A Zen Parable

A Zen parable tells about a monk who was walking along a thousand-foot cliff when he encountered a ferocious tiger. Acting quickly, the monk grabbed hold of a thin vine, swung himself off the cliff, and slid down a dozen feet. Dangling high above the dark and jagged rocks below, the monk looked up to see the snarling tiger poised hungrily at the edge of the cliff. Then the monk felt a strange vibration in his hands. Looking up, he saw a mouse chewing the vine. The monk looked at the hungry tiger, then at the waiting rocks below, then back at the mouse. He shook the vine, but the mouse kept on chewing. Then the monk noticed a small plant growing out of a crevice in the cliff. On the plant was one large, luscious red strawberry. The monk reached out a hand and picked it. Then he placed the fruit in his mouth, savoring its wonderful sweetness.

 

This parable beautifully illustrates the options available to us when we encounter adversity. First, we should take every possible action to improve our external conditions: The monk slid down the vine to escape the tiger; next he shook the vine to scare off the chewing mouse. In short, he did what he could to better his outer circumstances.

 

Sometimes, however, we can do nothing more to improve our external conditions. At that point, many people sink into despair. But we have another choice. Even in the midst of overwhelming adversity, we can choose the content of our consciousness. We can choose what we will think about: When a hungry tiger waits above and deadly rocks wait below, and a hungry mouse is chewing on our vine, we can still focus our attention on a delicious strawberry.

 

Cognitive psychologists suggest that our thoughts about an experience determine how we feel about it. If I think, I’m being treated unfairly, I’ll create the inner experience of anger. If I think, I’m in danger, I’ll create the inner experience of fear. If I think, I have lost someone dear to me, I’ll create the inner experience of sadness.

 

What is actually happening in the outer world, then, is less important than what I tell myself is happening. If I change my thoughts about an event, I will change my emotional state of mind. In other words, what I think about a problem is the problem.

 

This view suggests a fascinating possibility. What if happiness is a choice? What if many of your negative experiences in life are simply the result of self-defeating thought patterns and limiting beliefs? What if you could create a more positive experience of life simply by choosing to think about events in a different, more positive way?

 

When you have done all you can to deal with life’s challenges-the hungry tigers, deadly rocks, and gnawing mice-you still can choose your attitude.