Once, there lived an old hermit who, after many years of rigorous practice, discovered the secrets to immortality. With the protection of the elixir of life, the hermit remained untouched by time, enjoying the vitality of youth as the years passed. News of his immortality spread, and people from far and wide came seeking his wisdom and the secret to eternal life. When asked about his achievement, the hermit proudly claimed that his discovery resulted from years of dedication and sacrifice. Yet, when others begged him to share his secret, he consistently refused, insisting that it was not meant to be shared.
However, behind this facade of confidence and assertiveness, the old hermit struggled with deep wretchedness. Despite his remarkable attainment, he found no solace in his prolonged life. The Divine had remained silent even after he unlocked the secret to immortality, leaving the hermit to feel abandoned and lost. Each day, he grappled with doubts about his existence, unable to understand why enlightenment continued to elude him. Night after night, he would fall asleep with a heavy heart, only to awaken in despair, realising he was still alive.
One night, the hermit was startled awake by laughter. He opened his eyes and saw a young man standing before him, who looked strikingly familiar. "Who are you?" the hermit demanded. The young man smiled and replied, "It is you." The hermit, confused, asked, "How can this be? You look like me, but younger!" The young man confirmed, "Yes, I am."
Surprised, the hermit asked, "Am I dead? If not, how can I see you?" The young man responded, "No, it is not your time yet." Frustrated, the hermit snapped, "Then leave me alone! Don't disturb my peace!" But the young man, now stern, insisted, "I will, but you must first listen to what I have to say." The young man tugged at the hermit's beard, forcing him to sit up, and said, "You call yourself an immortal, but you remain a prisoner of worldly desires. You are entangled in hopes, weighed down by attachments, and consumed by worries. If you were to live another few hundred years, do you think you could let go of these indulgences? If not, how can you claim enlightenment?"
The hermit, shamed, could only listen in silence. The young man continued, "The Divine has not intervened in your life because you have become so attached to your blessings that you fear losing them. You live in constant worry and hope, failing to realise that these very desires are what impede your enlightenment. You have lost your path because of your attachments. Enlightenment doesn’t happen by chance, and certainly not when you’re indulging in hopes, attachments, and worries."
The hermit whispered, "But how can one live without hope? It seems impossible." The young man laughed, "You must learn to appreciate what you have and not yearn for what you don't. The Divine has reasons for everything, and understanding this truth aligns you with the Divine’s will. Trials and challenges in life are meant to test your understanding and piety. The Divine doesn’t intervene until you demonstrate the right understanding of life."
The hermit asked, "How can I let go of my attachments?" The young man replied, "You are hundreds of years old, yet you haven't learned to detach from this physical existence. To achieve true freedom, you must forgo the burdens you carry. The Divine wants you to live a fulfilled life, but this is a choice you must make. Attachments are parasitic; they harm you in the long run."
Humbled, the hermit admitted, "I thought I owned my life, but now I see that I am a slave to it." The young man consoled him, "Do not worry. Just as fire extinguishes without fuel, your worries will fade if you stop feeding them. Fear is a creation of your imagination, and worries are born from fear. Focus on what you can control and let go of the rest."
The young man concluded, "The Divine granted you immortality not to imprison you, but to help you see the futility of hopes, attachments, and worries. Only by overcoming these can you attain enlightenment."
Before the hermit could respond, the young man vanished.
Deeply moved, the hermit resolved to reassess his life, unlearning the habits that had kept him bound. By aligning his perspective with the Divine and living with true understanding, the hermit finally achieved enlightenment in his lifetime.