Thanks to The Autistic Patriot for reviewing the previous chapter. I'm glad to hear that you liked the contents and the way I portrayed you. Our story is chugging along now, with a lot more references to various Avatar media. There has also been a lot of news coming out from Avatar Studios, with both television and movie projects, along with graphic novels. I'm really excited to hear what they will come up with next, but until they publish something, I'll publish this chapter before they do.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.
"That's pretty much the main reason why I brought everyone to the publication centre," Aang concluded, rubbing his hands together. He eagerly faced the webcam of his laptop, all the while watching the serene face of Gyatso staring back at him. "Do you think if Goldblaze II's owner or Hana and Yihua's mother want to, the temple will publish their stories?"
"Well, I'm not so sure about that," Gyatso responded, giving Buck a head scratch, "The monks there have a busy schedule printing their own texts, especially those on Air Nomad philosophy. They want to spread this philosophy throughout the world, teaching everyone to act for the greater good. With so many texts on the go, maybe they won't have time to do a novel."
Aang turned to Katara, who was seated to his right. They were seated at the dining table instead of their beds, and for once Aang did not leave his shirt unbuttoned. Despite this, the couple still managed to find each other's hands underneath the table, and their fingers were linked the entire time. "Pasang mentioned during the tour that the monks have a duty to spread knowledge as a service to the world," the water bender recalled, "That makes me wonder why Air Nomad medical techniques aren't as widely used as water-based healing in our hospitals."
"Think of Air Nomad medicine in the context of Air Nomad lifestyle," Gyatso replied, straightening his pose while readjusting Buck so his head was on the air bender's lap, "You may have noticed in your trip that Air Nomads have a simpler outlook at life, with their happiness coming from the heart and not really affected by material needs around us."
Katara and Aang both nodded, having had a lengthy discussion with Pasang, Yuri, and Goldblaze II's owner about the Heart Sutra. Katara also recalled the way Shung dealt with the patient who was passing on, offering spiritual comfort along with medical treatment. If by letting go of certain possessions and releasing one's stubbornness over certain topics was healthy for the mind, then one's approach towards recovery would be affected as well.
As if Gyatso had read her mind, Aang's guardian added to his point. "A lot of these so-called unique techniques are already adopted into most people. They just don't really notice it," he continued, "Whether it's support staff, social workers, or even counselling, our hospitals all use various aspects of these Air Nomad philosophies. I agree that the special techniques like herbal baths can be more widespread, but spiritual or mind healing have always been included."
"It's also important to understand the idea behind these techniques, rather than to go out of the way to try them just to be exotic," Aang remarked, glancing over at his Sweetie while rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, "If one indeed wants to try an Air Nomad herbal bath, then one has to embrace the entire idea behind it. You can't just misappropriate a culture and make it look like you're open-minded. Putting selfies of you taking those baths just doesn't work."
"Right, and that's exactly why Yung was there doing his bath," Katara murmured, thinking about the patient she saw with Song and Pasang. He was here with support from his friends and family, even though he was nervous about how worried his mother must be. "He didn't come in all flashy and claiming to try this new fancy thing. He genuinely wants to get better so he can go home to his friends and family. I believe he truly respects the experience."
"Maybe it's not all bad," Gyatso interjected again. Buck really wanted to get his head onto the screen, and the older air bender had to adjust his pose again. "I agree that turning a traditional or cultural event into a game or joke is insensitive. But since the Air Nomads have to use their knowledge for the betterment of the world, it doesn't make sense to live like a hermit and preserving a bunch of relics. Like Yang Chen would say, it's impossible to fully separate oneself from the world, so we should instead show compassion to all those we care about."
Aang and Katara both chuckled. "Hana and Yihua's mother will have a field day with this one, right?" the water bender stated, squeezing her husband's hand harder. It only called back to when Sokka and Suki were still here, and they saw the Southern Air Temple's version of the Yang Chen celebrations. "Sweetie told us that Yang Chen believed there is no set way to achieve enlightenment. As such, we shouldn't be overly absolute in holding onto anything. I guess that means traditional or cultural viewpoints may be discarded if there is a better way?"
Gyatso nodded. "Tradition and culture are guidelines for us, and we should always look back to learn from them. However, they don't bind us in an ever-changing world," he explained, "If the monks hold too tightly onto their publications, or their air bending staffs, or even their traditional clothing, overzealously guarding them and only showing them to limited people, then doesn't that directly contradict the idea of letting go? And if an Air Nomad puts those items in storage, potentially neglecting them for years, then how valuable are those items to them?"
Gyatso's words harkened back to the Heart Sutra, with the theme of emptiness coming back again. If one came into and left the world with nothing, then how important were material goods? If an Air Nomad chose to live a life of solitude, jealously guarding the relics but not truly sharing that with the world, then how important was this culture to them? Maybe there was no need to continuing pursuing that perfection when the ultimate goal was an empty one.
Turning back to Gyatso, Katara couldn't help but describe this in the context of Tang Xu. "I feel it's a balance between a stubborn dedication to tradition and a willingness to still be compassionate to others. Tang Xu meditated for months just to reach his truth, but nowhere did he refuse to share that with his disciples. If he's prepared to see it through to the end, then I think we should use that as an example to show what our dedication can contribute to our world."
"And that actually fits in with something both Sokka and Toph mentioned to me," Aang supplemented, rubbing his free hand on his kneecap, "They both talked about not being careless but not being too careful either. Toph explicitly referred to neutral jing and how to find the right time to strike. Finding this balance between dedication and compassion, between defending one's culture and sharing it with the world, it's almost analogous to this idea. Even if one has no interest in Air Nomad culture, I can see how this is applicable to everyone in the world."
The video call went on for a few more minutes, with ideas being exchanged for Aang and Katara. Despite not being trained in medicine or foreign affairs, the older air bender brought in a fresh perspective and allowed the young couple to see issues from different viewpoints. Maybe it was the mad genius in Gyatso that made them think differently, but Aang always knew that Gyatso liked to be unorthodox. Just the fact that Gyatso trained Aang in air bending accuracy by throwing cakes and pies at unsuspecting people convinced Aang that Gyatso was the best.
Aang finally ended the call and closed down his laptop. He turned to Katara, who looked at him with a mischievous look. "Do we have anything exciting planned tomorrow?" the future physician asked slyly, "If not, then maybe we should do a bit more than flashing tonight."
Aang grinned back at his wife. "I'm actually bringing Zuko and Toph with me to see an Air Nomad debate tomorrow morning," the diplomat declared, "I mentioned that Air Nomads are surprisingly good debaters, and they hold weekly debates on Sunday mornings. You're invited, of course, but I think I'll leave our two autistic friends out of it. With how loud the debates can get, they may get overwhelmed and I don't want that."
"Now that I'm eager to see," Katara replied, lifting Aang's hand and rubbing it against her cheek, "So nothing too exciting for tonight then, but I'm sure you're still up for some touching and kissing? Even on weekdays when we wake up early, our cuddling doesn't stop."
"You don't have to have eyesight to know there's a lot of people gathered here," Toph murmured, planting her fists on her hips and pressing her sandaled feet onto the concrete floor. Aang brought the group to an open area within the Southern Air Temple, and the first thing that greeted them was a constant stream of murmurs. Even without seismic sense, Toph knew this area was filled with people. "Why are these people gathered here again, Twinkle Toes?"
Aang rubbed his hands together. "As mentioned before, this is the debate square of the temple," the air bender described, gesturing at the monks seated before him, "After Sunday morning prayers, the monks would gather here to take part in weekly debates. Both air benders and Air Acolytes alike can challenge each other on any topic they want."
Indeed, the monks were mainly seated on the ground. Some had either a pillow or cloth underneath them, while others just sat down without any covering. There was a central stage of sorts where some older monks sat, while the younger monks sat in a semi-circle up to three lines back. Aang's group was at the back of the third layer of the semi-circle, but even then they could tell a clear hierarchy based on seniority in the participants.
Before long, a monk stood up from the formation and marched to the front. Clapping his hands at the senior monks, he immediately launched into an introduction to his topic. "The way that monk clapped his hands is the signal to start the debate," Aang pointed out, "The speaker is always on his feet, and he will lead the discussion. Sometimes the senior monks assign the topics, but today seems to be a free discussion, so it's pretty much the speaker's choice."
Katara and Zuko glanced around the square, while Toph lowered her stance to get a better feel of the vibrations. Other than the main formation, there were also side debates with fewer people, most of which were one-on-one. But like the main formation, the challenger always stood while the respondent was seated. And each time a point was made, the speaker had to clap his hands in front of the recipient. "I see why Goldblaze II's owner and Yuri may want to stay away," Katara commented, "All this jumbled noise and hand clapping can be overwhelming."
"Did they plan this trip together, or did they just happen to come to the temple at the same time?" Toph wondered aloud, getting out of her crouch and standing up straighter, "I know they're staying in separate rooms, with him in the male dorms and her in the female ones."
"I think they were both planning their own trips, but then found out that this location is a mutual place on their respective itineraries," Zuko responded, rubbing the back of his neck, "I have my room close to Goldblaze II's owner, and we spoke for a bit last night. He's scouting out locations for his next novel, but she's on her way to the Southern Water Tribe. This is a mutual location and they thought they should visit this place together being going their separate ways."
"I can imagine why people think they're a couple, even though they're not," Aang replied with a slight nod. Turning back to the debates, he elaborated on the style and technique. "It may sound like a jumbled mess, but the goal is to match the challenger's arguments with facts and logic. You have to think on the fly to match the challenger's points, and on a free discussion day where any topic is fair game, you may get things outside of the usual Air Nomad philosophy."
"I think I heard one mixing science with philosophy over here," Toph announced, gesturing to the right side of the plaza, "They're talking about if promoting renewable energy is part of the Air Nomad philosophy to alleviate suffering. If so, then to what extent should this be done, and if it starts with promoting that on the Air Temples first. Sounds like our topic, right?"
Aang and Katara smiled, recalling the project from Zuko and Toph. They only had a few more days here before going to the Southern Water Tribe. While there was some progress on the geothermal drilling, they should really explore the other options. "You know that wind energy and solar energy can work well here, right?" the diplomat proposed, "Air Temples are in a valley, which can serve like a wind tunnel. And with our altitude, you can get some sun as well. If you want to link your energy project to my food production one, this can be easily achieved."
Zuko was about to respond when the standing monk at the debate Toph referred to suddenly pulled out his prayer beads. He lunged forward at the seated monk and waved the beads in a circle above the latter's head. "What's that all about?" the fire bender queried, gesturing at the strange sight, "Why would they wave their beads around like that? And why does it look like everyone has to shift a seat down the row?"
Aang glanced over just to see a different monk to stand. "This indicates the conclusion of one debate match," he answered, gesturing at the new monk clapping his hands at a different seated monk, "The match usually ends when the respondent can no longer match the challenger's arguments. Either they don't have enough knowledge to push back on the challenger's points, or they cannot match their points to the challenger's logic. The challenger waving his beads signifies scoring a point, and he'll sit down so the next challenger can proceed."
"But what about that main group we saw earlier?" Katara asked, pointing back at the three rows seated in a semi-circle, "From what it looks like, the challenger is taking on several of the senior monks. How does that work and what happens when someone scores a point?"
Aang turned his head back to see a younger monk valiantly march to the front, clapping his hands at his instructors and enthusiastically demonstrating his point. "Usually, the monks seated in the smaller semi-circle are the more experienced or skilled debaters. This guy must be feeling really bold today to challenge all the instructors at the same time," Aang remarked with a smile, "He'll be fondly remembered if he can score a point against all these senior monks. But then again, you never know when some youngster from the outer semi-circle does the same. Maybe that youngster will move closer in and potentially replace one of the inside people."
Katara, Toph, and Zuko all nodded. It sounded like debates not only trained Air Nomad children from when they were young, it also inspired adult Air Nomads to continue searching for wisdom. Schooling at Republic City was twelve years, and those attending university would take four more years to finish a basic degree. But even new graduates might have trouble articulating ideas, or might require more research to further buttress their ideas. That required years of study and life experience, not to mention looking at different sources, in order to formulate these ideas.
But this issue only brought up the other important point the group ran into during their time here. Perhaps some monks found meaning in their lives by being wise men on the highlands. But if was no absolute way to reach enlightenment, it meant different people saw different things as their enlightenment. What experiences a person went through and how that person interpreted those experiences could influence that person's view on enlightenment. If one were to embrace enlightenment, then an open mind and unlimited compassion were required.
Toph shook her head a few times and snapped everyone back to attention. "The monk debating renewable energy gave me some new ideas for wind and solar," she stated, "I think Zuko and I will have to reach out to Satoru again. We might join Sugar Queen and Twinkle Toes for dinner tonight, but for sure we'll have a meal before Zuko and I leave the temple."
Aang smiled back at the earth bender. "Let's stick around for a bit longer, and maybe we can do lunch afterwards," he suggested, wrapping an arm around Katara's shoulder, "Maybe you two should find a topic of your choice and challenge the monks!"
"So what new things did you learn today?" Aang asked his guests as he placed his final dish on the dining room table. As expected, Goldblaze II's owner and Yuri joined the married couple in their accommodation for dinner, after a morning of adventuring away from everyone. "Did you see any interesting sights, or did Pasang do another tour with you?"
Yuri was quick to dig into the tofu puffs Aang placed down, but Goldblaze II's owner was a bit less enthusiastic. "Forgive me for sounding like your brother," the young man stated, turning to Katara, "But I really prefer some meat on the table."
Katara chuckled, recalling the novelist's preference for meat. "Yeah, living in an Air Temple won't give you a lot of meat in your diet," the water bender stated, ladling some of her sea prune stew into her bowl, "But we can always replace that with other proteins, like tofu."
The cat owner took a few tofu puffs, realizing this was United Earth States cuisine, which was his heritage. He then turned to grab some vegetarian dumplings, right after Yuri already got a few for herself. Placing them into his bowl, he waited for Aang to return to the table before answering him. "Pasang took us on a tour of the living quarters of the Air Temple, and we saw some tips that Air Nomads use to live effectively in this environment," he replied.
Yuri nodded. "For starters, just like Aang had said, Air Nomads really have little to no belongings or possessions," the water bender added, finally picking up her chopsticks, "I was surprised to see that the items taking up the most space in a typical storage area is clothing."
Aang placed a couple of sea prunes on his plate before smiling at his guests. "For both seasons, Air Nomads usually have only six or seven articles of clothing, excluding underwear," the diplomat elaborated, "You've seen the usual training outfits, and then you have the formal cloaks for older monks. The fanciest one is the long-sleeved dance outfit, which is usually worn in winter. Headgear is pretty uncommon, because we're taught to show our arrows with pride."
Katara swallowed her bite of dumpling before turning to the guests again. "What do you think of the Air Nomads' overall view of the world?" the physician queried, "They live in a less complex world, but just because their lives are simpler, it doesn't mean they lack intelligence."
"I'll never say Air Nomads lack intelligence, at least after our tour of the publication office," Goldblaze II's owner stated, causing a wave of chuckles from the group, "I asked Pasang about the Heart Sutra, and he linked some of it to Air Nomad beliefs. Is it true that there is a link between emptiness and reincarnation, which is part of your beliefs?"
"To an extent, yes," Aang replied, rubbing the spot on his forehead where the blue arrow tattoo ended, "Part of the awareness of emptiness is about reaching enlightenment, which allows one to be released from the cycle of reincarnation. By accepting emptiness in life and death, in one's reasons for suffering, and in the consequences of one's past actions, one can become fully enlightened, which allows one to be severed from suffering."
"But just because someone is enlightened doesn't mean they're immortal," Katara pointed out, gesturing with her free hand, "I mean, I see plenty of patients in the medical centre. They may be true followers of their beliefs, but even they face life and death. How does this enlightenment affect their views on the afterlife, if they are no longer subject to reincarnation?"
Aang rubbed his entire bald head, his face somewhat contorting. "My understanding is that they can control their rebirth," the air bender answered with a slight stutter, "The monks believe the spirit is immortal and can choose who to be reborn in. The spirit basically inhabits an avatar, and the chosen person then continues doing the good work of the previous life."
Yuri nodded, proposing this to be the premise of a new story. "Whether you continue your current cat series or start a new one, you can explore how to find these individuals," the autistic water bender suggested, "Maybe searchers get visions from sacred areas or kids choose items from their previous life. After that, you can explore how they interact with all six nations of four elements, using that experience to bring balance and minimize negativity in our lives."
Goldblaze II's owner just finished sipping his water, placing down his cup in a flourish. "That's excellent, and I already have some ideas for that," the cat owner stated. He slinked away into the living room, where his pet cat was currently eating. The feline glanced up at his owner with curiosity, watching the human pull a notepad out of the book bag on the couch.
Trotting back to the dining room, Goldblaze II's owner showed the group his newest set of ideas. Katara and Aang ate their dinner while paying attention to the novelist's explanation of the book. Yuri also chimed in with bits and pieces, such as the chosen or avatar having to meet members of each element and being compassionate about all life. "Maybe we can take something from Air Nomad culture and have the protagonist averse to taking a life," she declared.
Goldblaze II's owner scooped another spoonful of food in his mouth before scribbling down another idea. "How about we signify the death or birth of this chosen one with lights or something?" he asked, his eyes focused on the page and not looking at anyone around him, "We can have a photo or a statue of said individual light up. Once the political and even religious authorities of each region find out, the search for the reincarnation becomes a world event."
Yuri, who sat across from her fellow traveler, nodded enthusiastically. "By the way, he shared some of these with me earlier today, and I gave him some tips," she emphasized, "He did say he'll credit me for whichever one of my ideas he'll use, so maybe I'll get a dedication note."
"But what is the dynamic between these characters, assuming you make them benders?" Katara reiterated, craning her neck to see the notes being scribbled, "I can imagine each element being connected with this individual, but what element will the protagonist bend? Are there also non-benders in the group, or even make the protagonist a non-bender? How will past conflicts create negativity that the protagonist must solve, and how does that test the protagonist's views or beliefs, such as their aversion to taking a life?"
Goldblaze II"s owner lifted his head, gesturing his hands in a stop motion. "All your questions are valid, but let's work through these one by one," he reassured his friends, "We also want to account for political or religious conflicts that the protagonist may face. What if you have a corrupt system that does not play its part to assist, and instead hinders the protagonist?"
Aang nodded. "You can also do a religious group that may think they are saving the world, but then takes actions equating to murder, either directly or indirectly," the diplomat proposed, thinking about some historical examples in his studies, "Or maybe they are under the influence of a corrupt government that replaces true spirituality with rigid dogma. The character faces these problems in their lifetime or leaves enough groundwork for the next life to address."
"And do we have a name for the protagonist?" Katara inquired with a raised eyebrow, "This sounds like international diplomacy work, but I don't know about naming the protagonist after my husband. Maybe you can use one of his mentors, like Roku or something. Or you can go against the grain and use someone's last name, like Suki's last name Kyoshi or my last name Kuruk. And if Hana and Yihua's mother is here, she'll name the character after Yang Chen."
This time, it was Yuri who lifted her head and cracked a grin. "Actually, I proposed a name that he's already tentatively accepted. It may still change in the future, but for now this is what we'll go with," the autistic water bender stated, "Our protagonist will be named Su-Rei."
"Did you really get that deep into the guy's new novel?" Toph asked incredulously. It was the next morning, and Aang and Katara had work again. Zuko and Toph would join Aang for another meeting with the senior monks, and they decided to catch up on dinner with the two visitors. "It sounds like some serious world-building here!"
"It is, and I'm happy he's doing so much to incorporate what he learned in this visit," Aang responded, marching past the final gates and into the temple complex. The prayer flags hanging from the top of the gate fluttered as the group went through, reminding Aang of when he was here in the first week. "Just like the messages on these prayer flags being spread via the wind, I hope Air Nomad philosophy will be spread to the world through that future novel."
"Air Nomads are a unique culture, as it features things that none of the other four major nations do, or even have something remotely resembling it," Katara remarked, glancing around the main roads. Quite a few Air Nomads were early risers, and the street already had people up and about with their morning chores. "I'm still eager to see how Goldblaze II's owner will use all those ideas about spirituality and reincarnation into his new novel."
"Toph and I talked to Goldblaze II's owner last night, after Toph and I had our meeting via videoconference with Satoru," Zuko recalled, tapping his chin with his free hand while his other hand adjusted his grip on the folder of papers tucked into his arm, "He wanted to get into the more sacred spiritual aspects, such as how a dying person can have premonitions about their reincarnation, or how certain signs or hints can indicate the location of said reincarnation."
Aang nodded. "His ideas on reincarnation are actually very consistent of Air Nomad views of the same, which shows how respectful he is of our culture," the air bender reaffirmed, "Air Nomad views on reincarnation are that there is an equal chance of reincarnation of such an enlightened individual. An enlightened person may be reborn as any sex or gender, into a rich or poor family, and into any of the ethnic groups. That's why you may have some people in the other nations who become very spiritual, and they may seek enlightenment in those nations."
They entered the final walkway up the temple, before Katara would have to turn down a different path towards the hospital. They could see a few monks cleaning a set of prayer wheels and checking them for repairs. Presumably, people might come later today to do their prayers, so the wheels had to be in good shape for the attendees. Aang and Katara saw this at the Yang Chen celebration, where pilgrims would walk the entire circular path built around the wheels. They would spin each wheel and chant their prayer lines, creating a very solemn atmosphere.
Just then, a certain earth bender pushed the conversation in a different direction. "I found one thing our novelist friend said that interested me," Toph recalled, slowly moving up the final set of steps, "He said Twinkle Toes gave him the idea of portraying political and religious conflicts in a different light. I think it actually works well, because while it's one thing to say we should search for enlightenment, it's also true that we can't just rely on rigid dogma."
Zuko also nodded. "I know what you mean, and his comments about religious authorities that went corrupt, either on their own or through government influence, make a lot of sense," the fire bender added, rubbing a hand through his unruly hair, "The Fire Nation always has a strong central authority, and that includes religious authority like the Fire Sages. There has been some controversy over whether they are an actual religious authority that encourages spirituality and enlightenment, or if they're just an extension of the Fire Lord's powers."
Toph snickered. "And you think the United Earth States are any better?" she retorted with a snort, "Before becoming a democracy, the then-Earth Kingdom had Earth Sages, who were just a bunch of old fuddy-duddies misusing their authority. This is what you get when the central leadership is so detached that corruption is all over the place. The craziest part is, I heard one of my ancestors, a Lu Bei Fong, may have been one of these maniacs. If time travel exists, and hurting him won't affect my birth, I'd go back in time and throttle that dunderhead!"
The entire group laughed at Toph's declaration, but they could also see how this affected their views on life and death. If a religious authority like the Fire Sages or Earth Sages went rogue, to the point where they were more content with self-preservation or aggrandizing their status, then what did that speak of true enlightenment? And if this corrupt authority did engage in acts that directly or indirectly harmed or killed someone, then should that authority still be respected, notwithstanding their views on addressing people's live and afterlives?
The group finally reached the top of the stairs, where Katara would break off from them. "Good luck with your new energy project, and let me know how it affects the greenhouse," the water bender stated, gesturing to the small path on the right, "Regardless of our views on the afterlife, it's more important to be compassionate about our current lives, and that includes doing good deeds like these that can help others in a tangible way."
Everybody waved Katara farewell, watching her march down the path to the medical centre, before venturing onward. The main temple was just ahead, and they had to navigate the maze-like passages before getting to the council chamber again. "But your views on this type of corruption aside, it's still important to keep the knowledge passed on by these sages or elders," Aang responded, bringing some context and perspective back to the discussion, "I studied some of these things during my diplomacy training, and I'm aware of the consequences of these poor decisions. That said, the knowledge these authorities accumulated is immense, and if we want to be compassionate to the world while achieving enlightenment, we should put it to good use."
Toph shrugged. "It depends on how you use it, I guess. I mean, if your achievements don't change anything, then what's the point?" she exclaimed nonchalantly, "Isn't that from the Heart Sutra you talked about? If none of this is permanent, then it's all emptiness in the end. We should instead focus on what really matters, not authority and power that won't mean anything."
"And the lack of permanence is actually what opens people up for future suffering," Aang supplemented, opening the front doors. He held them open for Zuko and Toph to enter, before stepping in after them. "Even life and death aren't spiritually permanent, so it's important to consider our current situation and what we can do to overcome potential suffering."
Toph cracked a small grin at Aang, who beamed right back to her in return. It left Zuko awkwardly shaking his head, not sure what to believe. "I know Aang has always been spiritual, but I never knew Toph can be as well," he murmured, "How did you figure this out, even when this is the first time you've heard of the Heart Sutra?"
Toph smirked at Zuko before slugging him on the shoulder. "I'm good friends with your uncle, and the old guy has some pretty good wisdom," the earth bender declared, "After all, he claimed the four elements being separate was a myth. When we realize the connection amongst everything, including with what's within us, we can live a balanced life. Imbalance is caused by negative thoughts like fear, which is fuelled by unhealthy attachments to impermanent things."
Aang's eyes grew wide and his jaw slightly slacked. Toph's speech sounded like a lecture on spirituality from Gyatso or Pasang. "I never would have expected those lines from you," the diplomat stuttered, "Maybe you are more ready to connect spiritually with the world than any of us. Should you become the next wise woman of the highlands? Although with your element, you should probably be a wise woman of the muddy swamps instead!"
Katara met Song at the entrance of the medical facility, greeting the nurse before heading in together. The two young women had formed a pretty strong bond during their limited time together. They learned a lot from their mutual experience here, as well as from each other. They were sure to bring back some good memories when their time at the temple was over.
As they were prepared to head up the stairs, they noticed a strange sight. The same family that occupied the prayer room during Katara's first week here were present again. Abbot Shung led them down, as expected, but several of them carried some unusual equipment. "Katara, I wasn't here when they were here," Song began, whispering into the water bender's ear, "I only heard from people afterwards that they lost a relative. But do you know anything about this?"
Just then, Shung caught Katara and Song in his line of sight. "I'll be with you two in just a moment," the abbot stated, gesturing at the two young women, "I'll let these people be on their way first, and then I'll come back to the unit to meet with you."
Katara and Song nodded, heading up the stairs and straight to the locker room. They went to their respective lockers and dropped off their belongings, before taking up their usual medical and nursing garbs. "My husband told me about Air Nomad funeral rites," Katara told Song, "Many Air Nomads do a sky burial after death, both for philosophical and economic reasons. I guess some people may do something more special, based on their achievements?"
"I also heard a bit about reincarnation and how the monks look for reincarnated people," Song recalled, putting on the nurse's uniform and checking for the pens in her breast pocket, "Pasang told me about a retired member of the council who passed away three years ago. That elder was cremated and his ashes were placed inside items like prayer beads or pendants. I heard this is only done for long-serving monks who have special achievements in life."
Katara nodded. "I also heard that there's a modified version of a water burial," she recalled, now adjusting the sleeves of her lab coat, "Water Tribes will bury their dead and place rock structures around the gravesite, or they will do a burial at sea. Since my mother died in a large urban area, we just cremated her and sprinkled her ashes into the nearest body of water. But Air Nomads have a type of water burial that's quite a bit different than what I expected."
Katara and Song both closed their lockers before heading out into the unit. "Like a Water Tribe burial, the body is cleaned and released into the water," Katara explained, "But in some cases, a body is dismembered before sending it into the water. This is totally different from my people, because even bodies that aren't cremated aren't cut up when being buried at sea. It's basically a sky burial, except we have fish and aquatic life eating the body instead of birds."
"You're absolutely right, and that's exactly what the gentleman who passed on wants for his funeral." The young women glanced up to see Shung trot up to them. "I heard you talking about funeral rites, so I had to chime in a bit," Shung elaborated, leaning an elbow on the counter of the front desk, "I was just giving the family members some equipment for water burial."
"What type of special equipment is required for a water burial?" Song asked, picking up a clipboard from the clinician. She glanced over the sheets for her duties, tilting her eyes back and forth between Shung and the papers. "Aren't they going to dismember the body first?"
Shung nodded. "Yes, but the way the body is carried to the water is different than when the body is carried to the mountains for a sky burial," the abbot described, adjusting the glasses perched on his nose, "In a sky burial situation, the body is carried in a fetal or bent position. This is to make it easier for the carriers to navigate up a mountain. But since water burials usually happen on flatter areas or near the ocean, it involves downhill walking. That's why the body can be carried in a laying down manner, hence the stretcher and cloths used are different."
"I know Air Nomads believe in shedding earthly possessions, but is it customary to bring some cherished items the deceased owned to the funeral?" Katara questioned, recalling how some of these items were buried with the deceased in a Water Tribe funeral, "I guess that's unlikely given your traditions, but something has to happen to those items."
Shung moistened his lips, his eyes somewhat fixed in a thoughtful look. "For most Air Nomads, because they carry so few items, it's unlikely that there'll be much to bring anyway," the bespectacled abbot stated, "But for enlightened Air Nomads with a potential search for their reincarnations, those items become crucial. Old clothing, items they used, literature they read or wrote, all these become somewhat sacred and must be kept until the search is complete."
Katara grabbed her own clipboard and gave it a quick glance. Hanging around with Aang, Yuri, and Goldblaze II's owner gave her some new thoughts about this, especially coming from the publication centre. The Heart Sutra certainly stated the importance of relinquishing earthly possessions and attachments to the impermanent. While Katara had no doubt that this would be honoured even in death, it kept bringing back the first week, when the family came en masse to pray for the patient. Katara recalled commenting how luck the patient was to have that much love and support, and a part of that was indeed a type of connection.
At the same time, compassion for a dying family member was absolutely necessary. Katara was in the same spot a decade ago, when she lost her own mother. Had it not been for the compassion of others around her, there was no way she would have made it through. And oddly enough, the Heart Sutra stated that it was due to one's inability to sever impermanence that caused suffering, which required one to be compassionate to others to ease that suffering. It was strange to view it that way, but it seemed like relinquishment and compassion were just two sides of the same coin, at least according to the Heart Sutra.
As they were about to depart for morning rounds, Song asked Shung a strange question. "Did you ever take part in a reincarnation search?" she queried, scratching the side of her skull, "What do those usually involve and how does the one identified as a reincarnation react? I mean, if you came to my mom and told her I was a reincarnated monk, and that I'll have to be sent away to an Air Temple for training, I don't think she'll take it well."
Shung rubbed his chin. "Traditionally, an Air Nomad child identified as a reincarnation of a previously great monk would have to be taken into the temples for rigorous studies," he replied, slowly leading Song and Katara down the hallway, "He or she would still have some connection with the family, but the monks in the temples would provide for the child, serving as guardians, teachers, and protectors. The monks will have to convince the family to allow the child to come, as coercing them is against Air Nomad principles. There have been those who did refuse, but that just means we'll have to recruit or retrain others to tackle that role."
Katara nodded. "I think it's important that the child's rights are just as important," the water bender declared, tightening her grip on her clipboard, "If the child is coerced into doing something instead of doing so voluntarily, then I can't see how that's moral. Plus, if the child is to grow into Air Nomad ideals like compassion, then how compassionate is it for the child to be forced to leave his or her old life and family behind?"
Shung inhaled and exhaled deeply. There were a lot of complexities to this process, and it might not be explained in one day. "This may call for another field trip with Pasang," the abbot suggested, "But for now, let's focus on today's duties. I especially want you two to have some experience with taking care of newborns, so let's meet up again after morning rounds, okay?"
"I'm glad you joined us for dinner tonight, Pasang," Aang declared, helping Katara with the dishes in the kitchen. After his latest meeting with council, where Toph and Zuko were also present, Aang decided to invite Pasang over. "I'll set up the laptop in a bit so Gyatso can join us as well, but I'm glad you imparted some interesting wisdom on us today."
"Not a problem, and thank you for having me," the older monk responded, waiting patiently at the dining room table. While the couple dried their dishes, Pasang looked through his set of notes again. "Part of the reason I want Gyatso's opinion is because he's so unorthodox. If this idea has merit, then I think your international development project will be a success."
"I can take care of the rest, Sweetie," Katara offered, taking the last plate from the soapy water, "Go get your laptop set up, because I'm sure Gyatso is waiting."
Aang gave Katara a small peck on the lips before grabbing a towel. He quickly dried his hands before hustling into the bedroom. It left the water bender alone with Pasang, which gave Katara a chance to ask an unusual question. "Did the Air Nomads get any ingredients for their medicine from the lakes and rivers on this island?" she inquired.
Pasang shook his head. "No, our ingredients are mainly land-based. We don't take a lot from the lakes, the rivers, or even the ocean," the older air bender replied, rubbing his hands together, "Our bodies of water are somewhat sacred due to performing water burials there. I believe you're aware of the procedure, but we try to avoid disturbing the souls of the deceased."
Just then, Aang trotted back into the dining room with his laptop under his arm. He quickly plugged it in and started it up, his fingers flying through the keyboard to set up the videoconference. Pasang shifted his seat to the side, allowing Aang some space to adjust the laptop on the table. "You two may have seen the largest lake on the island," Pasang added, "It's near that patch of land that had the overgrazing issue. If Aang wants to propose a greenhouse there, and you want wind turbines to go up nearby, they'll be right on the path to that lake."
A couple more clicks from Aang's laptop later, and Gyatso's face appeared. "Good evening, Pasang," Gyatso greeted his old friend, "It's good to see you again, even though it's through a computer screen and not in person. How have you been recently?"
"I'm doing well, thank you. I give Aang, Katara, and their friends for keeping my brain stimulated even in my advanced age," Pasang responded with a chuckle. He quickly went over their assignments so far, with Aang and Katara chiming in every now and then. He also didn't say anything Aang and Katara didn't consent him to say, and he gave them enough time to showcase their achievements on their own. Overall, it was a very fruitful discussion.
"It's interesting you're proposing in a greenhouse right at that overgrazed area, and that you want to set up wind turbines nearby," Gyatso pointed out, adjusting his seat on the couch, now that Buck made his presence felt again, "Most greenhouses can operate even with a few small wind turbines, and you can even use solar panels on the greenhouse itself. But hearing your plans with Toph and Zuko, it sounds like you want to expand it a bit more."
Aang nodded. "Toph and Zuko want to use geothermal, which can have enough every to power the greenhouse, the medical facility, and even the temples," the diplomat explained, "But that may take a long time to excavate, so I'm focused on more conventional solutions. Given that place is a valley and is closer to the sun due to the higher altitude, we can do wind and solar on top of geothermal. And once geothermal is feasible, we can then expand the greenhouse."
"And this is where Aang may have to be careful, as I told his friends this morning at the council meeting," Pasang interjected, flipping through his notes again, "In the past, when the area wasn't as overgrazed, the lake was somewhat sacred, both for water burials and for our monks to view. Our elders used to go to the lake to see visions of where late monks would be reincarnated to. While this is no longer done, and whatever limited visions are more likely obtained at the seashore, we still want to leave enough room for commemoration purposes."
"That's right, and mostly we use the identification of items used in the previous life to look for the reincarnated person," Gyatso recalled, tapping his bearded chin, "But I still recall a time when we had to pray at the lake to get a vision. I'm guessing ever since I left the Southern Air Temple, that's done at the ocean now, right?"
Katara stepped back to the table after moving away to get herself a glass of water. While she respected Air Nomad culture and its views on reincarnation, she still had some doubts. "I asked a similar question to Shung earlier, but how exactly do you confirm that there is actually a reincarnated person?" she queried, "From a medical perspective, when one loses one's life, one's brain technically stops working. That means no thoughts can be transmitted, including where one may be reincarnated. And we didn't even get into the rights of the reincarnated individual, where they may not even want to take on the role the previous life had!"
"Toph said something almost identical to that when she was before the council," Pasang pointed out, slightly chuckling at the tone Toph used. While he could tell Toph was trying to respect their culture, it was also clear that she was more focused on the future of the Air Nomads. "I understand her point when she said that the lake is no longer used for reincarnation purposes, so it's time to develop something new. But at the same time, I think a balance can be made to respect the old while searching for the new, hence the council's comments about the project."
Aang snickered. "I still remember how Toph wants the reincarnation team to remember her by," the younger air bender recalled, rubbing a hand over his bald head, "She wants them to remember her as the greatest earth bender around. Despite initial arguments with her parents, she still loves them and wants to stay on good terms with them. She treats her friends well, but won't tolerate any spineless behaviour from them. She has some creative performance skills, both in acting and music, and she's a tough but fair teacher to her lily livered students. Basically, she's an earth bender who acts her element, grounded in reality but able to persevere any challenge."
Everybody had a good laugh at Toph's self-description. "Did she mention the one negative about her life, which is the fact that she doesn't shut up?" Katara retorted in jest. Taking a sip of water to calm herself, the water bender returned to the issue at hand. "If Sweetie's plan does work, and we can expand the greenhouse, what are the chances that we can have traditional ingredients for Air Nomad pills being grown on a larger scale?"
"I think that only goes back to the main point, which is respecting the old and searching for the new," Pasang elaborated with crisp hand gestures, "A reincarnated person is a new form, and even though certain expectations are placed to carry out the past life's legacy, the new life is not bound by any old rules. It's our belief that the new life is free to create, including repairing any mistakes that the new life believes the old life made. This involves gathering knowledge and wisdom from previous literature, but also having compassion for all those the old life touched."
"And didn't Yang Chen herself also say that traditions may be modified or discarded if we find a better way to enlightenment? It goes directly to the point of not holding on too tightly to anything as a way to avoid suffering," Gyatso declared, gently scratching Buck's head, "And yes, I met with Hana, Yihua, and their parents today. I brought this topic up, and to no one's surprise, Hana and Yihua's mother and I had a lengthy but constructive discussion about that."
That got another chorus of laughter from the group, with Aang even challenging Hana and Yihua's mother to participate in a traditional Air Nomad debate group. If the topic was on anything related to Yang Chen, then Aang would pay top dollar just to watch her debate.
Another huge list of acknowledgements is on the way, so here we go:
1.) Tibetan Buddhism debates are mentioned in one of the scenes, where monks and their students are taught to debate various issues. It is true that in these debates, the speaker has to clap their hands at the person they are debating, and they can get quite raucous. They can debate a variety of topics, mainly relating to Buddhist philosophy. Of course, I had to change some of that to fit the Avatar universe. But overall, the style and objective of these debates remain the same.
2.) The Autistic Patriot and SaoirseParisa made their second appearance in the story, this time talking about the former's new novel. You may notice that the novel sounds a lot like Avatar canon, but with one twist. When Katara was mentioning names for the main character, she went in reverse order of the previous 5 Avatars (Aang, Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, and Yang Chen). However, the name used, Su-Rei, is actually based on Sorey from Tales of Zestiria. This is a shout-out to SaoirseParisa who is a huge fan of that game and the main character. When I compared the 2 franchises, I realized how similar Aang and Sorey are in canon, hence my attempt to link them together. There is actually a series crossing over these franchises, where Sorey was the Avatar in that series, so I strongly urge fans of both these franchises to check that out.
3.) Reincarnation makes its debut in my Avatar series, and I tried to keep it as similar to the show as possible. I realize that actual Tibetan views on reincarnation involve more than just having a child recognize objects used in a previous lifetime. They do take into consideration visions in various sacred places and even what a previous life mentioned as possible areas the spirit will reincarnate to. Of course, this brings up Katara's point, which is what rights a child has if they are alleged to be the reincarnation of a so-called "living Buddha." Tibetan Buddhism isn't clear on whether such a child can refuse that duty, but it does bring up some interesting ethical and moral questions.
4.) Zuko and Toph mentioning the use of solar and wind to run a greenhouse comes from an idea proposed by my good friend Kelev. In our research, we found out that most greenhouses can usually run on smaller-scale energy. Geothermal, which was proposed, can be hard to set up and properly utilize. That's why even something like wind or solar, which should be present in a mountainous valley like the one seen in the Southern Air Temple, actually make more sense. Of course, I still kept geothermal because Aang wants to consider Katara's reasons, which is to grow not just food but medicinal ingredients. Either way, I have to thank Kelev for bringing that idea up.
5.) Aang avoiding wearing headgear and wanting to show his arrows with pride is from "the Awakening" in Avatar, Book 3, where he refused to tie a bandana around his head because he wanted to wear his arrow proudly. Zuko claiming the Fire Sages are just an extension of the Fire Lord's will is from "Winter Solstice, Part 2" in Avatar, Book 1, where the Fire Sages tried to assist Zhao in apprehending Aang. Toph claiming her ancestor, Lu Bei Fong, was a corrupt Earth Sage is from the Kyoshi novels, where Kyoshi was disgusted with Lu's behaviour regarding the way he treated Yun, the false Avatar. And Toph claiming that an old location no longer used for its original purpose can be used to develop something new is from "the Rift" comics, where she refused to take part in the Yang Chen festival, which in turn inspired Aang to modify it into a Spirits Friendship festival.
Again, a lot to take in, and lots more to come. I hope you can drop by again next time to check out how we wrap everything up. Thanks for reading and hope to see you soon.