This simple Zen story offers a profound choice between personal happiness and compassionate service. Two travellers encounter the same paradise, but what they do next reveals two very different ways of understanding enlightenment: one finds freedom for himself; the other finds meaning in helping others find their way.
“Two men wander the desert, hopelessly lost. Tired and thirsty, they ascend a large sand dune – only to discover a giant stone wall.
On the other side of the wall, they can hear water rushing and birds chirping. They smell fresh flowers, and above their heads, tree branches laden with fresh fruit hang over the wall’s edge.
With a smile, the first man climbs the wall and disappears into the garden.
With a smile, the other returns to the desert, seeking other lost travellers.”
More at https://blog.buddhagroove.com/zen-story-harmony/
Image: A postage stamp issued by Thailand to commemorate Visakha Bucha Day 2004, an important date in the Buddhist calendar. Courtesy: https://www.buddhiststamp.com/