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The Pundit And The Fakir

Sufi Story, Osho
Mere intellectual uploading reaches not to the state of true experience! A short Sufi story reveals the truth.

There was once a Fakir who was a ferryman. Once a pundit approached him to be ferried across to the other shore. The Fakir agreed to row him across free of cost. As the both sailed along, the pundit started a conversation.

“Do you know to read and write?"

“No, I am an illiterate and a rustic" replied the Fakir.

The Pundit who missed to note the godliness and the radiance that all his scriptures spoke of, emanating from the Fakir, said, “Oh! One fourth of your life is wasted!"

“But do you know arithmetic? You should be knowing it, as it is important in maintaining accounts of your day to day life ?"

The Fakir replied, “No I am in no need of maintaining accounts as I spend whatever I earn that day. I do not earn more than what I need for my daily bread"

He continued, “The existence that provides me today will take care of my morrow as well. So why do I have to worry? If someone pays me I take it, if he does not I do not mind. I have lived till now this way and will be taken care in the future also. The giver gives nothing that lasts for ever, nor does the one who does not give take away something which will last for ever. All is but a play!"

The pundit on hearing this said, “You have then wasted half of your life!"

Just then a storm began and the boat began to toss about in the unruly waves. The Fakir laughed at the Pundit who was virtually frightened for his life, the one who had read about deathlessness in all his scriptures.

The Fakir asked him, “Do you know to swim?"

The aghast pundit replied, “Not at all!"

“The whole of your life is wasted! I am going to jump because this boat is going to sink," said the Fakir and leaped into the water to swim ashore!

Osho points out that all the knowledge that we acquire through scriptures about the immortality of soul and deathlessness fails miserably while confronting death.

Only a person who lives a life of awareness understands the truth of deathlessness.

Story first published: Friday, July 30, 2010, 18:36 [IST]