5 blind and 1 elephant
5 Blind Men and 1 Elephant
At the court of a popular king there lived many learned men who served him as advisors.
No matter what the subject, there were always disputes between the many "experts"; the experts did not agree on anything.
The quarrels became more violent every day, the palace was filled with bickering and strife. The king decided to remedy the situation, he thought about what he could do. One day he had a good idea.
Among his advisors were five blind men who, due to their age, had lost their sight. He had these men led in front of an elephant, they were to get an overview only by their sense of touch, and then report to the king, in the presence of all the other advisors, what it was all about, describe what they felt.
The first scholar was led to the side of the elephant, he felt an ear, he reached around the large surface, felt the brittle surface. He thought: "According to the smell it is an elephant, but according to the feeling it is a big leaf".
The second educated blind man had his turn, he was placed in front of the elephant, felt the trunk. He spoke: "Yes, it smells like an elephant, but it is an arm, long and strong".
The next scholar was directed to the rear of the animal, he felt the tail of the colossus. He too agreed with the previous men, "it smells like an elephant, yes, but it feels like a rope, with a brush on the end".
The fourth blind man was led to one leg of the elephant, he said "yes, the smell is strong, but since this is a riddle of the king, it can't be an elephant, I think it is a pillar".
Then came the turn of the last of the selected blind scholars, he was placed at the belly of the animal. He too admitted that it smelled like an elephant, but he also believed that the king was trying to "hoodwink" them, he thought it was a large spiky surface, and therefore not an animal.
The king began to smile, he said: "Oh you scholars, how can you not recognize such a simple thing, it is of course an elephant. But I wanted to show you that it is often different than it seems at first, nothing is really simple, every matter has its difficulties, before you quarrel again in the future, you should remember this elephant, this moment. And everyone at my court has seen how difficult it is to recognize an elephant, to describe it, everyone has felt something different, felt it. And only because you lack one sense, the eyesight. And how is it only with smaller things, with those that are harder to describe, harder to understand, complicated and complex"?
All the scholars understood what the king wanted to tell them, they now realized. And also why he had staged this spectacle was now obvious.
The example with the elephant should not be forgotten so quickly by all advisors at the court.
As a Buddhist, one should not judge or evaluate.
FIRST LOOK AT YOURSELF, THEN JUDGE ME!
- SPEAKING WORD –
Copyright: https://shaolin-rainer.de
(Please also download my app "Buddha-Blog English" from the Apple and Android stores)
Please rate us on Apple, Google, or Spotify podcast to help us promote the show
