After sunrise meditation, Sensei led everyone to the Monastery terrace and asked the monks to sit on the matted floor. Sensei gave each monk a small bowl that had one black grape and one green grape.
Sensei then told the monks, “I will whisper a secret in each of your ears. Listen to the secret carefully and remember it. After ten years I will ask you to repeat this secret back to me. When you accept the secret, eat the green grape and when you accept to tell it back to me, eat the black grape.”
Sensei knelt next to each monk and whispered something in each of their ears. Then Sensei stood up and observed the monks.
Truthful Monk was the first to eat both his grapes.
Arrogant Monk ate his green grape quickly, but took a longer time to eat his black grape.
Angry Monk tossed both the grapes in his mouth and just swallowed them.
Humble Monk pondered a bit before he ate his green grape and then quickly ate his black grape.
Head Monk did not eat his grapes.
After noticing that all the monks except Head Monk had eaten their grapes, Sensei gestured towards Head Monk and requested him to explain his action.
Head Monk stood up, bowed to Sensei and said, “Sensei, how can you tell me a secret? If anything is a secret then it cannot be told.”
Sensei smiled and clapped three times and said, “There are no secrets. Everything is meant to be known. Do not live with secrets, because they have no meaning. Instead, reveal the truth, because only the truth will set you free.”
*****
