Janna · Sep 4, 2026
IMPERFECT
A young boy sat down hesitantly, and talked to Mr. Hai in his lowest voice:
“Dear uncle, I know that there is always something imperfect in the world. The visually impaired find it hard to integrate themselves into a community. However, society more often does them a great favor. They can still live and work.”
“Some are imperfect because of paraplegia. Some are deaf and dumb, or have cerebral palsy, or mental illness. Some are too short or too tall. Some are alienated due to facial deformity.”
“Dear uncle, every imperfect situation has its own suffering, but they still receive a certain extent of sympathy from society.”
“My own situation is very difficult to get sympathy. I feel I am a girl. My every thought is girly, but my body is that of a boy. Everyone looks at me and supposes I’m a boy. They treat me as a boy, and force me to live as a boy, too. They simply don’t know that deep down inside, I am a girl.”
“I don’t know where my imperfection comes from. I know I am a girl, but I cannot live as a girl. Nobody accepts me as a girl because of my body.”
“I’m so depressed. I want to live truly with my true self. I want to be loved and protected as a girl. I want to be a wife, not a husband.”
“I know you’re moral and wise. You have instructed many people in the practice of meditation and helped them get peaceful minds. I have come here to practice meditation, but I still cannot stop the suffering. Please give me your advice. Hic… hic…”
Mr. Hai looked at him sympathetically and said:
“I do feel for you. Your mind and body are opposite to each other, so your life is imperfect. You always desire to align both the mind and body, so that you can live normally.”
"Most people like you choose mind over body. They change their bodies and keep their minds intact. They get surgery to adjust the body according to the mind. The surgery is very expensive and will cause unwanted side effects later. That’s why they cannot live long.”
“The body is hard to adjust to the mind. But nobody thinks that it’s much easier to make the mind adjust to the body.”
The young man cut him off:
“How can I adjust my mind? How can I think I am a boy? No, I cannot.”
Mr. Hai smiled and said:
“The way you stubbornly argue with me is exactly like my son. When I suggested he study architecture, he argued with me endlessly. He insisted on studying journalism. After 6 months of convincing, I finally managed to change his mind. Now he is a prestigious architect and really loves his job.”
“That feeling of being a girl is just temporary, and is due to sins from your previous lives. Perhaps you used to look down on women, always scolding and criticizing them. Now, as payback, you have to experience the feelings of being a girl.”
“If you realize your mistakes, if you can respect other people, if you can bow down to the Saints and repent, you can pray that They help adjust your mind to your body. Perhaps, the feelings of being a girl will disappear next year. You’ll feel exactly that you’re a boy and can live normally.”
“Every time you practice meditation, look at your mind and see if those feelings of being a girl are real. You need to face your feelings for a while, then you can realize it’s only a delusion.”
The young man burst into tears, then gazed into the distance...
A person was mentally ill. After being treated at a mental hospital, he went home. His illness has improved, but not completely gone. He is no longer a threat to the community. However, he always has the feeling of being the hospital director. When asked, he will honestly answer that he is the director.
The feeling of being someone is only a delusion. If this feeling is too strong, it becomes IMPERFECT. This is also Karma from some previous lives. If we can realize and correct the past mistakes, then the feeling will disappear.
When we cultivate deeply in meditation, our minds should aim towards non-ego. In this state, we will see ourselves as nothing and nobody, neither boys nor girls. Therefore, meditating practitioners can eliminate the feeling of being a girl or a boy in this body, and heal any imperfect feelings along the way.
Written by:
Janna
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