Chapter 1 - How to use your mind ? _zen short story

Once in a remote village nestled admit the mountains there lived a young man know for his remarkable intelligence .he could solve the most complex puzzles & answer the most difficult questions with ease . people will often come from different places seeking his wisdom. one day a traveller from a distant land arrived in the village this traveller had heard of the young man's extraordinary intellect and sought an audience with him when they finally met the traveller said oh why zen master I have travelled a long way to seek your guidance . I have a question that has troubled me for years .how can I use my mind to its fullest potential . The zen master with a gentle smile invited the traveller to join him on a walk through the lush forest that surrounded the village as they walked together the zen master remained silent & the traveller grew increasingly impatient he had expected a profound answer immediately given the zen master reputation after a long walk they reached a serene pond deep with in a forest the zen master gestured to the water and said look at this pond my friend what do u see the traveller appread into the clear water and replied I see fish swimming gracefully and I see my reflection in the water the zen master nodded and then handed the traveller a small pebble now he said take his pebble and throw it into the pond the traveller did as instructed causing ripples to spread across the water he watched as the fish scattered disturbed by the disturbance he had created the zen master asked .what do u see now the traveller replied the water is no longer calm the fish are agitated and my reflection is distorted the zen master smiled and said you see my friend the mind is like this pond when it is calm & still u can see things clearly just as u saw the fish & your reflection but when you introduce disturbances line worries , desires , impatience the mind becomes agitated & clarity is lost . The traveller understood the profound lesson that the zen master has imparted he realised that to use his mind to its fullest potential he needed to cultivate inner stillness and patience he thanked the zen master for his wisdom & returned to his homeland carrying him not only the answer to his questions but also a new found appreciation for the power of calm & focused mind from that day on the zen master's reputation spread even further not only for his intelligence but also for his ability to teach others the art of using their mind wisely . The story teaches us to find inner stillness & patience in our mind to think clearly and use our mental potential wisely .