Among The White Clouds

With the documentary in the background while I read, I can hear the birds on the mountains. I can hear the different way people talk in Chinese. When he talks in English, I take a break from reading and listen. It's usually about his attempts to find someone. Sometimes I take a break and read the text translations of what people are saying. They talk about Buddha nature, the nature of the mind, the struggle for existence. Some of the hermits can't read. They meditate. You can see them gathering stuff to eat. Getting water. Taking down laundry. Making tea. Cooking a meal. Eating. Chanting to Buddha statues. There are some young monks with an older monk. A woman alone. All sorts of scenarios. Endlessly varied, unique.

Among The White Clouds. I can't believe this is free on YouTube, but it is. Quite amazing.

I have a fantasy of living by mountains filled with Buddhist hermits, but I can understand their language, and I bring them food and whatever they need. The Chinese tradition of mountain hermits is as old as time, but unique.

One of the things you notice is their humility. They're just simple people carrying on. America has such a hype culture that it's hard to imagine Americans talking that way, but I bet some would. What you feel is great devotion.