Wisdom
How does one dare to define wisdom without claiming to be wise? How does one hope to find wisdom unless they know what to look for? Wisdom is perhaps the hardest thing in the world to attain, and is the easiest thing to lose.
A student brought his stool and sat down at the Master’s feet.
“How may I help you, youngling?”
“Revered one, if I follow all of your teachings, and read all the proper scrolls, how many years will pass before I am enlightened?”
The Master thought for a long moment then said “Ten years.”
The boy thought a moment then asked “Revered one, if I study very, very, very hard, and read all of the scrolls and talked to all of the masters to learn from them, then how many years would pass before I am enlightened?”
Again the Master thought for a moment and then replied “Twenty Years.”
“Master, if I studied harder than anyone, and memorized all the sacred texts, and find the perfect Zen within my self, then how many years would pass before I am enlightened?”
“Thirty years.”
“But Master, why would my working harder and harder cause the learning to take longer and longer”
“Because Enlightenment never ends, child, things just get brighter.”
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