Friday, December 11, 2009

Make No Display

A hermit was fasting and not eating bread, and he went to visit another hermit. By chance, some other pilgrims also came to visit this hermit, and he made them a little vegetable soup.

When they sat down to eat, the fasting hermit took a single pea which he dipped in the soup and chewed it.

When they got up from the table, the hermit that was hosting them took the fasting hermit aside and said, "Brother, if you visit someone, don't make a display there of your way of life. If you want to keep your own rule, stay in your cell and never go out."

The brother accepted the advice, and thenceforth behaved like other people and ate what was put before him.

No comments: