CHAPTER 15

Wulfstan continued his search for the saviour dragon the following day. This time he headed for the plains beyond Dunara leaving the mountains behind him.

A long and level road led to a walled city called Meadawa. In this city he had heard there was a temple dedicated to a great, wise person who had sought enlightenment under a Bodhi tree. The temple stood on one side of a wide square. From the outside it didn’t seem to be a very significant structure, looking more like a warehouse than a religious building.

Stepping inside, however, was another matter. Beyond the entrance lobby a large hall opened out  one one wall of which spread a line of golden statues of deities. Strangely Wulfstan could not see their faces for these were covered with red kerchiefs. He wondered why. Was this an auspicious sign? Or not? Perhaps even a sign of mourning?

He observed a person clothed in a dark grey robe reaching his ankles. Perhaps he might be a priest, devotee of the golden statues. Wulfstan approached him.

‘Good day’, said the figure.

‘Good day,’ acknowledged Wulfstan. ‘You are a monk of this temple?’

‘Indeed I am a Bhikku, a monk of the temple, the temple of our community of  Meadawa. It is known as the “Puhuasi Temple”.

‘What a wonderful interior. How did it come to be here?’ asked Wulfstan.

‘I will explain’, replied the monk who was clean shaven.

‘This temple derives from the original Puhuasi temple which is to be found in Taihuai in Shanxi and is also called the temple of the Jade Emperor. Within that temple is the Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings where Maitreya is enshrined. There are also the statues of Sakyamuni, Amitabha and Bhaisaijyaguru,

‘How old is your temple?’

‘Not very old. It happened that just over twenty years ago our old men realised that we did not yet have in this town a place for the worship of our gods. After all we are new arrivals to Meadawa. However, thanks to the contribution of our community we managed to find this building, purchase it and renovate it.

‘Do you only use it for prayer?’

‘Oh no. we hold classes for all ages in various subjects. In particular we teach our traditions and our culture within the community.

Wulfstan and the Bikkhu passed from the main prayer hall into another large room. Here an extraordinary sight awaited them.