104-The future - Buddhism in daily life

The future

In a small town in ancient China there was a very famous temple. One of the monks was very old, but the story went that he had "psychic" powers and could "tell fortunes".

Since he was also frail, he usually stayed in his room, from where he watched the world through a small window. His days of interpreting the future had long since passed, and he only wanted to spend his old age in the monastery.

One fine day, a businessman from the capital came and very generously filled the donation box. He asked about the "fortune teller", but got the answer that he no longer took part in the temple business. The visitor therefore asked for the abbot.

When the abbot came the man said: "I come from far away to ask this monk about my future, gladly I donate a large sum, only let me to the old master". Just like all undertakings, a temple needs the means to bear the expenses incurred, so the abbot replied that he would try to make an exception possible. The abbot went to the old monk, who also agreed to help.

The businessman was led to the old monk's hermitage, where he asked the visitor to put his hands forward.

The monk looked at the palms, making the strangest noises. "Hmmmm", "Ohhhhh", he grunted to himself as he looked at the lines of the hands, the man became quite agitated.

"Master, what do you see", he finally asked, "will my future be good"?

"The future," the old man spoke, "is still unclear, but it is in your hands! You have great possibilities, however, I see that you will have to decide several times. Depending on your decisions your future will be. But note: if you have to make a decision and you do not make it, that is also a decision".

"But the great future of your life lies in the fact that you can change your life by changing your attitude"!

Then the old monk turned back to his window, and the visitor went out.

There are no signposts at the crossroads of life

- Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin - British actor - 1889 to 1977

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