For the New Year, we all have to say really good things. (Yes.) So, we can’t say anything inauspicious. (Yes.)
There was a story, a Master and a disciple went to the capital city to attend the imperial exam. The Master was to attend the imperial exam. He brought a young attendant with him, carrying things like bottles, books, writing brushes and ink, etc. You know, right? The disciple always had a way of speaking negatively. Whatever he said was negative, even after being taught hundreds of times, but it was still the same. Whenever he opened his mouth, it was always negative talk. For example, “Oh my! Take a look at that house, be careful. Could it catch fire?” When a couple just got married, he’d say, “Oh my! Will they live and stay together for very long? Maybe they’ll get separated tomorrow or the day after.” Like divorce. He always talked nonsense. Master had taught him many times, but he couldn’t change.
This time, they were going to the capital city, because the Master wanted to become the top scholar in the palace. So, He said clearly to His disciple: “Please, this time, don’t talk bad about anything, OK? Don’t talk bad about anyone. Don’t look into anyone’s eyes. Don’t look at other people’s houses either. Don’t criticize anyone who gets married. Don’t say anything about people’s business, like saying whether they might lose money, that kind of thing. Don’t speak ill of others or curse them. Can you remember?” “Yes, I’ll keep it in mind, Master. I won’t talk about anyone. When I see anyone, I’ll close my eyes. Never mind. I’ll just walk away. Then I won’t criticize, won’t talk bad about anyone. I’ll just keep my mouth shut.” OK. Very good.
They both went together to the capital city. Halfway on their journey, the disciple was kind of tired, as he had to carry his Master’s luggage. Like you carried the sedan chair for the Emperor just now, very tiring. And you must keep the chair from falling. Right? You couldn’t let it fall. But the disciple was a small person, so, after carrying it for a while, he felt tired. He was halfway through and already exhausted, plus his Master had a lot of stuff, many books, and then a comforter, and a sleeping bag, and a steel cup, and a cushion as well. The stuff for meditation, a lot of things. And the stove – sometimes he needed to light a fire. Oh! It’s so tiring. Is it called “little attendant”? (The study attendant.)
The study attendant felt tired. Things he carried kept falling along the way. When one dropped, he picked it up and said, “Oh no! Do not fall again.” When we don’t do well in the exam, we say “drop” also? “Throw?” (“Fall.” “Failed the exam.”) “Failed the exam.” That’s right. On the way, things kept falling again, then he said, “Oh no! It ‘failed the exam’ again.” Then again, as he walked, another thing dropped, and he said, “It fell again. It ‘failed the exam’ again.” Then he walked and something dropped again. He said again, “That’s strange. Why does it always keep ‘failing the exam’? Should it always fall to the ground like this?”
Then his Master said, “I’m going to the capital city to take the imperial exam, and you’ve been saying unlucky things all the way, saying that kept dropping, kept ‘failing the exam’, kept dropping, kept ‘failing the exam.’ You cannot keep saying that. Don’t talk about the falling stuff, OK?” He answered, “OK, Master. OK.” He then strung everything together with a rope and tied them to his belt and shoulder. Tying them all over his body, then he said, “This time I’ve tied you up so securely that even when we arrive at the capital city…”
How to say, “Pass the exam?” (Pass the imperial exam. Win top marks in the imperial exam. Be on the ranking list of the imperial exam.) What is being tied together? (Be on the ranking list of the imperial exam.) Yes, yes, yes. On the ranking list. But it sounds like… (Tied up.) Being tied up, be on the ranking list. He said, “Now I have tied the knot very firmly, so that even when we arrive at the capital, there’s no way to ‘be on the ranking list’ anymore.” He wanted to avoid saying, ‘Falling to the ground (failed the exam).’ Understand? (Yes.) Alright. This will keep you laughing.
Thank you for your hard work. Say thanks to everyone. (OK.) I cannot thank each of them, but you all have your own groups, and your friends, relatives, etc., working in other places. Convey my thanks to all of them. Thank each one of them. (OK.) Thanks to each of them. It’s just that I cannot go tell them one by one, because sometimes if I say it in the kitchen, maybe someone went elsewhere. If I say it to the guards, tomorrow it might not be his shift, etc. Everyone helps me to say it. (OK.) Say that the Emperor really wants to thank them. (Thank You.) I want to thank them. (Thank You, Master.) Bye-bye. (Bye-bye.) (Thank You, Master.)
Happy New Year! (Happy New Year!) Say auspicious words. Do auspicious deeds. (Yes.) Only say auspicious words. Remember? (OK.) Cannot tie up… Don’t tie “me” up, OK? (Yes.) Alright. (Wishing Master safety and good health.) Wishing you the same. Happy New Year! Thank you. (Happy New Year! Thank You, Master.) Good luck. Good luck. Good luck. (Yes. Good luck to Master. Thank You, Master.) Don’t fall to the ground. Tie it up.
