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Living Our True Nature _____________________________________________________
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« A Chinese emperor called all the painters of his empire,
which was one of the greatest empires in the world. He
himself was in deep love with painting and he told the
painters: “I want to declare one of you the master painter of
my empire. You are going to be my guest and you have to
paint. I will come to see your paintings and whichever painting
proves to be the best, the painter will become part of my
royal court and the master painter of the whole empire – with
many rewards.”
Thousands of painters participated in this competition. One
old painter said to the king: “It will take at least three years
for me to complete the painting and I have few conditions.
While I am making the painting, nobody should enter into my
house. I don’t want anybody to see the incomplete painting.
When the painting is complete, I will invite you.”
The king argued: “Three years? – this is too much.”
The painter replied: “Then I can get out of the competition.
Three years is nothing. You don’t know what I am going to
paint.”
Reluctantly the emperor agreed. All the other painters
finished their work, somebody in one week, somebody in two
weeks, at the most four weeks. But the king was not satisfied.
He was waiting for the old man because without seeing his
painting he cannot declare his judgment.
After three years the old man came and told the emperor:
“Now the painting is complete, you are welcome.”
With great wonder in his heart he entered the palace where
the painter had done his work.
He had painted on a whole wall of the palace, a beautiful
forest with a small river flowing, and a small footpath going
into the deep forest and disappearing into the mountains that
he had painted. The king could not believe his eyes.