“Master,” asked the disciple, “what does one do once he has witnessed a miracle? ” The Master replied, “if you are a shoe cobbler, you go back to repairing shoes.”
“Master,” the disciple asked, “what is it like to be enlightened? ” The Master spoke, “the same as normal, just two feet off the ground.”
“Master,” the disciple requested, “what is the meaning of life? ” The Master did not speak, but instead pointed to a nearby lotus growing on the lily pond. The disciple, puzzled, again requested of the Master, “I do not understand, please teach me.” Instead, the Master stood and walked away leaving the disciple to study the lotus.
Days passed, and then weeks, until what seemed like months had passed. The disciple, still searching for the meaning of life within the lotus, only left his meditation to perform his daily necessities. Then the young disciple would diligently return to the pond to study the lotus. He slept by the lotus, he dreamed of the lotus, he made art and wrote poetry to the lotus. All in the effort to discover the meaning of life.
One early morning, a beautiful spring day, the Master returned to the lily pond. He gazed deeply at the disciple. The Master spoke, “have you discovered the meaning of life?” the Master asked. The young disciple, so happy to again see the Master, so happy to connect with another soul after these many months of meditation, quickly began to impart the lessons he had gained from the lotus.
The disciple spoke of the mystery of life to be found in the lotus. He spoke of the thousand petals of the lotus each unfolding in its own time to reveal a more complete flower. The disciple related the mystery within the lotus to the mystery contained in each man. He understood that the answer lies within. That within each man, each lotus, is the answer to the mystery of life.
The disciple, now becoming somewhat impressed by his own insight, went on to explain that the lotus received its energy from the sun, and drew its nourishment from the water, the mineral, and the air. The disciple explained that the lotus itself was a universe contained within a universe, yet containing universes. The disciple went on to explain in all possible manner the qualities, the quantities, the myriad perspectives of sight, taste, smell, touch, and sound that existed within the lotus. He presented the lotus to the Master with the best scientific and artistic imagination and wisdom he could bring to the subject.
After a lengthy, full, and expansive description of the lotus, the disciple suddenly fell silent. He observed that the Master had been seated this entire time in the meditative pose of the lotus. A very ancient meditation. The disciple also observed that the Master had kept his eyes closed throughout his entire presentation and had not spoken a word.
Then the disciple observed that which he had only heard about in legend. He saw the sun’s ray no longer beaming from the sun onto the Master and the lotus in the pond. He saw the ray of light instead beaming from the Master to the sun, the lotus, and unto himself. The Master had become aglow, surrounded by translucent fire. Then the Master smiled and stated simply, “the meaning of life is to be alive.” At once, the disciple became enlightened.
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