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Magic Monastery
taiyaki
Veteran
"A Visit from the Buddha"
Why did I visit the Magic Monastery? Well, I'm a monk myself, and the strangest thing happened in my monastery. We had a visit from the Buddha. We prepared for it, and gave him a very warm, though solemn, welcome. He stayed overnight, but he slipped away very early in the morning. When the monks woke up, they found graffiti all over the cloister walls. Imagine! And do you know what he wrote? One word-TRIVIA-TRIVIA-TRIVIA-all over the place.
We, we were in rage. But then when I quieted down I looked about and realized, "Yes, it is true." So much of what I saw was trivia, and most of what I heard. But what is worse, when I close my eyes, all inside was trivia. For several weeks this was my experience, and my very efforts to rectify it just made it worse. I left my monastery and headed for the Magic Monastery.
The Brother showed me around. First, the Hall of Laughter. Everything fed the flame of laughter, big things and small, sacred, solemn, inconsequential. Only laughter there.
Next, the Room of Sorrow. The view essence of bitter tears-those of the bereaved mother, the lonely, depressed. Only sorrow here.
Now the Hall of Words. Words upon words, spoken and written. Alone they must have had some sense, but all together-total confusion. I cried out, "Stop! Stop!" but I was only adding words to words.
Next, the great Hall of Silence. Here there is no time.
He took me finally to the HAll of Treasures. "Take anything you want," he whispered.
I chose the heart of Jesus, and with it I am heading back to my monastery.
----from the book entitled, "Tales of a Magic Monastery" by Theophane the Monk
http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Magic-Monastery-Monastry-Ppr/dp/0824500857
an excellent and cute book!
Why did I visit the Magic Monastery? Well, I'm a monk myself, and the strangest thing happened in my monastery. We had a visit from the Buddha. We prepared for it, and gave him a very warm, though solemn, welcome. He stayed overnight, but he slipped away very early in the morning. When the monks woke up, they found graffiti all over the cloister walls. Imagine! And do you know what he wrote? One word-TRIVIA-TRIVIA-TRIVIA-all over the place.
We, we were in rage. But then when I quieted down I looked about and realized, "Yes, it is true." So much of what I saw was trivia, and most of what I heard. But what is worse, when I close my eyes, all inside was trivia. For several weeks this was my experience, and my very efforts to rectify it just made it worse. I left my monastery and headed for the Magic Monastery.
The Brother showed me around. First, the Hall of Laughter. Everything fed the flame of laughter, big things and small, sacred, solemn, inconsequential. Only laughter there.
Next, the Room of Sorrow. The view essence of bitter tears-those of the bereaved mother, the lonely, depressed. Only sorrow here.
Now the Hall of Words. Words upon words, spoken and written. Alone they must have had some sense, but all together-total confusion. I cried out, "Stop! Stop!" but I was only adding words to words.
Next, the great Hall of Silence. Here there is no time.
He took me finally to the HAll of Treasures. "Take anything you want," he whispered.
I chose the heart of Jesus, and with it I am heading back to my monastery.
----from the book entitled, "Tales of a Magic Monastery" by Theophane the Monk
http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Magic-Monastery-Monastry-Ppr/dp/0824500857
an excellent and cute book!
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