Thursday, November 3, 2011

What Exactly is Moving?


Four frogs were once sitting upon a log which was floating near the edge of the river. Suddenly the log was caught by the water current and was swept slowly down the stream. The frogs were delighted and absorbed, for had never sailed before.

The first frog said, "This is indeed a most marvellous log. It moves as if it is alive. No such log was ever known before!"

Then the second frog said, "No my friend, the log is just like the other logs, and it is not moving. It is the river, that is flowing to the sea and is carrying us and this log with it."

Now the third frog also opened his mouth and said, "It is neither the log nor the river that moves. The moving is in our thinking. For without thought nothing moves."

Thus the three frogs began to wrangle about what exactly was moving. The quarrel grew hotter and louder, but they could not agree. Then they turned to the fourth frog, who had been only listening attentively in silence and asked for his opinion.

The fourth frog quietly said, "Each of you is right, none of you is wrong. The moving is happening in the log, the water and also our thinking, but if you look still deeper you will understand that nothing has moved, because nothing can move and there is nowhere to move."

The three frogs were very angry, for none of them was willing to accept that his was not the whole truth and that the other two were not wholly wrong. They were also not ready to accept that they didn't know and this fourth foolish frog knows. It was against their egos. Then the strange thing happened ....the three frogs got together and pushed the fourth frog off the log into the river.

Moral of the Story ....

Friends, this is a very meaningful story. Most of us believe that we know and this very idea keeps our ignorance intact.
The first step towards understanding is to accept that we don't know and to realize and accept our ignorance, to accept in deep humility that we have been ignoring the truth.
When the truth knocks at our door, suddenly we become aware that until now we have been living with lies, have been untrue, all our knowing and dogmas were false. In presence of truth, suddenly our whole life is nullified, which is humiliating.
Friends, our whole past has been just a darkness, although it is too much for our ego to accept this fact. So, it is better to deny the truth, close the door and save our face. Power blinds the eyes, hence it is very difficult to see that we are ignorant, especially when we have money, respect and power....!

Have a Great Day Friends!

No comments:

Post a Comment