ms_magdalena

*There was a monk sitting beneath a tree, deep in meditation. He was interupted by a sensation, similar to that of being watched. He opened his eyes, and saw the great Buddha before him.

"Teacher! How truly auspicious this day must be, to be in your presence! I have so many things to ask you, so many things to learn. . . " the old man said.

"Auspicious indeed. But I must warn you, I can only answer one question you may have of me. Be sure that it is one you truly want to know the answer to," Buddha replied.

The man paused, and thought hard as Buddha had suggested. So many things coursed through his mind. . . Why are people content with hurting others? Who is my perfect match in this life? Why must people think they suffer, though the only reason they suffer is their own thought? Will I ever meet my brothers in my next lives? What makes certain people unable to love, and others unable to hate? He closed his eyes.

"How much longer before I find enlightenment?" The man finally asked, before slowly opening his eyes.

"Do you feel the shade upon your back?" Buddha answered.

"Yes, it is cool and rich on this hot day." The monk closed his eyes and reclined against the tree.

"Look up. Can you see the sun through the leaves?"

"No, teacher. The lush growth is too thick to see through," the monk had said, after gazing skyward in the shade of the giant tree.

The tree's leaves rustled in a slight breeze, cooling the sweat on the man's dampened brow.

"**Before you find enlightenment, you will pass through as many lives as there are leaves on this tree," Buddha said.

The old man's jaw dropped, and he looked up at Buddha in shock.

"So little time?" The man replied, with tears welling in his eyes.





*adapted, like I said.
**Many Buddhists feel that they are continually reincarnated for a reason. The reason being: they have lessons to learn from life; to completely fufill the potential of their souls.