The Buddha took his disciples to a quiet pond for instruction. As was their practice, the Buddha’s followers sat in a small circle around him, awaiting his teaching.
The Buddha ascended the dais and, as doing so, reached into the muck and pulled up a lotus flower. He held it silently before them. He spoke no words.
The disciples were greatly confused. The Buddha quietly displayed the lotus before them. In turn, the disciples did their best to expound upon the meaning of the flower: what it symbolized, and how it fit into the body of the Buddha’s teaching.
However, Mahakasyapa saw and only smiled. The Buddha handed the lotus to Mahakasyapa and spoke to the assembly:
“What can be said I have said to you,” smiled the Buddha, “and what cannot be said, I have given to Mahakashyapa.”
Mahakashyapa became the Buddha’s successor from that day forward.
+ I don’t usually talk on Friday posts- I like to share other’s words that have touched me in some way. A fellow mom to a magical little guy with that extra chromosome shared this as her expression of the joy she feels with her dear son on his second birthday. I wasn’t familiar with it before reading her words. Her birthstory and love and seeing of her boy brought me back to the peace I enjoy. You can read her words here. I’ll be the broken record and say that it still amazes me what this little bit extra that we didn’t know we were getting brings to my heart and soul. How very blessed we are.
Ordinary Afters... 