One Minute Wisdom is a book written by Anthony de Mello with short but profound religious and spiritual anecdotes. It will take less then a minute to read each of the anecdotes.
You will probably find the Master's language baffling, or downright meaningless. However, it is not an easy book, but neither difficult. It was written, not to instruct, but to Awaken.
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Some anecdotes from the book
The Master gave his teaching in parables and stories which his disciples listened to with pleasure, and occasional frustration, for they longed to hear something more, and deeper.
To all their objections, he was replying
- You have yet to understand, my dears, that the shortest distance between a human being and Truth is a little story. The longer the story, the greater the distance between man and Truth.
Thus, Silence is even closer to the truth, listen to it.
Transformation
To a student who was forever complaining about others, the teacher said:
- If it is peace you want, seek to change yourself, not other people. It is easier to protect your feet with slippers than to carpet the whole of the earth.
Sensitivity
How shall I experience my oneness with creation?
- By listening, said the Master.
- And how am I to listen?
- Become an ear that gives heed to every single thing the universe is saying. But the moment you hear something you yourself are saying, stop.
Faith
The Governor on his travels stepped in to pay homage to the Master.
- Affairs of State leave me no time for lengthy dissertations, he said. Could you put the essence of faith into a paragraph or two for a busy man like me?
- I shall put it into a single word for the benefit of Your Highness.
- Incredible! What is that unusual word?
,
- Silence.
- And what is the way to Silence?
- Meditation.
- And what, may I ask, is meditation?
- Silence.
Sometimes I am so proud of my intelligence, like a prisoner proud of the size of the prison in which he is.
Read the book One Minute Wisdom, (PDF format)