The monk Tetsugen had a dream: to publish a book in Japanese, containing all the sacred verses.
Determined to transform this dream into reality, he began to travel the country in order to raise the necessary money.
However, just as he had managed to get together enough money to begin work on the project, the river Uji flooded, provoking a catastrophe of gigantic proportions.
When he saw the victims of the flood, Tetsugen resolved to spend all the money he had collected on relieving the sufferings of the people.
Afterwards, he resumed his struggle to make his dream come true: he went from door to door, he visited the various islands of Japan, and once more he managed to raise the money he needed.
When he returned, exultant, to Edo, a cholera epidemic was sweeping the country. Again, the monk used the money to treat the sick and to help the families of the dead.
Undeterred, he returned to his original project. He set off again and, nearly twenty years later, he published seven thousand copies of the sacred verses.
They say that Tetsugen actually published three separate editions of the sacred texts.
But the first two are invisible.
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Beautiful story.
I’m ashamed of myself…because I don’t think I’m capable of reacting when I’m in Tetsugen’s situation. However, I hope I can be someday.
The story speaks of our transformation experience and engagement in life’s journey to find our dreams and make them real. As the invisible editions were pupal shadows of the final version, it is difficult while pursuing the dream to make the choices in service of more immediate and important need, because if he had succeeded to creating those early editions, it’s likely they were not like the final that was eventually produced. When we think we’re blocked from the path by duty/tasks/hardships of pressing matters, these challenges experienced early only serve to create a dream that will be your legacy, fashioned from both your soul and your reality that you eventually succeed to create.
Thanks for the great story!
Charles,
I want to thank you for what you wrote. I am going through some things in my life right now and what you wrote here helped me understand in a really profound way. Paulo, thank you so much for your far-reaching and deep-rooted impact in my life. I am very grateful.
I am reading this at the right moment Charles :)!!! Paulo, thank you so much for sharing this beautiful story..:D!!
Hi Charles,
Thanks for elucidating the great story that Paulo has shared. I really liked the part where you have written about the path to our desired goal being blocked by some unavoidable circumstances. Currently, I’m facing a similar situation wherein my journey towards achieving my dreams have been stalled by unprecedented circumstances. All my efforts have come to a nought & I’m thoroghly puzzled…and can’t determine how to go forward…Perhaps I’m dwelling too much on the failure. My tears have fogged my vision and I can’t find a way. A question mark has been cast on my aspirations.
I just pray to God to give me the courage…to stand up one more time…to give it one more try…so that I’m able to create my legacy…just like the monk Tetsugen….
Invisible because hè understood: he twice helped other people in silence, and this was nescesary for the creation of the third book.
Todos los hombres sueñan, los demàs sueñan que quieren de ti y Dios tiene un sueño para tì.
El sueño del Padre de los cielos se deposita en el corazon de los padres terrenales.
Dios pone a las personas como el monje en el tiempo y lugar correcto para ser lideres.
Si todas las personas pudieran tener la actitud del monje, todos los sueños se cumplirian en menor tiempo
…el sueño del Padre se deposita en los que mas aman al soñador,,,
mere knowledge is useless, true value lies in execution of that knowledge.
I understood one of his editions was concreted in the lines of a book of verses, this was his dream, and the others, the ones that were invisible referred to those 2 events that formed part of his obstacles, because just when he was ready to edit his book he had a new event and he had to spend his money twice because of that. Those 2 moments for him were marked in memorial lines as part of the three editions of his dream.!!
There are moments in oue lives when especial events turn invisible but not forggetable…
Questions all around.
A restless soul. I demanded the answer
Time answered some. Life answered some.
Some remained unanswered.
I let go some.
Some I forgot.
Questions answered raised questions.
Accepting is wise or wiser is to judge and analyze.
Fight for right or else everything is justified.
If failure leads to success. Why failure scares.
If things are predestined than why question actions.
And in this un-breakable cycle of questions-answers-questions
At times I am lost.
Then I discover me.
Sometimes I re-invent me. Sometimes I explore me.
However
I could never find me….
P SIngh
Wonderful…….
Paulo THANK U
I fell like i am publishing my invisible verse last few years….
i mean …. it is good reminder that what i am doing right now and sacrifice is OK.. i mean good
i wish I could do what i want and more of it… but right now i am needed someplace else… and i have to be there doing it
but yes life is long:-)
thank u
As Buddha taught .. it is the action not the talking that is the practice. Twice the monk wrote the verses in life .. and then wrote the verses on paper .. which is more important?
I live in a area of the country where they do not believe in religious action .. only words .. where I have been told that “we do not have to behave in a “christian manner” because Jesus of Nazareth did so … we just have to believe he did so so we wouldn’t have to.”
Paulo, this is yet another example why I aspire to tell stories, to live life to fullest. I want to fervently seek out my dreams but above all to serve others in need! Thank you for continuing your great work and for inspiring me to believe in the Impossible. I am sure this is not the first time or the last time you hear this:
The Alchemist changed my life! I’ll stay tuned for more.
Su verdad es la expresion de muchos corazones en el mundo del dolor y su satisfacción es la satisfacción de muchos en esté mundo. querido amigo honro tu palabra por qué tiene poder para que muchos abran las alas y vuelen mas alla del cielo conocido y por conocer por eso vibra mi alma y mi mente por el que se acerca atí en gloria y esplendor
ДАНО:рождение и смерть.НАЙТИ:как путь пройти.РЕШЕНЬЕ:есть,да,вот ведь незадача:оно,в невидимых томах заключено..(О Книге Бытия)
Hace poco leí el libro de OG MANDINO “el milagro mas grande del mundo”….
Una de las leyes del éxito que el nos enseña es….” SI ALGUIEN TE PIDE QUE LO ACOMPAÑES A CAMINAR UN KILÓMETRO CAMINA DOS…
TODO ESFUERZO SERA RECOMPENSADO TRABAJA MAS Y MEJOR SIN PENSAR SIN ESPERAR NADA A CAMBIO
PAULA
Love that one :)it’s full of hope and humanity :)
If you really want something nothing will stand on your way. Some might take the doors closing as an omen to stop following their dreams and delivering their message. As for some they will believe in themselves, work hard for what they want , and no matter how many doors shut in their way , they will find their keys , open them and SUCCEED !
Thankyou Mr.Paulo- very inspirational
Invisibles y suficientes
The only way to “imprint” love is to give it…
Need deep thinking to understand. Construction of WONDERS take more time than ORDINARY structure.
El ejemplo es la mejor forma de enseñar.
tu lo has escrito!!
“lo esencial es invisible a los ojos”
your books inspired me to be me. i follow you maybe you want to be also a part of my reality. Love Robin
Na vida temos muitos sonhos e para realiza-los é preciso de tempo e obstáculos para tornar mais real.
Tudo tem o seu tempo…e com certeza ele precisou deste obstáculo para tornar real uma historia .
Did he write under a pseudonym?
It is like an enigma, even it is invisable it is visable
Even if its obvious it is closed
Maybe it is an open secret?
Reading the lines of this beautiful and compelling story my heart beams up since i am one of those people that every time that i had started the way to get together the funds to build a dream a family issue would come up and i would put down my dream to rest another while so that i could help that family deed, doing so would give me a sigh of releave, then once more i would pick up the dream once more and it had gone 17 years since a dream that i have been pursuing still has not come to completion, but i still feel greatfull for all that i have done without ask anything in return, because those are the true gifts the ones given without asking back the deeds, for there is more to live than to take away what was given freely from the heart. The heart is a cup that we empty with our deeds if the cup empties with love and true meaning of charity it will fill up again with the fruits from our crops; that are the deeds we once did with love.But if we gave with bad intention thinking that we are fooling someone we are the fools and our cup will be filled back with that same intention and deed. Thank you Paulo i love your stories they give me courage and revive my faith MAY GOD BLESSES YOU ALWAYS.
Dear Paulho – I guess from the book I would like to be written there would be only one edition and possibly a bestseller.
But the theme is delicate and not easy.
So far- congratulations for the brave japanese author…
Peggi
THE FIRST 2 ARE AROUND UJI RIVER AND IN EDO. THE THIRD ONE IS JUST A TRANSFORMATION TO WORDS OF THE SACRED VERSES… THE 2 FIRST WERE AN ACTION OF THEM.
Paulo Coelho! que gran inspiración has sido en mi vida. Tus libros me han llevado a soñar tantas cosas y a sacarme muchas sonrisas. :) Hoy te vengo con una pregunta. ¿Que sucede cuando sentimos, y no solo sentimos ya que tambien es una realidad, que estamos perdiendo muchas cosas muy rapido. Amistades, amores, seres queridos, objetos, etc.? ¿Tu que opinas al respecto? Las personas dicen que es porque algo mejor vendra, pero no me creo eso. Espero me respondas :)
goosebumps. nice metaphor.
I haven’t understand! Can you explane this story to me paulo?please
esto quiere decir que cuando luchas por un sueno tienes que perseguirlo las veces que sea. si te caes mil veces levantate 2mil.
sino comprendí mal las dos ediciones invisibles a las que hace referencia, puede ser la ayuda que dió en las dos oportunidades que teniendo el dinero decidió por lo más necesario que le dictaba su alma, el aydudar a los necesitados? me pudes responder si estoy o no en el camino correcto. gracias
ofcourse he published 3 editions!
this is how you transform money into some other form, that they actually get value ,and here they got the value of Love .. his dream was worth as much as the relief of the suffering from the flood of gigantic proportions and again as much as the cure of the sick people from holera…and isnt it ironic? His dream actually WAS the relief and the cure of the heart of the people with his sacred texts
Here Tetsugen did something great for his fellow men, putting his dream aside NOT as a sacrifice but because of Love …
Love and Gratitude
Annie
ANNIE THAT IS A VERY NICE WAY AND A TRUE WAY TO SEE THIS READINGS, DO BELIEVE THAT THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON AND I DO BELIEVE THIS BECAUSE OF THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT WE DO SO MANY WORKS ON SPIRIT THAT WE DO NOT REALIZE THEM BUT THEY DO WORK AND ALL OF THE WORK DONE TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT WERE CAPTIVES THROUGH TRIBULATIONS HE GOT THE WINFULL THAT IS CALLED THE PROMISED LAND.
Annie sabia interpretación coincido plenamente con tus palabras, solo el corazón limpio y el amor a sus semejantes hacen cambiar nuestros sueños no importa nuestros sacrificios si te sientes feliz cuando ves que los demás ya lo son, pero de verdad no aparentando al mundo para ganar gloria y renombre como hay muchos casos que yo conozco.
Hi Annie, actually he didn`t had to write a book at all. Just by telling these stories, he would have told the secret of life.
You explained it perfect Annie! :-)
what a beatifully put explanation Annie.
Men made plans but implementation is in the hands of God.
- read somewhere.
well said….
The next poem that is a part from the poetry book that needs your help…
You have no right to chose.
Taste imposes it:
to everyone some gruel –
and then the spoons turn out to be sincere,
and money’s glitter turns out to be secure,
and enemies and friends become twins,
unhappy merry days run out amiss.
And everyone is right, and everyone is wrong,
our hearts burn out of nothingness,
and only dead souls forget nothing…
You have no right to choose:
before your eyes the world
is sanely crazy, walking on a rope,
an audience with no past or future
applauds…
And will the touched clown resign
his mask?
Questions all around.
A restless soul. I demanded the answer
Time answered some. Life answered some.
Some remained unanswered.
I let go some.
Some I forgot.
Questions answered raised questions.
Accepting is wise or wiser is to judge and analyze.
Fight for right or else everything is justified.
If failure leads to success. Why failure scares.
If things are predestined than why question actions.
And in this un-breakable cycle of questions-answers-questions
At times I am lost.
Then I discover me.
Sometimes I re-invent me. Sometimes I explore me.
However
I could never find me….
P Singh
I like his convictions.
“Do not be frighten of doubting.
Every man that thinks doubts
It is the key of judgment.
It is the main driving force for change and growth.”
yes….can not but admire….but it is still a suffering to judge….who is to judge????by whom….growth is painful in it own right…let`s judge(if at all)ourselves for the starters….thx
Hi Marie-Christine, Can you tell me whom inspiration this quote is?
Invisible books can be stronger than visible ones!
You needn’t write a story with pen and paper alone… You can write one with your actions!!! Each day we write our life stories with whatever we do!!!
so tru =0
That is so true and how sad it is for so many people not realize it. Every single story is worth reading at least by someone. Written to paper or not.
‘They say that Tetsugen actually published three separate editions of the sacred texts, but the first two are invisible’.
Whatever is created in the physical, material world, firstly it is created in the higher, noetic spheres! Tetsungen intention was very strong but his WILL for compassion and helping others were even stronger. He had his priorities that were far from the needs of his EGO!
His deeds were written in the BOOK OF LIFE and his sacred verses were published in.. seven thousand copies.
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
NICE VERY NICE I LIKE THAT TOO.
I love that story. A wise man, with a good heart. Sould be like that, mercy and compassion before preaching and theory.
I see in mycountry, where we live a deep financial crises, the first church gathers a lot of money from citizens to raise a huge church…I do not think it is the right time now. And besides everybody see church do not help poor in our country, no approach to public, if a parent got no money they do not baptize the child…so on.
So you understand why I love the story. Good example.
Everything has its own time, and if God wants we will achieve our goal.
Hi Paulo,
This is a lovely post! I liked also the one with the little chicken! So cute! A very good example of what means to be gentle with the one you love and you call them friends or even more than that!
WE NEED TO THINK OF OTHERS TOO… ‘CAUSE WHAT WE WILL RECEIVED BACK FROM THAT WILL BE FAR MORE GREAT THAN ANY OTHER THING!
Have a blessed week!
With love to you, Gabriela Romaria
paulo, sometimes your stories make me laugh out loud. this is one.
yes, of course, he wrote 3 books! it is a good example that often things happen that fit to our path but may look different than we might expect. and still they belong to our special life.
each day it is our life that we live & need to appreciate. not just the moment when a dream realizes….
this story looks like an omen to me. I “wrote 2 books” like him. my third book is a dream that was a kind of hidden for such a long time because it needed to “get ripe”. this weekend, I am at this point that I start to write about it. the finish is urgent … to sustain myself. I hope no earthquake comes :o); there were already 2.
first it was a dream. now it is part of me. what ever happens it will go with me & grow further.
thank you paulo, for this little omen <3
Once upon a time there was a boy who lived in a very big city. He often said to his father and mother, he want to go out in the big world and get famous like so many other. One day he left his home, lucky as he was his father was a rich man and gived him a lot of money to his travel. His father who was getting old, told him to use the money helping poor people, then a great reward was waiting him when he come home.
After this the boy went all around the world helping people in need. He went to places and builded schools, water cleaning systems and all kind of other things. Then when the money was almost done, he start thinking about what he has done. He felt very happy. He has been following his heart, his father’s advice, and at the same time helping a lot of people.
On the way home he took boat, there it was a lot of celebrities. They was leading the show on the boat. The boy got a no attention at all, he was starting to get a sad feeling. Here he was sitting all alone. After years of living on love and air he got that little attention. The boat was coming to his hometown. There it was a lot of people on the dock, waiting for the celebrities he went with. The boy went home and cried to his father and mother. He went to his childhood room and prayed to God, asking what the reward my father was talking about was?
God said to him: Don’t cry my son, you are not home yet.
Beautiful story :)
Very inspiring!
The reward is waiting for him in the second life. But I think, he may have realized that he was rewarded by all love and prays from poor and need people and he should feel happy and useful.
This story reminds me MOTHER TERESA of Calcutta.
Helping the poor only by hearing the voice of Jesus…. helping others by AND with love… The power of INtention….
But us we can do the same as this japanese monk in every day, in very moment, in every action…. by the power of intention.
Thanks to all
Love to all..
SWEET BUTTER
I agree, the road Mother Teresa followed was a road all of us must go but refuse to.. i desire to trudge the same road but first i must have a desire to have the same heart the wise monk and mother teresa has. In this world of make believe where shown compassion becomes hypocracy i always prayed to God to have a heart to succumb the evil around me with his kind of love and not to repel from it.
Oh and i agree with esteban, the monk never saw his dream as over, just merely as a challenge to start it again. No matter what life brings to you, you can remind positive, and face it, even challenging it, thinking no matter what happens, i’m getting there. I will get my dream.. Life, bring it on!
*grin*
Dearest Paulo,
I loved this story. Yes, it is true that we have many obstacles before we reach our dreams, but its the choices we make, either choosing the short or long paths, that make us who we are. As much as this monk loved his dream, he loved people as well, and his sense of selflessness, is what made him a great man. For he not only read his scared texts, but he practiced them, which is my eyes is whats most important. There are many people in this world that will, preach about religion and so forth, but they themselves are not willing to put anyone before themselves, for helping people in such a way is an act of love, unconditional love. And in truth, love is what really matters. Whether it is Love for a dream, or for people, or anything. Love is everything. Simply said.
Thank you for being.
Yajna
HOLA PAULO COMO ESTAS ESPERO DE LO MEJOR AHORITA ESTOY LEYENDO SE COMO EL RIO QUE FLUYE Y VAMOS ES MUY BUENO ME GUSTA COMO TE EXPRESAS DE TU CASA DEL MOLINO PLATICAME COMO ES SABES YA HE PENSADO EN COMPRARME UNA ASI JEJEJ AHORA QUE ME VAYA DE MEXICO A VIVIR EN NUEVA ZELANDA UN ABRAZO AMIGO
I think one thing that is different about the Monk and about our situations is that the Monk never stopped working towards his dream. We have to put it off, but we could be working toward it while putting it off to take care of other responsibilities. Once we have the time/funds available we need to make it happen instead of just then starting to get things ready.
This is what happened with my Studio, where I vowed to make my dreams come true…it kind of got put on hold when another artist arrived, and it’s taken the best part of ten years, studio on hold, to teach it to behave reasonably and how to use a pen or pencil….and I, still learning, am juggling priorities every moment and loving the Spirit of Life.
Love to all
Work originating from such generosity will become immortal.Even if it took time to crystallise , it will live on for ever.
No será triste, será HORRIBLE. Una pesadilla.
Hilal, esa pregunta es muy natural, pero también es muy triste. Hazla a quien tú quieras, pero no a Paulo. No quiero pensar eso. Paulo, cuidate mucho para que vivas el máximo tiempo posible.
Te quiero mucho, y ese día será el segundo día más triste de toda mi vida.
What a nice story about a generous soul. It takes a lot to give up your dreams in order to love other people and give them what they need. Anyway, that’s not an easy task. For example, I feel frustrated when I can’t work in what I like because I have to support a family. I mean I love my family but it’s hard for me to work in something that I don’t like in order to get the money necessary to pay my bills. However I haven’t given up, I believe that sooner or later I will be able to do what I like and at the same time support my family and have enough time to look after my daughter.
I hope my story develops as nicely as yours, I guess I should also be more generous and stop complainig so much, and maybe I will get what I want.
Invisible because he twice helped other people in silence and this was nescesary for the creation of the third book?
You said u could never find yourself…….. I belive you have find yourself…you keep finding new level or new height , I belive its part of evlution …. I like your way of finding ur innerself
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