It was nearing dawn. Sun had not yet risen when Date Seed, filled with excitement, hurried to Walnut tree and gently stirred him awake. “Walnut, dear Walnut,” she whispered eagerly, “please wake up—I need to ask you something.”
Walnut opened his eyes slowly and, with concern in his voice, asked, “What is it, Date? Why have you come so early? What question has made you so restless?”
“I have a question,” Date said, “one so important it could change the course of my destiny.”
Walnut, who had never seen Date so agitated, took a deep breath. He sat up, composed himself, and then turned to her with a calm and gentle smile. “I see. Something weighs heavily on your heart. Ask, my dear—I’m listening.”
Turnip, who had also been awakened by the sound of Date’s voice, grew intrigued nearby, curious to hear what Date was going to ask.
Date turned back to Walnut and asked, “Tell me—what is the definition of beauty?”
Turnip scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. “Is that all? You woke up the whole garden just to ask such a ridiculous question? You could’ve asked me and spared Walnut the trouble. But since you’ve gone to all this effort, I’ll give you an answer, everything beautiful possesses beauty. Now go back to sleep and let us rest.”
Date cast a glare at Turnip, clearly hurt by his attitude. Turning back to Walnut, she continued,
“I was deep in a dream when I heard a voice repeating, ‘Beauty... beauty... beauty.’
At first, I thought the voice meant that I was beautiful. But then I paused. There are so many lovely plants in this garden—especially flowers—so why should I alone hear such a message?”
“I tried to make sense of it, but the more I thought, the more lost I felt. I began to wonder—what is beauty, really? How do we distinguish it from ugliness? I spent the whole night thinking, but no answer came. In the stillness of night, I even asked myself, Why am I so drawn to beauty? But even that question remained unanswered. And so, I came to you, dear Walnut—hoping you might help free me from this confusion.”
Walnut smiled, a look of with content. “To tell you the truth, Date,” he said, “there is no single answer to your question. The world is full of beauty—but the real question is: how do you see it? Every creature finds beauty in something different. Bird may see beauty in trees and sky. Fly might find it in a pile of dung. As for me—I see beauty in the sun. What you find beautiful reveals something about the state of your soul. It reflects your growth, your depth, your inner light.”
Garden fell silent. Each plant looked around, quietly reflecting on what beauty meant to them.
Date remained still, lost in thought. Her heart longed to say she found beauty in the freshness of her own branches and leaves—but something held her back. “Perhaps,” she thought, “the beauty Walnut speaks of is something far deeper than what I’ve known.”
After a while, Walnut broke the silence once more.
“My dear friends,” he said gently, “you should know that, beauty comes in three forms: earthly beauty, divine beauty, and egoic beauty. Do any of you know how they differ?”
Garden remained silent. Others looked to Walnut, waiting for him to continue.
He did. “Earthly beauty,” he explained, “is the beauty of appearance. When we adorn ourselves to be admired, to attract attention or praise, we are nurturing earthly beauty.”
Date, who had lately been concerned with how she looked, quickly asked, “Walnut, are you saying it’s wrong to care about how we appear? I love being seen as beautiful—what’s wrong with that?”
Walnut smiled gently. “Date , I never said there’s anything wrong with appreciating outward beauty. But everything carries its own consequences. What truly stands out is your swift reaction to my words. Ask yourself, why did Walnut’s words stir something so deep within you? Isn’t it because, somewhere inside, you already sense that outward beauty isn’t as divine or sublime as it seems?”
Date, who had long heard a quiet voice within whispering, 'The path you’ve taken is not the one that leads to true beauty,' was now moved by Walnut’s words. She felt there was a truth waiting to be uncovered—one only Walnut could reveal.
“There’s nothing wrong with earthly beauty,” Walnut continued, “but consider this, when you pursue it, you begin to crave the approval and admiration of others. Their judgment starts to shape your joy and sorrow—rejoicing when they praise you, despairing when they don’t. In chasing such beauty, you trade your freedom and independence for a handful of words and definitions, creating a profound sense of dependency within yourself. Your soul, once pure and independent, becomes entangled. But if the beauty you create doesn’t bind you—if your mind is free of it and its echoes—then that beauty is noble and worthwhile.”
Date leaned in, eyes shining. “So, if my mind is free from those echoes—and from the need for others’ opinions—would that make the beauty divine?”
Walnut shook his head softly. “Not quite. That beauty still belongs to the earthly realm. And you must be very cautious—if you’re not careful, it may become egoic beauty.”
“Egoic beauty,” he said, “Egoic beauty is the kind that serves Satan and furthers his aims.”
“But divine beauty,” Walnut said with warmth, “is something different to the rest. It adorns the soul and lights up the inner world. It’s the beauty of a noble character. To me, the Sun is the perfect example—it doesn’t just shine in beauty; it awakens beauty in others. True beauty lies in that kind of generosity—in sharing your virtues, in helping others grow and shine from within.”
Divine beauty radiates from within. A person who possesses this virtue holds inner beauty, and from that inner beauty, a gentle vibration reaches others, making them beautiful too.
Nothing embodies beauty more perfectly than the sun itself. It is inherently beautiful, needing no praise or admiration from others. Its beauty doesn’t depend on the opinions of others. It is free—unbound by display, untouched by self-promotion.”
Turnip asked. “Can such beauty exist only in the Sun? Is there a plant that could be beautiful in the same way? Or is your example beyond us?”
Walnut looked at him with kind eyes. “Do you think my words lacked beauty? Haven’t they shaped something beautiful in you and those around you? Haven’t they polished the mirror of your heart, filled your soul with light, and lifted your spirit? Doesn’t my speech, too, shine like the Sun?”
Turnip nodded thoughtfully. “Yes… exactly as you said. I hadn’t seen it that way before—but now I do.”
Walnut turned to Date. “And you, Date—I remember you once said you wanted to create beauty so others could find joy in it.”
Date smiled softly. “Yes, that’s still true. I want to create beauty that uplifts the spirit of others.”
Walnut responded, "If your goal is truly to help others, why not beautify the chamomile instead of yourself? Chamomile is already beautiful, and with just a little effort, its beauty could be enhanced even more."
Hearing this, Date felt a sharp sting in her heart and bitterly said, "I have no interest in making chamomile more beautiful. How does her beauty benefit me?"
After speaking, she paused, reflecting on her words. "So, I am only thinking of my own benefit," she thought. "How painful it is to be like this."
Overcome with sorrow, she turned to Walnut and said, "You are right. My only goal has been my own pleasure. I don’t care about the happiness of others; I only want to be admired. For a moment, I felt disgusted with myself. Walnut, who is this selfish person inside me? Why hadn’t I seen this before?"
Walnut, who had deliberately guided her to confront her mistake, smiled with quiet satisfaction. "Now tell me," he said, "what kind of beauty are you truly seeking? Earthly beauty or heavenly beauty?"
Date replied with newfound clarity, "I am certain that it is heavenly beauty my soul longs for. External beauty will never satisfy this desire. Chasing after it, is a fruitless pursuit. Even though you always shine like the sun and sparkle like the moon, I have never seen you focus on outward beauty."
Walnut smiled and said, "Remember, balance and moderation are key in everything you do. Avoid excess, for it will trap you. There's nothing wrong with enhancing your outer beauty, but you must free your mind from the prison of rigid rules and expectations. The real issue lies in your thoughts. If you truly understand that the beauty of character and the inner self holds more significance, you will pour your energy into nurturing your inner world. While it's fine to care for your outward appearance, deep down you’ll know that your purpose in life isn't to adorn your face, but to cultivate and beautify your soul and spirit."
I hope that one day, you will experience the joy of divine beauty within yourself.
