The True Sound of Truth (ritual, Buddhism, spiritual, Buddhism)

[MidnightBlue]

From Dharma Haven: A Harbor from the Storms of Panic and Confusion:

The True Sound of Truth

A devoted meditator, after years concentrating on a particular mantra, had attained enough insight to begin teaching. The student's humility was far from perfect, but the teachers at the monastery were not worried.

A few years of successful teaching left the meditator with no thoughts about learning from anyone; but upon hearing about a famous hermit living nearby, the opportunity was too exciting to be passed up.

The hermit lived alone on an island at the middle of a lake, so the meditator hired a man with a boat to row across to the island. The meditator was very respectful of the old hermit. As they shared some tea made with herbs the meditator asked him about his spiritual practice. The old man said he had no spiritual practice, except for a mantra which he repeated all the time to himself. The meditator was pleased: the hermit was using the same mantra he used himself -- but when the hermit spoke the mantra aloud, the meditator was horrified!

"What's wrong?" asked the hermit.

"I don't know what to say. I'm afraid you've wasted your whole life! You are pronouncing the mantra incorrectly!"

"Oh, Dear! That is terrible. How should I say it?"

The meditator gave the correct pronunciation, and the old hermit was very grateful, asking to be left alone so he could get started right away. On the way back across the lake the meditator, now confirmed as an accomplished teacher, was pondering the sad fate of the hermit.

"It's so fortunate that I came along. At least he will have a little time to practice correctly before he dies." Just then, the meditator noticed that the boatman was looking quite shocked, and turned to see the hermit standing respectfully on the water, next to the boat.

"Excuse me, please. I hate to bother you, but I've forgotten the correct pronunciation again. Would you please repeat it for me?"

"You obviously don't need it," stammered the meditator; but the old man persisted in his polite request until the meditator relented and told him again the way he thought the mantra should be pronounced.

The old hermit was saying the mantra very carefully, slowly, over and over, as he walked across the surface of the water back to the island.

[YmirGF]

Hehe, I posted the same topic shortly after landing on RF.

A great story, btw, so it does deserve a second run.
Here's my linky-poo.

[Scarlett Wampus]

Photos, or it never happened.

[YmirGF]

Originally Posted by Scarlett Wampus

Photos, or it never happened.

Bah! Infidel!
*Looks around for a sword*

[zenzero]

Friends,
All stories have an origin and have carriers to circulate them however; what is important here is what we learn from the story.
Mantras are another tool to cleanse the mind / still the mind.
In mantras though words have a meaning which translates to sound waves [but that happens when it is pronounced conciously] that has another effect as sound is also energy BUT more important than that is that after each mantra there is a gap before the next one begins and this gap slowly expands which makes way for silence to enter back door and slowly the gap between thoughts expand making way for the mind to be still during these gaps.
In this the wors are not important as after all mantra too is a tool for a purpose.
Love & rgds