The Value of a Stone


A man went to visit the Zen Master and asked him what the value of life is. The master gave him a stone, and told him to take the stone to the vegetable market for evaluation, but do not sell it. The person did so, and most people just ignored the rock. Finally, one person offered to pay five dollars for it. He said he would use it to press vegetables to make pickles. The man took the stone back to the master told him that someone wanted to buy it for five dollars.

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The Master said to take it to the quarry for evaluation, but do not sell it. He took the stone to the quarry, and people gathered to check its quality and the shape. Finally, someone was willing to pay 50 dollars for it to use it for bonsai. The man found it kind of interesting and went back to tell the master that someone wanted to buy it for 50 dollars.

Image result for 一個石頭在盆景中使用的圖像

The Master smiled and said: “Tomorrow you take it to the diamond market for valuation, and find out how much it is worth.” The man brought the stone to the diamond market. Many people wanted to look at the stone, and one person offered him fifty thousand dollars. The man happily ran back to tell the master; others said that this stone is a diamond and worth 50,000 dollars!

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The value of life depends on what perspective with which you look at yourself. If we look at ourselves as a stone to press pickled vegetables, then we are worth only a few dollars. If we consider we are a rock for the bonsai then we worth tens of dollars. If we think we are the priceless diamond, then we are the priceless diamond. So how you see yourself is the key.

How you look at yourself is how God will fulfill your life for you.

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