1993.09.25 - Aaron on a non-fictional "Shawshank Redemption"

[Parsons]

This is part of the Aaron Q'uo dialogues. This session was extremely long, and I only intend to highlight one quote that moved me deeply. Since I'm pretty sure everyone has seen the Shawshank Rendemption, I would like to point out this is nearly the plot of the movie verbatim. It's so close to the plot, I question if the writer of the movie simply had a very special "dream" about this situation and adapted into a movie. If you haven't seen the movie, then dont spoil it for yourself and watch it before reading this following quote... Its a terrific movie; its the #1 rated movie on IMDB of all time for a reason.

I am reminded here of a story of a Zen priest. This is said to be a true story that happened in Asia sometime in the last twenty or thirty years. The police came to this being and said, “You have been accused of this wrongdoing. Come with us.” And they took the priest to jail. They asked, “Can you prove your innocence? Where were you that night when this deed occurred?” And the priest said, “I was alone. I have no witness.” The priest did not fight the accusation nor did it agree with it. At first it said, “I am innocent,” but it did not fight. So, that priest went to jail, was imprisoned and penalized to serve with hard labor. Six years later another prisoner, who was dying, confessed to that crime. They came to the priest and they said, “You are innocent. Someone else has confessed. Why did you not stick to your innocence which you proclaimed at first?” The priest said, “Because when I meditated that first night in jail, I saw that I had done this crime in a past life and I had gotten away with it, and another had been put to death for my crime. Now I have paid in my own way and I am free. I have lived these six years in prison with much love, serving my fellow prisoners. I am free.”

Since this session was so long (and in my opinion, more interesting than average session), please feel free to post selected quotes from it in this thread.

[Oldern]

Did I just spoil myself the Shawshank Redemption? : D

[Charles]

No, not spoiled. There is more, and very well acted. You'll like it.

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One of my favorite stories, heard while going to school (studying Chinese medicine):

A Zen priest lived in a town which was attacked and taken by a vicious and violent warlord. Everyone who could, ran away. The Zen priest stayed,

The priest was working in the garden when the courtyard door flew open and the warlord entered.

The warlord said, "Don't you know who I am? I can take this sword and slice you in two, and it won't mean anything to me !"

The Zen Master replied, "Don't you know who I am? You can take that sword, and slice me in two, and it won't mean anything to me !"

[Parsons]

Woops, sorry, genuinely thought most everyone had seen the movie by this point. Charles is correct, now that I'm thinking about it, this doesn't really spoil the plot twists.

Anyways, to those who have seen the movie; does this quote not seem to be very similar to the plot of the movie overall?