The Power of the Zen Master

Think of a Zen Master sitting in his cave, for example.

This man has left his ego behind, along with his worldly possessions. One might think this man has transcended this need for recognition, but the paradox is evident when a villager makes a pilgrimage up the mountain. “My cow,” the villager might start, “had stopped giving milk, and my wife is unhappy. And that’s not all. My daughter wants to marry an uneducated man and my son is simple.” The Master smiles and tells the villager to carry a bucket of water on his back for a year. The villager nods in confusion, but when he returns to the village he straps a bucket full of water on his back and a year later he reaches enlightenment. Now, it’s evident that this Zen Master is a powerful man, as power is the ability to get others to act. As for me, on the other hand, my power is limited to getting my dog to sit when I offer him a treat.

Zen Master, that’s were it’s at.