THE SAMURAI AND THE MONK
Once upon a time in Japan there was a big, and somewhat depressed, samurai. He carried a big sword, and in his day he had a license to kill.
One day this samurai crossed paths with a little monk who was known to be somewhat enlightened. The big samurai approached the little monk and demanded, “teach me of heaven and of hell.”
The little monk looked up at the big samurai and said, “I would not teach you anything. You stink. You need a bath and a shave. Your sword is rusty and you have gotten fat and lazy. Go away and leave me alone.”
The samurai turned red with rage. His whole body trembled with anger as he lifted his sword in preparation the chop the little monks head off.
At this point the little monk calmly looked up at the big samurai and said, “that anger and rage and self doubt that you are now feeling, my friend …that is hell.”
This stopped the big samurai in his tracks. These words that the little monk had just spoken filled the samurai with such love and gratitude. He realized that the little monk had risked his life to teach him of hell. He put down his sword as even more waves of love and gratitude filled him.
The little monk looked up at the big samurai. He could see the big mans eyes begin to fill with tears. And at this point the little monk simply said, “and that is heaven.”
Love and gratitude, Benny
One day this samurai crossed paths with a little monk who was known to be somewhat enlightened. The big samurai approached the little monk and demanded, “teach me of heaven and of hell.”
The little monk looked up at the big samurai and said, “I would not teach you anything. You stink. You need a bath and a shave. Your sword is rusty and you have gotten fat and lazy. Go away and leave me alone.”
The samurai turned red with rage. His whole body trembled with anger as he lifted his sword in preparation the chop the little monks head off.
At this point the little monk calmly looked up at the big samurai and said, “that anger and rage and self doubt that you are now feeling, my friend …that is hell.”
This stopped the big samurai in his tracks. These words that the little monk had just spoken filled the samurai with such love and gratitude. He realized that the little monk had risked his life to teach him of hell. He put down his sword as even more waves of love and gratitude filled him.
The little monk looked up at the big samurai. He could see the big mans eyes begin to fill with tears. And at this point the little monk simply said, “and that is heaven.”
Love and gratitude, Benny
