A Thoughtful story from India on Perfection!

[Guest guest]

Greetings:

 

The story below illustrates that the illusory imperfections are due to

our ignorance. After the enquiry, we can get the wisdom to appreciate

the perfection behind the imperfections! (The rope appears as a snake

in the beginning of the enquiry and the snake disappears at the end!)

 

Ram Chandran

 

 

A Thoughtful story from India on Perfection!

 

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a

pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in

it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full

portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the

master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two

years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a

half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect

pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it

was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection,

and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had

been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter

failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am

ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the

bearer. "What are you ashamed of?I have been able, for these past

two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side

causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house.

Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get

full value from your efforts," the pot said. The water bearer felt

sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we

return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful

flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old

cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers

on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of

the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load,

and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer

said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your

side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I

have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I

planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we

walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have

been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's

table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this

beauty to grace his house." (AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

Source: Email from a friend.