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The Voice of Happiness
After Bankei had passed awaya blind man who lived near the master's temple told a friend: "Since I am blindI cannot watch a person's faceso I must judge his character by the sound of his voice. Ordinarily when I hear someone congratulate another upon his happiness or successI also hear a secret tone of envy. When condolence is expressed for the misfortune of anotherI hear pleasure and satisfactionas if the one condoling was really glad there was something left to gain in his own world.
In all my experience, however, Bankei's voice was always sincere. Whenever he expressed happiness, I heard nothing but happiness, and whenever he expressed sorrow, sorrow was all I heard.