Konrad and Alexandra (PDF) - Rolf Gross

century. The characteristic Chinese form evolved a hundred years later. By the thirteenth century Ch'an had displaced allother schools of Buddhism in China. In this period it must have reached the Sufi in Turkestan.To my question, what are the specific methods and doctrines of Ch'an, the man was silent. Eventually he smiled. "Iassume, that you know nothing about Ch'an or its Japanese variant Zen?"I nodded."Well, Ch'an uses averbal and arational methods, which one can practice, but which defy description in words... Ch'anreduced the complex and slow Indian meditational techniques, with which we search for enlightenment andunderstanding of ourselves, to their minimum essence. The methods of Ch'an are simple and practical: sit before a walland count your breath. After some years of this meditation you will have a sudden experience of enlightenedunderstanding. To speed up this process, the teacher occasionally gives his student a puzzle question, a conundrum tomeditate on, which does not have a verbal solution. It is supposed to teach the student that life is not rationallycomprehensible. The last step of Ch'an teaching does away with all words."He took a piece of paper and a brush. "One typical answer to your question about the essence of Ch'an is this."With a single movement of his wrist he drew a perfect ling on the paper.The abbot smiled at me expectantly, picked up his cup, and took a sip of tea.I felt an irresistible temptation to show off, asked for the brush, and with a lucky hand drew an equally perfect ling. Theman stared at me, amazed.Proud that I had successfully surprised him, I did not notice what happened next until it had happened. The abbot madean involuntary movement with his hand and spilled his tea over my ling.I was speechless.And then I understood. Complete spontaneity is the way to all insight.Slowly a smile went over the man’s face that turned into unrestrained laughter. He rose, and in an entirely un-Chineseoutburst of joy slapped me on the shoulder.How is it possible that I have never understood that you, my extraordinary challenge, have been trying to teach me thisinsight for twelve years...?We shall sail from Shanghai in three days. We shall arrive in Batumi in the first week of February, I want to spend a weekwith Irakli and Tamunia-Deda and be home by the middle of February. I shall finally hold you in my arms again.Be well until then.Your longing husband,KonradThe whole family awaited the long-lost husband, father, and brother-in-law with flowers, hugs, and kisses at the railwaystation. This time little Sophia rode on Konrad’s shoulders, while Otto walked next to him talking about his rides withUncle Niko and Konrad’s adventures in Samarkand.At home Konrad opened his valise and spread his presents. Five lengths of magnificent printed silks, one a shade of lightgreen that grew darker towards the bottom where a band of stylized field flowers bloomed in all colors. A yellow pilgrim’sbag stamped with the large red woodprints the monasteries of Putuo Shan Dao. A box of ivory chopsticks imprinted withChinese characters for all to try. A precious ink-stone for his calligraphy. Two necklaces of enameled beads and astrange yellow mask with a beaked snout and the big teeth of a monkey."What is this, Daddy?" asked Otto taken aback.Konrad laughed. "The mask of the Monkey King, Wang Hou, who invented grammar and came to China as the emissaryof the Buddha. These days he is the beloved acrobatic joker of the Chinese Opera. Let me show you."Konrad dug a thick, battered sketchbook from the bottom of his luggage. "See," he showed one of the drawings to Otto,"here is a scene from the opera, and there is the Monkey King making a somersault before the bearded King and hisladies."Alexandra looked over Otto’s shoulder. "Did you do these drawings?""Yes," Konrad said happily. "I discovered that I could still draw. I used to sketch at school. You have seen me draw theflowers I collected?"Alexandra put the volume on the table and leafed through it. His entire journey in pictures! Turbaned men at theRegistran in Samarkand, the shores of Lake Baikal, Peiking, the Gardens of Suchow, and George gorging himself onshrimp on Putuo Shan Island. She embraced him and gave him a big kiss.Otto had disappeared and now returned with a large map of Konrad’s journey, which he had drawn. They spread themap and Konrad, full of admiration for Otto’s work, pointed at the places where the sketches came from.Meanwhile Niko had put on the monkey mask and was jumping around the room flailing his arms. He sank on his kneesbefore Konrad laughing. "Welcome home Mepo Konradi!""The mask brings out the underused Georgian theatrical talents in you, Herr Physicist," joked Konrad. "But can you alsodo somersaults?""Your furniture is in the way. Give me a bigger stage!" Niko retorted and made a headstand wiggling his feet.177