LIGHT THE FIRE

A revered monk once journeyed to visit a younger monk who was known for his religious devotion. The older monk was very impressed with the young man’s total immersion in prayer and study and asked the young man the secret of his unwavering piety.

The younger man replied that by concentrating deeply on his studies, he was able to ignore any outside influences that might distract him. Indeed, the older monk had noticed that many of the nearby villagers were involved in activities that were quite contrary to piety.

He said to the younger monk, “When it is very cold, there are two ways to warm yourself. One is by putting on a fur coat, and the other is by lighting a fire. The difference is that the fur coat warms only the person wearing it, while the fire warms anyone who comes near.”