A Lesson from Japanese Folklore

Practitioners need to eliminate attachments to lust and desire during cultivation. This realization reminded me of a tale from Japanese folklore.

In olden times in Japan there lived a man named Jiumi. He was troubled by emotions, and in the end he went into the mountains to practice cultivation. He endured much hardship and finally found a divine being cultivating in the mountains. He accepted the divine being as his master and began his cultivation. He managed to advance rapidly through a long period of strict requirements and discipline, and was blessed with divine powers. He could ride the clouds and fly.

As he prepared to ride the clouds and fly one day, his master warned him, "You must not have any deviant thoughts." While riding the clouds and flying off he passed his hometown. He wanted to see what had happened since he left and bent his head to observe what was happening below. The moment he looked down he saw a young woman washing clothes. He saw her and was entranced by her. His lust and desire surfaced. In a flash, he lost his divine powers and fell from the clouds into the deep valley below.

This tale illustrates a point: whether or not a cultivator is able to get rid of lust and desire is an important test he or she must pass. One who is unable to let go of the attachments to lust and desire is in great danger.

Jiumi's tale teaches us that not doing well in this area can bring great harm to a cultivator.