Short story: Age does not weary a Zen master
By emptychair
@innertalks (23740)
Australia
August 29, 2022 7:08pm CST
The old Zen master, Fredshel Funiske, had been the Zen master at his Zen monastery for the best part of 40 years.
He was old, and he thought that he had started to lose his sharpness of mind, and so, he wanted to hand the master's role over to one of his students.
How to pick the right one for this task, though?
He looked over the names of his students, on the student list in his office.
One name stood out:
'Fredshel Funiske.'
"Oh," he said to himself, "I am still listed here as a student too."
He laughed, as he thought again,
"Well, I will just have to keep going for another 40 years then now too."
And he did.
He had become master at 20, he had questioned his role at 60, and he went on as master, until he died at 100.
On his tomb was written the epitaph:
"Idleness is a quick way to death, but it was not this Zen master's way. He went the long way of due diligence."
"It is not well to make great changes in old age."
Charles Spurgeon, (1834 to 1892) an English pastor said this.
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
The Zen master's grave was as solid as he was in his role, as the Zen master.
4 people like this
3 responses
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
30 Aug 22
As long as my legs carry me, Ill keep going
3 people like this
@innertalks (23740)
• Australia
30 Aug 22
Yes, my old Uncle is 90 now, and still works hard on his farm. His active outer activity has given him extra years in his life.
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
30 Aug 22
@innertalks I believe if we keep moving somehow we live..
2 people like this
@innertalks (23740)
• Australia
30 Aug 22
@RebeccasFarm Yes, life is more alive in the activeness of it, I guess.
@innertalks (23740)
• Australia
30 Aug 22
Yes, the only other person that might do that is the Queen (Elizabeth), I guess. She is 96 now.
@RubyHawk (99367)
• Atlanta, Georgia
30 Aug 22
@innertalks Queen Elizabeth might work until she’s 100.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23740)
• Australia
30 Aug 22
When my Grandfather turned 65, he was sent a letter from the Government, who told him he must retire from his role as a school teacher, even though he was fit and healthy still too.
It has changed here now though, and people here in Australia, can work for as long as they like.
The Government here is forcing this onto people too, by increasing the age before pension is given from 65, to 67, in my case, and even older for some others too.
So, I have to wait for a few more years to get my pension here, of which, my Grandfather had it forced upon him, at 65.
@Kandae11 (57231)
•
30 Aug 22
@innertalks Right now in my country there is a shortage of teachers because they keep migrating to greener pastures. So now the Govt. is trying to get retired teachers to come out of retirement and fill the gap.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23740)
• Australia
30 Aug 22
@Kandae11 There is a shortage of teachers here now too, according to the Government, who say that a lot of industries have such shortages here now.
When we do try to apply for any job, though, the red tape, and procedural difficulties of obtaining employment put most people here off.
Instead of skilling people here, the Government here just wants to bring in skilled immigrants, and poach skills from other countries like that instead.
2 people like this
