reflections on education, business and spirituality
The disciple asked the master, “Do you believe in God?”
The master replied, “Apples!”
Confused, the disciple tried again, “Are you an atheist?”
The master replied, “Probably blue.”
Exasperated, the disciple asked, “What are you saying?”
The master replied, “What are you asking?”
The master sits by the river, doing nothing.
And the wind blows.
And the grass grows.
A young woman in a small village was discovered to be pregnant. The family members demanded to know who the father was. The young girl confessed that it was the old master who lived alone in the woods a short distance from the village.
The angry mob of family and relatives went to the master’s house and they gave them a piece of their mind, how dare he pretend to be a holy man and do such a thing, and so on until they demanded that he take the child and care for it when it was born, that he shouldn’t saddle the poor innocent girl with such a responsibility.
All throughout the ranting and raving, the old master just listened with a calm expression on his face. After they had made their demands, he said, “Is that so? Very well, very well,” and accepted all their conditions.
When the baby came out, it was a young boy, and the villagers took him to the master and made an additional demand that he should go to the village square and acknowledge that this was his son and publicly apologize before everyone for taking advantage of the girl. The master said, “Is that so? Very well, very well,” and did as they demanded of him.
After around 5 years had passed, the girl broke down and confessed that it wasn’t the master who fathered her child but another boy from the village. She had been so guilt-ridden the past 5 years and could not live another day if she didn’t confess the truth and unburden the poor innocent master, she said.
The villagers then went to the master and profusely apologized, acknowledging his infinite compassion and patience, and offering to take back the child and remove from him the burden of raising him up.
The master said, “Is that so? Very well, very well.”