9th century Japanese warrior monk and crime lord known only as Ko lay on his deathbed. He had spent his early life perfecting his naginata and his spirit at Ten Lion's Monastery. But at 43, disuaded with the nature of the world at that time, he had taken his zen training and become a fearsome underworld figure. Smiling as he died, he conveyed his final thoughts to his Number One Man who had poisoned him to take his master's position. Ko refused to retire and give rule of his criminal empire to his underling because Ko said the man was nothing but a thug and butcher; he called him "The World." The man was massive and skilled with a wooden hammer but he could never beat lithe Ko in combat. Poisoning was his answer to his master's slights. As Ko died he whispered his final thoughts to "The World" :"Beneathe 1000 excuses lies the truth: You can't, you won't, or you are too afraid. Rid your life of excuses and self lies. Elevation of self comes from admitting you are only standing on the ground or a hole in your case." Ko managed a smile and continued. "Be honest with yourself, World, because then and only then can you realise the truth of all truths: You are Everything." Ko yelled with his last ghasp, "You are Nothing!" And then he closed his eyes and whispered one final thing, poison dripping from his mouth. The World leaned in close to drain one last bit of blood-knowledge from his former master...Ko bit The World's jugular out and howled madly through a mouth full of arterial spray, "YOU ARE THUNDER PERFECT!" Both men died and the story was written down by Ko's Number Two Man who was secretly a woman named Nasunse the Immortal and passed down through the Yakuza and Monks of all Buddhist disciplines to this day.
--From The Book: Buddhas and Bandits by Evad Nalpac
