6. The Monastery

" Go and ask your senior brother to meet me here in the monastery."

As the Abbot asked the little monk to bring back his senior. He hesitated to leave at first, but he looked back at the smile of Abbot and left from there with the smile too. The little monk didn't look back as he passed out from the door and then walked down the stairs near it. He passed from there and reached in a beautiful garden.

The cold wind was breezing high above the mountain. In the mid contrary, there were short of flowers within the shrubs, the water was falling aside and draining nearby it. In the mid of the garden there was a monk meditating beneath the tree. There was a little glow on his face. His face was bright in the broad daylight. He was full of spirit and happiness covered all over his face. He was in deep in his meditation.

"When did you come little brother?" 

There came a voice near the tree. The little monk kept on looking at the monk who was meditating beneath the tree. The little monk stood there silently without replying to the answer. Maybe he was waiting for him to open his eyes, but he didn't open even after a long time. Teh little monk smiled and looked at him with the full of chores.

"Sambh! You have been called by the master."-there came a short voice from behind him. He opened his eyes slowly. Then he looked behind him. There was an old monk standing behind him. He was standing with a gentle smile on his face. He was looking at him humbly. Just nearby him was the little monk standing. He looked back at him with the smile covering his face. He spoke," senior brother, master has called you in the monastery."

With the words finishing, the little monk left from there. However, Sambh didn't notice as the little monk left from there as his gaze was fixed at the old monk near him. Then he stood from his place silently and approached from there. He looked from there at him with a smile and spoke in soft voice," Master, it has been so long that I am seeing you today. Where were you these days?" He finished his words, but his gaze fixed at him.

The old monk replied," I had left the mountain to see the world outside the mountain. I just returned to see you off in your journey." The monk looked back at the sky and walked away. Sambh followed him. As they reached the gate of the garden then the old monk stopped and looked back at the Sambh who was patiently following him.

" The outside world is very vast. when you will leave this mountain then you face thousands of problems, and you have to face it by yourself." The old monk spoke," You always wanted to roam around the world, and you are getting this chance now." he paused and looked back at him who was full of excited.

" So finally, you are going to let me go down the mountain." Sambh asked as he followed him and listened the words from his mouth.

The monk spoke," There is someone who has come here to pick you up. why don't you go and visit the master since he has called you." The old monk looked the deep drown face of Sambh and left from there. 

"Sure master, I will go and see him."-he spoke in a soft voice. He also walked away from there.

As he walked away from his garden then he found no other monks on his way. He passed down the mountain and headed towards the monastery. he felt quite suspicious when he didn't see anyone on his way. It was the first time that he had felt totally silence.

Along his way towards the monastery. The bushes around him were touching his feet and tickling him. He passed along the way where other monks were practising martial arts. By seeing them practising then he felt quite relieved by seeing them. He greeted them as did the others to him with humble smile.

Then he walked away from there and then he reached near the monastery and started to climb the monastery. He barely managed to look back and stepped ahead in the silence upon the stairs of stones. He looked back reaching at the top of the stairs where the entire street was in silence. He looked back at the gate of the monastery which was closed.

He passed from the gate that was well silenced. He slowly pushed the gate as it slowly opened up and moved back. he moved back with the honours and left from there. He stepped inside the silent hall in darkness. He casually walked in and stood near the buddha's statue.

There was an old man worshipping the buddha. He waited near it for the old monk to finish worshipping. He spoke in a soft voice, "master, did you call me." Then his eyes reached to the corner where an old man in long black coat was standing leaning over the pillar. Then he managed to hold himself in and out for him. He waited for the reply looking at the monk.

The old monk slowly opens his eyes and kowtows before buddha. He gently burns the candle and places near the Buddha and left from there. He looked back," Sambh you are here." He gently mentions himself with the posture and stands back near the statue. He holds his breathe out and firmly.

Abbot paused and looked at him closely then spoke with a gentle smile," you are finally. You delayed us for a long time." He watched at him closely and remained silent gazing at him in deep thoughts. Now the time is here to send you out from the mountain. Many things are waiting for you." He gently smiled with the laughter and remained silent for a while.

He approached him and spoke," There is someone who came here to meet you." Sambh was lost in thought that how come that he has never gone out of the mountain, and someone wants to meet him. It was totally wrong that he couldn't come out from the daze. Since, he knew the Abbot never lies anything. Sambh looked at him closely and spoke," Abbot... are you trying to hide something from me?"

Abbot smiled and asked him, "Follow me to the garden." Then he left the monastery and Sambh followed him. He followed him towards the mountain. They passed along with the rocky mountain then high above where the wind stopped. There was the same person sitting on the rock. He stopped there. They greeted at each other. He pointed towards him and spoke," Sambh, He is your uncle, and he is here to take you home."

Sambh spoke with calmness," Amitabha! " Then he continued," Master, the whole earth is full of lively, and this is my home, and I can live anywhere. There is no specific place for me." He looked back and spoke," Master, I will follow you wherever you go."

Abbot looked at him and spoke," Sambh, this is the last wish of your dad. Moreover, he is breathing his last." There was silence at the face of the Abbot as he spoke in deep silent tone. He was deeply hurt remembering the things up. Abbot spoke," If he sent him to the monastery then he must be well aware of the situation. 

Moreover, this is the last wish of the dying person, and you must fulfil it. This is your duty. Anyway, you can't run away from the things that's destined to happen. No matter how far you run the closer you reach your destiny. No matter how much you try but you can't kill the time. It's just convincing yourself.

Sambh looked at abbot and spoke, "Master, I understand you so since, this is the wish of a dying person. so, I must go." Sambh was in the deep thoughts, but he convinced himself thinking that he will return back as he looks at his dad and returns back. Moreover, this was also his long-cherished wish.

Abbot smiled and spoke," May be this is your fate that you are destined to face. Since you have decided then you may leave." There was the clear smile that as if he came out form the deep thoughts that had captured him long ago. He just managed to smile back at the Sambh who was clearly looking for his reply.

Sambh looked back at the monastery which was dazzling in the snow. He spoke," Master, I will return as soon as I meet him and full fill his last wish." He smiled back and spoke," sometimes it's better to let it go and move ahead." Sambh looked around and waited for the Abbot to speak something for him.

Abbot spoke," Your leave for a glance will take you to the path of endless sufferings." There was clear picture in it with the never-ending sorrow and painful path. The Abbot slowly left from there with the last words," Your journey ahead is not as simple as it looks. Hope you will take care of yourself." the Abbot walked down from there and left Sambh there alone with his thoughts.