In this wonderful collection of stories and nuggets of wisdom by Anthony De Mello, the teachings come from the "Master." He is not a single person; could be a Hindu guru, a Sufi mystic, a Taoist sage, a Jewish rabbi, or a Christian monk, or a Zen roshi.
The path of wisdom recommended by the Master is not an easy or a popular path for it involves becoming a zero, not knowing, and living with paradox. This collection, and a second one titled More One Minute Nonsense were the last posthumous publications by Anthony de Mello, who died in 1987. These teachings have an evergreen quality to them that speaks directly to our present situation. Here are a few examples:
"The Master was allergic to ideologies.
" 'In a war of ideas,' he said. 'it is people who are the casualties.'
"Later he elaborated: 'People kill for money or for power. But the most ruthless murderers are those who kill for their ideas.' "
"The Master once referred to the Hindu notion that all creation is 'leela' — God's play — and the universe is His playground. The aim of spirituality, he claimed, is to make all life play.
"This seemed too frivolous for a puritanical visitor. "Is there no room then for work?"
"Of course there is. But work becomes spiritual only when it is transformed into play."
"The Master once proposed a riddle: 'What do the artist and the musician have in common with the mystic?'
"Everyone gave up.
" 'The realization that the finest speech does not come from the tongue,' said the Master."
These short and profound teachings speak volumes about the spiritual path and it winding ways.
