Excerpt: The master snapped his head up in disgust and said, “Teach YOU about heaven and hell?! … You ignorant fool!” …The old man went on and on…
A Short Zen Story About Heaven And Hell:
The bold and handsome young Samurai warrior stood respectfully before the aged Zen master and asked, “Master, teach me about heaven and hell.”
The master snapped his head up in disgust and said, “Teach YOU about heaven and hell?! Why, I doubt that you could even learn to keep your own sword from rusting! You ignorant fool! How dare you suppose that you could understand anything I might have to say!”
The old man went on and on, becoming even more insulting, while the young swordsman’s surprise turned first to confusion and then to hot anger, rising by the minute.
Master or no master, who can insult a Samurai and live? At last, with teeth clenched and blood nearly boiling in fury, the warrior blindly drew his sword and prepared to end the old man’s sharp tongue and life all in a moment.
The master looked straight into his eyes and said gently, “That’s hell.”
At the peak of his rage, the Samurai realized that this was indeed his teaching; the Master had hounded him into a living hell, driven by uncontrolled anger and ego.
The young man, profoundly humbled, sheathed his sword and bowed low to his great spiritual teacher.
Looking up into the wise man’s aged, beaming face, he felt more love and compassion than he had ever felt in his life, at which point the master raised his index finger as would a schoolteacher, and said, “And that’s heaven.”
Source: Sunbeams (Page 59)
Afterword: Heaven And Hell Are Right Here, Right Now
Let’s set aside the speculation for a moment and focus on what’s guaranteed—this moment. For what happens after death is and will forever be purely speculative. How could we ever know for sure? And even if your faith convinces you otherwise, what’s always going to be more certain than faith is the current reality of now; nothing can be more real than reality itself.
So, let’s start here, in this moment that we can’t argue or deny, and let’s look at how we’re living our lives. Are we living in heaven or are we living in hell? Or, maybe a better question, have we learned how to live a heavenly life despite our circumstances or are we living a hellish life and are a victim of our circumstances? For, as Ruiz points out above, heaven and hell only exist in the level of the mind.
A simple exercise: what if, at the end of your life, you could only pick one moment in which to live for the rest of eternity and that was heaven? What moment would you pick? And conversely, what if hell was living in one of the worst moments of your life? That would be awful. Here’s the point: we’ve all already experienced both heaven and hell in our lifetimes. This is proof.
The daily practice should be figuring out ways to maximize the number of heavenly moments while simultaneously minimizing the number of hellish moments. Not by wishing, hoping, and praying for better circumstances—but, by learning, growing, and acting despite them. Heaven requires an active participation whereas hell usually results from a passive acceptance.
Think back again to the heavenly moments that came to mind in the exercise above. What you might notice is that you enjoyed them so much because you were actively and wholly engaged in them. Your eyes were clearly seeing; your ears, carefully listening; your nose, dutifully smelling; your skin, delicately receiving. There is no past or future, worry or anxiety, fear or anger, hate or distraction—just a complete interaction with a complete moment.
My intention isn’t to undermine your faith, but rather to highlight your current reality. If you live your life merely as a means to an end (“By suffering through hell now it’ll grant me access to heaven later”), you might miss your chance at heaven now. And are you really sure you want to gamble away a guaranteed moment of heaven for an unknown possibility in the beyond?
NEW In The Shop: Don’t Let The Tame Ones Tell You How To Live [Poster]
Why We ♥ It: Some of the best advice I (Matt here) ever got was: don’t take life advice from people who aren’t living a life you want to live and don’t take criticism from people you wouldn’t go to for advice. I created this poster to act as a reminder to listen more closely to our role models and less closely to our critics, trolls, and tamed-comfort-zone-hugger acquaintances. It’s also a perfect gift for the outdoor adventurer, travel enthusiast, or solo explorer (or soon to be). Available in print or digital download. 👇🏼
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Written by Matt Hogan
Founder of MoveMe Quotes. On a mission to help busy people do inner work—for better mental health; for healing; for personal growth. Find me on Twitter / IG / Medium. I also share daily insights here. 🌱
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