An Awakening Beneath The Peach Tree

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The world was old.

There was a pale tint to everything, and swirls could be found everywhere.

A wise neko man called Kedshuda sat beneath a peach tree on a hill, tormented by Knaveku. A mischievous demon and the son of the Demon King Jorku of Coldwraught.

"Reality is continuously changing. Life is like a river flowing on and on, ever-changing. Sometimes it flows slowly and sometimes swiftly. It is smooth and gentle in some places, but later on snags and rocks crop up out of nowhere. As soon as we think we are safe, something unexpected happens. I’m not surprised at the changes you are making. You just have to accept them and move on.”

The wise, awakened man under the tree said, a pair of cat like ears atop his head, and behind him a cat like tail which was limp.

He was Kundalandian.

Knaveku was taken aback at this complex answer. He didn’t know what the man was talking about, but he found it annoying. He decided he would confuse the man. He looked over him carefully, noticing he wore a simple earth colored robe. A pair of cat like ears sat atop his head, and behind him a cat like tail which was limp. On his lap set a magical telescoping quarterstaff, which lay perfectly still and perfectly balanced. Around him, flecks of dirt and pebbles floated around him.

The demon clapped his hands twice and turned a stack of rocks into a pile of golden nuggets. Of course they were really just rocks but to the man they would appear like a pile of riches.

“Aren’t you tired of being poor? Other people have money to buy nice clothes, but here you are stuck in those filthy rags... Why don’t take this gold and buy yourself some nice clothes? Perhaps a palace with many servants? A mountain of food?"

The man eyed the gold and said to the tempting demon who took the form of a fellow neko,

“People live in a sea of suffering because of ignorance and greed. They are ignorant of the law of karma and are greedy for the wrong kind of pleasures. They do things that are harmful to their bodies and peace of mind, so they cannot be satisfied or enjoy life.”

“Huh? What does that have to do with anything? You get money and you spend it on things that make you happy, right?” Said Seneca.

"Money CAN buy you happiness! Buy everything! You could have it all!"

“Will it ever truly be enough to make you happy?”

“But it will make you better than other men. They will all be jealous of your wealth and power.”

“Why would I want them to hate me? After all there is no such thing as the self. We are all one. Therefore, we shouldn’t quarrel with each other. Like the clouds in the sky. Appearing, and disappearing. Fleeting."

This wasn’t working.

The demon would have to try something else on this neko man from Kundaland.

So the demon changed himself into a beautiful woman, with hair the color of shining gold and eyes the color of the sea. The demon walked under the tree and began to hit on the man.

"Hey handsome... Why don’t you ditch the meditation and psionic training and come with me back to my place? I have a nice warm bed and I can take good, careful care of you..."

Kedshuda, the Awakened One looked up at the demon who masqueraded as a beautiful woman. Shaking his head in negation as he continued to sit lotus style.

“I am sorry. I would not disrespect you like that. I was married a long time ago. Going with you would be disrespectful."

The demon let out an impatient sigh and changed back to his normal form.

“How would you like to be Immortal?”

The demon asked.

The Awakened One raised an eyebrow.

“That’s right I could make you immortal right now. All you have to do is come over here and take this cube."

He showed him a neatly polished, perfectly cubed shape onyx stone that he had in his claw.

“It will make you immortal like me for all eternity.”

He had him now; no one could refuse this deal.

“Thank you, but no thank you.”

Said The Awakened One.

“WHAT?! How could you refuse! Only a fool would say no to living forever."

“Nothing is meant to last forever. And even if they did, they would be miserable everything in this world is meant to pass away. Like a color canister in the sky. A one time use. We all are on this wheel of rebirth... To learn. Until we can be truly free. Whether its after this life, or after the next life."

"To learn. Pffft. Let me show you all the evils of world... You will learn... See it's horrors, its shadows." The demon said closing his eyes and focusing.

He touched the top of the neko man's head with one of his claws in an attempt to corrupt him.

A jolt passed through him.

He was standing beside a stream filled with lilac lotus flowers beneath a blanket of stars, a feeling of complete peace.

There was no fear.

No suffering at all.

Just restfulness.

Detachment.

Peace.

Knaveku pulled his hand away from the man.

“That’s impossible! No one resists me. You... You are a powerful psion."

“You will never be truly happy, Knaveku, until you can let go of your restless nature. Be still. Connect with others and perhaps one day you can find happiness yourself. Find things that truly matter.”

“I AM happy! I’ll show you! I’ll Laguna to chaos and then I will be happy! You’ll see. It'll be funny! You were starting to bore me anyway.”

The man said nothing as the demon flew off to find other people to corrupt.

The Awakened One laughed.

Knaveku was like a little child. Sooner or later, hopefully, he would learn that the more chaos you add to your life, the more suffering there is in your life.

Simplifying is the key.

The Awakened One went back to meditating peacefully under the peach tree.