Prosperity

There once was a very rich man. He considered himself prosperous because of his wealth. Anyone who was not as wealthy as he was could not possibly be happy or prosperous. Eventually he crossed paths with a man who happened to be both a zen master and a man of words. The master was known to be one to whom villagers turned to when they wanted something written for them or about them. His words and phrases were beautiful to behold.

The rich man decided he would ask the master to write something about his family and its prosperity; something that would bring happiness to their good fortune and could be passed down from father to son, from generation to generation. So he approached the master with his request.

The master considered the request for a moment and then looked around until he found some paper and a pen. Then he sat down and wrote: "First the father died, then the son died, and then the grandson died." When he finished, he handed it to the rich man.

Reading what was written, the rich man became extremely angry. "I asked you to write something I could give to my son and my son's son. I wanted something serious, something about our prosperity. Instead you turned it into a joke."

The master looked at the man for a brief moment and replied: "I did not mean to make any joke. If your son were to die before you, you would grieve greatly. If both your son and grandson were to pass away before you, the grief you would suffer would be beyond measure. However, if you pass first, and then your son lives his full life and passes before his son, it will be as nature intended. What more can be asked? That is true prosperity."