The Definition Of I And You

Anecdotes

-Staff

By Staff

Wednesday, November 5, 2008, 5:21

Sage Ribhu had a disciple called Nidagha. Though Sage Ribhu educated his disciple of the truth of Non-dualism as the very self, Nidagha was not thoroughly convinced of the truth. He was still comfortable adhering to ceremonial rituals of religion, settling down in his hometown. The benevolent master in order to make Nidagha outgrow his ritualism once for all, sought to seek him in his native.

Once Sage Ribhu disguised himself as a rustic in order to assess Nidagha's improvisation in spiritualism. He found Nidagha intently watching a royal procession. He approached Nidagha and tried to build a conversation. He said : “Its a royal procession, but where is the king"

Nidagha replied that the king was the one on the elephant. The rustic then queried "I see the two, but please point out which is the king and which is the elephant"

Nidagha exclaimed with shock : What ! You do not know that the man above is the king and the animal below is the elephant ?"

The rustic imploringly asked Nidagha to bear with his ignorance and explain the terms 'above' and 'below'.

With patience breaking the bounds, Nidagha resorted to clarify the rustic with action if he did not comprehend his words.

He asked the rustic to bend and he sat on his shoulders. He then sought to clarify : “Understand now, I am above like the king and you are below like the elephant"

The rustic still bearing Nidagha on his shoulders replied : "With your explanation so far I understood the terms 'above' and 'below', but pray tell me what you mean by 'I' and 'You'.

Nidagha was now confronted all of a sudden with the difficulty of explaining the terms 'I' and 'You' to the rustic. He then realised in a flash that it could be none other than his master who came to zero him down to non dualism, the absence of 'I' and 'You'; the truth that was beyond all superficial explanations in words and action. He immediately jumped off his masters shoulders and fell at his feet with gratitude. He said that no one else other than his Guru, Ribhu could take all the trouble to draw his mind out of the superficialities of human existence to abide in the true being of the self.

He said clutching his master's feet "Benign Sir, I crave your blessings".