A Dream of Uncle Ho’s Eyes

The mountain wind howled through the window crack late at night, carrying a cold that pierced the skin. High on the peak, in a simple room, a young monk fell into a deep sleep. That night, about twenty years ago, the surrounding space suddenly became strangely still, as if time had stopped to make way for a miraculous encounter.

In the dream, the monk saw a familiar figure emerge from the thin mist. It was Uncle Ho. He wore a simple dark brown khaki shirt and leaned on a bamboo cane, walking with a calm yet decisive gait. A quiet power radiated from him, causing anyone who faced him to naturally bow in respect. Uncle Ho approached, looking directly into the monk’s eyes. Those eyes were bright, containing an ocean of wisdom and boundless compassion, yet they also held immense persuasive power, as if every word spoken from those lips was undeniable truth.

Uncle Ho spoke many instructions. His voice was gentle but resonant, penetrating deeply into every cell of the monk’s brain. Each sentence struck like an arrow hitting its mark, answering long-held questions within the practitioner’s heart. The monk listened attentively, his heart pounding with emotion. He wanted to ask more, to memorize every word and meaning, but the moment passed swiftly.

When Uncle Ho finished speaking, without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked away. His pace was very fast, the rhythm of his cane striking the ground steadily and strongly. In the dream, the monk hurriedly stood up and ran after him. "Uncle! Wait for me!" he called out loudly, but his voice seemed choked in his throat. Despite all his effort, his legs could not match Uncle Ho’s speed. The figure grew farther away, blending into the white mist, until it vanished completely.

The monk woke with a start. Sweat soaked his forehead, and his heart still raced. He sat up abruptly, looking out the window where the moon hung suspended above the mountain peak. In his mind, the image of those bright eyes and swift steps still echoed. A thought flashed sharply and clearly: Uncle Ho’s extraordinary talent was like a cascading waterfall; ordinary people, without exceptional effort, could only stand and watch, unable to keep up. Such greatness requires a corresponding stature to comprehend.

This event was not just a fleeting dream but became a positive obsession, urging the monk to reflect on the connection between the material world and mysterious spiritual realms. It opened a door of awareness, revealing that beyond what science can measure, there exist energies and transcendent visions that humans must humbly learn from and explore.

### The Meaning of the Story

This dream serves as an introduction to the topic of the spiritual world and mysteries not yet fully explained by science. Through the image of Uncle Ho with his powerful eyes and swift steps that the monk could not catch up to, Venerable Thich Chan Quang wishes to emphasize that there are statures and extraordinary abilities beyond ordinary human comprehension. This suggests that the universe contains many profound spiritual layers, where truth is not always easily accessible if we lack objectivity, wisdom, and the diligent practice needed to elevate our own vision.

Compiled from the dharma talk of Venerable Thich Chan Quang