Abstinence 

How long can a person go without sleep? Sanzo hasn't slept since his first night in Keiun Temple. Every night he's drawn by the smell of tobacco smoke. Moonlight fills the empty hallways, casting priest Jikatu in eerie light. Every time the head priest offers him a cigarette or a taste of sake. Every time Sanzo refuses; not just out of prudence, but also held back by the intimacy of the memories invoked. After several nights he is no longer sure if Jikatu is really there, or if the head priest was the Tanuki all along.

How long can a person sit without moving? Every day he takes up his position in front of the Buddha. Maybe his persistence will make up for his lack of faith. The monks approve, mistaking his despair for devotion. But the stillness brings no peace. He sits and waits for the Three Aspects to give him an answer. He sits and waits for whatever had given his Master strength, to come to him. He sits and waits till dusk and another night comes.

How long can a person go without food? It's been two days. Sanzo doesn't care that his body grows weak. It fits his mind. The Three Aspects were right, Koumyou made a mistake. He still hasn't heard from them. He fears if they found the location of the Seiten Sutra they wouldn't tell him. Without a purpose here, he might as well leave.

How long can a person go without hope? He has no lead and nowhere to go. Even on the run, the moonlight still brings the paralyzing memories with it, making him relive how he failed his Master before. Now that he has cut himself off from the Palace of the Setting Sun, he's bound to fail him again. His hand searches his sleeve for his gun, to remind him it's still there -- just in case. It finds Jikatu's farewell present instead. Sanzo had almost forgotten about it, but the impulse to crush it is interrupted by the sound of an alarm.

How long can a person go before giving in? The smell of blood greets his return. Typical. Disorganized youkai spill between the disorganized monks. In the midst of chaos lies Jikatu, half finished cigarette on the ground next to him. The man's final words echo in Sanzo's head; the same Koumyou said to him seconds before he died. Sanzo stomps out the cigarette and reaches for his gun. If everyone around him is so determined to die, he's happy to oblige. His karma can't get any worse. It's time to exhale and show he's still alive.