"Because of the teacher for the scripture debate class, Nepa Lama, of course!" the Scholar Monk replied.
The Scholar Monk was named Rusu and was two years older than Qu Zan.
"Nepa Lama, the scripture debate teacher, is a strict man. He readily resorts to corporal punishment, and many children of nobles have been punished by him. Rumor has it that he's a strong contender to become the next abbot."
"He's qualified to succeed the abbot?" Qu Zan felt a jolt of alarm.
He still remembered the sight of the abbot subduing the Ghost-Fallen Bodhisattva single-handedly that night.
Could this Nepa Lama also have a Vengeful Ghost under his control?
A Scholar Monk beside him said, "Nepa Lama is extraordinarily talented, proficient in spells, esoteric medicines, and many other skills. I hear he's fully qualified to go to the Ancestral Temple."
"What's the Ancestral Temple?" Qu Zan asked curiously.
The Scholar Monk glanced at Qu Zan with a slightly contemptuous look, as if to say, You don't even know that?
"Here in Mìdì, temples have seven ranks.
"The lowest rank is the Richao, with only one or two monks living in seclusion; the second is the Tsamkang; the third is the Lhakhang village temple;
"The fourth is the Gaji temple, an ordinary small temple; the fifth is the branch temple, a medium-sized monastery; the sixth is the regional head temple, the Great Dzong Temple; and the seventh is the highest-ranking Ancestral Temple..."
"Then which rank does our Corpse Camel Temple belong to?"
"It's a medium-sized monastery," the Scholar Monk said indifferently.
Qu Zan's ignorance seemed to have made him somewhat reluctant to bother with him.
Especially after seeing that Qu Zan wore no accessories or jewelry, he concluded that Qu Zan was just a poor Scholar Monk.
Qu Zan, however, was greatly surprised. Corpse Camel Temple occupied an entire mountain, yet even that only counted as medium-sized in Mìdì.
He wondered how magnificent the Great Dzong Temple and the supreme, highest-ranking Ancestral Temple must be.
The fact that this Nepa Lama was qualified to leap straight into the Ancestral Temple showed that his aptitude and abilities were both exceptionally strong.
Rusu said, "Newcomer, here's some advice. When you're in class, whatever you do, don't spit or blow your nose..."
"Of course. When listening to a Lama teach the Dharma, this humble monk would naturally mind his manners," Qu Zan said.
"You don't understand. Nepa Lama is extremely fastidious. You can't even touch your face, touch your head, or scratch an itch..."
"Why is that?"
"You'd shed flakes of skin and strands of hair."
"If there's so much as a speck of dirt on your robes, if your hands aren't clean, or if your fingernails are too long, you'll be thrown out. He might also punish you physically, or even deduct your allowance."
Allowance...
All Scholar Monks received some allowance. Apart from three meals a day, they were issued fixed supplies every month. For beginners, these were tsampa, butter, brick tea...
As a beginner Druptsawa, Qu Zan received no actual silver. He could only accumulate silver during a Dharma Assembly or when he received rewards.
Druptsawa were Scholar Monks who primarily studied Collected Topics, divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels...
The next rank up was Beqawa, who primarily studied the Five Great Treatises...
Above that, they became eligible to sit examinations for scholarly degrees. Those who passed qualified to be called Geshe.
Druptsawa, Beqawa, Geshe... Over countless millennia, Mìdì had developed an exceptionally complete and precise path of advancement.
From the lowest rank to the highest, rewards such as supplies, money, grain, and allowances increased with each step.
Of course, one should not imagine that examinations and scripture debates alone were enough to rise through the ranks.
Along the way, many opportunities required recommendations.
Without a Lama's written recommendation, one would not even have the chance to read scriptures, let alone sit examinations.
Thus, building good relationships with scripture teachers in key positions was extremely important.
Attaining Buddhahood depended not on cultivation and chanting scriptures, but on navigating human relationships and worldly affairs.
As a beginner Druptsawa, Qu Zan was already delighted, even if he could only receive goods in kind.
This meant he would have wages from now on, equivalent to three mace of secret silver.
The allowance was not particularly large, but its advantage lay in its stability. Moreover, as his scholarly degree rose, his allowance would grow.
When he heard that Nepa Lama had the authority to deduct allowances, Qu Zan hurriedly checked himself over:
He had just changed into these monk's robes, and his hands were perfectly clean. There was nothing unclean about him.
Wooo! Wooo!
The clear, sonorous call of a Dharma Conch rang out. It was time for class, and a middle-aged man entered the small scripture hall.
The man was thin and frail, his face pale, his cold eyes possessed of an indescribable depth.
The instant he entered, Qu Zan felt the temperature in the scripture hall drop.
This was no illusion. It was entirely real...
A profound darkness surrounded him.
Qu Zan was certain that this fellow must have a Vengeful Ghost inside his body!
Nepa Lama wore an immaculate crimson monk's robe over a pure white silk inner garment.
Two young monks followed closely behind him, one carrying a copper basin and the other holding a tray bearing a pure white cotton towel.
After Nyepa washed his hands and dried them with the cotton towel, the two young monks left.
Nyepa ascended the dais. Before long, the two young monks returned, one carrying the copper basin and the other the tray.
Clearly, the water and towel had both been replaced.
Nyepa swept his deep gaze over the scripture hall.
"First, let's review the basics." Sitting cross-legged on the dais, he looked at everyone.
"What is Collected Topics? Recite and explain it... Don't recite the scriptures. Explain it in your own words!"
The small scripture hall was so quiet that not a crow or sparrow could be heard. Every Scholar Monk grew tense even in their breathing.
"Will anyone raise a hand? If not, I'll call on someone," Nyepa said.
A very small number of Scholar Monks remained composed and raised their hands readily.
"Mm, I'll call on whoever doesn't raise a hand!" Those few words from Nyepa were like the King of Hell calling the roll.
Nyepa's eyes roamed back and forth across the small scripture hall. Suddenly, he said, "The new Scholar Monk, let's hear what you have to say. Don't worry. You've only just arrived, so it doesn't matter if you get it wrong."
Qu Zan rose briskly and said, "In Collected Topics, 'collected' means bringing together and summarizing, while 'topics' refers to classification and definition. In short, it concerns how to understand the world correctly, the prerequisite for scripture debate..."
Nyepa could not help giving him a few more looks. Quite surprised, he softened his tone and said:
"Good. You reviewed the material beforehand. That deserves praise! Sit down!"
After Qu Zan sat down, Nyepa continued the lesson:
"Today, we'll discuss what the four primary colors are, and what the eight subsidiary colors are..."
During class, Qu Zan caught sight of Scholar Monks beside him actually taking out paper to make notes.
Lower-year Scholar Monks like them relied mainly on oral instruction and memorization, for no other reason than that paper was far too expensive.
For the most precious wolf-venom paper, it was no exaggeration to say that a single sheet could be exchanged for a jin of highland barley.
Discovering that some Scholar Monks actually used paper to take notes left Qu Zan marveling at such extravagance.
Unlike the equal access to knowledge in his previous life, knowledge in Mìdì was inherently monopolized.
Apart from the upper ranks deliberately maintaining that monopoly, another major reason was that the medium for knowledge was far too expensive.
Papermaking costs were extremely high.
Ordinary families simply could not afford it. A monopoly would naturally arise.
Some Scholar Monks from wealthy families used paper to write and draw. This was, in fact, a skill: the more they wrote, the more fluent their writing became and the better their calligraphy grew, giving them a strong chance of winning recognition and being assigned to copy scriptures.
Scholar Monks from ordinary, impoverished backgrounds, meanwhile, began learning to write late to begin with. With less practice on top of that, their calligraphy naturally could not be spoken of in the same breath...
The divide between the upper and lower ranks manifested in every aspect of life.
There were three long classes in the afternoon, lasting six hours altogether. Once they ended, the Scholar Monks went to the dining hall to eat.
While eating, Qu Zan ran into Doje. The latter wore a miserable expression; the afternoon's warrior-monk training had been an enormous ordeal for him as well.
Qu Zan suddenly said, "Senior Brother, have you run into that old menial worker again since then?"
Before you continue