The Journey
A seeker of truth journeyed two hundred miles (322 kilometres) on foot, deep through lush green forests, to have the darshan of a great and celebrated holy man who lived an ascetic life high in the mountains.
After two long weeks of trekking through the wilderness, this seeker of truth at last arrived at an old hermitage that sat on the edge of a breathtaking cliff, overlooking the vast and fertile valleys below.
The pilgrim knocked on the door three times, and a tall old man answered. He then motioned for the young seeker to come inside and sit on the floor before him. After that, the old man closed the door behind him and took a seat on a small wooden bench. Both beings sat in the lotus position. The pilgrim who had travelled such a long distance broke the awe-filled silence and said:
“Oh, dear and venerable sage, I have come all this way to ask you but one question: What is life’s greatest secret?”
The old man smiled, unfolding his hands, and said the following with a hint of irony in his voice:
“Life’s greatest secret is that there is no destination. It’s your journey that holds the one within all. Now tell me, young pilgrim, does this statement live as truth to you?
The seeker smiled really wide, and the twinkle in her eyes made the old sage absolutely certain that she’d attained instant enlightenment in that moment!
The Greatest Miracle
A large protest in the middle of town erupted, as contending masses of people gathered. Those for and against the theme of the protest quickly began engaging in a war of words, as extremists on one side of the conflict began readying their homemade explosives for combat.
Extremists from the other side also began loading their automatic rifles with ammunition, and let out a loud and terrifying battle call. The air grew thicker with tension as women and children from both camps retreated to the rear of their respective groups, in anticipation of an all-out war between the duelling partisans.
But in the final seconds just before the first explosives were thrown and the first shots were fired, a monk in a red robe suddenly appeared, standing on the front line right between the two groups. The monk sat down on the hot pavement, closed his eyes and fell into a deep meditation. Then, to everyone’s total surprise, he began to levitate. After floating five feet above the ground for at least three minutes, the monk opened his eyes and said the following:
“I believe miracles are a part of our daily existence. In fact, I predict that one will happen today, and you will all be witnesses to it!”
In response to the levitating monk, the extremists on both sides quickly disarmed their explosives and guns, and then locked arms as they formed a circle of peace around the mysterious teacher. On that fateful day, it has been said that the greatest miracle occurred.
Seeds of Karma
A poor man and a rich man found themselves captives, as part of a secret and mock personality test, conducted by a team of very unscrupulous researchers. The two individuals were kidnapped, and each was subsequently detained in a different room from the other. Both were told that they could be released from their captivity if they authorized their captors to torture the other.
Without any hesitation, the rich man consented to the torture of his impoverished counterpart. Posing as a captor in this experiment, the lead researcher asked the rich man why he seemed so at ease with his decision. The rich man replied, in an arrogant tone:
“It’s really quite simple. I’m more important. I worked hard to get to my station in life, while he (referring to the poor man) failed to improve on his own lot in life. If released, I can do better for society then some leech off the system.”
Meanwhile, in the other room, the poor man was given the same stark choice by his phony captors: to either authorize the torture of the rich man and secure his release, or remain in captivity. The poor man replied just as quickly as the rich man, but unlike him, inflected deep kindness and sincerity in his voice:
“Look, I know that the rich man will probably opt to have me tortured to secure his release. However, no matter what he decides, I can’t—in good conscience—know that my freedom would come at the cost of another’s suffering. If coming from less has taught me anything, it is to have empathy. I’ve suffered grave indignities that I wouldn’t wish on my own worst enemy. Leave me to rot, then, in my own captivity.”
The deceptive team of researchers was so moved by the selflessness of the poor man that after unmasking their true identities, they arranged for a one-time payment to him of 3 million dollars for his participation in the study. The poor man gratefully accepted the payment, and in good nature, even embraced the individuals who he’d thought were his captors.
In sharp contrast, the rich man received no cash payment for his participation in the study. But the researchers did offer to set him up with one of the most renowned therapists in the country, so he could address his extreme narcissism. Predictably, the rich man refused the researchers’ offer, and instead threatened to sue them for the ordeal he’d just endured.
Over time, as the seeds of karma would dictate, the rich man was devoured by his own selfishness. In only one year’s time, he managed to push away all his friends and family, due to his callous behavior, and sadly became addicted to opiates. Eventually, his businesses went under, too, and he found himself destitute and homeless on the streets.
By happy comparison, the poor man went on to start countless service projects for the same homeless community that the rich man now belonged to. In the process, he became a highly beloved figure within his community, because of his boundless love, flowing generosity and infinite compassion.
Two men. Two paths. Two very different outcomes.
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image 1: Pixabay; image 2: Wikimedia Commons
