A Wisdom Tale
United Nations International Youth Day
In 1999 the United Nations adopted resolution setting aside August 12 as International Youth Day, and the first celebration was held on August 12, 2000. This day is designated as a day for governments and others to draw attention to youth issues worldwide.
Today I am going to share with you a wisdom story, which though, not directly speaking of Buddhism does have application to those who practice the Lotus Sutra in this age.
A very long time ago a recluse had a vision at his desert monastery. In this vision he saw before him a vast ocean. On one of the shores there was a monk standing at ocean’s edge. Suddenly the monk jumps high into the air and spreads wings to catch the air. His brightly colored wings caught the air and the monk soared effortlessly across this large body of water. Soon he landed on the other shore and walked inland to a heavenly land.
While the hermit was considering the meaning of this strange revelation another monk appears on the shore where the previous monk had started from. This monk also leaps into the air, spreads his wings and begins to make his way across the vast ocean. The monk this time did not have such an effortless journey, it required great physical exertion, but eventually the monk landed safely and entered the heavenly land.
Finally a third monk appears on the shore where the previous two had begun their journey. This third monk also launches himself into the air, spreads wings and begins the trip over the ocean. This monk however had a very hard time, he was smaller than the previous two, his wings required great effort to maneuver. Frequently he would nearly crash in the now choppy waters of the ocean; surely he would have drowned. Each time though he managed to beat his wings harder and rise up again. He struggled, and the hermit could tell it was taking its toll on the flying monk. Finally though the monk did reach the shore, he was so exhausted he could hardly stand, he looked half dead.
When the visions ceased the hermit went to his teacher to inquire into a possible meaning of these visions.
The teacher told him the first monk represents those believers who aspire to heaven in the present time, when religion and good people are everywhere, and reaching heaven is easy.
The second monk represents those who wish to reach heaven in the future years, for those in that time the journey will be difficult.
The third monk represents those in the distant future. It will be a time of great strife, religion will be rare and rarer still will be those who can correctly follow a spiritual path. During this time it will be very difficult to find one’s way to the other shore.
The teacher then said, be glad you live in this time, but remember the third monk’s efforts are worth much, much more than the efforts of all the rest.
This is exactly the message the Buddha taught in the Lotus Sutra. Those believers who were contemporaries of the historical Buddha had an easy time following the Buddha. There were fewer impurities among the people, and religion was easy to access. However in ages to come the practice becomes increasingly difficult. Finally in the age of the degeneration of the Dharma, in the ages very remote from the life of the Buddha it will be extremely difficult to practice. During that time there will be many misleading teachings, and the people will be impure and reject the Dharma.
As the Buddha says, in this age, the age in which we live, the age of the fifth five hundred years after the death of the Buddha, this is the time for the practice of the Lotus Sutra. Those who practice in this age will receive immeasurable merits far exceeding those of any previous practitioners.
