Learn To Hiss-Inward Journey Series
Inward Journey Series: Introduction.
Inward Journey Series: HE is Everywhere!
Inward Journey Series: Letting Go.
Inward Journey Series: Thank You.
Inward Journey Series: Relocation
As human beings, we all dream of a perfect world where people are happy, free from illness and suffering, are experiencing spiritual upliftment and are living in peace.
In reality, we know that there is suffering, pain, jealousy and hatred in this world.
As much as we would love to live an ideal life in that perfect world, we know that we have to keep our guards up to protect ourselves from people and situations that are not so perfect.
More often than not, we find ourselves torn apart between these two worlds.
I came across a parable that throws light on how to live in this “not so perfect” world.
Long ago, there lived a poisonous snake in the outskirts of a village. The villagers lived in fear because the snake would bite any passerby.
One day, a sage visited the village and the villagers requested him to not wander anywhere near the snake. The sage told them that he knew ways to tame the snake and so proceeded towards the place where the snake lived.
As soon as the snake came near him, the sage recited a mantra which had a huge impact on the snake and it lay at the feet of the sage prostrating. The snake told the sage that it wanted to live a life of penance and wanted to attain salvation. The Sage asked the snake to recite a holy chant to Realize God.
After almost an year, the Sage visited the village again and found kids playing near the snake hole. He was curious and asked the villagers about the whereabouts of the snake. The villagers told him that the snake had suddenly stopped biting anyone and so they broke its backbone and threw it into the snake hole. It lay there and never bothered anyone.
The Sage rushed to the snake hole and took the snake out. He caressed its back and fixed its backbone. The snake told the Sage that it kept its word of not causing harm to anyone and of reciting the holy chant throughout. The circumstances were tough but it managed to pull through.
The Sage smiled and told ” What a shame! Don’t you know how to protect yourself? I asked you not to bite, not to cause harm to others, but I didn’t forbid you to hiss. Why didn’t you scare them by hissing?”
Comments
There are several messages in that story. I felt myself being torn in all directions. Good story, Deepa. I hadn’t heard that one before.
Nice! What a memorable and charming story. I agree with the point that hissing works.
I also think I have seen, Deepa, how seeing the fool for what he or she is — a fool — without trying in any way to change them, can reduce all their flung insults to ashes. But of course, the trick to seeing the fool in others is to first see the fool in ourselves. Unless we do that first, we never recognize fools deeply enough that we can magic their insults into ashes before they have a chance to wound us with them.
It’s pretty simple though. If you honestly know that someone is a fool, you will no more care what they say about you than you will care what a child says about quantum mechanics.
That’s a good point about the difference between harming others and allowing ourselves to be harmed. It’s a fine line to walk, but it certainly can be done.
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