One Small Lesson

Becoming a monk or nun at a very young age is a blessing because the child grows up learning the teachings of the Buddha and then, as an adult, can teach others the way of enlightenment. Those who do not become a monk or nun as a child can still choose to become one when they are older. "Better late than never," as the saying goes. With good motivation and humility, they can earn merit and start on the path to enlightenment.

One such Tibetan monk who had taken his vows later in life lived by himself in a cave high up on a mountain. Months would pass without anyone approaching his solitary dwelling. His solitude did not bother the monk, though, because he was deeply occupied in meditation and the recitation of mantras every day from sunup to sundown.

One evening, a woman from a nearby village decided to visit this monk to learn something. She set out from her home in the wee hours of the morning, for she wished to return back to the village in time to get her day's chores done. As she climbed the mountain to the monk's cave, the wind was bitter. Her coat was not very warm. But she was determined.

When the woman arrived at the cave, her teeth were chattering from the cold. She could barely get out the words of her request. "Please teach me the dharma," she finally said to the monk.

The monk felt sorry for the shivering woman who had braved the wind and the cold to hear words of wisdom. He tried to think of something wise to say, but nothing came to mind. Finally, the monk expressed his own deep feelings. "Ignorance is painful," he said.

The woman heard his words. Paying her respects, she immediately set off to return to her village.

Many years later, the same woman walked up to the monk's cave again. "I have come to thank you for the profound teaching you gave me," she said. "You taught me that ignorance is painful. And because of that, I learned that ignorance is the cause of suffering."

The monk rejoiced that by speaking sincerely from his own experience, he had been able to help this woman on her way to enlightenment.

Adapted from a traditional teaching
by Tina Ruyter