“Oh my!” cried the monk, who was on probation and had just broken his teacher’s favorite (and very precious) cup.
The frightened youth went to the Zen master and asked, “Why must there be death?”
The Master replied, “Death is natural. It comes to all people and things. It is not to be expected with
fear or to meet it with anger. Why do you ask?”
“For, Master, death has come for your cup.”
a parable from 101 Zen stories
I like this parable. At any moment in our lives, something can break to test how well we are living out what we believe. It’s one thing to accept that death is inevitable at the level of the mind. It’s another to not experience the usual feelings of fear and anger when actually encountering it. It is one thing to think that we are not afraid of the death of our physical body. It is another to be aware that any loss is a death – of something material or immaterial, small or large. The parable does not tell how the Master reacted to the news that his cup had “died.” It seems, however, that the test was for himself. The disciple was able to pass it. And only we know in what way that applies to us.
