The disciples were full of questions about God.
Said the Master, “God is Unknown, the Unknowable. Every statement about him, every answer to your questions, is a distortion of the truth.”
The disciples were bewildered. “Then why do you speak about him at all?”
“Why does the bird sing?” said the Master.
“Not because he has a statement, but because he has a song.
The words of the scholar are to be understood.
The words of the Master are not to be understood. They are to be listened to as one listens to the wind in the trees and the sound of the river and the song of the bird.
They will awaken something within the heart that is beyond all knowledge.”
Anthony de Mello
The Song of the Bird
Source: https://freethoughtsspaces.wordpress.com/
Anthony de Mello (1931-1987) was an Indian Jesuit priest and psychotherapist. A spiritual teacher, writer and public speaker, De Mello wrote several books on spirituality and hosted numerous spiritual retreats and conferences. He continues to be known for his storytelling, which drew from the various mystical traditions of both East and West.
Image: A miniature sheet issued by Bhutan in 2014 commemorates the 12 deeds of the Buddha (Vajrayana).