Yesterday morning, Sensei led the monks to a pond that was an hour’s walk away from the Monastery, located in the middle of a forest.
By the time the monks reached the pond, they were cold and shivering. The past few days had been chilly.
Sensei told the monks, “Observe the pond. Tell me what is in the pond.”
One by one, the monks took their turn and walked around the pond.
Honest Monk made his observation, walked up to Sensei and said, “I saw stillness. The pond was still. It was at peace with itself. Even though I violated the pond’s privacy, it kept still.”
Sensei smiled and acknowledged his view.
Truthful Monk inspected the pond and said to Sensei, “There are weeds, water, stones, leaves and fish. The pond is like my mind. It has lots of things that are not meant to be together; still co-existing.”
Sensei nodded.
Laughing Monk stood at the corner of the pond and laughed very loudly. Then he laughed and came to Sensei and said, “(laugh)…I laughed and (laugh) saw that the pond did not laugh with me. (laugh)…I saw my reflection in the water (laugh) and it was not laughing. I learn that (laugh) happiness is not infectious, even for people near to you…”
Sensei thought about what Laughing Monk had said and then laughed with him.
Angry Monk took his turn and said, “I threw bread at the fish and they came. Then they went away. They did not look at me. The pond is the world and the fish are people. All selfish and self absorbed.”
Sense smiled and patted Angry Monk.
After the rest of the monks had done their round, it was Head Monk’s turn.
Head Monk walked towards the pond and to the utter shock of everyone, Head Monk walked into the pond. He kept walking and wading in the icy cold pond and after a long while he walked out and came towards Sensei.
Head Monk was shivering as he bowed to Sensei and said, “Sensei, the water in the pond was cold. The rocks in the pond were jagged. The weeds were many and the fish were fleshy. The pond was what I thought it would be … but still I had to make sure.”
Sensei clapped when he heard Head Monk and said, “Most of us observe things from the outside and pass comments that make us happy. We do not fully participate, yet completely judge.”
Sensei clapped once more and then said, “To observe, we must become the observation.”
*****
