The Stone Cutter

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The Stone Cutter

Unknown AuthorThere was once a stone cutter who was dissatisfied with himself and

with his position in life. One day he passed a wealthy merchant's

house. Through the open gateway, he saw many fine possessions and

important visitors. " How powerful that merchant must be! " thought the

stone cutter. He became very envious and wished that he could be like

the merchant.

To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more

luxuries and power than he had ever imagined, but envied and detested

by those less wealthy than himself. Soon a high official passed by,

carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants and escorted by

soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low

before the procession. " How powerful that official is! " he thought. " I

wish that I could be a high official! "

Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered

sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around. It was a hot

summer day, so the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan

chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected

by his presence. " How powerful the sun is! " he thought. " I wish that I

could be the sun! "

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching

the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud

moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer

shine on everything below. " How powerful that storm cloud is! " he

thought. " I wish that I could be a cloud! "

Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at

by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some

great force, and realized that it was the wind. " How powerful it is! "

he thought. " I wish that I could be the wind! "

Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses,

uprooting trees, feared and hated by all below him. But after a while,

he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how

forcefully he blew against it - a huge, towering rock. " How powerful

that rock is! " he thought. " I wish that I could be a rock! "

Then he became the rock, more powerful than anything else on earth. But

as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel

into the hard surface, and felt himself being changed. " What could be

more powerful than I, the rock? " he thought.

He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stone cutter.

-- With Love,Ganesh BabaMy Group: spiritual_inspiration- (Send a blank email)