Transcribing Sutras at the Ancient Temple on Basong Lake's Heart Island

Rowing a leather raft to Zaxi Island, the wind chimes hanging among the ancient pine branches are rusted. In the side hall of Cuozong Gongba Temple, I borrowed a wooden desk to transcribe the Heart Sutra. The old lama suddenly took away my pen: 'Use this.' He handed me a bamboo pen made from an eagle feather, dipped in ink mixed with soot from a butter lamp. As I left the island at dusk, the reflection on the lake stretched the figure in a red robe into a lotus stem.