BUDDHISM TODAY
One day, a famous government official, who was also
a poet, was passing along a road. He saw an old
monk teaching Buddhism. This was hardly unusual
except that the monk was seated on a tree branch.
The official asked the elderly monk what he was doing.
After all, the monk was in a very precarious position.
One wrong move and he could fall to his death!
The monk replied that the official’s position was
even more precarious. If the monk made a careless
move, he alone might be killed. But if the official
made a mistake, it could cost the lives of thousands.
The official considered this and decided that it
was a very good reply. He told the monk that if he
could explain the essence of Buddhism in one sentence,
then he would become the monk’s student.
“Easy!” said the monk. “The essence of Buddhism is
to avoid all that is evil, to embrace all that is good,
and to purify one’s mind.” The official scoffed, “Is
that all? Even a child of three knows that!" The
monk replied that while it was true that a child of
three may realize it, there was no certainty that a
man of eighty could practice it.
The master in our story was absolutely right. It is
one thing to know what we are supposed to do; doing
so is an entirely different matter. But without doing
what is good, we will be unable to benefit others or
ourselves: We will be unable to help all beings find
their way to genuine happiness and secure their liberation from suffering.
BUDDHISM TODAYOne day, a famous government official, who was alsoa poet, was passing along a road. He saw an oldmonk teaching Buddhism. This was hardly unusualexcept that the monk was seated on a tree branch.The official asked the elderly monk what he was doing.After all, the monk was in a very precarious position.One wrong move and he could fall to his death!The monk replied that the official’s position waseven more precarious. If the monk made a carelessmove, he alone might be killed. But if the officialmade a mistake, it could cost the lives of thousands.The official considered this and decided that itwas a very good reply. He told the monk that if hecould explain the essence of Buddhism in one sentence,then he would become the monk’s student.“Easy!” said the monk. “The essence of Buddhism isto avoid all that is evil, to embrace all that is good,and to purify one’s mind.” The official scoffed, “Isthat all? Even a child of three knows that!" Themonk replied that while it was true that a child ofthree may realize it, there was no certainty that aman of eighty could practice it.The master in our story was absolutely right. It isone thing to know what we are supposed to do; doingso is an entirely different matter. But without doingwhat is good, we will be unable to benefit others orourselves: We will be unable to help all beings findtheir way to genuine happiness and secure their liberation from suffering.
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