A Parable

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There was once a man named Adam. He lived in a wonderful land call Krung. All his villagers, including himself were known for their great ability to meditate. All day long they would meditate and then, with a great whiff of the air, they would feel satisfied and ready to meditate some more. They never needed to eat. They needed very little sleep. There were hardly any business transactions because everyone was in agreement with the other one.

One day, someone entered their land and introduced them to food. "Taste this!" he said.

The villagers gathered around him to see what was it he was offering. "Fried ribs!" he encouraged them.

The elders of the Krung warned the people against this. They were final and condemned it outright. But the younger ones were still curious. One night, many snuck to the visiter's house and asked to taste this fried ribs. He complied. They chewed it very slowly for fear of what would happen to them.

Nothing happened. It was actually quite tasty! And in the end they had a sensation of fullness that they never had before. They loved it! As they sat around the visitor's house complimenting him on his fried ribs, hours past. The full sensation that they once had turned into a sensation of emptiness. They felt lacking. They felt they needed to once again eat the fried ribs.

Soon they realized the warnings that their elders had tried to give them. They were stuck. Valiant warriors that they were they decided to fight this urge to eat. Many days of fasting brought them to almost fainting as the feeling of emptiness was so great! But they persisted. Soon it got to a manageable state. The youth compromised with themselves and decided they would not eat, but that they would carry a pot just in case the urge came to them and they could not resist. Adam, who felt ashamed for his fall decided to run away.

Grabbing his small duffle bag of things and his pot he set out to see the world.

The first country he came to was the land of SeaSand. Adam noticed that the people in that town also had pots. They boiled carrots in that pot and nothing else.

Adam inquired about this and told the townsfolks about his own plight.

"Well we also fell," they told him. "We were able to conquer all our urges to eat except for the tasty carrot. So we only eat carrot. Carrot salads. Carrot soups. Carrots."

Adam heard this and thought. Perhaps I will partake of their carrot soup. So, in the comfort of his room at the inn, he brought out his pot and began to cook a carrot soup.

Shortly there was a big banging on his door. Almost the whole townsfolks came to him angrily. "look at you!" they sneered, "from the land of Krung, the great meditators! What are you doing eating a carrot! Where are your standards! Begone from us, you lazy bum!" and they shouted him right out of their town.

He continued onward toward the country of Krangill. There, Adam observed, the people also had pots but they cooked potatoes therein. Again, he informed them of his plight and inquired about their potato eating. "Yes, we also have a pot. And we cook only potatoes in it."

Again, Adam hoped to partake of their potato eat. So, in the forest nearby he lit his match and began cooking a potato soup. Not long after the townsfolks came to him angrily! "We know about the people of Krung. They are known to be so great that they never eat! What are you doing trying to eat a potato! You impostor! You are not who you claim to be! That, or you are not acting as you should! Begone!!!" And with that he was out of that town as well.

Adam became dismayed. He wrote a letter to his Father. Father, What am I to do? I wish to discard this pot but it has become so much a part of me. Furthermore, every land I go to, I see they have a pot and they are fine eating their particular food. My friends and I have worked on ourselves that we are not stuck on any particular food. But when I see people so at ease with their eating, I feel I should make my pot useful as well --only to be reminded of my heritage. Father, I don't even remember what its like to be without a pot. Was it boring? What did I do all day long besides contemplating eating or not eating? Father, I am so confused!

The Father wrote back. Just come home, my son. Put the pot down and we will take it from there. I know it seems like the unknown right now, but you will see how happy you can be again. Trust me and come back.

Adam arrived at another town. In this town they too had pots and in their pots they had corn. The minute Adam arrived the townfolks knew he was aristocracy. They could recognize his kingly air and despised him. "What are you doing with this pot" They demanded. "For all we know you probably have a whooooole pot of soup with all SORTS of vegetables brewing in there!"

Adam was afraid. This was not a nice mob. They growled and approached him menacingly. Adam knew he would get the beating of his life!

* * * * * *

As he ran out of that town limping and barely escaping, he found solace on a rock near a riverbank at the edge of a forest. He examined himself. A few cuts and some bruises but pretty okay. His duffel bag had been taken but ......his pot was still with him.

Adam cried. He cried bitterly and out of exhaustion from crying out, he fell asleep.

Adam's Father came to him in a dream. "Adam" He coaxed, "I know you feel trapped and that there is no way out. I come to tell you that there is a way out. Part of bearing the pot brings the feeling that there is no way out. But listen, Adam. I will tell you the secret way out.

Reach inside yourself and remember. There is a song. The language of the angels. There is a song you must sing. It is a new song. It is the song of My Name. I know you can not say my name out of respect for me, but you can hint at my name and that will cause you remember me and have My Presence before you, that will give you the strength to overcome your clinging to the pot.

Adam awoke with a start! Can it be?! That easy??!!

Adam reached deep within himself and tried to remember his meditation techniques. He found that he couldn't remember them consciously, but subconsciously he knew what to do. A glimmer of hope came in his eyes. Adam began jumping and clapping, the more he did, the more he remembered. He remembered the holy origin of dancing and how clapping could dash the decrees made. He wanted to dash any decree that says he should be stuck with his pot. He began dancing with fervor as he sang a new song. A song with hints of his Father's name!

All day long, Adam danced and danced. Even the birds in the trees began humming with him. The trees seem to rustle their leaves in accordance to the beat of his song. All of nature was singing! As his feet moved, Adam was not looking where he was going. He was remembering more things. He moved from judgement--justice, knowing that he had done wrong and being wrought with guilt, to another form of judgement, which is Faith--judging that his Father knew what He was saying and doing and that He would guide him to happiness. The music went on. His song went on. Finally, he stopped dancing and looked around to see where he was.

He was back in Krung, his own village. The villagers all came to greet him and to welcome him back. Instantly he looked guiltily down at his hand, but saw....

there was no pot.

There was no pot in his hand! He had roused himself to such a level that the pot became irrelevant. He didn't even want the pot anymore. Thinking about it, he realized how it was really his fervor for happiness that had somehow gotten transferred or projected onto the pot. Never again, he decided, never again.