When seeking meaning one often gets too involved with the words. An old story speaks about a similar problem.
A devoted monk, after years concentrating on a particular mantra, had attained enough insight to begin teaching. His humility was far from perfect, but the teachers at the monastery were not worried.
A few years of successful teaching left the monk with no thoughts about learning from anyone; but upon hearing about a famous hermit living nearby, the opportunity was too exciting to be passed up.
The hermit lived alone on an island at the middle of a lake, so the monk hired a man with a boat to row across to the island. The monk was very respectful of the old hermit. As they shared some tea made with herbs the monk asked the hermit about his spiritual practice. The old man said he had no spiritual practice, except for a mantra which he repeated all the time to himself. The monk was pleased: the hermit was using the same mantra he had himself mastered -- but when the hermit recited the mantra aloud, the meditator was horrified!
"What's wrong?" asked the hermit.
"I don't know what to say. I'm afraid you've wasted your whole life! You are pronouncing the mantra incorrectly.
"Oh, Dear! That is terrible. How should I say it?"
The monk gave the correct pronunciation, and the old hermit was very grateful, asking to be left alone so he could get started right away. On the way back across the lake the monk, now confirmed as an accomplished teacher, was pondering the sad fate of the hermit.
"It's so fortunate that I came along. At least he will have a little time to practice correctly before he dies." Just then, the monk noticed that the boatman was looking quite shocked, and turned to see the hermit standing respectfully on the water, next to the boat.
"Excuse me, please. I hate to bother you, but I've forgotten the correct pronunciation again. Would you please repeat it for me?"
"You obviously don't need it," stammered the monk; but the old man persisted in his polite request until the monk relented and told him again the way he thought the mantra should be pronounced.
The old hermit was saying the mantra very carefully, slowly, over and over, as he walked across the surface of the water back to the island.
A devoted monk, after years concentrating on a particular mantra, had attained enough insight to begin teaching. His humility was far from perfect, but the teachers at the monastery were not worried.
A few years of successful teaching left the monk with no thoughts about learning from anyone; but upon hearing about a famous hermit living nearby, the opportunity was too exciting to be passed up.
The hermit lived alone on an island at the middle of a lake, so the monk hired a man with a boat to row across to the island. The monk was very respectful of the old hermit. As they shared some tea made with herbs the monk asked the hermit about his spiritual practice. The old man said he had no spiritual practice, except for a mantra which he repeated all the time to himself. The monk was pleased: the hermit was using the same mantra he had himself mastered -- but when the hermit recited the mantra aloud, the meditator was horrified!
"What's wrong?" asked the hermit.
"I don't know what to say. I'm afraid you've wasted your whole life! You are pronouncing the mantra incorrectly.
"Oh, Dear! That is terrible. How should I say it?"
The monk gave the correct pronunciation, and the old hermit was very grateful, asking to be left alone so he could get started right away. On the way back across the lake the monk, now confirmed as an accomplished teacher, was pondering the sad fate of the hermit.
"It's so fortunate that I came along. At least he will have a little time to practice correctly before he dies." Just then, the monk noticed that the boatman was looking quite shocked, and turned to see the hermit standing respectfully on the water, next to the boat.
"Excuse me, please. I hate to bother you, but I've forgotten the correct pronunciation again. Would you please repeat it for me?"
"You obviously don't need it," stammered the monk; but the old man persisted in his polite request until the monk relented and told him again the way he thought the mantra should be pronounced.
The old hermit was saying the mantra very carefully, slowly, over and over, as he walked across the surface of the water back to the island.
