The Four Noble Truths
Dream of the Red Chamber is filled to the brim with subversive text. Here’s yet another example.
Did you notice the odd names of the four celestial maidens in yesterday’s post? Let’s take another look at them:
一名痴夢仙姑
一名鍾情大士
一名引愁金女
一名度恨菩提
The Fairy of Deluded Dreams
The Great Mistress of Ardent Love
The Golden Maiden Who Summons Sorrow
The Bodhi Who Passes Through Grief
Now, if you’re an ignorant foreigner like me, you won’t notice anything unusual or interesting about these names at first. However, if you know a thing or two about Buddhism, they’ll stand out. Let me explain.
