Resistance

The two brothers, Buddhist monks for the last two decades, had the same heated discussion, the same unresolved topic. Their positions hadn't budged an inch.

For those who knew his characteristic impatience, Brother Bakti's name- which means obedient boy- was funny. Rebellious by temper, he obeyed very little, and that was part of the ongoing discussion: monk Bakti was tired of it. 

The monastery, the life, all of it. After twenty years, he wanted out. Why? He would say because their Master would never allow Bakti any experience deemed worldly, irrelevant. 

Brother Bakti was very devoted and committed when he decided his path, but now felt disillusioned, missing out. He longed to have some of the secular joys he thought about far too often.

That was Brother Li's view- his brother's cravings were only clever Maya's tempting lures, while the monastic life of meditation and prayer needed no worldly experience. The monk would argue to his restless brother that sensory experience only slows enlightenment, a long, arduous process, only made harder by desire. Buddhists know desire drives human suffering, the two are forever tethered. 

Brother Bakti understood, but had a different view, not in a rush to be enlightened, there's a lifetime for that, and some bit of common worldliness certainly couldn't harm a soul in process, nor would some secular fun offend their strict, traditional Master- especially if he never knew about it.

Brother Li- who's name meant reason and logic- would do anything to keep his younger brother in the monastic fold. So, some serious, forever silent deals were struck between the two. Ever hopeful, Monk Li- recalling their Master's repeated sermon- chose to follow a wise path of least resistance.