Small Action

"I keep thinking about Ahab, our great hero and reformer, the man who was blessed by St. Savin."

"Why Ahab?"

Because he could see that even the most insignificant of actions, however well intentioned, can destroy everything. They say that after he had brought peace to the village, driven away the remaining outlaws and modernised agriculture and trade in Viscos, he invited his friends to supper and cooked a succulent piece of meat for them. Suddenly he realised there was no salt. 

So Ahab called to his son: "Go to the village and buy some salt, but pay a fair price for it: neither too much nor too little."

His son was surprised: "I can understand why I shouldn't pay too much for it, father, but if I can bargain them down, why not pay a bit less?"

"That would be the sensible thing to do in a big city, but in a small village like ours it could spell the beginning of the end."

The boy left without asking any further questions. However, Ahab's guests, who had overheard their conversation, wanted to know why they should not buy the salt more cheaply if they could.

Ahab replied: "The only reason anyone would sell salt more cheaply usually would be because he was desperate for money. Anyone who took advantage of that situation would be showing a lack of respect for the sweat and struggle of the man who laboured to produce it."

"But such a small thing couldn't possibly destroy a village."

"In the beginning, there was only a small amount of injustice abroad in the world, but everyone who came afterwards added their portion, always thinking it was very small and unimportant, and look where we have ended up today."

- From "The Devil and Miss Prym" By Paulo Coelho

The Raja and The Shepherd

A rich and powerful raja was convinced in his heart that no one was as powerful as he was. One day he began to wonder if anyone knew he believed this. So he called together all his officers and servants and asked them to tell him what they thought was in his heart. Many of them made guesses, but no one could satisfy the raja with his answer.

Then the raja ordered his minister to find him someone who could see into his heart and he gave the minister one month's time to find this genius. The minister searched everywhere but as the month came to a close he was no closer to success. However, he had a clever daughter who said that she could find the right man for him. Knowing his daughter's wisdom, he entrusted the job to her.

When the appointed day arrived his daughter brought home a simpleton, a shepherd by trade, and asked her father to take him to the raja. She also asked her father to request the raja to converse only in sign language. The minister was horrified but he saw he had no alternative and he took the shepherd to the court of the raja.

The court had assembled and the raja was waiting. When the shepherd looked up at the raja, the raja held up a single finger. At this the shepherd held up two fingers. Then the raja held up three fingers, but at this the fellow shook his head violently and tried to run away. The the raja laughed and seemed very pleased. He praised the minister for bringing him such a clever man and richly rewarded him.

The minister was confused. He couldn't understand what happened and begged the raja to explain.

"When I held up one finger", said the raja, "I asked him if I alone was this powerful. By holding up two fingers, he reminded me that there is also God, who is at least as powerful as I am. Then I asked him if there was a third, and he denied that there was anyone else. The man really read my heart. I've been thinking that I alone was powerful, but he reminded me that there is God as well, but no third."

That night, still confused, the minister asked the shepherd what had happened. The poor man explained, "I've only got three sheep of my own. When you took me before the raja, he held up one finger, meaning he wanted one of my sheep. As he is a great raja, I offered to give him two. But when he held up three fingers to show that he wanted all three of my sheep, I became afraid and I tried to run away."

- Source: http://www.nozen.com/silent1.htm

A Silent Debate

About a century or two ago, the Pope decided that all the Jews had to leave Rome. Naturally there was a big uproar from the Jewish community.

So the Pope made a deal. He would have a religious debate with a member of the Jewish community. If the Jew won, the Jews could stay. If the Pope won, the Jews would leave.

The Jews realized that they had no choice. They looked around for a champion who could defend their faith, but no one wanted to volunteer.

No one wanted to be the one to risk losing a debate with the pope. Finally an old man named Moishe said that he would do it, since if no one did, the Jews would be forced to leave. He asked only that neither side be allowed to talk during the debate. The Pope finally agreed.

The day of the great debate came. Moishe and the Pope sat opposite each other for a full minute before the Pope raised his hand and showed three fingers. Moishe looked back at him and raised one finger.

The Pope waved his fingers in a circle around his head. Moishe pointed to the ground where he sat.

The Pope pulled out a wafer and a glass of wine. Moishe pulled out an apple.

The Pope stood up and said, "I give up. This man is too good. The Jews can stay."

An hour later, the cardinals were all around the Pope asking him what happened. The Pope said: "First I held up three fingers to represent the Trinity. He responded by holding up one finger to remind me that there was still one God common to both our religions.

"Then I waved my finger around me to show him that God was all around us. He responded by pointing to the ground, showing that God was also right here with us.

"I pulled out the wine and the wafer to show that God absolves us from our sins. He pulled out an apple to remind me of original sin. He had an answer for everything. What could I do?"

Meanwhile, the Jewish community had crowded around Moishe, amazed that this old, almost feeble-minded man had done what all their scholars had insisted was impossible! "What happened?" they asked.

"Well," said Moishe, "First he said to me that the Jews had three days to get out of here. I told him that not one of us was leaving.

"Then he told me that this whole city would be cleared of Jews. I let him know that we were staying right here."

"And then?" asked a woman. "I don't know," said Moishe. "He took out his lunch and I took out mine."

- Source: http://www.nozen.com/silent3.htm

The Cloud And The Dune

A young cloud was born in the middle of a great storm in the Mediterranean Sea. But it hardly had time to grow there; a strong wind pushed all the clouds towards Africa.

As soon as they arrived on the continent, the climate changed; a warm sun shone in the sky, and down below the golden sand of the Sahara desert spread into the distance. The wind continued to push them towards the forests in the south, since it hardly ever rains in the desert.

However, just as it is with young people, so with young clouds; this one decided to break away from its parents and older friends, to see the world.

"What are you doing?" complained the wind. "The entire desert is exactly the same! Come back to the group, and let’s go to the center of Africa, where there are beautiful mountains and trees!"

But the young cloud, a rebel by nature, did not obey; little by little, it lowered its altitude, until it was able to float on a gentle, generous breeze down near the golden sands. After wandering all over the place, it noticed that one of the dunes was smiling at it.

It was because the dune was also young, recently formed by the wind which had just passed. Straight away, the cloud fell in love with its golden hair.

"Good morning" – said the cloud. "What is it like living down there?"

"I have the company of the other dunes, the sun, the wind, and the caravans which pass by from time to time. Sometimes it is very hot, but it is bearable. And what is living up there like?"

"There is also the wind and the sun, but the advantage is, I can wander across the sky and get to know everything."

"For me life is short" – said the dune. "When the wind returns from the forests, I will disappear."

"And does that make you sad?"

"It gives me the impression that I am of no use to anyone."

"I feel the same way. As soon as another wind comes, I will go south and become rain; however, that’s my destiny."

The dune hesitated for a moment, before saying: "Did you know that, down here in the desert, we call the rain Paradise?"

"I didn’t know I could become something so important" – said the proud cloud.

"I’ve heard several legends told by old dunes. They say that, after the rain, we are covered in herbs and flowers. But I’d never know what that is like, for in the desert it only rains very rarely."

This time it was the cloud which hesitated. But then it started to smile joyfully: "If you like, I can cover you with rain. Although I’ve only just arrived, I am in love with you, and would like to stay here forever."

"When I first saw you up in the sky, I too fell in love" – said the dune. "But if you turn your lovely white hair into rain, you will die."

"Love never dies" – said the dune. "It transforms; and I want to show you Paradise."

And so it began to caress the dune with droplets; they remained together like this for a long time, until a rainbow appeared.

The next day, the small dune was covered in flowers. Other clouds passing towards central Africa, thought that must be part of the forest they were searching for, and poured down more rain. Twenty years later, the dune had become an oasis, which refreshed travellers under the shade of its trees.

And all because, one day, a loving cloud hadn't been afraid to give up its life in the name of love.

-Paulo Coelho

Cat in Meditation

A great Zen Buddhist master, who was in charge of the Mayu Kagi monastery, had a cat which was his true passion in life. So, during meditation classes, he kept the cat by his side in order to make the most of his company.

One morning, the master, who was already quite old, passed away. His best disciple took his place.

"What shall we do with the cat?" asked the other monks.

As a tribute to the memory of their old instructor, the new master decided to allow the cat to continue attending the Zen Buddhist classes.

Some disciples from the neighbouring monasteries, travelling through those parts, discovered that, in one of the region’s most renowned temples, a cat took part in the meditation sessions. The story began to spread.

Many years passed. The cat died, but as the students at the monastery were so used to its presence, they soon found another cat. Meanwhile, the other temples began introducing cats in their meditation sessions. They believed the cat was truly responsible for the fame and excellence of Mayu Kagi’s teaching.

A generation passed, and technical treatises began to appear about the importance of the cat in Zen meditation. A university professor developed a thesis, which was accepted by the academic community that felines have the ability to increase human concentration, and eliminate negative energy.

And so, for a whole century, the cat was considered an essential part of Zen Buddhist studies in that region. Until a master appeared who was allergic to animal hair, and decided to remove the cat from his daily exercises with the students.

There was a fierce negative reaction, but the master insisted. Since he was an excellent instructor, the students continued to make the same progress, in spite of the absence of the cat.

Little by little, the monasteries, always in search of new ideas, and already tired of having to feed so many cats, began eliminating the animals from the classes. In twenty years new revolutionary theories began to appear, with very convincing titles such as “The Importance of Meditating without a Cat”, or “Balancing the Zen Universe by Will Power Alone, Without the Help of Animals”.

Another century passed, and the cat was withdrawn completely from the meditation rituals in that region. But two hundred years were necessary for everything to return to normal – because during all this time, no one asked why the cat was there.

-Paulo Coelho

Bullshit

A hen was chatting with a bull. “I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree,” sighed the hen, “but I haven’t got the energy.”

“Well, why don’t you nibble on some of my droppings?” replied the bull. “They’re packed with nutrients.”

The hen pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.

The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.

Finally after a fourth night, the hen was proudly perched at the top of the tree. He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.

Moral of the story: Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won’t keep you there.

The Fortune-teller

Many years ago in Greece, a great astrologer, the most famous of those days, fell into a well. Because in the night, he was studying the stars, walking on the road and forgot that there was a well by the side and fell into it.

An old woman who lived in a hut nearby, heard the sound of his falling and his crying, and she came out, helped him to get out of the well.

He was very happy. He said, “You have saved my life! Do you know who I am? I am the royal astrologer. My fee is very high - even kings have to wait for months to consult me,  but for you, I will predict your future for free. You come tomorrow morning to my house.”

The old woman laughed and said, “Forget all about it! You cannot see even two feet ahead; how can you see my future?”

The Rock

“Who is the best swordsman?” asked a warrior to his master.

“Go to the field near the monastery,” his master answered. “There is a rock there. I want you to insult the rock.”

“But why would I do that?” the disciple asked. “The rock will not respond.”

“Well, then attack it with your sword,” the master said.

“I won’t do that, either,” the disciple answered. “My sword would break. And if I attack the rock with my hands, I’ll injure my fingers and have no impact on it. That wasn’t what I asked. Who is the best swordsman?”

“The best is the one who is like the rock,” said his master. “Without unsheathing a sword, it demonstrates that no one can conquer it.”