Some
disciples came to their elder and asked him why bad proclivities stick to one’s
soul so readily, while good ones don’t, and even if they do, they are easily
abandoned.
“What
will happen if you expose a good seed to scorching heat and plant a bad seed into
the soil?”
“The good
seed will die without fertile soil. The bad seed will shoot out a weak sprout
and bring forth a bad fruit.”
“That’s
exactly what people do: instead of doing good in secret and growing the good
sprouts deep inside their souls, they expose them for everyone to see, and thus
kill them. At the same time, people hide their shortcomings and sins from
others. They grow and poison those people’s hearts. Be wise.”
The
disciples thanked their Abba for the parable and went away in contemplation.
Translated
by The Catalog of Good Deeds
CONVERSATION