PEOPLE MET IN NAIROBI by ven.soyoun

Our Party went to Nairobi, capital of Kenya in Africa in September 1990. There was a large scale Muslim mosque. Master Tathagata doesn¡¯t speak English but he returned with an appointment with the people there.
We arrived in the Muslim mosque 15 minutes earlier than the appointment. Several tens of Muslims were gathered and a Muslim professor was giving a speech.
After the meeting the Muslim professor came to us. More than 20 Muslims followed him. He came closer to Master Tathagata and asked.
¡°What is your religion?¡±
Master Tathagata answered.
¡°I don¡¯t have a specific religion. I am the teacher who sees things that exist in the world and teach the things that exist.¡±
¡°And you?¡±
He indicated me.
I said to him. ¡°I am a Buddhist nun.¡±
¡°I heard that you make statue with tree, and you bow to it and consecrate money.¡±
He spoke as if he were ridiculing us, and other Muslims around him were looking at us and sneering.
I drastically interrupted him.
¡°I don¡¯t do such things. Furthermore, I don¡¯t let other people do such things.¡±
Master Tathagata said to them.
¡°Since I came to thins place I haven¡¯t seen anyone who tries to bless their own future. What do you do for your future?¡±
The Muslim professor replied.
¡°I worship the God and live in faith. We are following the path of prophecy.¡±
¡°The people of Israel worshiped the God. But they killed an upright person, and in the end they destroyed their own. What is the difference between you and them?¡±
He and the other Muslims, who listened to those words, were angry and their voices got louder.
¡°You said you can see all things of the world. Then how many rivers are in the sky?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know how many rivers are in my country much less the number of rivers in the sky.¡±
¡°There is a record of such things as well in the Koran.¡±
Master Tathagata said impatiently.
¡°Do you believe things that exist or not exist? If there is one who teaches you the world will you follow and learn from him?¡±
The Muslim professor replied with a high voice.
¡°I only follow the Koran. It is revelation of the God. If you came from the sky, What is the evidence? Give evidence!¡±
¡°The evidences are in my body, mind, and wisdom, that know things of the world.¡±
I have the eye of wisdom, my mind can beat all the devils and vanish human being¡¯s sins.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t want such evidence and we cannot recommend it either. Die in this place and restore again to life. Then we will believe your words.¡±
They sneered at us tittering. They shouted at us, ¡°Quickly go back to Korea!¡±
When they turned rough, Master Tathagata gathered two hands and saying ¡°Thank you, thank you¡± with a smile, came our of the place.
I couldn¡¯t understand his behaviour so I asked.
¡°What was thankful so that did you say ¡®thank you, thank you¡¯?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it thankful letting go without doing a useless thing for long. But I won¡¯t come to Africa by myself again. These people have caused their own unhappiness. The place where ignorance and badness coexist is a very fearful place.¡±