Holes in the heart

The beggar (van Avont). State 2 / Wikimedia Commons

Wisdom is not a given, it is learned, be it in the time of the ancients or that of our present day time-space, as the following tale beautifully reveals.  Hello and welcome to another great Ancient Tale of Wisdom, my name is Grace Mann, and today’s tale is entitled: Holes in the Heart.

Once upon a time in days gone by, in order to find the true meaning of life, a young man seeking the Tao travelled far from home.  Without stopping, he climbed high mountains, crossed dangerous rivers, and visited numerous places looking for a true master to answer his questions. Day after day, he met and asked many people; however, he did not feel he had gained any enlightenment.  Disappointed, he pondered and wondered, but he was still not able to figure out why.

Later, he learned from a teacher that there was a high-level monk who had obtained the Tao, living in a mountain not far from his hometown. He could answer all kinds of difficult questions about life. Therefore, he immediately started out in the dark of night and asked around where he could find the monk.

One day, he arrived at the foot of a mountain and saw a woodcutter walking down with two buckets of firewood on his shoulders. The young man asked him, “Brother, do you know exactly where the monk who has obtained the Tao lives in this mountain and what he looks like?” The woodcutter thought for a moment and answered, “It is true that there is such a monk on this mountain. However, people do not know exactly where he lives because he often travels around to offer salvation to predestined people. As to his appearance, some say he looks elegant and unusual and divine halos shine on his body; some say he looks dirty and messy and his clothes are sloppy and shabby. Nobody can really describe him clearly.”

After thanking the woodcutter, the young man was determined to find the monk. He travelled way up the mountain without any rest. On the mountain, he met peasants, hunters, children herding animals, and people digging herbs, etc. However, he did not find the high-level monk who could tell him the meaning of life.

In despair, the young man turned around and went back down from the mountain. On his way, he met a beggar with a broken bowl in his hands who begged for water from him. The young man poured some water into the bowl from his water bag. However, the water completely leaked out before the beggar could put his lips to the bowl and drink. Unwillingly, the young man poured more water into the bowl and urged the beggar to drink faster, but just as the bowl reached the beggar’s lips, the water all leaked out again.

“How can you possibly drink water using a broken bowl?” The young man said impatiently.

“Poor young man, you have been seeking the meaning of life everywhere and you look unassuming on the surface. However, in your heart, you judge whether others’ words meet your expectations. You cannot accept any views that do not satisfy your expectations, and those notions of yours result in big holes in your heart and keep you from finding the answers you seek.”

Hearing the beggar’s words, the young man suddenly enlightened to the point. He immediately bowed to the monk and said, “Master, are you the high-level monk that I have been trying to find?” When there was no reply even though he repeated his question several times, he raised his head and found that beggar had long disappeared.

A bowl with holes cannot hold water; and a heart with holes cannot hear the meaning of life.

What are the manifestations of those holes in the heart? Selfishness,  jealousy, stubbornness and being opinionated are some; while suspicion, impetuousness, hatefulness, fearfulness, arrogance, and being cowardly are more examples. These mentalities are like holes in the heart; and people have different kinds of holes in their hearts.

Humans are not saints and sages, who cannot live without making a single mistake.  Since we are lost in the delusion of our world, who can claim to be without loopholes?  Having loopholes is not an unspeakable issue.  It is the inflexibility of our heart and mind nature that keeps us bound in the wallowing of these shortcomings.  If we do not mend the loopholes, they will become bigger and bigger, harming one’s life and ultimately destroying oneself. A heart is not precious unless you are willing to mend the holes.

Thank you for joining us on Ancient Tales of Wisdom.  It has again been my privilege to share today’s wise words from ancient times.

Until we next meet laugh lots, be happy and let your heart be free.

Story Source:  clearwisdom.net
(with slight modifications)

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2009/11/19/212915.html

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