Weekend Story- True Nature
September 9, 2024
A villager once approached a Zen master, frustrated and seeking help. “Master, I have a terrible temper that I can’t control. How can I get rid of it?”
The Zen master calmly replied, “You seem to be troubled by something unusual. Can you show it to me?”
The villager was surprised by the master’s request. “I can’t show it to you right now,” he said.
“When can you show it to me?” the Zen master asked.
“I never know when it will appear,” the villager admitted. “It just flares up on its own.”
“Then it can’t be your true nature,” the Zen master responded. “If it were, you would be able to control it and show it whenever you wanted. You weren’t born with this temper, and no one gave it to you. Reflect on that.”
