This morning, the town Postman visited the Monastery along with his pet goldfish.
After morning meditation, the Postman went to Sensei, bowed to him and he placed his goldfish that was swimming in a bowl, in front of The Master.
The Postman said, “Sensei, my goldfish has not been looking well for the past few days. Can you tell me what is wrong with it?”
Sensei asked the monks for their opinion.
Simple Monk said, “Maybe, the goldfish needs a new bowl. It’s bored with its current one?”
Business Monk said, “The Goldfish needs attention. Let children feed it for a few pennies every day. Both, the goldfish and the children will be happy.”
Funny Monk said, “It wants to learn a new swimming technique. Find it a swimming teacher.”
Sensei gestured to Head Monk to answer.
Head Monk looked at the Postman (and not at the goldfish) and asked the man, “Are you thirsty?”
The Postman was surprised and replied to Head Monk, “Thirsty? Me? I don’t think you understood. My goldfish has a problem, not me!”
Head Monk said, “Your goldfish is thirsty. It’s very thirsty. And I think that’s because you are thirsty. Your thirst to trap a beautiful fish in a small glass bowl has made your goldfish thirsty, despite it being surrounded by water.”
Head Monk bowed to Sensei and said no more. The Postman was shocked and a bit crestfallen. The monks were puzzled and intrigued.
Sensei clapped thrice and said, “As grownups, we trap our dependents in beautiful cages, to fulfill our own selfish desires. By doing so, we curse the people we love with the same longings that we suffer ourselves. Do not trap anyone for yourself…”
*****