EN ESPANOL CLICAR AQUI >> La partida de ajedrez
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Illustration by Ken Crane
A young man said to the abbot of a monastery:
‘I would really like to become a monk, but I have learned nothing of importance in my life. My father only taught me how to play chess, and I was told that all games are sinful.’
The abbot called for a chessboard and summoned a monk to play with the young man. However, before the game began, he added:
‘We also need diversion, but we will have only the best players here. If our monk loses, he will leave the monastery, thus creating an opening for you.’
The abbot was deadly serious.
The young man played an aggressive game, but then he noticed the saintly look in the monk’s eyes, and from then on, he began to play deliberately badly.
He decided that he would rather lose because he felt that the monk could prove far more useful to the world than him.
Suddenly, the abbot overturned the chessboard onto the floor.
‘You learned far more than you were taught,’ he said. ‘You have the powers of concentration necessary to win and you are capable of fighting for what you want, but you also have compassion and the ability to sacrifice yourself for a noble cause.
‘ You have shown yourself capable of balancing discipline and mercy; welcome to our monastery!’
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Hats off……sir………..
U tell the things that r really present onside everyone but…..they are unable to unfold them………
I unfolded one of those things today……Thank You
Love this.. Regards
The monastery got not just a monk but a potential leader. Mr. Coelho’s stories have a moral lesson
Translation in Japanese:
チェスゲーム
若者は修道院の大修道院長に言った：
「私は本当に僧侶になりたいのですが、でも私は人生における重要な事を何も学んでいません。
私の父は私にチェスのやり方しか教えてくれなかったのです。
しかし今、私はすべてのゲームが罪深いものと言われた」
修道院長は一人の修道士を呼び、若者とチェスの試合をするように命じた。
しかし、試合が始まる前に、大修道院長は付け加えた。
「我々もまた、転換を必要とする。ここには最高のプレーヤーしか必要としない。
私たちの修道士が試合に負ければ、彼はここを去り、そして君を修道院に残そう」
大修道院長は真剣だった。
若者は攻撃的なゲームを続けたが、しかしその後、彼は対戦相手である僧侶の目の中に聖人のような輝きがある事に気が付いた。
若者は意図的にひどい一手を打った。
若者は修道士の方ががはるかに世界に有用だと感じたので、彼はゲームに負ける事にしたのだった。
突然、大修道院長は、床の上にチェス盤を覆した。
「君は教えられたよりも、はるかに多くを学んだ」と彼は言った。
「君は勝つために必要な濃度のパワーを使い戦うことが出来るし、思いやりと高貴な大義のために自分を犠牲にする能力を持っている」
「君は規律と慈悲を実践で示している。私たちの修道院へようこそ！」
Красивый урок жизни.
I really love reading your books because they are educational and full of wisdom. Yes, we should keep balancing our knowledge with the general interest and make choices that would make us win our self-esteem even if we should loose a game. This story reminds me of a short story by Graham Green “Looser takes all”. Thank you Paolo for your inspiring thoughts.
“The purpose” every being in the universe has a purpose.The one who controls the course to attain the purpose is the winner.As it is rightly said every game is sinful as nobody plays the game to loose.The win is always makes someone loose and and establish the dominance of the winner over the looser.
But to acomplish the purpose of anyone they need to control the course of their journey to achieve the purpose.To achieve The Purpose you not necessarily win the game.But definitely to achieve your purpose you need to control the course to your Purpose.
It is that purpose which makes all of us to read,write,play,work, sing ,fight, laugh,cry…..guys…keep appending my comment…and laugh….
Love this.. Regards
we all know more than we’re taught. Not all of us has someone to show it to us that clearly. If I was a monk, you would be the teacher showing me. I’m not a monk, you’re not my teacher. i read your books and I learn again, the refresher of the brain. But I need the push, I need the push I get from the book but in real feeling life. I’m almost there, so close but yet so far away. Thank u for everything this far!
Speaking with good souls is agood experience and life time learning. Sometimes all of us get opportunity to know and understand what they have meant to speak in their plain simple words.We all have purpose to live and to walk tiredlessly on the destined path. Without understanding the truthness about the phases we will not able to make any difference in our own life. We all learn from different experience and styles of walking.. Everything learn in this life as important as oxygen to our body. The actual game which we learn is the simplicity of life lies in today. But we always scare to share with other as they may mock us over the issue. playing a game is like experiening the inner side of oneself. The person comes out in open w/o realising that he is exposed to every one that is why a child can play better than an adult. Life gives and goes to best player or a player who has played with true spirit. The game may go to winner but essence goes to only those who play w/o fear of losing or winning. Only ‘karma’ helps us to understand the meaning of true warrior.A true warrior never plays any game in bad light or half hearted. Whatever he plays , it has his heart and dedication in it. The taste of sweat is good when taste after the serious unending fight. The happiness can be understood after the deep pain in soul. When we play and we feel that the win is being gifted to us in a tray, we don’t enjoy it. The taste of win is good when the pain of wounds are high. I am good and I am the best but I know that soon I am going to meet a better person in my life then we should get up and celebrate this meeting and feel lucky for choosen one. The true warrior can only be tested in the time when things are against him. he may pick to remain in action with anger or can iniciate the fight calmly with focus and visionary attitude. the fight brings best in true warrior and he know it that is why when he is called for this fight he will obey the inner voice given as the gift from god. he knows that the decision of this war is destiny point of his life and will decide his onwards journey….
A good lesson
Amazing! well mow i think i know more then i think i do! Thank you Mr.paulo. Love you.
Wow, Love it!! After reading this , it seems me too I learned far more than I was taught!! thank you Mr. Paulo..God bless you!! :)
We are all players. The wisest is the one who knows when to lose. But this is not the point. The point is how did you manage, dear Paulo to be so wise, to know the world so well, one life is not enough for that. When I read your Alchemist, I understood that it was just what I needed. We should never betray our dream. It is so difficult to live a harmonious life with your own heart.It is said that your mind and your heart should be on the same line. If one of them changes the path, you’re on the wrong way. The worst thing is when your enthusiasm is gone, you know the reason but you dare not change anything because it can make your close people suffer. A better path should be found with minor sufferings. Can an ordinary human being do that?
Persons with profound wisdom understand the rhythm of game of life very early but for most of us the understanding comes at a stage when forming a team becomes very difficult and loneliness haunts us.But that is the way it is.
Awesome remarks!
That’s what some authors might forget and then they lose their magic.
i felt today that i cant live without your books ,Paulo.i finished reading one and now i feel free space in my mind.dont want easy reading to devertisment.i want to feel ,to join my soul to this reading.thank you
for my dear marie-christine :o) if she hasn’t posted that yet :o) – who plays another kind of game of chess ;o) :
mon – aster (-y) = my(in italian) – star
love and gratitude
annie
So many questions with the story but I’ll let them pass.
There was a time I wanted so much to be part of an ashram and that became some kind of an obsession with me.Now I see things differently regarding that ‘place’we call a monastery,an ashram,a retreat…
Love the artwork,dear Ken!I want to keep company with Blue Skies and Rainbows and Rain-bearing Clouds in the Game of Life-yay!
Love
sheela
A good lesson :)
inspiring..
That has an unexpected twist – very good – I was sure he’d get the push because of his sensitivity.
Your stories are always inspiring,but in todays world its hard to find love , leave alone compassion n kindnes. But I loved ur book ” BRIDA”.
Your stories are always with a message so very usefull.have read a lot of your books but loVed “BRIDA”.
I like 20 sec reading… this is an awesome thing from Paulo…
Great! we need much more than just look the world how a private thing, we need share our abilities with the people.
THANK YOU..
Twenty seconds and a lesson for a life time.
totally agree :)))
it would be cool if mr. coelho bring out a book with short stories…
going through a rough patch…need to take a step back to reflect…it’s not about winning or losing –it’s about how you play the game that counts !!! efxaristo paulo, kind regards…x
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