Yesterday, after early morning meditation, Sensei told the monks they had been invited to the famous ‘thousand meal festival’ at the nearby Feast Temple.
The thousand meal festival was legendary. The Feast Temple that hosted this function served one thousand dishes that were so delicious, it was rumored that the gods attended the festival (in disguise) to taste the food.
Monks from all over the country attended the festival to eat sumptuous meals and to satiate their taste buds.
The monks were very excited by the invitation and left the Monastery early with Sensei, to be in time for the festivities.
An hour after walking, the monks came across a shop keeper selling bananas. Sensei asked the monks if they wanted some. All the monks refused to eat bananas when they were going to be eating God’s food; but Head Monk decided he wanted a few and ate three bananas.
Half an hour later, the monks came across a man selling fried bread rolls. Although the monks were hungry, none of them except Head Monk ate a few.
Just when the monks were about to reach the Feast Temple, they came across a small market selling regular food. The monks were impatient to get to the feast, but Head Monk slowed them down by eating a full meal at the market. The monks laughed at him for not saving his appetite for the world’s best meal.
After walking up a very steep hill for fifteen minutes, the monks arrived at the Feast Temple. It was unusually quiet. When they knocked on the doors, the temple Sensei greeted them with surprise.
On learning that they were here for the feast, he exclaimed, “Oh no, you got the dates mixed up. It’s on the same day, but next week!”
The monks were crestfallen. They were starving and ravenous. It was way past their lunch and snack time!
The Feast Temple’s kitchen was closed. Sympathetically, the temple priest said, “I have a few bananas and fried bread rolls if you would like….”
As the monks gathered in the courtyard to eat whatever food was available, Sensei asked Head Monk to explain why he had eaten all along the journey.
Head Monk bowed to Sensei and said, “Feasts are illusions. They are nothing but expectations, cooked with time. Anything that is promised all together, scares me. I rather enjoy what I find when I find it…”
Sensei clapped three times in agreement and said, “In life also, people wait for feasts that usually disappoint. Instead, learn to enjoy what you have and what you come across; save the feasts for last.”
*****
