Worldly contemplations

[Guest guest]

Swamiji's question reminded me of a parable . How worldly "needs"

start multiplying easily .

 

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There is a wonderful Indian parable about a guru who had a disciple

with whom he was very pleased. The disciple had shown a remarkable

level of spiritual maturity and had found peace and joy in

simplicity and service to others. The disciple lived in a little hut

in a small village. Every morning, after his devotions, the disciple

washed his loincloth and hung it out to dry.

 

One day, he came to discover the loincloth had been eaten by rats.

So, he had to get another one, but the rats ate that one also. "This

won't do," he thought, so he got a cat to take care of the rats. The

cat took care of the rats all right, but now he had to provide for

the cat. So, he got a cow to provide milk for the cat. But, he

discovered that now he had to provide fodder for the cow. So he

decided to till and plant the ground around his hut and begin

farming. Soon he found no time for contemplation, no time for

service to others. He hired servants to help attend to his farm. Now

he found he needed to acquire more land to provide for the servants.

Overseeing all of this was difficult and stressful so he married to

have his wife help him. Over time the disciple became the wealthiest

man in the village. He forgot completely about contemplation and

service to others.

 

Years later the guru returned and came through the village and he

stopped in to see his disciple. He was shocked to see a palace

surrounded by a vast elegant estate where once stood a simple hut.

Dressed in the finest attire the disciple scarcely resembled the

simple, peaceful man he once was. "What is the meaning of this? What

happened to you?" he asked the disciple. "You won't believe this!"

the disciple replied. "But there was no other way I could keep my

loincloth!"

 

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