WHEN SILENCE COMES, MY TEMPER GOES





Pic.: Chetna Shetty

One day, a student came to the Zen Master, Bankei, looking very distressed. “Master, I am burdened with this question,” the student said to the Master, “I have an uncontrollable temper.”

“Oh, that’s a very strange thing to have,” Bankei said with a surprised look, “Show me your temper... I will help you.”

“But, Master, I can not show it to you like that,” the student explained to the Master, “You see, it just comes up, all unexpectedly.”

“My dear young-man, if you can not show it to me, now, you do not have it now,” said the Master, “And, if you do not have it now, it is not yours.”

The student was confused, “Master, but, it comes, quite often.”

“Comes from where? You did not have it when you were born... Your parents did not give it to you,” reasoned Bankei, “So, why are you distressed about it?”

The student became silent. “If it is not mine, why should I worry about it?” he wondered, as the weight began to fall off his head.

I am not my temper... Just as the Sky saying, “I am not the clouds.” When the Sun comes, the clouds go... Likewise, when ‘silence’ comes, my temper goes!

GERALD D’CUNHA

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