Hung Lou Meng - book 2 | Page 4

did not feel inclined
to let her get a glimpse of his face. Tai-yü then gave up the attempt, and
confined herself to asking him: "whether it was very painful?"
"It isn't very sore," replied Pao-yü, "if I look after it for a day or two, it
will get all right."
But after another short stay, Lin Tai-yü repaired back to her quarters.
The next day Pao-yü saw dowager lady Chia. But in spite of his
confession that he himself was responsible for the scalding of his face,
his grandmother could not refrain from reading another lecture to the
servants who had been in attendance.
A day after, Ma, a Taoist matron, whose name was recorded as
Pao-yü's godmother, came on a visit to the mansion. Upon perceiving
Pao-yü, she was very much taken aback, and asked all about the
circumstances of the accident. When he explained that he had been
scalded, she forthwith shook her head and heaved a sigh; then while
making with her fingers a few passes over Pao-yü's face, she went on to
mutter incantations for several minutes. "I can guarantee that he'll get
all right," she added, "for this is simply a sadden and fleeting accident!"

Turning towards dowager lady Chia: "Venerable ancestor," she
observed, "Venerable Buddha! how could you ever be aware of the
existence of the portentous passage in that Buddhistic classic, 'to the
effect that a son of every person, who holds the dignity of prince, duke
or high functionary, has no sooner come into the world and reached a
certain age than numerous evil spirits at once secretly haunt him, and
pinch him, when they find an opportunity; or dig their nails into him; or
knock his bowl of rice down, during, meal-time; or give him a shove
and send him over, while he is quietly seated.' So this is the reason why
the majority of the sons and grandsons of those distinguished families
do not grow up to attain manhood."
Dowager lady Chia, upon hearing her speak in this wise, eagerly asked:
"Is there any Buddhistic spell, by means of which to check their
influence or not?"
"This is an easy job!" rejoined the Taoist matron Ma, "all one need do
is to perform several meritorious deeds on his account so as to
counteract the consequences of retribution and everything will then be
put right. That canon further explains: 'that in the western part of the
world there is a mighty Buddha, whose glory illumines all things, and
whose special charge is to cast his lustre on the evil spirits in dark
places; that if any benevolent man or virtuous woman offers him
oblations with sincerity of heart, he is able to so successfully perpetuate
the peace and quiet of their sons and grandsons that these will no more
meet with any calamities arising from being possessed by malevolent
demons.'"
"But what, I wonder," inquired dowager lady Chia, "could be offered to
this god?"
"Nothing of any great value," answered the Taoist matron, Ma.
"Exclusive of offerings of scented candles, several catties of scented oil
can be added, each day, to keep the lantern of the Great Sea alight. This
'Great Sea' lantern is the visible embodiment and Buddhistic
representation of this divinity, so day and night we don't venture to let
it go out!"

"For a whole day and a whole night," asked dowager lady Chia, "how
much oil is needed, so that I too should accomplish a good action?"
"There is really no limit as to quantity. It rests upon the goodwill of the
donor," Ma, the Taoist matron, put in by way of reply. "In my quarters,
for instance, I have several lanterns, the gifts of the consorts of princes
and the spouses of high officials living in various localities. The
consort of the mansion of the Prince of Nan Au has been prompted in
her beneficence by a liberal spirit; she allows each day forty-eight
catties of oil, and a catty of wick; so that her 'Great Sea' lamp is only a
trifle smaller than a water-jar. The spouse of the marquis of Chin
Hsiang comes next, with no more than twenty catties a day. Besides
these, there are several other families; some giving ten catties; some
eight catties; some three; some five; subject to no fixed rule; and of
course I feel bound to keep the lanterns alight on their behalf."
Dowager lady Chia nodded her head and gave way to reflection.
"There's still another thing," continued the Taoist matron, Ma. "If it be
on account of father or mother or seniors, any excessive donation
would not matter. But were you, venerable ancestor, to bestow too
much in your offering for Pao-yü, our young master won't, I fear, be
equal to the gift; and instead of being