A long time ago, in the land of Zen, there were two monasteries who couldn’t get along. They were two different sects with different philosophies. They wouldn’t talk to each other and couldn’t agree.
There was a long standing feud between these two ‘religions.’
These two monasteries, they each had young boys in their employ, as young disciples. The boys would help the old monks with chores, and things like that.
Going to the Market
One of the jobs of the young boys was to go down to the market every day. Because of the rivalry of the two monasteries the boys were told, “Don’t ever talk to each to each other. It’s against the rules. Don’t do it.”
But boys will be boys, right? And so they became curious. One boy in particular was very curious and as he was walking he would peek out of his robe every time he passed the other young man.
One day he couldn’t take it any more, and so he stood at the side of the road and decided he was going to say something.
So he stood there and very nicely said, “Where are you going?”
The other young boy stopped. Looked up and very philosophically said, “Where ever the wind may take.”
Now what?
The first little boy was like… wait? What? That doesn’t make any sense! He couldn’t think of anything to reply back at all. And he thought, “My masters were right. These people are weird. I have no idea what that meant.”
The Lesson
He goes back home and he confesses. He says, “I am sorry I disobeyed the rules. I see why you have these rules. Those people are weird. I asked the kid Where are you going? And he said “Where ever the wind may take.”
The old master shook his head and said, “Yep. Yep. We knew that would happen. That’s why we told you.
“But now the game is on and we have to win this battle!
“So here’s what you are going to do. Tomorrow you go out on the road and you wait for this young boy to come by. When he comes by you say, ‘Where are you going?’ and when he answers, ‘Whever the wind may take.’ then you say to him, ‘And what if the wind is not blowing?’ And see what happens. “
The boy was very anxious. He studied all night long. He wanted to make sure he got it right. This was one of the first lessons he had been given here at the monastery. He wanted to make sure he learned it right. He stayed up all night long going over it in his head. To say, “And what if the wind isn’t blowing? And what if the wind isn’t blowing?”
By morning he was ready. He walked out to the crossroads and waited for the boy to come. Along comes the young boy from the other monastery. So he looks at him and he says, “Where are you going?”
And the other boy replied back. Where ever the legs may take?
Now what???
Now it’s legs!
His lesson was useless. He had no idea how to answer this. Again the young boy dropped his head and ran back home defeated.
He said “I didn’t know what to do. I was supposed to give the answer about the wind. But now he’s talking about legs. And I don’t know how to answer this.”
Second Lesson
The master sighs and says, “Oh my Gosh. This is how those people always are. We have to beat them. So here’s what you do…
“You go back to the road .When he comes you ask him, and you say, ‘Where are you going?’ And when he says, “Where ever the legs may take’ then you answer back ‘And if you were born crippled? Then what?’
“Or if he says the thing about the wind, you reply your bit about the wind. So you’ve got two things. You are bound to succeed.”
So again the boy sat up all night long. Studying and worrying. Next day… he hadn’t slept now for two days. He goes back to the crossroads. Here comes the other young man walking along. He’s all ready. He looks at him and he says, Where are you going?”
And the other boy looks at him and replies, “I’m going to the market to get some vegetables.”
Now what?
This is exactly like studying religion. You can’t ever get the right enough answer to meet up with life.