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. |
