The "others"…

I had this slightly interesting dream, and… …. … I am going to write about it.

It was a very strange dream. It seemed like a chapter of some old Chinese or Indian legendary tale, or a book on the Tao or something. The dream was simply a young man talking an old sage, with white hair, a long white beard and…. well, you know how they look like. And the young man was talking to the sage asking him about what is about to follow. I am not exactly quoting what has been said, but I think I am being quite sufficiently accurate:

- Young Man (M): And so, wise one, you say you have found the secrets of happiness, satisfaction, joy and love. You say have found the right balance between what is earthly and what is divine; what is material and what is incorporeal; what is static and what is fluid; what is strong and what is unstoppable; asceticism and lavishness; and more and more of the categories of life and the Tao. Yet your disquietude, worrying and anxiety seem to have grown, rather than receded, by the revelations you have achieved. Isn't this contradicting, wise one?

- The Sage (S): Not necessarily. When you are confused, there is a chance that you might find your answers to be the same or close to other people. But those which I have found are anything but so. I know what others do not, and what others reject and I know it to be the truth. How do you live amongst people if you do not live their life; walk their walk; talk their talk; and follow their way? One may seal herself or himself in some sealed hermitage in a far away desert, but you must always return to the world of man for one reason or another. Also, soon there shall be no more places for hermitages and for isolation.

- M: I am still not sure what you do you mean.

- S: I am trying to say that I less comforted and encouraged by my own wisdom as I am discomforted and discouraged by the foolishness of others.

That dream was probably not a reflection of my subconscious. I was reading a book called "The Wisdom of India", with a lot of things similar to this. Perhaps the book imposed itself on my mind during my sleep. I also don't consider you wise when you call yourself so. But isn't there something to be learnt from this weird dream? That a person of total wisdom could still be exposed to harm due to the errors of others?

It also made me remember the following story (in just one of its many variations), which is somewhat relevant…

A man passing through a forest when he saw a bear by the lake being attacked by a group of bees. The bear could have jumped into the shallow waters nearby and drowned them off, but, unlike the strength of his body, his mind was not up to such tasks. The man took a bucket, filled it with water, and splashed the bear to safety. The bear was so grateful that it insisted on following the man wherever he goes, despite his refusal. At night, as the man slept, a few bees came and hovered over his head and were about to sting him. The bear, wanting to save its beloved friend, decided to do what it would have done to itself. It hit the man's face with its hand to squash some bees and to force the others to flee. In doing so, he killed his friend.

A foolish friend could sometimes be a thousand times more dangerous than a smart enemy…

That's two lessons for now. An accidental one from my dreams, and an intentional one from my books…

Bassem Sabry