June 17th

Sage


Ancient sages lived in forests and
Wandered from village to village.
Sharing openly, teaching the people
Without profit or ownership.

There were more holy aspirants in ancient times. These men and women cultivated themselves in the mountains or wandered among forests and streams. When they came to a village and saw that there was some knowledge that could be imparted to the people, they did so openly. Once they taught what was necessary, they disappeared, knowing that others would follow behind them. They did not establish religious schools, temples, or philosophies bearing their names. They knew knowledge did not belong to anyone. It could not be owned, parceled out for profit, or withheld selfishly.Nowadays, many people regard knowledge as a mere commodity to be packaged, marketed, and sold. Their interest is not in benefit for others' souls but for their own pocketbooks. For example, one contemporary master requires a thousand ounces of gold before he will teach a single technique. We live in a world where the selfless sharing of knowledge is no longer a virtue.
The more knowledge that you give away, the more will come to you. The more you hoard, the less you will accumulate. Be compassionate to others. What do you have to fear by being open?

Personal Interpretation

Perhaps it is because I am a librarian, but today's message resonates with me. There should be no monopoly on knowledge. It should not be a commodity, but a public good. While we live in a world where an infinite amount of information is available at our fingertips, we don't process it as we should. Indeed, we can't process it when we're always taking in so much of it. It is good to disconnect from time to time. Focus is an important skill that is increasingly difficult to cultivate. Our world is simply not as simple as it once was. There will be times when we will all need to turn to our sages to determine the best way forward. We all have the potential to act as sages and should do so when the opportunity presents itself. The act of processing is what transforms information into knowledge, and the right knowledge can make all the difference in the direction of our lives and spiritual growth.