Open-mindedness is a wise way of handling things, a life attitude, and a realm of life.
During the hottest days of summer, much of the temple lawn had turned yellow. The young novice said, "We should quickly scatter some grass seeds."
The master waved his hand and said, "Whenever."
During the Mid-Autumn season, the master bought a bag of grass seeds and asked the novice to sow them.
As the autumn wind rose, the seeds were scattered and drifted away. The novice said anxiously, "Oh no, many seeds have been blown away by the wind."
The master calmly replied, "It doesn't matter. Most of those blown away are empty shells and would not sprout anyway. Just go with the flow."
After sowing the seeds, a group of birds came to peck at them. The novice stomped his feet in panic, "What should we do? The birds are eating all the seeds!"
The master smiled and said, "It's alright. There are plenty of seeds; they can't be all eaten. Accept whatever comes."
That night, a heavy rain suddenly fell. The next morning, the novice rushed into the meditation hall and said, "Master! It's over. The rain has washed away many of the seeds!"
The master replied calmly, "Wherever they are carried, there they will sprout. Let things follow their natural course."
A week later, the once barren ground unexpectedly turned lush and green with new grass. Even corners that had not been sown showed traces of life. The novice happily clapped his hands. The master nodded and said, "Rejoice in all that arises."
The concept of "letting be" is a form of open-mindedness. It is not carelessness, but a wisdom of following nature, without forcing, clinging, or losing balance. With an open and tolerant heart, one can live a free and graceful life.