After The Hailstorm

I awoke shivering from the cold in the middle of the night. The hailstorm had started the previous evening and was beginning to calm down. Why was my cave so cold? The remains of my fire should be keeping me warm. It had been a restless night, with the sounds of crashing hail, loud thunderclaps, and the steady chanting of the rain. My forehead pounded with a massive headache, my thoughts groggy as my eyes began to acclimatize to the darkness of my cave. Wind whipped through the opening of my cave, and it felt like piercing swords going through to my bones. The chill was magnified by the dampness of my body, why I was so wet? I let out an audible groan as I realized my cave had flooded. The water level in my cave was at least 2 to 3 inches deep in some places.

“Damn it to the hungry ghosts,” I cursed. I should have gotten the protective amulets from the Deer’s Park. At least if I had the amulets I would have had protection from the brutality of the weather. In my naivety and arrogance, I had assumed the cave would have given me protection from the hail and rain.

I began to assess the damage around the cave. The floor was covered in water and anything that had been on the ground was now waterlogged. The furs that I used as bedding were now thoroughly drenched, and the incenses and poultices for healing and rituals had been washed away. Luckily, the stash of the herbs and medicines that I used had been spared and were not wet. Much of the food supply was wet, and my fire was now washed away. Thankfully, my cave was not damaged, and I was beginning to realize that much of the damage was reversible and only a nuisance.

As the morning progressed, I began to work towards cleaning and drying out my cave. I found some old chang stored in my cave, and that made the process even quicker. I thanked the Buddha, the dakinis of the area, and the spirits for being merciful. When I finished, I began to walk down towards the village. The effects of the hailstorm were evident, and pieces of hail lay scattered as I walked towards the settlement.

The hailstorm had not been merciful the village, as I walked up I noticed the destruction, power, and volatility of nature spirits. Hail lay strewn across the village, as if someone had spilt their bag of salt. Its harsh consequences were evident in the pockmarked and punctured buildings. In the main square of the village, many of the people were gathered and were discussing the effects of the hailstorm.

The village elder was at the front of the congregation of people, and was silently listening to the grievances and concerns of the people. Her calm demeanor and mannerisms indicated the Buddha-nature that she possessed. Even in the face of adversity, she seemed to be at total peace.

Representatives of the different village industries stepped up and explained the different issues. The scholars were unable to work and go further into the teachings because many of their scrolls were wet. The traders couldn’t trade because the main bridge had been destroyed. The list of issues seemed seemingly endless.

A brisk voice from the crowd yelled, “Who is responsible for the calamity on the village?” This was a question that everyone had on his or her mind, but no one had been held responsible.

A voice shouted, “Maybe, it was a curse from the neighbouring village.”

“Maybe, it was you,” shouted back another voice.

“The spirits are playing with us!”

“It was probably the amulet maker, he was trying to make money-”

“Quiet,” said the village elder, in a firm, yet powerful voice. Immediately, all of the senseless chattering stopped. The authority in his voice commanded respect from all those around her. “I have been informed by the builders that the repairs to the village and the bridge will cost at least 100 gold pieces and twice as much building material. It will be upon us as a village to pay for these costs.”

Before anyone could even speak, the elder continued. “Last night, before the storm, I had a messenger from the neighbouring village come to me with a plea for help. His village has also been struck with calamity in the form of illness. He has asked for the help of our doctors, shamans, and those with healing skills to go and provide assistance.”

“Why should we go? How do we know that they did not wish this upon us?” retorted one of the villagers.

Within a gentle tone filled with wisdom, the elder answered, “What good would that have done their village? We are their main trading allies, and are always treated by respect by their people. Where does your mistrust come from? In order, to better our relations, I have agreed to send our doctors when the bridge is fixed.

As the news began to settle in, my heart began to sink a little bit. I knew I would be one of the ones chosen to go to the village. It was definitely an arduous trip through the forest and my safety was not guaranteed. I would rather stay home and sip on my chang.