- Finding a Woman to be the Su-bu
- 1 One day, in an urgent tone, Sahng-jeh-nim said to Hyung-yul,
- 2 “Though the destiny of the Later Heaven is near, crucial works of renewal for building the Later Heaven’s world of immortality have not yet been completed.
- 3 A su-bu is needed for the work of renewal to proceed in the proper order. The work of renewal is being delayed for lack of a su-bu. Select a woman to be the su-bu.
- 4 There are several years of work left for which the su-bu will be responsible.”
- 5 Hyung-yul answered, “My third daughter is old enough to marry. Please use her at your disposal.”
- 6 Hyung-yul repeated this suggestion on several occasions, but Sahng-jeh-nim merely replied, “Will that do?”
- 7 Hyung-yul had his third daughter assist Sahng-jeh-nim in the work of renewal. From then on, Sahng-jeh-nim treated Hyung-yul as His father-in-law and allowed him to sit cross-legged, rather than kneeling, both on public and private occasions.
- Nobility Brings Ruin to the Family
- 10 After some time had passed, Hyung-yul’s wife thought to herself, “Not only is there a big age difference, our family’s social respectability does not allow this.”
- 11 She secretly promised her daughter to another family and received fifty nyahng in advance for the marriage expenses, which she hid under the firewood in the kitchen.
- 12 Late one night, Sahng-jeh-nim visited. “I am hungry. Serve Me a meal.”
- 13 Hyung-yul was embarrassed. “Because we ran out of rice, we did not even light the rice kettle this evening.”
- 14 “Skipping meals when you have money,” Sahng-jeh-nim said, “is almost as good as eating.”
- 15 “Why would we go hungry if we had money?”
“There is fifty nyahng under the firewood,” Sahng-jeh-nim replied.
- 16 Hyung-yul found the money and with it bought some rice to make a meal.
- 17 Sahng-jeh-nim accepted the meal, and as He ate, He repeatedly said, “It is really delicious.” He continued, “It is said that nobility brings ruin to the family. It is true.”
- (JSD Dojeon 3,65)
