A Fable
I
The Stone
High on a mountainside lay a stone. No, it was not some precious or sacred stone such as for example, the Hajar – the black meteorite to which all Muslims make pilgrimage because they believe it was brought by the Archangel Gabriel himself. No, our stone is the most ordinary, in no way different from others, worthless grey boulder. Simply, on the steep slope of a high mountain next to dozens of other similar stones lay a certain stone.
There was nothing strange or extraordinary about this stone’s life. It lived a solitary life. Like all stones, it expected nothing from others and gave nothing to others. This is, after all, a matter of course among stones and, were it not for something that happened, which I am about to describe, it would have unconsciously remained in this stone’s fate for all time.
It happened once that a man was climbing up this slope. Unintentionally, a small stone broke free from under the man’s foot. This pebble hit another. These in turn hit yet another. And finally a whole stone avalanche came tumbling down. Various pieces of rock and gravel rolled like mad, and the stronger stones smashed the weaker ones to pieces.
In the avalanche there was also our stone. He was afraid of being smashed or injured. It wanted very much to escape this mad pursuit and return to its former, dreamy existence. So when the right opportunity arose, he bounced hard off a springy clump of moss and soared far ahead. Just like that, he fell with a loud splash into the river.
II
The River
The river is the other protagonist of this story. No, it was not some special or sacred river, such as the Ganges River flowing out of an ice cave in the Himalayas, to which all Hindus make a pilgrimage because they believe it is the embodiment of the goddess Ganga. No, our river is the most ordinary mountain stream. Simply, a certain river flowed at the foot of the mountain from which a stone rolled down.
The stone was previously unfamiliar with the river and now that he found himself at the bottom of it, it seemed like a completely new and unusual world to him. He could not marvel at the fact that the river was prodigiously giving away the best it had to everyone – itself. Animals came to its banks every day whenever they wanted and happily drank the invigorating water. The river never skimped on its gifts and expected nothing in exchange.
What’s more, animals and even people could wash in it, as it happily took the dirt and dust from everyone. Stone was full of amazement. He could not comprehend the river’s behaviour, because he had never offered anything to anyone. Nor did he ever ask anyone for anything. Occasionally, only an animal would stumble over him and it cut itself, but he himself, after all, did not want to maliciously injure anyone. These similar feelings were completely alien to him. He just wanted to be stuck in his solitude. His only silent prayer was the desire for ‘holy peace’.
This is how the stone and the river lived together from then on. Completely different. Two opposites, one might say, but could one say that one was good and the other evil? No, that is not the right thing to say.
III
The Stone or the River
This is the end of the story of the stone who fell into the clear river and was surprised to see that she was able to live very differently from him – without selfishness and fear, but with love and boundless generosity. Yes, that’s the end of this simple story, but I’ll add a little warning from me.
Many people and many religions try to convince us that in ourselves good fights against evil, but in my opinion it is otherwise. See for yourself. Look carefully inside yourself, and instead of good and evil, you might just see this joyfully murmuring river with a stone resting motionlessly in its current.
You will then find that half of you wants to be like this river. It wants to selflessly impart what is benevolent and wash others of what is harmful. This part of you does not want to be separated from the world. On the contrary, full of love and compassion, it hopes to dissolve in the world – to be One with everything. But in contrast, another part of you is like a stone. And it is just as strong. This other half of you tries very hard to keep its own distinct shape, its own independent, even dead, stone life.
This river flowing within you, wise people used to call the soul or true self. The fossilised part of you people call the ego or little self. But that is not what is important what is wisely called. What is important is that the stone is strenuously trying to convince you that you are just that – a stone. Similarly, the i river would like you to believe that you are just it – the river. Be careful, because whoever you allow yourself to be convinced by, that is who you will become… a stone or a river.