Buddha gathered his disciples and showed them a lotus flower.
“I want you to tell me something about what I hold in my hand.”
The first gave a whole treaty on the importance of flowers. The second composed a lovely poem about its petals. The third invented a parable using the flower as an example.
Now it was Mahakashyap’s turn. He came up to Buddha, smelt the flower, and caressed his face with one of the petals.
“This is a lotus flower,” said Mahakashyap. “Simple, like everything that comes from God. And beautiful, like everything that comes from God.”
“You were the only one who saw what I hold in my hand,” was Buddha’s comment.
Once a man was sitting by a river waiting for a boatman. The Enlightened One appeared, who crossed the river several times on the water and addressed the man:
-Well, can you do that?
To which the man asked:
-How much time have you spent to achieve this?
-Almost my whole life,’ replied the Enlightened One. - And I spent a lot of time in austerities.
Then a boatman came and a man asked him:
-How much does your crossing cost?
-Three pennies,’ replied the boatman.
The man turned to the Enlightened One and said:
-Have you heard? That's how much your whole life is worth.
A man wanted to become a disciple of a true Master and, deciding to check the correctness of his choice, asked the Master this question:
- Can you explain to me what the purpose of life is?
- I cannot,’ was the reply.
- Then at least tell me what is its meaning?
- I can't.
- And can you say anything about the nature of death and life on the Other Side?
- I can't.
The disappointed visitor left. The disciples were confused: how could their Master appear in such an unsavoury light?
The Master reassured them by saying:
- What good is it to know the purpose and meaning of life if you have never tasted it? It is better to eat cake than to talk about it.
