The Way Home
The Lord Shantih found himself at the Temple of Rahla where the statues of the gods are kept. Pilgrims journey from distant lands to touch these statues, believing that one touch will cure them of their ills.
“I have come four days journey through the Gaesheen Mountains just to touch this statue,” a pilgrim told Lord Shantih, “but one touch will cure my bad leg.” His leg hung loose and twisted and he walked with a crutch.
Lord Shantih chipped off a piece of the statue and gave it to the pilgrim.
“Keep this with you,” he said. “You may fall down on the way home.”
The Teaching Of The Cave
The Lord Shantih once entered a cave to meditate. His companions waited for him outside. But after many hours had passed they began to wonder about him. They had not anticipated his meditation to last so long.
“This is surely one of his teachings,” they said to one another, “for he often teaches with his deeds.”
Accordingly, they followed Lord Shantih’s example and sat upon the grass at the cave’s mouth to meditate in silence. And so three days passed.
At the end of the third day the Lord Shantih staggered from the cave, squinting in the sunshine and wiping the dirt from his tattered clothes.
“Why didn’t you search for me?” he asked them angrily. “I’ve been lost in the dark!”
