulation from air

You'll be sick even ifjust one is off-balance

You'll be dead if one is missing

Who am I?

I am a void

What are the 6 roots?

Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind produce

6 qualities-sight, sound, smell, taste, touch & idea

The eyes is the root of sight; as the ears to sound

The nose to smell; the tongue to taste

The body to touch; the mind to idea

6 roots and 6 qualities form 6 perceptions

producing 18 notions

equivalent to 18 beads in my hands

6 roots, 6 qualities and 6 perceptions

How can we see ourselves?

In the mirror, of course

But if I'm a void

You can't see me in the mirror;

without me, you won't see the world

That's why appearance is void and vice versa

It's not lust you were referring to

Incredible!

You certainly deserve your reputation

But I'm still convinced that

Celibacy is inhuman

and against nature

This is a Buddhist temple

women are not allowed

But if a beautiful woman should come visit

I'm afraid...

even you may not be able to resist

I must get back to my meditation

Excuse me!

Fetch my palanquin!

Yes, sir!

Wonderful!

Come, have a drink

Please bear with me, I'm new at this

Hong-lian, while you're still young

find yourself a husband

before it's too late

Unless the Magistrate has pity on me

it won't be that easy

Excuse me!

Sure!

The Magistrate wishes to speak to Miss Hong-lian

Please excuse me!

Pardon me

Looks like the Magistrate

is interested in Hong-lian

Master Yu-tong of Shui Yue Temple?

He fancies himself as a living Buddha

If you can seduce him

You'll get a reward

and I'll let you leave the brothel

But...

If you defy my orders...

Well, I'll try my best

Bodidharma is the 28th patriarch of Indian Buddhism

and the first patriarch of Chinese Zen lineage

He was the third son of King Simhavaram of India

He became a monk when he grew up

Following the instructions of his master Prajnatara

he traveled by sea to China

and arrived in September, 520 A.D.

Because Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty

refused to accept other faiths,

Bodhidharma continued north

until he arrived at the Shaolin Temple in Henan

According to the legend, for 9 years

he sat in meditation facing a wall

Hence he's also called the Wall-gazing Brahman(Priest)

One day a Confucian scholar named Shen-guang

requested audience with Bodhidharma

Since the Confucian teachings

were unable to satisfy his thirst for knowledge

He wished to become Bodhidharma's disciple

But upon arriving in China...

Bodhidharma has not seen anyone

Shen-guang was no exception

But Shen-guang was not disheartened

He waited in the courtyard without sleep or food

Days went by

Shen-guang persisted

He stood in the snow for 7 days

but failed to impress Bodhidharma

Finally

Sir...

Shen-guang cut off his arm with a sword

and fainted

Sir...

Why are you here?

My heart is anxious, please pacify it

Bring it to me and I'll pacify it

I can't find it

There, I have pacified it

Shen-guang was enlightened

The heart that needed to be pacified

is only an illusion

The true heart is at peace, the body of thought

Whenever we think

or control it

It becomes transcendental

and is not the true heart

Bodhidharma asked Shen-guang to produce his heart

to make him realize that

his so-called heart is imaginary

and help him find his true heart

Shen-guang experienced a sudden awakening

and removed the doubts he had

Thereby he could end his mental struggle

Bodhidharma named him Hui-ke, and he became

the second patriarch of Zen Buddhism in China

Help...

Qing-feng, Ming-yue, check it out

Yes, sir!

Help...

Help...