To: K-list
Recieved: 1999/07/03 17:24
Subject: [K-list] A little duality for you all
From: A. Erhart
On 1999/07/03 17:24, A. Erhart posted thus to the K-list:
A little duality for you all...
This came to me today while lying in savasana,
my favorite asana of all ;)
The Prodigal Son
There once lived a powerful man. He owned all the land
the eye could see and all the animals within the radius
of three and a half days' journey from his large estate.
The man's wife had died early in their marriage, but
she had left him a son, whom the man loved above
everything else.
The son grew up to be a healthy young man and the
father's love for him increased with every year
as it became apperent that the son's facial features
as well as inner personality held
a great semblance to those of his mother.
But one day, the son approached his father, saying:
"Father, there is nothing for me to do here at the
estate. Please let me have my inheritance so I can
have my try in the world."
Saddened, the father let the son have his way and gave
him the freedom and money he asked for. But he was
not ready to let him go completely. He summoned one of
his most trusted servants and bade him keep an eye on
the son, but without making himself obvious for him.
Many years passed and the father's heart grew steadily
heavier as he heard of the many stupidities and sins
committed by the son while in the world. Yet he never stopped thinking about the boy as his son and
always hoped the day would come when he would return to
the estate.
One day, the servant reported to the father that the
son was in hospital after having been beaten senseless
by muggers on the way home after a night of drunken
revelry in the more unhealthier parts of town.
"I must get my son home",
the father thought and ordered the servant to arrange
for transport back to the estate.
Upon his arrival, the son was put to bed in the old
room he had lived in as a young boy. The father
watched over him day and night and tended to his
wounds.
But despite the loving care, the son did not come
to his senses. He kept on sleeping long after
his physical wounds had healed and seemed lost in a
state of dreaming.
At times, he would wake up and look around with an
astonished and frightened expression on his face,
before quickly returning to his state of stupor,
having recognized neither the room in which he grew up,
nor his father.
"Something has to be done about this",
the father thought and summoned all the animals in his
great domain for advice.
"Something is wrong with my son", the father said,
looking at each animal.
"He doesn't seem to want to leave his state of dreaming. Does anyone of you know what to do about it?"
The animals looked at each other, no one knowing any
good advice. Only the viper slithered
forth and said:
"Let me help."
The other animals looked at the snake.
"You ?"
they said,
"you who do nothing but bite and kill prey ?"
The viper haughtily disregarded the other animals.
"Can you really help ?"
asked the father.
"Yes, but you must trust me completely,"
replied the viper.
"I do,"
said the father. Then the viper slid up to the
son and bit him in the heel. Not long after, the son grew deathly pale and his breath came in short, strained gasps. He started writhing violently amongst the sheets as if trying to free himself from binding shackles. This went on for a long while with the writhings growing in intensity.
The father watched with growing fear as it looked as the viper's poison was going to kill the son. But then
the son sat up in bed with a shout of joy,
realizing where he was. The father rushed to his side
and embraced him. The son had finally awakened and
come home.
"How did you do it ?"
asked the father, turning towards the snake.
"My poison made him remember his love for you and forsake the world of dreams in which he was living. That was all,"
replied the serpent.
"Thank you,"
said the father, thinking of how to best repay the
serpent for its help, but the serpent had already
left, unused as it was to attention and gratitiude.
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