Stories

Serenity

The holy man seemed quite unruffled by the insults hurled at him by a visitor. When his disciples asked him what the secret of his serenity was, he said:

“Imagine what would happen if someone placed an offering before you and you did not pick it up. Or someone sent you a letter that you refused to open; you would be unaffected by its contents, would you not? Do this each time you are abused and you will not lose your serenity.”

 

Signs of Daybreak

The Master once asked his students how they could tell when night had ended and day was on its way back.

“Is it when you can see an animal in the distance and can tell whether it is a sheep or a dog?”

“No,” answered the Master.

“Is it when you can look at a tree in the distance and tell whether it is a fig tree or a pear tree?”

“No”

“well then,” the student demanded. “When is it?”

“It is when you can look on the face of another human being and see that he or she is your brother or sister. Because if you cannot do that, then no matter what the time is, it is still night.”