In the Bible it is said that, “Whatever you sow, so shall you reap.” It’s similar in all religions, and this universal law never fails. (Yes, Master.) Except when there’s a living Master to rescue you, you can run around in this cycle, this circle of karma forever. Even if you do good, you will just be reborn and reap the good things, good outcomes of that, (Right.) good retributions. And if you do bad, you reap it badly, and it’s multiplied, (Yes.) multiplied karma.
Wow. (Wow. What a story.) You see that? (Yes, Master.) It’s similar to the karma law that the Buddha was always preaching (Yes.) when He was alive, and we still can read nowadays thanks to all His great disciples who recorded them. Thanks to Ananda especially, respectful Reverend Ananda. We thank Him, especially. (Yes.) There was a story – a back story, a side story. Do you want to hear it also? (Yes, Master!) Kind of related, I guess.
In Buddhism we heard all these similar types of things, that bespeak of the law of karma. (Yes.) Whatever you do, you reap. Like in the Bible it is said that, “Whatever you sow, so shall you reap.” It’s similar in all religions, and this universal law never fails. (Yes, Master.) Except when there’s a living Master to rescue you, you can run around in this cycle, this circle of karma forever. Even if you do good, you will just be reborn and reap the good things, good outcomes of that, (Right.) good retributions. And if you do bad, you reap it badly, and it’s multiplied, (Yes.) multiplied karma. Not just if you give somebody poison and you’ll be poisoned back one time. No, no, no, many times over. (Right.) Because of interest, (Yes, Master.) the law of interest as well. Just like you put money in the bank, you’ll have interest. (Yes.)
There was another story. Excuse me. One moment. Water. (Yes, Master.) I’m very grateful for this water. It’s warm, because I have this water dispenser. (Yes, Master.) And you can turn it on for a while, and it will be hot. (Yes, Master.) If you keep it in these thermal cups, then it keeps warm for a while. I still feel very lucky.
Many people in the world, they don’t have clean water to drink. You know that, right? (Yes, Master.) Even filtered, it’s not clean enough. They use just maybe a cloth or something, to filter their water. It’s still not clean enough. (Wow.) And it doesn’t look clean either. (Yes.)
Now, there’s another story about Perrichon and his voyage, his travels. It’s written, or… Oh man, I need to speak English more. Only reading won’t help me. Only reading every day, your shows, your scripts, it won’t help me to remember how to speak. Compiled. Maybe compiled, or collected by Thu Giang, Nguyễn Duy Cần. An Aulacese (Vietnamese) story about Perrichon. “Le Voyage de Monsieur Perrichon” from Eugène Labiche. He is a drama writer who lived in the year 1815 until 1888. But the book from that Aulacese (Vietnamese) author, he collected and I think published it in 1960. And according to him, the end of that story, of Perrichon, made him feel very disappointed and perplexed. So, he was saying like this…
The story goes like this. “Mr. Perrichon and his wife and his daughter went to Switzerland just for a holiday, for a traveling holiday. And during their holiday travel, there were also another two…” Oh God, oh man, how could I read all this time without glasses? Now I realize I don't have. No wonder it was difficult, a little bit. I forgot the glasses. Now I put my glasses, eye glasses on, and I should have no more excuses.
“There were two young men, who also went along with them. One is named Armand and the other is named Daniel. Both of them have a crush on Perrichon’s daughter. (Ah.) Armand had the privilege and chance that he has rescued Perrichon three times.” I guess he's a priority choice.
So, three times. “The first time was in Montanvert when Perrichon fell down from the horse. He almost fell into a big, deep, deep ditch. Almost. If he was not there, he would have fallen into a deep ditch and probably died. (Yes.) The second time Armand arranged to smooth out one of the court cases for Mr. Perrichon, because he was accused of slandering someone. But he, by his talent or smoothness of talk, had arranged it so that the accuser would let it go. (Yes. Yes, Master.) The third time, he also rescued Perrichon from the peril of a duel, because he was supposed to have a duel, a sword duel, (Yes.) fighting with a military officer. (Wow.) So, he kind of arranged it so that he didn’t have to. Because if he had a sword duel with this army officer, he probably would have died or been wounded badly, (Yes, Master.) because he didn’t know much about that thing, and the opponent is a military officer, (Right.) well trained with the sword.”
You know, in the old times we didn’t have guns. (Yes, Master.) So if somebody already became a high officer in the army, then he must have been very adept in sword fighting. I spoke correctly? (Yes, Master.) You understand, the sword? (Yes. Yes, Master.) “So, he did not have to fight in this sword duel with this official.” Sorry I did not read this story before. I read only the woman beggar story. So, it takes some time to think in my head, to translate out.
“Now, Armand not only was a rich person, but he often loved to help people as well, like helping people in need. (Yes, Master.) On the other hand, Daniel, instead of wanting to help others, he loved to be helped. And he even knew a few tricks. Like he so cleverly pretended to fall into a small ditch, so that Perrichon, the father, has a chance to rescue him.” (Right.) Men, men’s ego.
“Thus Perrichon loved Daniel but hated Armand.” (Wow.) You see the story? (Yes, Master.) “Armand is the one who rescued him. But Perrichon, the father, hated him. (Oh, no.) But he loved Daniel because Daniel played weak. (Yes, Master. Yes.) He even fell into the ditch so that Perrichon could be a… (Hero.) a hero.” You know everything. Man, aren’t you smart?
“So, when Armand asked him for the hand of his daughter, he adamantly refused, and wanted to give his daughter to Daniel as a wife. (Right.) Why is that? Not just his wife, his daughter, but everybody was expecting that Perrichon would marry his daughter to Armand. Because Armand was his savior. (Yes.) And three times, he saved his life. (Yes.) But no, no. On the contrary to everybody’s expectation, he wanted to give his daughter in marriage to the young man who was in debt to him instead.” You see? (Yes, Master.)
“The one that is in debt to him is singing his praises every minute, every hour, every day.” (Yes.) Wow. “So Perrichon, of course, felt very happy. (Yes.) Not only did he pretend to fall down so that the father-in-law-to-be could rescue him, but he sings his praises, the praise of his father-in-law-to-be, every minute he can, to everybody he met. In front of, or after, or when in the earshot of the father-in-law. (Yes, Master.) So that was the drama. That really made people laugh, laugh, laugh. Laugh until all their tears ran out. You know, the story and the psychology of Perrichon, it is the psychology of everybody else.” (Yes.) So, this author comments like that, and says that “E. Labiche is the person who really, really understands the deep feeling within. The deep bottom of the hearts of humans.” (Yes.) End. End of story.
Not for me, for the authors. My God. Otherwise, they will be turning in their graves. Such a good story deserves a lot of applause. Clap, clap, clap, clap. Thank you. Thank you, all of these wise and talented authors, who wrote such stories and such dramas, long, long centuries ago, that we still can enjoy. (Yes, Master.)
