Once a young man came to Abbot of monastery and said, “I really want to become a monk but i haven’t learned anything of importance in my life. Only thing i know is how to play chess because that’s what i have been learning from my father from young age but I want to get lead the path of enlightenment and playing chess doesn’t lead to enlightenment. Beside, I was told that all games are sinful.”
Abbot replied, “Yes they can be sinful but they can also be diversion. Perhaps monastery need little of both.”
So, Abbot called for chessboard and summoned a monk from monastery to play with young man. However before game he said, “We may need diversion but we can not have everyone playing chess here all the time. So, only the best player will stay. If monk loses he will have to leave monastery creating an opening for young man in monastery.”
Everyone knew that Abbot was very serious about what he said and Then the game began.
When game started Young man knew he could win and played aggressively but as time passed He notice the saintly look in Monk’s eyes who was playing against him. Suddenly Young man began to play bad thinking that he would rather lose to monk. As he felt that presence of monk in monastery will prove more useful to the world then him.
Abbot who was there watching all this understood young man feeling and Suddenly overturned the chess board on floor and said to young man, “You have learned far more than you were taught.”
Abbot continued and said, “My dear, You have power to concentrate which is necessary to win and you are also capable of fighting for what you want but with all that you also have compassion and ability to sacrifice yourself for others. You have shown yourself as capable of balancing discipline and mercy. You are welcome to our monastery.”
Moral:
When we have capability to win but still have inner compassion to sacrifice for others then we know that we are on the path of enlightenment.
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