The Secret Beneath the City Gate

Morning sunlight pierced through the canopy of ancient trees, casting a golden glow over the courtyard of Giac Tanh Pagoda. The air that morning was unusually pure, with birdsong blending seamlessly with the faint scent of incense drifting from the main hall. Venerable Thich Chan Quang stood before the assembly, his voice deep and warm yet carrying great weight, guiding everyone into a world invisible to the naked eye: "We live amidst things we do not know."

To illustrate human ignorance and how true practitioners hide among ordinary life, he recounted an old story that remains timeless in its value. The tale begins at a large monastery whose reputation echoed throughout the capital city.

One day, the King summoned all the monks from the temple to the palace for a vegetarian meal. This was an immense honor, as few had the chance to sit opposite the monarch and dine under the majestic roof of the palace. News spread quickly, causing excitement throughout the monastery. Senior and junior monks alike rejoiced, preparing their robes meticulously, their faces radiant with pride.

However, among them was a novice monk who performed menial tasks like sweeping and washing dishes, known as a "thầy điệu." He came from humble origins, appearing worn out, with clothes often stained by daily labor. Hearing that his senior brothers were leaving, he felt lonely and anxious.

"My senior brothers are all going, leaving no one to cook for me at home. I am very hungry; why won't you let me come along?"

An elderly senior monk, busy ironing his robes, turned to look at the novice with eyes mixing pity and irritation. He sighed, his tone stern.

"Child, this is a momentous occasion for our temple, invited by the King. Our robes must be clean, and our demeanor solemn. Look at yourself—your hands and feet are dirty, your belongings soiled. Entering the palace like that would disgrace the temple and offend the King. Stay home and help with the kitchen duties; do not follow me."

The novice lowered his head, clutching the hem of his frayed robe tightly. Tears welled up, but he held them back. Despite being firmly rejected, driven by hunger and a desire to share in the sacred atmosphere, he decided to secretly follow the procession of horse-drawn carriages. He kept a great distance, walking silently on the dusty road, trying not to attract attention.

The procession arrived at the royal palace gates. The King had stationed a high minister there to greet them. This minister had received special secret orders from the King. Previously, the King had dreamed or been informed that a holy sage was hiding within that temple. But how could one find such a sage among hundreds of dignified and talented monks?

The King devised a subtle plan. He had buried a precious Mahayana sutra beneath the ground, right in the main path leading into the city gate. The rule was strict: anyone stepping through the gate who unknowingly trod upon the buried sutra was merely an ordinary person. Only a holy sage, with a pure mind and transcendent wisdom, could sense the presence of the Dharma treasure and avoid it.

The senior monks stepped down from their carriages one by one. Clad in vibrant yellow robes, their minds were preoccupied with calculating which words of praise might please the King, or simply focused on external appearances. One after another, they walked through the gate. The sound of their shoes hitting the stone floor rang out dryly. No one stopped; no one showed any hesitation. They strode forward, treading directly upon the spot where the sutra was hidden.

The high minister stood nearby, recording each name, his expression growing increasingly sad and disappointed. "Another one who is not the sage," he thought silently. Just as the line was about to end, a small figure with a bent back approached slowly. It was the novice monk.

The novice stood before the gate and took a deep breath. His eyes looked down at the ground, not with ordinary physical sight, but with a strange stillness. Then, instead of walking like everyone else, he suddenly placed both hands on the ground behind him. His small body flipped upside down, head toward the earth, feet pointing to the sky. He moved using his hands, crawling through the gate slowly and carefully, ensuring his feet never touched the forbidden area.

This action completely contradicted the etiquette expected of a monastic, resembling a clownish act or madness. The high minister was startled and quickly blocked the novice.

"Hey! What are you doing? Why are you walking on your hands? This is disrespectful and rude!"

The novice raised his head. His face was smeared with dust, but his eyes shone brightly. Calmly, he replied,

"Sir, I can feel a sacred treasure beneath my feet. I dare not use my mundane legs to tread upon the Dharma treasure. Therefore, I ask permission to walk on my hands out of reverence."

The high minister was stunned. He remembered the King's secret order. Immediately, he fell to his knees, bowing repeatedly to the novice.

"Forgive my worldly eyes! You are indeed the holy sage the King has been seeking!"

At this moment, the senior monks behind them looked back in shock. They realized that despite years of study and reading many scriptures, they lacked sensitivity and genuine reverence for the Dharma. Meanwhile, the uneducated novice, performing the lowest tasks, possessed a pure heart and enlightened wisdom, capable of sensing what book knowledge could not teach.

Venerable Thich Chan Quang paused, looking around at the assembly, his voice becoming deeper and more profound.

"You see, we often judge others by appearances, by position, or by degrees. We take pride in knowing much, in having university education, in reading newspapers daily. But in reality, what we know is just a drop of water, while what we do not know is an entire ocean. Ignorance prevents us from seeing into people's hearts, understanding karma clearly, and recognizing the true practitioners hiding among ordinary life."

The Meaning of the Story

This story reminds us of humility and the importance of inner substance over external form. Book knowledge or social status does not guarantee enlightenment. A holy sage may hide beneath the guise of an ordinary worker, even someone considered "dirty" or "uneducated." The core essence is a sincere heart of reverence for the True Dharma and mindfulness in every smallest action. Never assume you know everything, for life always holds mysteries that only those with a pure mind can perceive.

Compiled from the dharma talk of Most Venerable Thich Chan Quang