So he decided to consult one of the Village elders. The elder knew that there was no chance for the simpleton to get lost. So he pretended to think for a while and said, "I will show a way of not getting lost."
The elder then put a short rope around the simpleton's neck (not much unlike a necktie) and said, "Whenever you feel lost, just pull at the rope. You will always be at the end of the rope."
The simpleton tried it a few times and sure enough, he was always at the end of the rope. So he joyfully clapped his hands and joyfully went to the fair. The simpleton walked around the fair feeling good. Whenever he felt a little overwhelmed in the crowds, he would pull at the rope around his neck and say, "Aha, here I am." And would continue feeling good.
A Village joker was also at the fair and was, as usual, on alert to play jokes. When he saw the simpleton, his mind went "Bingo!" He asked the simpleton about the rope. The simpleton joyfully told him. The joker joyfully listened.
It was afternoon by that time. And everybody in India takes a short nap in the afternoon! So the simpleton found a nice shady spot and dozed off. Of course, the joker did not - this was work time for him!
The joker quietly stole up to the simpleton and carefully removed the rope. Then he went to a nearby sleeping Villager and carefully put the rope around his neck. Quite satisfied with his work, he retired to a corner.
As soon as the simpleton woke up, he felt for his rope and completely panicked - he started running around shouting, "Where am I? Where am I?"
Then he came up to the still dozing Villager wearing the rope. The simpleton gave a cry of joy and pulled at the rope. The rudely awakened Villager was naturally quite cross and said, "##@@@###" (if you want to know what "##@@@###" is, send a note stating that you are over 21 years of age).
The Village simpleton exclaimed, "The Village elder told me that I will always be at the end of the rope. Therefore, I am you! I am you!"
~~~~~
I had several thought-provoking morals sent by readers for this one. The response that completely blew me away was this one:
Karen Peters (Winnipeg, Canada) http://karenfood.blogspot.com/
wow! even the village simpleton knew that all was one. :) Its so obvious to him and no one else. Of course he would want to be assured of his connectedness to oneness since he was labeled an outsider. No one else had that need since they were unaware of their connectedness.
Note: I heard this story from a recording of Baba Isher Singh jee, a great Sikh spiritualist. The moral he attached to the story was:
The trickster Maya has taken the rope of consciousness from our soul and put it around the body; thus we think we are the body.
2 comments:
Isn't it sort of an age old problem to find themselves- finding yourself throug someone else=projecting their idiocy onto the villiage idiot.
Like people who follow Gurus and other icons and religions- when a true teacher will tell you to search for the answers within yourself.
I have a friend who went to Bikram Yoga and he seduced her and she fell 'in love' with him. He is so unethical as are many leaders- I suppose the lesson is they are human.
The moral to me is to find yourself within yourself. The story is funny because we project all our foible sonto the village idiot whereas in essence the idiot is smart and would be above all this bull @$^*
More morals from readers:
~~~~~ Jim Moore
I am going to go for an Eckhart Tolle type of a moral.
The village elder represents society's collected knowledge of the way to view yourself and others. We identify with this collected knowledge through our ego, and we tie a rope around our own neck so we will know who we are.
The story shows how absurd it is to put so much stock in a form or label. We forget who we really are and only relate and receive worth from that rope that we put around our own necks. Take off your rope.
~~~~~ Daas
I think the moral of the story is when you tread on Guru ji's path you shall find God, in everyone and everything.
man thoo(n) joth saroop hai aapanaa mool pashhaan
O my mind, you are the embodiment of the Divine Light - recognize your own origin.
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