...The Snake and The Tiger...

It has been over a year since the founding of the Jade Cove. The white Jade stone chair with the elder still sits in the middle. Recently the young monk took a trip away from the cove, upon returning to the cove he saw a snake laying on top of a tigers back. Absorbing the sun, and the Tiger looking back to make sure the snake was still securely on his back.

The young monk immediately knelt down, got into a lotus position and meditated on this. Wasn't the tiger worried about the snake attacking, and wasn't the snake worried in the slightest about the tiger killing it as it slept? The view of this bothered the young monk so much since it did not go according to what was to be believed in the real world as a natural working order of things.

When the monk entered the Jade Cove he went to the brook to clean off the perspiration he obtained from the walk, after which he lit incense to show his respects to the Buddhas and Gods of the land. His final destination though was to walk to the jade chair that he had only recently finished carving.

He explained what he saw to the wise elder, and asked how this could be, and explained that the two animals under normal circumstances would not behave like that.

The sage looked at the monk and asked... If there is calm and you can sleep would you if your laying in the pit of snakes, or riding a beast? If the calm is not broken then what can either do to each other. Things strive for balance and in balance find the calm and peace that can make things that seem impossible, very much a reality. If the snake was tired do you question his tiredness or do you question the very idea that a tiger can be compassionate? We strive to cultivate ourselves, but can not animals be cultivated in the Dao as well. The Dao did assist them in daily life too.

The elder looked upon the monk and said. Over a year now you have come to this cove, and seen many things, and yet you still think of things in the civilized manner instead of a cultivated manner. When you can stop thinking, and silence the mind then you can open your eyes to the possibilities not the limitations. When you can distance yourself from things and creatures that limit your thought, you will find that a mind filled of peace comes easier.