A man who was bored with his monotonous life, met a saint. Saint gave the man a mantra; he asked the man to chant the mantra closing his eyes. When he did, he saw a bird appear from darkness and felt a calm breeze fondle his bosom.
The man felt a great relief from his boredom. He thanked the saint. Before leaving the saint gave him three directions
1. Never finish the mantra if you can’t see the bird.
2. Never chant out of greed
3. The bird is ….
Before he finish the third direction the saint died.
The man left after paying respect to the saint. He used the mantra whenever he felt bored and taught the mantra to many people in his town.
The man grew greedy with time. At times the bird never appeared. He started chanted the mantra though the bird did not appear. Soon a day the breeze stopped and the mantra became inefficient. Still the mantra worked for other people, whom he taught the mantra.
The man became desperate and started seeking the bird. He wandered every corner of the World, but could not find the bird.
The man became depressed and started mediating under a bodhi tree. He felt the third direction the saint left unsaid could answer his search. Years passed and he turned into a saint. Soon a day, the answer dawned in his head.
“the bird is non-existent”
Thus his search was over, he left to see the people in his town. He saw people chanting the mantra. Some seeking for the bird.
He warned them telling them his plight but no one was ready to believe him. So he stopped preaching and wrote the story you read.
Humanity to Others 