THE GATES OF A HEAVEN AND A HELL






Pic.: Bhushan Thakkar

One day, a soldier, by the name Nabushige, came to the Zen master Hakuin Ekaku with a question: “Is there a heaven and a hell?”

“Who are you?” the Zen master asked.

“A Samurai,” answered Nabushige.

“You say you are a Samurai, a warrior,” said the wise-man, “but, from your face, you look like a beggar… Which king would hire you to guard him?”

This sent the Samurai into a rage, and his hands reached to his sword…

“Oh, you carry a sword!” Hakuin remarked calmly, “But, my friend, do you think it is sharp enough to chop off my head?”

By now, the sword was out…

“Behold!” said the wise master, “There open the gates of hell!”

The Samurai quickly got the message, and sent back the sword to where it belonged.

“And, now, you see there the gates of heaven opening!” the Master concluded.

None of us has seen the gates of a heaven and a hell. Who wants to, and why? Yes, the gates of a heaven and a hell, ‘here after’… But, ‘here and now’, in this very existence, are present a heaven and a hell… and, you and I can see their gates opening before us, so often… and so clearly!

I have, always, loved this little Zen story… Particularly, when my hands reach to my sword in anger… and, then, when something makes me send it back to where it belongs…

GERALD D’CUNHA 

Comments

Sheela Raghunath said…
Beautiful message! - Sheela Raghunath
March 24, 2014 at 6:06 PM
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