8. Last Journey
5 hours had passed since their departure. The vehicle passed through the deep valley in Alps and came down to the large plane of France. At that time they felt a big shaking on the ground. Looking back to the Alps, they saw a huge tornado shooting up into the sky. At last Black Hole revealed its whole shape after bursting out the shield of CERN.
Its tremendous energy tore the sky and reached into the space. Very strong wind like a hurricane started to brow. As Kohei expected, Black Hole firstly began to gulp the global atmosphere. Mountains of Alps were totally covered with thick clouds and innumerous lightning flickered in the storm because of friction of the atmosphere.
The highway was filled with many cars which tried to escape as far as possible. The heavy traffic jam froze the stream completely. Kohei helplessly took a detour to country roads. But the merciless Black Hole increased its power more and more. The wind was getting stronger and brushed everything away. Large trees were fell down, many houses were destructed and cars were turned upside down.
But such disaster had been still easier. People would experience a real hell soon after. The blue sky was torn away and stars were twinkling in the middle of daytime. The sunshine was glittering to make people blind and burn their skin within few minutes. The atmosphere had been lost and the ground became bare against the space. People was tormented fiercely without the shield of atmosphere. It was likely to be thrown away into the space without any space suit. Innumerous number of bodies were scattered here and there. Under such terrible conditions the working vehicle was still sustaining and moving ahead. It was built as such.
“I wonder what has become of CERN,”
Kate whispered with her weak breath. Everywhere of her white skin was changed dark blue due to the internal bleeding. Blood was oozed out little by little from her month, nose and eyes.
”Probably it had already been swallowed by Black Hole. No answer to my mobile phone.”
Kohei answered with injecting morphine into Kate’s arm. Kate calmly lost her consciousness. Kohei accelerated the vehicle again.
Almost one and half day had passed, they reached Calais, a seaside town facing the Dover Channel. Dover is located just beyond the Channel. Kohei held up Kate to try to make her catch a sight of the harbor of Dover.
“Kate, look. That is Dover, your home town.”
“Is that really Dover, isn’t it?”
The town of Dover could narrowly be seen because of the trembling big waves. If it was usual and peaceful, many ships going and coming could be seen. But today no ship, no seagull and no human. Only the dark storm filled everywhere.
“Mom? Dad? Are you still there? Can you hear me?”
Kate mourned. But no answer other than roaring sound of wind. Suddenly Kate fiercely coughed and vomited much blood. Kohei prepared the morphine syringe immediately but….
“Wait, Kohei, stop it. I would rather talk with you.”
Kohei put down the syringe. Kate already seemed to sense creeping death.
“Oh, God. Why are you doing this? Are we sinful? Are we must be punished?”
Kate put her hands on the Cross and closed her eyes.
“Kate, do you still believe in God? Do you really think the God have done all of these?”
“Yes, of course. We have a punishment because we are sinful.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not Christian. Then I can’t understand the God exactly. But as one of physicists, yes, as one of scientists, I can’t believe in God. All I can believe is the law of Physics and the truth of Universe.”
“Are you sure? Even Japanese believe in Buddhism. Or don’t you believe in Buddha, do you?”
Kate questioned with a little anger because she was denied her faith. But soon later Kate would know the very last theory of Kohei. I was very strange but curious.
“Well, it will be a long story to tell but Buddha is not precisely God. Buddha will not save us but just give us wisdom or force to save ourselves. It may be similar to science, for example, physics. We use various science technology to make our life comfortable. We can use the teachings of Buddhism as well through our efforts.”
“What do you mean by that? It’s too difficult for me to understand.”
“Sorry, sorry, let’s make a story easier. Kate, you are now seeing my face. Then what is “seeing”? Explain it with a word of physics.”
Kate was more confused, hearing “with a word of Physics.”
“Seeing is the result of complicated physical phenomenon. Firstly it begins with the reflection of light. A bunch of photons are reflected on the surface of an object.”
Kate gradually concentrated on his story.
“Secondly photons reach your eyes and stimulate your visual cells in retinas and they are changed into electrical signals. Thirdly electric signals are sent through your optic nerves to your brain. Fourthly signals are synthesized into the image at your visual cortex. At this stage you can eventually see my face.”
Kohei pointed to his face.
“Do you understand the meaning of “seeing”? It is just the result of a series of physical phenomenon.”
Kate nodded without any word.
“Hannyasingyo, the most basic dogma of Buddhism, teaches us as such. Though it is far from the modern physics, it tells us all five senses and consciousness are a kind of Virtual Reality created by some physical phenomenon and actually do not exist. You only experience a kind of illusions. If it is so, then you can abandon all your agonies through efforts. Buddhism teaches us it is the very enlightened status so called Satori.”
“Satori? I understood what you are saying. But I can’t still exactly…”
“Kate, do you forget your pain now?”
“Ah.”
It was the very moment she actually got Satori. Concentrating on the extremely difficult story of Kohei, she completely pushed her pains away of her consciousness. She also realized that her pains were the result of physical phenomenon and could be erased in some special conditions. Kate burst out laughing with returning pains.
“I seemed to understand the meaning of Satori somehow.”
“OK. Then let’s move ahead.”
Kohei smiled.
“If all of our senses and consciousness are Virtual Reality or illusion, we will be able to abandon them namely death. Then what will happen after the death? Medically or biologically the death means the end of life. But physically the death is not always the end. Particles or matters which compose our body will continue to survive and eventually be exchanged into energy. There is a strange phrase in Hannyasingyo, “Matter is nothing and nothing is matter”. Can you understand this meaning?”
“Well, let’s see. It seems pair-production and pair-annihilation.”
“That’s it. You are really a very smart physicist.”
Kate smiled cheerfully.
“That is the very basic concept of Buddhism. Buddhism had noticed that energy and matter were basically equivalent and could be exchanged each other. We just call them body and soul. Even if we lose our bodies, our souls will be immortal.”
“I see. It is “the Law of Conservation of Energy, isn’t it?”
“Yes, yes. You are really quick to understand. Energy will be conserved forever. It will be able to survive even in Black Hole and move to the direction of Extra Dimension. Then it will be exchanged into matters again. As I said, Buddhism taught us the True Mechanism of Universe. If we sincerely learn the Truth, we will have nothing fear.”
“Kohei, what wonderful story. I believe you. Let’s go together forever. Never let me alone.”
“Of course. I promise. We are together forever.”
Kohei held Kate firmly in his breast. At that moment an extremely huge wave engulfed the working vehicle and carried it off toward the Alps.
