The
Master was walking through the fields one day when a young man,
a troubled look upon his face, approached him.
"On
such a beautiful day, it must be difficult to stay so serious," the
Master said.
"Is
it? I hadn't noticed," the young man said, turning to look around
and notice his surroundings. His eyes scanned the landscape,
but nothing seemed to register; his mind elsewhere. Watching
intently, the Master continued to walk.
"Join
me if you like." The Master walked to the edge of a still pond,
framed by sycamore trees, their leaves golden orange and about
to fall.
"Please
sit down," the Master invited, patting the ground next to him.
Looking carefully before sitting, the young man brushed the ground
to clear a space for himself.
"Now,
find a small stone, please," the Master instructed.
"What?"
"A
stone. Please find a small stone and throw it in the pond."
Searching
around him, the young man grabbed a pebble and threw it as far
as he could.
"Tell
me what you see," the Master instructed.
Straining
his eyes to not miss a single detail, the man looked at the water's
surface.
"I
see ripples."
"Where
did the ripples come from?"
"From
the pebble I threw in the pond, Master."
"Please
reach your hand into the water and stop the ripples," the Master
asked.
Not
understanding, the young man stuck his hand in the water as a
ripple neared, only to cause more ripples. The young man was
now completely baffled. Where was this going? Had he made a mistake
in seeking out the Master? After all he was not a student, perhaps
he could not be helped? Puzzled, the young man waited.
"Were
you able to stop the ripples with your hands?" the Master asked.
"No,
of course not."
"Could
you have stopped the ripples, then?"
"No,
Master. I told you I only caused more ripples."
"What
if you had stopped the pebble from entering the water to begin
with?" The Master smiled such a beautiful smile; the young man
could not be upset.
"Next
time you are unhappy with your life, catch the stone before it
hits the water. Do not spend time trying to undo what you have
done. Rather, change what you are going to do before you do it." The
Master looked kindly upon the young man.
"But
Master, how will I know what I am going to do before I do it?"
"Take
the responsibility for living your own life. If you're working
with a doctor to treat an illness, then ask the doctor to help
you understand what caused the illness. Do not just treat the
ripples. Keep asking questions." The young man stopped, his mind
reeling.
"But
I came to you to ask you for answers. Are you saying that I know
the answers?"
"You
may not know the answers right now, but if you ask the right
questions, then you shall discover the answers."
"But
what are the right questions, Master?"
"There
are no wrong questions, only unasked ones. We must ask, for without
asking, we cannot receive answers. But it is your responsibility
to ask. No one else can do that for you."
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