By Paulo Coelho
A Samurai who was known for his nobility and honesty, went to visit a Zen monk to ask advice. However, the moment he entered the temple where the master was praying, he felt inferior and concluded that, in spite of having fought for justice and peace all his life, he hadn’t even come near the state of grace achieved by the man before him.
- Why do I feel so inferior? - he asked, as soon as the monk finished his prayers. - I have faced death many times, have defended those who are weak, I know I have nothing to be ashamed of. Nevertheless, upon seeing you meditating, I felt that my life had absolutely no importance whatsoever.
- Wait. Once I have attended to all those who come to see me today, I shall answer you.
The samurai spent the whole day sitting in the temple gardens, watching the people go in and out in search of advice. He saw how the monk received them all with the same patience and the same illuminated smile on his face. But his enthusiasm soon began to wane, since he had been born to act, and not to wait.
At nightfall, when everyone had gone, he demanded:
- Now can you teach me?
The master invited him in and lead him to his room. The full moon shone in the sky, and the atmosphere was one of profound tranquility.
- Do you see the moon, how beautiful it is? It will cross the entire firmament, and tomorrow the sun will shine once again. But sunlight is much brighter, and can show the details of the landscape around us: trees, mountains, clouds. I have contemplated the two for years, and have never heard the moon say: why do I not shine like the sun? Is it because I am inferior?
- Of course not - answered the samurai. - The moon and the sun are different things, each has its own beauty. You cannot compare the two.
- So you know the answer. We are two different people, each fighting in his own way for that which he believes, and making it possible to make the world a better place; the rest are mere appearances.
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Beautiful tale.
Thank you.
Thank you. Sometimes, amoungst the negativity and judgement of others, i forget that my reason for being here is different from others. But, I am still special, praise God.
Paulo!
I love the stories you publish on here!! I’ve looked all over for their source, but the best I can find is 101zenstories.com.
They do not tell the stories like you do. It just isn’t the same.
Please tell your readers (or at least me :) where to find a collection of these beautiful fables. If it is a secret then please publish them in a book, as you would have them read. This would be such a gift to the world, and to me.
Agape,
Steve
Such a beautiful story…No one’s life is as anyone else’s ..Everyone is unique..
Love and Graditude
Annie
Paulo my friend,
Only one who looks at the quiet within, can see the wisdom of the masters words. I see myself and my life, in the impatient samuri, seeking social justice and doing my good works. Its takes the quiet of the moment to value all that I have done yet I often dismiss it, as if it is not enough! I still struggle to accept that I am unique!
These words resonate with the quiet that I need to link with more often. I love the Warrior of Light!
Thankyou for the gift of this passage today.
1
Thanks MR PAULO for this wonderful story, my daughter love it.
I wish you write childrens book.
If every one viewed the world like this it would be heaven on earth indeed .I guess its human nature sometimes to feel inferior to someone else ,but two people cannot be compared like the sun /moon each is on his own path ..Blessings Tania
So true. We each have our own path to follow. Each individual becomes a Warrior of Light in their own time and in their own way.
Following someone else’s path may lead you into the wrong direction for it was not fit for who you are.
Cher Paulo,
Subscriber of your newsletter “warrior of the light” (in french: “guerrier de la lumière”), I must admit I rarely come on your blog.
It’s strange as we can pass to hear you counting the story which answers exactly our concern of the moment: I wish I could act every day like the monk but know deep inside I’m rather like the samurai (or the lion without wings maybe).
Read you soon here, on MySpace or anywhere else.
Take care of you. / Portez-vous bien.