Good Morning My Friends,
Thought you would like some "chicken soup" this morning and hope your
day goes well in peace, health and love.
God Bless
marty auslander
The Secrets of Heaven and Hell
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."
By Fr. John W. Groff Jr.
from A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul
Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor
Hansen
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