Su Ziji seemed unaware. He closed the Brahma Scripture and studied the Brahma Deity, as if lost in thought. Though the Brahma Deity statue in this small temple was faint, it had already acquired divine radiance.
Even the Brahma Deity in a minor temple like this had divine radiance. Its foundation truly was not small.
Su Ziji stood silently before the incense table, looking at the towering Brahma Deity statue without offering incense or bowing. Stranger still, when he said nothing, everyone around him immediately felt a pressure that chilled them to the marrow. For a time, the silence was so complete that a needle falling to the floor could have been heard.
Only after a long while did Su Ziji smile. "I have heard that the Brahma Sect came from the Poison Voice Kingdom in the far west, and was originally written in Sanskrit before being translated into our language. Is that so?"
"Yes. Kumarajiva, Holy Truth, Xuanyi, and Lion Wisdom translated it in succession. All were virtuous men deeply versed in Brahma Dharma."
"Mm." Su Ziji's expression remained mild, as though he had heard it and as though he had not paid attention at all. Then, suddenly, he asked, "Did these virtuous men ever pass the civil examinations?"
"..."
Even those standing far away were left speechless. Monks had to pass the civil examinations too?
"Esteemed sir, they were renunciants and never passed the civil examinations." Unable to understand his meaning, the old monk pressed his palms together as he spoke.
"It is commonly said that translation rests on three words: fidelity, fluency, and elegance."
"Fidelity means faithfulness, elegance means beauty, and fluency means smoothness. Yet from what I have seen of the Brahma Scripture, its elegance and fluency may be acceptable, but its fidelity is lacking!"
"I