I once visited a monastery in a remote corner of Nepal. There were 12,000 stairs from the base of the mountain to the entrance. Many people sought to gain wisdom from speaking to the monks. That is why there were 12,000 steps.
I started my trek at the base of the mountain at dawn. After six hours, I reached the monastery. A bald young man offered me a bowl of water, which I gladly accepted and began to gulp down. The man said, "Not for drinking. Wash your face."
I walked into the monastery in awe. I had never been somewhere this old before. The monk gestured to a cushion on the floor. I sat.
After some time, the oldest man I'd ever seen entered the main chamber of the monastery. He walked with a cane, and his eyes were milky with blindness.
The young man who'd given me the water said, "You have three questions. Use them wisely"
I thought long and hard about my first question. "I have a question about love. Are soulmates real?"
The ancient monk sat very still. I wasn't sure if he'd heard me. Then he held up one finger. "Soul mates are what you make of them. Your true love may not be who or what you think."
I didn't find that very helpful. Maybe a more material question would get a more material answer. "Do people need money to be happy? I hate my job but I the money is good -- I will only have to work ten more years and then I can retire comfortably."
The monk sat for longer this time. Then he raised a second finger. "You need money to be happy. To be free from debt and hunger is to be free spiritually. However, you do not need as much as you think."
"Well, how much do I need?"
The monk instantly held up a third finger.
"Wait no that wasn't my third ques-"
"One dollar fifty cents, United States."
"What?" I asked, bewildered.
"This is still the price of a hot dog at Costco, yes?"
