Idle Fears

In the shade of a Cali wat Lao I debate with Ajahn Anan What the secret Rakshasa Sutra must really look like. In Lao we call them Nyak or Yuk or Yak. It depends. When they’re hungry, what do names matter? I ask: “Does a zombie have Buddha nature?” He informs me the mindless craving for brains Complicates things. He suspects Frankenstein’s Monster is closer to Nibbana But don’t quote him on that. An American werewolf in Luang Prabang Would stand no chance against a real Lao weretiger. Both should still try to observe the five precepts as best they can. If he was going to make a special wat for robots He might name it Wat Lao Robobuddharam But they would surely have to learn To get beyond artificial binary worldviews. “You aren’t going to turn this into a poem, are you?” He asks. “That’s nothing to be afraid of,” I assure him. “Usually.”