Become a Lake
An ageing master grew tired of his apprentice’s
complaints. One morning, he sent him to get some salt. When the apprentice
returned, the master told him to mix a handful of salt in a glass of water and
then drink it.
“How does it taste?” the master asked.
“Bitter,” said the apprentice.
The master chuckled and then asked the young man to
take the same handful salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to
the nearby lake and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the
water, the old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”
As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the
master asked,” How does it taste?”
“Fresh,” remarked the apprentice.
“Do you taste the salt?” asked the master.
“No, “ said the young man.
At this the
master sat beside this serious young man, and explained softly, “The pain of
the life is pure salt, no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains
exactly the same. However, the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the
container we put the pain in. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can
do is to enlarge your sense of things. Be open. Stop being a glass. Become a
lake.”
-gauresh59
|