Once, Sensei sealed an envelope addressed to the Priest of a nearby temple and asked one of the monks of the Monastery to hand deliver the envelope to the Priest.
The monk set out very early in the morning and reached the temple gate by early dawn. He noticed that the large temple door was shut and an elegant bell hung over the door. There was a beautiful red coloured silk rope attached to the bell. Just as the monk reached out to pull at the rope, he noticed a green-winged black-spotted butterfly sitting on the rope. The monk looked at the butterfly and thought, “I cannot disturb the butterfly since it was here before me; so let me wait.”
For a few minutes the monk stood near the rope but the butterfly did not fly away. The monk sat down near a ledge facing the rope and began to meditate since he had nothing else to do, but to wait. A few hours went by, and the butterfly still remained there. The local villagers did not really know why the monk was sitting outside the temple, instead of ringing its bell. However, out of respect, they brought food and water for the monk.
The evening turned to night. The monk could not see the rope in the darkness and so he slept on the ledge near the rope. The next morning when the monk awoke, he saw that the butterfly was still there; although it had shifted its place a bit. The monk refreshed himself in the stream nearby and was grateful to the villagers who brought him some more food and water. Then, all day long the monk waited for the butterfly to fly away. But the butterfly just remained there, sitting on the rope.
This wait continued for six more nights.
On the seventh day, at dawn, when the monk opened his eyes, the butterfly had flown away. The monk got up, refreshed himself, and walked towards the temple door. Just as his hand moved towards the silk rope to pull at the bell, the temple door opened and the Priest strode out. He greeted the monk and the monk bowed. The Priest invited the monk to enter.
Inside the temple, the Priest asked the monk, “When did you arrive?”
The monk said, “Just some time ago.”
The Priest saw the monk’s 7day-old stubble and knew that he had waited long.
The monk handed Sensei’s envelope over to the Priest who opened it right there. Inside was another envelope. The Priest handed that envelope back to the monk who was surprised to see his name on it. The Priest suggested that the monk open his envelope and read the letter inside.
The letter was from Sensei, addressed to the monk!
It said, “To await your turn, without hurry, without noise and without complaint is the biggest meditation of them all. Such waiting brings forth the most precious of gifts. From this day onwards, you will be known as Patience Monk.”
The monk started to cry. The Priest hugged him gently.
Before leaving, Patience Monk told the Priest, “Sir, I have never seen a butterfly sit at one place for seven long days. It must be very special butterfly.”
The Priest laughed loudly and exclaimed, “That was not a butterfly, my dear monk! That was your Sensei all along, only testing you.”
*****
