More Of The Same?

While the value of perseverance is not to be underestimated, it is sometimes necessary to realize that “more of the same” probably brings a little more … of the same into our lives.

The tale of the monk and the general

They say that, during the recess of a battle, the general of a powerful army appeared at the Tofuku temple, where a monk lived who carried with him the fame of being the wisest person of his time and the most spiritually gifted.

Her wish was nothing more than to greet him, since they had both shared childhood joys and sorrows in a small village, not too far from the place where the temple stood.

When one of the aspirants received him at the entrance of the temple, the general said:

“Tell the master that General Kitagaki is here to see him.”

The disciple entered the temple and came out again after a few minutes.

“The master says he can’t see him, he says he doesn’t know any generals.”

“This is certainly a misunderstanding.” Tell the teacher I’ll be back tomorrow.

The next day the general returned to appear in front of the temple. Along the way, he had been thinking that there might be more than one teacher in the temple. I’ll be clearer this time, Kitagaki thought. So when a disciple came out to meet him, he said:

“Tell Master Ho that General Kitagaki is here to see him.”

The young man bowed and entered the temple. Upon leaving, his response was identical to the previous day.

“Master Ho says he can’t see him, and he doesn’t know any generals.”

“Tell him I’ll be back tomorrow,” Kitagaki said again.

Before retiring he added, obfuscated:

“And tell him he’d better not refuse to see me again.”

The sun had not yet fully risen the next morning when Kitagaki stopped again in front of the tofuku temple gates.

and, using his firm and sonorous voice, he announced himself in front of the aspirant who was there:

“Tell the master that General Kitagaki, leader of the Army of the South, demands to see him.”

Again the disciple disappeared into the temple and when he returned he repeated:

“The master says he can’t see it because he doesn’t know any generals or have any idea what the Army of the South is.” But send him this.

He then handed the soldier a small wooden horse, the kind of toy a five-year-old would have used.

Then, suddenly, images of the small village in which he had grown up appeared in Kitagaki’s memory, he heard the voices of the children running and his own, when he played with wooden figures like the one at that time, so many years later. , he had in his hands. He was silent for a minute and then realized his mistake:

“Apologize to the teacher.” Tell him his old friend Kitagaki is here to see him.

The aspiring monk returned to the interior of the temple and, after a few minutes, came out accompanied by the master, who, opening his arms towards Kitagaki, said:

-Old friend! How nice you are here! I’ve been waiting for you for three days!