The Hermit and the mantra
A devoted meditator, after
years concentrating on a particular mantra, had attained enough insight to
begin teaching. The student's humility was far from perfect, but the teachers
at the monastery were not worried.
A few years of successful
teaching left the meditator with no thoughts about learning from anyone; but
upon hearing about a famous hermit living nearby, the opportunity was too exciting
to be passed up.
The hermit lived alone on an
island at the middle of a lake, so the meditator hired a man with a boat to row
across to the island. The meditator was very respectful of the old hermit. As
they shared some tea made with herbs the meditator asked him about his
spiritual practice. The old man said he had no spiritual practice, except for a
mantra which he repeated all the time to himself. The meditator was pleased:
the hermit was using the same mantra he used himself -- but when the hermit
spoke the mantra aloud, the meditator was horrified!
"What's wrong?"
asked the hermit.
"I don't know what to
say. I'm afraid you've wasted your whole life! You are pronouncing the
mantra incorrectly!"
"Oh, Dear! That is terrible.
How should I say it?"
The meditator gave the correct
pronunciation, and the old hermit was very grateful, asking to be left alone so
he could get started right away. On the way back across the lake the meditator,
now confirmed as an accomplished teacher, was pondering the sad fate of the
hermit.
"It's so fortunate that I
came along. At least he will have a little time to practice correctly before he
dies." Just then, the meditator noticed that the boatman was looking quite
shocked, and turned to see the hermit standing respectfully on the water, next
to the boat.
"Excuse me, please. I
hate to bother you, but I've forgotten the correct pronunciation again. Would
you please repeat it for me?"
"You obviously don't need
it," stammered the meditator; but the old man persisted in his polite
request until the meditator relented and told him again the way he thought the
mantra should be pronounced.
The old hermit was saying the
mantra very carefully, slowly, over and over, as he walked across the surface
of the water back to the island.
