A long time ago, back in the land of Zen, there was a monastery.
This monastery had two wings. There were 1000 monks in the monastery. Half of them, 500, were on one wing and half of them, 500, were on the other wing.
The master had this beautiful cat. The cat was so friendly. He would sometimes go to the east wing , and then sometimes come back and go to the west wing.
All the monks loved to pet the cat. He was so soft and so beautiful. Each one of them wanted to keep it for themselves. They were constantly bickering over who got to have the cat.
Finally, the master had enough of this. He called everybody together into the big room. He said, “Listen. This cat has become a huge disturbance here in the monastery. So here’s what we’re going to do. If anyone here can prove that he is a meditator, can prove that he has encountered truth, then I will give the cat to that person to keep. Otherwise, I’m cutting the cat in two and I’m giving half to each side just to stop this dispute.”
The monks were shocked. They’d never heard of anything so horrible. Cutting the cat in two! I mean, here they are in in a peace monastery, for heck sake. How could this be?
They decided, okay, then. We’re really good monks. We’re really good meditators. Certainly we can pass this test!
The most senior monk started. He comes in and he sits absolutely still with his eyes not moving. Because he thinks that’s what meditation looks like.
The Master says. “Get out of here. That’s not it.” He sends him away.
Next comes in the strongest monk. He stands on his head and meditates. Certainly that will do it… I mean, what could be harder than that, right? What could prove meditation more than standing on your head and meditating?
But the Master shooed him away saying, “That’s not it.”
Then three monks came in together. In three-part harmony they recited the most difficult prayer out of the holiest book of the Order. The Master sent them away saying, “No, that’s not it.”
One after the other after the other, the the monks came in and tried to prove their meditation. All of them failed. It went on all day. Finally the master threw up his hands and said, “There’s nothing to do. This place is a disaster.”
He cut the cat in two and gave each side half of a dead cat.
Everyone was crying and weeping. They couldn’t believe that such a horrible thing had happened. And on top of that, their whole lives had failed. They couldn’t prove how spiritual they were. They couldn’t prove that they were good meditators.
Just then. Rinjai, a young monk, comes back from the market. He’d been gone all day long. He comes back and everybody’s crying and weeping. He asks, “What is going on?” And they told him the story.
He was aghast. He couldn’t believe it. A thousand monks could not prevent one old man from killing a cat.
He marched right into the room up to the master’s chair. Slapped the master hard and shouted, “Don’t you ever do anything that stupid again.”
The master fell down on his knees in front of Rinjai bowing. He cried, “Fnally! Finally, out of a thousand monks, all day long, here’s someone who has proven their meditation. Someone who’s proven that they know and understand truth. But you’re too late. The Cat is already dead.”
P.S. Don’t worry about the cat. It’s just a story. Do, however, worry about all the cats you create in your mind.