Guest guest Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Found this on the web. My acknowledgement to Fr. John W. Groff Jr., A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul Jai Maa Nanda ==================================================== The old monk sat by the side of the road. With his eyes closed, his legs crossed and his hands folded in his lap, he sat. In deep meditation, he sat. Suddenly his zazen was interrupted by the harsh and demanding voice of a samurai warrior. "Old man! Teach me about heaven and hell!" At first, as though he had not heard, there was no perceptible response from the monk. But gradually he began to open his eyes, the faintest hint of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth as the samurai stood there, waiting impatiently, growing more and more agitated with each passing second. "You wish to know the secrets of heaven and hell?" replied the monk at last. "You who are so unkempt. You whose hands and feet are covered with dirt. You whose hair is uncombed, whose breath is foul, whose sword is all rusty and neglected. You who are ugly and whose mother dresses you funny. You would ask me of heaven and hell?" The samurai uttered a vile curse. He drew his sword and raised it high above his head. His face turned to crimson and the veins on his neck stood out in bold relief as he prepared to sever the monk's head from its shoulders. "That is hell," said the old monk gently, just as the sword began its descent. In that fraction of a second, the samurai was overcome with amazement, awe, compassion and love for this gentle being who had dared to risk his very life to give him such a teaching. He stopped his sword in mid-flight and his eyes filled with grateful tears. "And that," said the monk, "is heaven." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Pranams, Nandaji! All i can manage to say is 'Wow'! That is really powerful! Thank-you! Jai Maa! muktimaa , "Nanda" <chandimaakijai> wrote: > > > Found this on the web. My acknowledgement to Fr. John W. Groff Jr., > A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul > > Jai Maa > Nanda > > ==================================================== > The old monk sat by the side of the road. With his eyes closed, his > legs crossed and his hands folded in his lap, he sat. In deep > meditation, he sat. > > Suddenly his zazen was interrupted by the harsh and demanding voice > of a samurai warrior. "Old man! Teach me about heaven and hell!" > > At first, as though he had not heard, there was no perceptible > response from the monk. But gradually he began to open his eyes, the > faintest hint of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth as > the samurai stood there, waiting impatiently, growing more and more > agitated with each passing second. > > "You wish to know the secrets of heaven and hell?" replied the monk > at last. "You who are so unkempt. You whose hands and feet are > covered with dirt. You whose hair is uncombed, whose breath is foul, > whose sword is all rusty and neglected. You who are ugly and whose > mother dresses you funny. You would ask me of heaven and hell?" > > The samurai uttered a vile curse. He drew his sword and raised it > high above his head. His face turned to crimson and the veins on his > neck stood out in bold relief as he prepared to sever the monk's > head from its shoulders. > > "That is hell," said the old monk gently, just as the sword began > its descent. In that fraction of a second, the samurai was overcome > with amazement, awe, compassion and love for this gentle being who > had dared to risk his very life to give him such a teaching. He > stopped his sword in mid-flight and his eyes filled with grateful > tears. > > "And that," said the monk, "is heaven." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 That is an incredible story. What wisdom and compassion it shows us. on 1/7/05 8:21 PM, Nanda at chandimaakijai wrote: Found this on the web. My acknowledgement to Fr. John W. Groff Jr., A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul Jai Maa Nanda ==================================================== The old monk sat by the side of the road. With his eyes closed, his legs crossed and his hands folded in his lap, he sat. In deep meditation, he sat. Suddenly his zazen was interrupted by the harsh and demanding voice of a samurai warrior. "Old man! Teach me about heaven and hell!" At first, as though he had not heard, there was no perceptible response from the monk. But gradually he began to open his eyes, the faintest hint of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth as the samurai stood there, waiting impatiently, growing more and more agitated with each passing second. "You wish to know the secrets of heaven and hell?" replied the monk at last. "You who are so unkempt. You whose hands and feet are covered with dirt. You whose hair is uncombed, whose breath is foul, whose sword is all rusty and neglected. You who are ugly and whose mother dresses you funny. You would ask me of heaven and hell?" The samurai uttered a vile curse. He drew his sword and raised it high above his head. His face turned to crimson and the veins on his neck stood out in bold relief as he prepared to sever the monk's head from its shoulders. "That is hell," said the old monk gently, just as the sword began its descent. In that fraction of a second, the samurai was overcome with amazement, awe, compassion and love for this gentle being who had dared to risk his very life to give him such a teaching. He stopped his sword in mid-flight and his eyes filled with grateful tears. "And that," said the monk, "is heaven." / <?subject=Un> Terms of Service <> . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 Thank you, Nanda, for that beautiful and profound story. It reminds me of a saying I've heard from members of Alcoholics Anonymous: "Religion is for people who are afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for people who've already been there." Chandi Ma Ki Jai! Kalibhakta , "Nanda" <chandimaakijai> wrote: > > > Found this on the web. My acknowledgement to Fr. John W. Groff Jr., > A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul > > Jai Maa > Nanda > > ==================================================== > The old monk sat by the side of the road. With his eyes closed, his > legs crossed and his hands folded in his lap, he sat. In deep > meditation, he sat. > > Suddenly his zazen was interrupted by the harsh and demanding voice > of a samurai warrior. "Old man! Teach me about heaven and hell!" > > At first, as though he had not heard, there was no perceptible > response from the monk. But gradually he began to open his eyes, the > faintest hint of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth as > the samurai stood there, waiting impatiently, growing more and more > agitated with each passing second. > > "You wish to know the secrets of heaven and hell?" replied the monk > at last. "You who are so unkempt. You whose hands and feet are > covered with dirt. You whose hair is uncombed, whose breath is foul, > whose sword is all rusty and neglected. You who are ugly and whose > mother dresses you funny. You would ask me of heaven and hell?" > > The samurai uttered a vile curse. He drew his sword and raised it > high above his head. His face turned to crimson and the veins on his > neck stood out in bold relief as he prepared to sever the monk's > head from its shoulders. > > "That is hell," said the old monk gently, just as the sword began > its descent. In that fraction of a second, the samurai was overcome > with amazement, awe, compassion and love for this gentle being who > had dared to risk his very life to give him such a teaching. He > stopped his sword in mid-flight and his eyes filled with grateful > tears. > > "And that," said the monk, "is heaven." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 Jai Maa! atakalibhakta wrote: "Religion is for people who are afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for people who've already been there." Mail - Find what you need with new enhanced search. Learn more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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