LOSE SIGHT OF THE SHORE- ART OF WAR TO ART OF LIVING

Chapter 5 LOSE SIGHT OF THE SHORE ไมมทางจะขามมหาสมทรไดหากยงไมกลาพอจะออกไปไกลจนไมเหนฝง “You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” — Thai Proverb Amazing Thailand A few days later, Xiao Ming and Lu Yao boarded China Southern, for an eight-hour fifty-minute flight from Shenzhen to Bangkok. As the aircraft zoomed in to the stratosphere, Xiao Ming recalled her turbulent recent past and was happy that she had decided to embark on the journey westwards with Lu Yao. She had many expectations from this journey. Earlier, life was only practicality and logic. Emotions had recently secured a major presence in her life. “Passenger’s may now unfasten the seat belts as we have safely negotiated the turbulent weather,” the captain announced. In a while, the flight taxied down at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Upon emerging from the airport building a little later, they got into the waiting cab and then checked-in at the estimable Bangkok Marriott Hotel: The Surawongse. Both Xiao Ming and Lu Yao were primarily outdoors kind 38 of people. Though this was their first trip together, when in Thailand on earlier occasions they would visit the tropical beaches of Railay, Koh Phi Phi, Pai or go hiking at Tonsai Beach or enjoy the cascading waterfalls at Erawan National Park in addition savouring the local cuisine or visiting the night market. Of course, no trip was complete unless they reserved a day to relax their body and brain at the dextrous fingers of a masseur. Xiao Ming enjoyed walking around the bustling markets of Bangkok and the highly acclaimed Chiang Mai. Never had the idea of visiting the opulent royal palaces, the ancient ruins or the ornate temples displaying images of Buddha appealed to her. But this time it was going to be different. Meanwhile the sun was descending in the thickly populated city of Bangkok. She was basking in the glow as the pretty woman decided to have a swim after the long journey to shake-off the ennui. Her body glistened in the pool as the last rays of the sun gleamed on the pool. “Should we head to Pattaya? Or maybe we’ll just head to Asiatique. It’s too much of a drive to Pattaya,” Xiao Ming debated with her boyfriend. “No way Xiao Ming, you have charted a new path. You are not going to Pattaya or the night market. Take rest and tomorrow the two of us will visit the Wat Pho as planned earlier,” he answered. She was cheerfulness personified and regretted her stringent aspersions against Lu Yao. He was genuinely concerned about her welfare and physical and mental safety. A tear dropped from her eyes. A perturbed Lu Yao looked at Xiao Ming. She shook her head and caressed his hair affectionately. *************** 39 The grandiose Wat Pho is located on Rattanakosin Island, which is south of the Grand Palace. The temple stuns any individual be it a seeker, a backpacker, a stock individual or a follower of Buddhism, with the astonishing presence of the forty-six-metre-long reclining Buddha. It almost appears as though Buddha comes alive in the reclining position. “Wat Pho is one of the oldest and largest wats in Bangkok which spreads over 80, 000 square metres. The temple is home to more than one thousand Buddha images,” a guide told Xiao Ming and Lu Yao. The guide further added,” Wat Pho complex consisted of two walled compounds which is bisected by Chetuphon Road running in the east-west direction. The larger northern walled compound, the phutthawat, is open to visitors which contains the finest buildings dedicated to the Buddha, including the Bot with its four directional viharn, and the temple housing the reclining Buddha,” The duo of Xiao Ming and Lu Yao watched the complex in amazement. Only she could feel the presence of the reclining Buddha. “The southern compound, the sankhawat, contains the residential quarters of the monks and a school. The perimeter wall of the main temple complex has sixteen gates, two of which serve as gateways to public,” the accomplished guide weaved the story of the celebrated temple. The guide was keen on narrating additional details about the temple complex and the architecture, but Xiao Ming drifted away to the statute of reclining Buddha, a gargantuan edifice. She entered the sanctum sanctorum and saw the reclining Buddha from close quarters and was left stupefied. She had read that the reclining Buddha is an image that represents the Enlightened One lying down and is a major iconographic theme in Buddhist art. It represents the historical Buddha during his final days when he was plagued by a pestilence and 40 just about to enter Mahaparinirvana. Xiao Ming sat at the feet of the reclining Sakyamuni and closed her eyes. Her brain was cannonaded with past events, her rise from penury and then creation of the app by Xiōngdì Technologies and how the Party took over the app. She thought of the Chinese scholar Xuan Zang and the landmark event in her life at the Phoenix Temple after the twenty-one-day grapple where she had the phenomenal apparition. She also dreamed of Mara trying to disrupt Buddha’s meditation. But suddenly a fleeting glimpse of a variant of her app snooping on the records of people arose in her mind. So, was she absolved? And the Party? All these years of her life the path she followed? Several questions arose: suppose the Party had entered into a contract with her and she had to just abandon the project? What would have been her reaction? After all the head of the Party was the supreme leader whom she held in reverence despite everything. When she opened her eyes, Xiao Ming fervently hoped for a replay of the event at Phoenix Temple. And then taxed and tormented her brain in an excruciating manner. As if on cue, Lu Yao jostled for attention and nudged Xiao Ming. “This kind of imagery happens seldom. In my heyday of power and pelf I would have referred to it as nothing more than sorcery,” she thought to herself. When she focussed only on science and logic her brain had no space for religion. Both headed back to the hotel. They spent a few more days at Bangkok and visited Pattaya beach only once for a swim. She stayed away from liquor and was continuing her dalliance with a vegetarian diet which Lu Yao couldn’t even think of attempting. She made it a point to visit Wat Pho alone a couple of times in search of Buddha but her brain continued to be in a traffic 41 jam as she was seeking answers to several of her queries. They spent close to two weeks in Thailand, visiting Buddhist temples, the opulent palaces, some scenic spots and a few ruins attempting to trace history. Xiao Ming had of late turned vegetarian. Xiao Ming and her boyfriend boarded a Thai airways flight to take them to Kuala Lumpur where they had planned to drop their next anchorage. 42