SAMURAI

Chapter 7; Zen Master

    Iki Island was not a large island in the Japanese archipelago. Not wide, only around 130 kilometers square with about ten thousand inhabitants, including a thousand samurai warriors. However, Iki Island was a very strategic place because it is in the middle of several islands that flank it. 

    In the north there was the island of Tsushima which was controlled by the So Clan, in the western part there are the islands of Hirado, Taka, Nokono which were controlled by the Sashi clan. The Shoni clan, as well as the General of the island of Kyushu, ruled in the south. 

    All of the clans were the Gokenin-subordinate-of the Kamakura government, which was currently headed by Shikken Hojo Tokimune. The Ilkhanat troops would use these strategic islands as a transit point before attacking Hakata, the capital of Kyushu.

    The dense forest on the island of Iki was still untouched by humans. Thick thickets of thorns, hundreds of towering cedars the size of the waist of the sumo, their roots crossed from tree to tree forming dragon tendrils. Pythons, bears, wolves, and all wild animals competed for prey. There was no human life except the dense deer and rabbits that will disappear in the thicket when humans roam the forest.

    The wavy contour of Iki Island is surrounded by hills. The western area was filled with hilly areas with cliffs and rocks, making it impossible for invading troops to land in the western region. Taira no Kagetaka, ruler of the island of Iki, stationed dozens of guard posts in the eastern part of the beach. The coastline with calm waves and turquoise sea extends from north to south about twenty kilometers, divided into four parts of the coast.

    The main livelihoods of the population were fishermen, farmers, and traders. The fertile soil makes the rice grow yellow in two harvests. Deep- and cold-water areas made fish wallow. The port of Katsumoto as a place for trade transactions for agricultural products and marine products was always busy at all times, becoming a place for traders to market agricultural and marine products. 

    A good economy, supported by the security of reliable samurai warriors who guard the Iki Island area, has made this island, which is in the middle of a siege of other small islands, a part of the rich Kamakura government.

    Taira no Kagetaka as a ruler ruled wisely and with justice. As the leader of a clan that houses the ten thousand heads who inhabit the island, he does not hesitate to act harshly on the intruders. On the contrary, various prizes and awards will be provided for those who are credited with advancing the economy and controlling security. There are no hordes of thieves, pirates, and gangsters who dare to disturb the security of the Iki area.

    I looked out over the sea from the highest point on the island. Saruiwa, a rock in the shape of a monkey's head, was seen roaring. However, the cluster of islands, the calm waves, the dense forest at the foot of the mountains, the beautiful scenery on this island that has active mountains will not last long. 

    The Ilkhanat troops weren't the kind of people to enjoy the scenery. There was no time for them to simply put aside their murderous desires for a while and then enjoy the scenic beauty or the glitz of the conquered cities. Kill, Burn, destroy, are the slogans embedded before the conquest.

    Since my heart was lulled by the beauty of Goddess Afro-Thena, fascinated by the sword and charisma of Goro-Takezaki Suenaga, tethered by the light of the priest Bokku Shigen, slowly but surely my hardness melted. I could not bear to imagine that the inhabitants of this country will become slaves. My heart is not willing to see the people who have hardened my soul to be persecuted. 

    In the waves crashing on Ohama beach on Iki Island, I tried to find the answer. Even though I can't save this country from being destroyed, at least I can minimize the damage that will occur. Promises and vows that bind me against my humanity.

    My reverie was disturbed. The melodious sound produced by the blowing bamboo stabbed, pierced my eardrums. The sound was not a mere puff like a farmer's child blowing a flute while sitting relaxed on a buffalo’s back. The sound produced from the flute pulled me closer, calling out to me. 

    On another tone, it took me back a moment to a happy childhood. The sound of the flute made me steps further into the dense forest. Trees and groves cluster side by side. The main road is getting left behind.

    Step by step I followed the narrow road until the treads of my feet stopped at the end of the road. There is no other way to connect. The small tree turned into a large tree hundreds of years old. The shadows of snakes and forest dwellers began to appear. I'm lost. The sound of the flute continued to seduce, inviting my steps to refuse to recede to the back.

    Armed with the sword Goro gave me, I cut down thickets, thistles, thorns. The straw sandals could no longer protect my feet. Small scratches cut my leg veins. The hakama pants I was wearing made a crackling sound as they cut a sharp branch. I no longer mind that the beautiful haori kimono clothes presented by the ruler of Iki Island torn in several places. 

    The sound of the flute became clearer. The closer it got, the more my soul was tossed about in the middle of the vast, endless ocean.

    My gaze could not be separated when I found who blown it. The priest's oversized clothes wrapped his body tightly. His head was shaved without a farmer's hat.  Eyes closed. The face was full of peace. His lips pressed against the bamboo stalk, while ten nimble fingers brought out beautiful tones. Zen priest Bokku Shigen sat on a large rock playing his flute. “You won't find it. He will find you. If he wants to." Goro's words came back. This demigod is wanting to me.

    I approached, dropping my body under the large rock. Without realizing it, my eyes were closed too. I sharpened my hearing. The sound of the flute was seductive, sighing, sometimes growling, causing all the veins in my body to wake up. Dissolving in soothing tones makes my eyes wet. I don't know what I'm crying for. When Bokku Shigen stopped his flute from blowing, I could no longer hold back my sobs.

    Bokku Shigen looked at me, then smiled peacefully. "Why are you crying?"

    "I don't know," I answered honestly. 

    I continued, “The blowing of the flute which Master sang made my feelings uncertain. My soul seemed to be snatched from my body, wandering in all directions, bursting into childhood, beating up my dark past, ending in a void that I don't understand. At that point, I felt empty, lonely, alone."

    In a sitting position, Bokku Shigen moved down. No power was released. His body was as light as cotton, floating, moving down, and standing right in front of me.

    "Your heart is good. Only, past experiences filled with blood made it harden. "

    I didn't answer. My head lowered, waiting for the next commandment.

    "What are you looking for in this country, knight?"

    I shook my head, like a stupid student who couldn't answer all the teacher's questions. "Not only the purpose of life, But I also don't even know who I am anymore," I said sadly.

    "Ask your consciousness. Who knows it can answer."

    "Forgive me, Master. I can no longer sort out the instincts that always whisper the sacred word, or those that always lead to lust to ask for completion. If the Master is pleased, please show me the way and how to find it. "

    Teacher Bokku Shigen laughed softly. "Meditation! You will find yourself through meditation. "

    I dropped my body until my forehead pressed against the rock. "Show me, Master. Teach me how to find my identity." I begged him many times.

    "Stand up!"

    I followed his command like a buffalo being whipped by the nose. He glared at me. Those eyes can shrink the meaning of my life, probe deep into my most basic heart.

    “Honestly tell me. Do you want to find your way in life, or are you fascinated by my martial arts skills?”

    I was unable to answer. I was lost. Need a way out to avoid sadness and nightmares due to my past actions. Even so, I still feel the bitterness of being easily defeated by Goro. If I could choose, I wanted both.

    As if he knew what I was thinking, Bokku Shigen smiled kindly. "It is okay. Humans are not satisfied with one choice. "

    My head bowed in shame. "Yes. I want both."

    "It's not an evil to have more desires. But, beware, sometimes the unrestrained desire is like a horse with its two eyes closed. He will run aimlessly, crashing into any obstacle without knowing whether it is good or bad. At that point, the abyss of despair is waiting for him."

    "Servant will try to obey Master's orders."

    I dropped my body like a student who will serve his new teacher. But, Bokku Shigen blocked my movement. He kept my shoulders straight.

    “It's not that I don't want to accept you as a student. I'm too old. After all, it took you years to master the cultivation of my skill. Goro took ten years to absorb half of my knowledge."

    “Servant will train hard. Give me a chance. " I whined.

    For the first time, I heard Bokku Shigen's pessimistic tone. "Not enough time. The message I received through meditation said that your energy and abilities will be urgently needed soon. Not enough time to turn you into a pick-match knight.”

    I remain adamant. "If my strength and ability are needed, right now I am ready to receive orders."

    The Zen master smiled bitterly. “To become a mighty samurai, you must master Zen well. To master meditation perfectly, it will take years."

    I'm getting desperate. Wandering through this area without the ability to protect me against samurai swords and spears, I am like a sheep amidst a pack of tigers. I haven't gone far yet; my body will be torn apart by its claws.

    Bokku Shigen tapped my shoulder lightly. "Do not give up. Everyone has their way of tasting swordsmanship quickly. Your heart is easy to change. Sometimes it hardens like a rock, sometimes soft like beef. Besides I will teach you the basics of meditation, I will give you a collection of wakas."

    My head lowered, my heart refused his orders. " "Waka? Forgive my insolence Master. What should I memorize poetry for?"

    "Not just memorizing it. You must absorb all the words and their meanings by heart. Read it at the right time and place. If you do that constantly, your body and soul will be one with nature. If good fortune is on your side, you will find a way to develop your martial arts skills. "

    "How?" I asked, bowing down.

    "Fate that will guide you."

    "But, how can I survive this journey. It took just three moved for Goro-san to defeat me. "

    Bokku Shigen's lips parted. "You know, just like you, I didn't teach any martial arts when I first accepted him as my disciple."

    "What is Goro-san doing?" I asked curiously.

    "I taught him to paint." My bokeh Shigen laughed.

    "Paint?" I asked curiously. If by a painting I can master such great swordsmanship, I can paint for days.

    “That young man's heart is hard, just like you. He needed art to soften his heart. I will tell you the journey of his life so that you will understand who he is."

    I nodded. The more information about friends and foes, the easier it will be for me to map the strength of this country.

    "Please tell me, I will be happy to hear it."

    “Goro, whose real name is Takezaki Suenaga, is a lowly samurai follower of the Kikuchi family, the ruler of the Higo region. When he was a child, his family got into trouble with other families. They lost. All of the Goro family's belongings were confiscated. Her father was forced to do seppuku. His mother died horribly. Without parents, little Goro and his older sister earned a vicious life. Fortunately, his father's best friend, the Mitsui clan, a family of lowly samurai, adopted both of them as sons."

    “Mitsui Sukenaga? Saburo? " I said irresistibly.

    Bokku Shigen smiled as I interrupted his story. "Yes. Saburo, Goro's adopted brother."

    My head is down. The sad image of losing my two parents, neglected, made my sympathy for Goro increase sharply. A glimpse of Saburo's face flashed. Cold, without a smile. The opposite of his adopted brother.

    “As a teenager, Goro left the house, looking for a simple job. Becoming a coolie in the market, a horse keeper, a laborer, whatever he did to make a living. Up to a point, when fate brought us together. "

    "How did Master meet Goro?"

    Bokku Shigen was a good storyteller. Slowly he was able to carry my imagination into the story.

    “That day I saw an old beggar starving. His clothes were tattered. His body was thin as bones. He scavenged trash cans from restaurant food. Its smell and appearance made the guests discourage themselves from eating. The angry restaurant owner told him to leave. The beggar paid no heed. Two bouncers at the restaurant intervened to beat the old beggar. 

    Goro, who happens to be a restaurant waiter, didn't stay silent. The teenager was desperate to fight two big bouncers. Of course, that thin young man lost. His mouth was bleeding. He was swollen from punches and kicks. Good thing he didn't get killed. 

    In short, Goro managed to save the beggar, exchange all his wages that day for food, and give it to the beggar. He even gave him the clothes he was wearing.

    The youth's deference attracted my heart. I tried to dig deeper into his sincerity. I pretend to be a priest who was starving. I asked for the rest of the money he had. Without thinking, he spent the money on me. No money, no clothes, he came home with a smile. I chased the young man. 

    I met him in the middle of the road. I asked, 'Why are you giving everything you have without caring for your own needs, young man?' Goro replied, 'I'm still young. My body is still strong enough to work hard. Today maybe I'm not eating and cold, but today two humans are happy. Tomorrow I will work again. Can buy clothes, buy food.'

    I'm embarrassed. Dozens of years as a priest, that day I got a valuable lesson from a young boy. As Goro once said, I was the teacher of the Shoguns. My eyes often enjoy the sparkle of the palace, find the parties and cheers of the nobility. Wandering took me to meet many typical humans. Arrogant and violent samurai, underhand farmers and merchants, cold-blooded killers, and many of the worst human types on earth. However, that day, the wanderer brought me to meet a human figure with a god heart. 

    The god's compassion does not manifest in the body of a noble, or classy samurai, nor in a wealthy merchant. The god of compassion has manifested himself in the form of a poor and humiliated teenager."

    Priest Zen took a deep breath. The story of meeting his students seemed like yesterday. His eyes were closed, his forehead creased. Lustful human nature concerned him. Bokku Shigen opened his eyes, his mouth turned into a big smile.

    "I offered Goro to come on a journey. At first, he refused. After I showed him dozens of gold pieces, he was interested. The child is very young. He thinks life is hard work to make money. Seeing in my grasp dozens of gold pieces, he wanted to become my employee. He wanted to work taking care of my needs for a sufficient wage."

    I smiled, imagining the handsome young man staring at the zen priest he had fed could have tens of gold pieces. Luckily, Goro was not the bad boy type. He might hit the stone. Robbing a rich zen priest who he thought is weak but capable of killing a large bear in one hit.

    “What happened then?” I asked.

    “At first, I let him take care of my needs. At one point in time, I defeated ten muggers who were intercepting us in the middle of the forest. He changed his goal. Fascinated by my martial arts, he asked me to accept him as a student. Of course, I accept him. On one condition, he must study. As I said earlier, I didn't teach him martial arts right away. I saw a talent for painting in him. I told him to hone his painting and meditation skills before teaching him martial arts."

    "Why, Master?"

    The Zen master answered firmly. "Art! Humans love beauty. Through beauty, they can see the world with their hearts. The window of your heart must be open before receiving light. To open it, you need art and meditation. "

    "What next? How can he become a special envoy for the ruler of Kyushu?” 

    Goro's interesting life path made me unable to let go of curiosity.

    "That kid was smart. He's a fast learner. He was also good at drawing and took my lessons very seriously. It didn't take long, after I felt that the basics of his inner power and outer power were already strong, I taught him all branches of martial arts. Swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat. 

    Seven years we spent together. He turned into a sparring samurai. His warrior abilities changed rapidly when I took him to serve the samurai of the Kyushu ruling family. Shoni Kagesuke, leader of the Shoni clan, was interested in seeing my student's abilities and intelligence. He accepted Goro happily. Such a hardworking, honest, and friendly man, Goto's ranks soared. Indeed, as the ranks of workers progressed, so did others who disliked samurai. Goro didn't care. He continued to accelerate his achievements. 

    Until four years ago, when Kublai Khan wanted to stick his nails in this country, on the orders of Shikken Hojo Tokimune, Shoni Kagesuke sent Goro to find as much information as possible. The samurai were sure that a wave of Ilkhanat troops would invade. I don't know when, it's just a matter of time. When the waves come, at least we are ready to counter them."

    My heart sank when Bokku Shigen talked about my squad. The promises I still hold today are like Pandora's box that I carry around. Unfortunately, people close to me want me to open the box.

    "Forgive servant." My head lowered deeply.

    Bokku Shigen wagged the feather stick he was holding. "No need to apologize. I respect your choice and your determination. "

    "Thank you, Master," I said sincerely.

    "Now then, what do you want?"

    I quickly fell. "Teach me, Teacher!"

    Bokku Shigen averted his gaze. The forest was getting dark. The sun ducked, its rays unable to break through the thickets. His flute was tucked between the priest's clothes. Bokku Shigen reached into the pocket inside the priest's robe, pulling out a leather scroll. He handed the scroll to me.

    "This. Read on. Memorize. Understand the meaning. Say it at the right time. "

    I still don't know what it means. Instead of asking, I accepted unconditionally. "Thank you, teacher."

    As Moses received the holy book from his Lord, I raised my hands to receive the scroll of Waka written on the deerskin with great reverence. The grooves of the skin feel soft in the palm. Not satisfied yet, I urged Bokku Shigen for early lessons.

    “I will earnestly study what Master said. One thing I want to know….”

    Bokku Shigen was serious. "What?"

    "Which part of my body should I train to obtain reliable martial arts skills?"

    Without thinking, Bokku Shigen answered quickly. "Your feet."

    "Why, Teacher?"

    “A samurai will not be able to play his sword well if it is not supported by two solid legs as a stance. Slashes and pricks are extensions of the leg movements that can move swiftly to find weaknesses in the opponent. Your two feet are like a fortress. If it's weak, the enemy will easily interfere."

    Makes sense, I told myself. I unconsciously stroked my thigh, looking for the two bent legs to support my butt.

    "After all, if your legs are strong, then you can use them to take a thousand steps if you get stuck!"

    I smiled wryly. Bokku Shigen chuckled.

    "From now on I call you 'Genta'. ‘Gen’ means original, ’Ta’ means big. According to the meditation I received, you were born to be a great person. "

    "Thank you, teacher," I repeated my new name many times until it became one with my soul. "Genta, Genta, Genta." Still sound strange to my ears. But not bad than wandering anonymously.

    Mentioning a foreign name in a foreign country will only raise questions and suspicions. After all, the name "John" is dead. He was buried at the bottom of the sea since the first time his sword betrayed his country because of a woman.

    "Where's your sword?"

    I pushed the sword along with the scabbard. Bokku Shigen stared at the sword in his hand, drew the sharp steel from its sheath, slowly turned the sword, slashed, stabbed. His swordplay movements accelerated, letting out a whoosh as the blade met empty air. I admire the beauty of this Zen priest in playing with the sharp long rod.

    "Good sword," he said.

    I said yes. The typical samurai sword has a choice of steel texture. It took years to make this sword. The hilt of the sword is made of hard sandalwood, shiny black wrapped in silk thread to prevent it from becoming slippery. The name of the maker is beautifully engraved. The scabbard is also made of sandalwood, full of carvings.

    Before I realized it, the scabbard glided rapidly, disappearing into the shade of the trees. Bokku Shigen threw away the scabbard at full force. Now the blade is drawn out without a sheath.

    "There is no use in carrying a sword in the middle of the forest except for cutting trees," he said lightly.

    "What do you mean, Teacher?"

    “You need a place to take shelter. Need firewood to warm and cook. There were no axes or other cutting tools except this sword. Use this!"

    "But Teacher, this is a good sword."

    “Are you still saying a good sword when your stomach is hungry and your body is cold in the rain? Just use it!” he ordered.

    Not bothering me anymore, Bokku Shigen got back to sit on the big rock. Knowing myself of the obligations of a student, I cut through the forest, chopped wood, cut branches, twigs, tied branches and posts using a rope from the root.

    A day full of struggling without a break, a simple hut measuring two by two meters was formed. The wooden posts stood firmly enough to support the roof of fringed leaves. For the next few days, this hut will serve as a place for me to study meditation and memorize waka.