In a serene mountain monastery, Master Gento, known for his profound wisdom, dwelled in quiet contemplation. One day, a curious disciple approached him and asked, “Master Gento, can you teach me about the nature of existence?”
Master Gento nodded and invited the disciple to join him by a small pond. As they sat in stillness, Gento picked up a pebble and tossed it into the calm water. Ripples spread across the surface, and he began to speak.
“Observe the ripples,” Master Gento said. “They appear, and for a moment, they are distinct. Yet, they soon merge back into the vastness of the pond, leaving no trace.”
“This,” he continued, “is impermanence, the first mark of existence. All things arise, persist for a time, and then dissolve into the fabric of existence. Like the ripples in the pond, our lives are fleeting and ever-changing.”
The disciple absorbed the lesson, contemplating the impermanence of the ripples before them. Master Gento then pointed to the reflection of the moon in the pond.
“Do you see the moon’s reflection?” he asked. “It seems real, yet it is just an illusion. The moon itself is not in the water, but our minds create the image.”
“This is suffering, the second mark of existence,” Gento explained. “We often cling to illusions, chasing after desires and avoiding discomfort. Liberation comes when we see through the illusions and understand the nature of our attachments.”
The disciple nodded, recognizing the profound truth in Master Gento’s words. Finally, Gento gestured to the clear water of the pond.
“Look at the water, clear and undisturbed,” he said. “Yet, as soon as the pebble disturbed its surface, waves and ripples arose, disrupting the natural calmness.”
“This is non-self, the third mark of existence. The idea of a separate, permanent self is an illusion. Just as the water returns to stillness when the disturbance subsides, realizing the non-self nature brings inner peace and harmony.”
With these words, Master Gento and the disciple sat in silence, their minds attuned to the wisdom inherent in the Three Marks of Existence. The ripple of understanding spread within the disciple’s heart, much like the ripples on the surface of the pond, disappearing into the vastness of awareness.