The Silent Sage

By Babak Kardan

This story is based on a true situation. When you read the story, you may feel puzzled at first. But keep on reading, and do think about the Buddha’s teachings! Then a new understanding may come to you.

There was once a sage, young in years, but already respected across the land for his wisdom and insight into life. He once visited a monastery up in the mountains, and spent a few days there. The monks all benefited greatly from his visit, by his presence and his teachings.

The abbot of this monastery was an old man at this time. Since his younger days, he had a keen sense of spirituality. Many years ago, when he was young, he would spend many hours in the day meditating and reciting sacred verses. But after some years, he started to spend more time organizing charity work for his monastery, to help the local community, and less time in his inner practice.

When the young sage first met the old abbot, he recognized the man’s spiritual nature. He could also see how far the abbot had advanced in his spiritual path. You must remember that a true sage doesn’t think, or do anything for himself. He doesn’t have any personal agendas. Whatever he says, whatever he does is for the welfare of the people around him, and not for his personal gain. Well, in this case, the young sage thought a little about the abbot’s life. And, he felt that perhaps the abbot had not spent his years of life in the best way, even though he was the head of a great monastery. So with these feelings, the young sage spoke gently to the abbot.

“Venerable sir, I see that you are so heavily engaged in the affairs of the monastery, so much so that you have very little time to yourself these days. Why is this so?”

“It is my life duty” replied the abbot, “It is a resolution that I made many years ago, to spend my life in service to the monastery and the local community.”

“That is very noble and fine” said the sage, “It is very good that you wish to serve people and be of help to them. But I can see that when you were young, you once had a very deep spiritual experience while meditating and chanting sacred verses. That experience opened up many doors to spiritual truths and the Dharmakaya for you. However, it seems to me that you did not follow up correctly on that experience. It seems to me, respected abbot, that you did not deepen that experience, and did not let it expand your consciousness. How come? I am surprised. Please tell me, why did you choose not to do that?”

The abbot was silent for a while. He looked intently at the peaceful and simple face of the young sage. No one had known about his previous experience, as he had told this to no one all his life. And yet, here was this young man, who knew everything about it!

“Because” replied the abbot, “I chose to spend my energies in helping people outwardly, actively, with my hands and feet, with action rather than becoming silent and inert like a rock. Who could benefit from my presence if I just sit silently, not doing anything?”

“Aah” exclaimed the young sage, “I can see that there is a shortcoming in your spiritual understanding. Despite your many years of study and learning, you have failed to grasp the truth of the Buddha’s teachings. Listen, oh abbot! It is very good to be engaged in helping others. By all means, don’t abandon that. But why do you think that you can only be of help to people by your outer actions? If a person wholeheartedly pursues the Dharmakaya, and develops true inner vision, his consciousness will expand until he attains to Nirvana. Is this not the ideal that the Buddha taught? Such a person, whether he is sitting quietly, or engaged in work, will be of tremendous benefit to everyone around him. From him will emanate invisible spiritual vibrations that will silently purify the hearts and minds of everyone around him. Such transformation will be far more beneficial than just outer actions alone.”

The old abbot listened quietly to the young sage. He remembered the spiritual experience he had in his youth, and he realized how precious it was. Even though the sage was much younger in years to him, the abbot recognized the wisdom in his words. Over the next few weeks and months, there was a gradual transformation that took place in him. Even though he still helped the monastery and the community, the abbot started to spend more time in his inner contemplation. With every sitting, every day, there was more silence within him, more stillness, and more clarity, peace and understanding. Even his daily activities in the community became more efficient, and less tiring to him. By his perseverance, the abbot was able to once again bring to life his former spiritual practice. No doubt, behind all of this, backing him up, was the power and grace that flowed from the young sage, invisibly, in silence.