Page 48 - The Buddha‘s Noble Eightfold Path

Compassion, that is enough. In other texts the Buddha says that
if one only' has compassion for the sufferings of other living

beings, then in due course all other virtues, all other spiritual
qualities and attainments, even Enlightenment itself, will follow.

This is illustrated by a very moving story from modern Japan. We
are told there was a young man who was a great wastrel. After

running through all his money, and having had a good time, he
became thoroughly disgusted and fed up with everything,
including himself. In this mood he decided there was only one

thing left for him to do, and that was to enter the Zen monastery
and become a monk. This was his last resort. He didn't really

want to become a monk, but there was just nothing else left for
him to do. So along to the Zen monastery he went. I suppose he
knelt outside in the snow for three days, in the way that we are

told applicants have to kneel. But in the end the abbot agreed to
see him. The abbot was a grim old soul. He listened to what the

young man had to say, not saying very much, but when the
young man had told him everything, he said, 'Mm, well . is there
anything you are good at?' The young man thought, and finally

said, 'Yes, I'm not so bad at chess.' So the abbot called his
attendant and told him to fetch a certain monk. The monk came.

He was an old man, and had been a monk for many years. Then
the abbot said to the attendant, 'Bring my sword.' So the sword
was brought and placed before the abbot. The abbot then said to

the young man and the old monk, 'You two will now play a game
of chess. Whoever losses, I will cut off his head with this sword!'

They looked at him, and they saw that he meant it. So the young
man made his first move. The old monk, who wasn't a bad player,

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