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The Pond
Topic Started: Jan 4 2018, 10:40 AM (87 Views)
Sacred Fire
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A master led his student a small pond. The pond was artificial, made of stone and set in the ground.

"Read the words written on the bottom of this pond," said the teacher.
Just when the student bent to look in the pond, the teacher took a sack full of dust and emptied it into the pond, and then stirred it up with his staff, until the pond was muddy. The student was taken aback.
"How am I supposed to see to the bottom of this if it's muddy?" asked the student.
"Simple," replied the teacher, "You have to make it clear."
"How?" asked the student.
"How indeed?" asked the teacher.

The student knelt and reached into the water, trying to scoop the dust out with his hands. It was no use; he just scooped out little handfuls of muddy water that quickly ran back into the pond. Then he thrust his hands in the water and began trying to push the dust to the bottom. It was no use; the muddy water just flowed around his hands. Then stirred the water as quickly as he could to try and suck the dust to the edges, but that didn't work either.

"Come and speak with me when you've cleared it," said the teacher.
The student tried everything he knew of, but nothing worked. Eventually, he gave up and just looked listlessly at the pond, leaning against a tree that grew by its side. Eventually, he tired, and fell asleep.

An hour later, the teacher returned and woke the student. The student stood up and apologized.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I was unable to clear the pond."
"Is that so?" asked the teacher.
"Yes," said the student, "I tried everything I knew. Please, just tell me: how do I clear it?"
"Go look," said the teacher, "The answer is in the pond."

The student looked in the pond, and the dust had settled to the bottom. The water was crystal clear. There were no words on the bottom of the pond!
“There’s nothing written here!” said the student, “You said the answer was —”
The student stopped, mid-sentence, and smiled. He hadn’t breathed that easy in ages.
Edited by Sacred Fire, Jan 4 2018, 10:55 AM.
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crow
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Where did that come from? Without, or within?
"Squawk!" said the crow, and then made space.
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Sacred Fire
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The metaphor for the mind as a cup of muddy water that settles is an old one. It is a Buddhist metaphor. This parable is mine, however. :-)
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crow
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I'd wondered how deep the pond went. And how many readers could hold their breath for that long.

"Squawk!" said the crow, and then made space.
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Simpleton
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I wouldn't have tried to clear the dust, I would have taken stones from the bottom of the pond looking for a message, but nonetheless arrive at the same end.
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