Are you like a dog chewing a dry bone?
A Sufi Master once saw a dog chewing the dry bone of a buffalo. The bone has jagged edges and sharply cut the tongue, gums and mouth of the dog. Blood flowed and the dog licked and chewed even harder. The blood and flesh it was tasting were its own but the dog believed they were from the bone. The dog did not ever bother to question whether or not this was true.
The dog vigorously continued to chew this bone with its sharp canine holding it with its hefty forelegs, even though it hurts itself more the longer it does so. The bone was dry. The marrow had gone. There was no flesh around. The bone possessed nothing but a rotten smell. But its impact on the dog was tempting. It was not ready to leave the bone and was clinging on to it hard.
Pondered our world and its mendacity, its temporality, its tribulation, and its temptations. Is the world not like a bone to the dog?
Man bears and nurtures first. Then he snatches, tears, levels, and captures. He thinks of getting luxuries, comforts, and enjoyment. A dry bone to a dog!
And what do you think would happen if another dog entered the story and demanded the bone from the first dog? Would it give the bone knowing that it was bare and dry or would it fight for it?
The peace, joy and happiness we seek are already inside us all this while. We were born into this world with them. but we keep hunting for them outside...
The worldly things we pine for so desperately and accumulate so avariciously wound us in the same manner the bone cuts the dog, but we believe the pleasure we derive is from those material objects and cling to them more ferociously, fighting with whoever crosses our path.
Blood drip from our wounds and stain our path of life. Still we continue with apparent relish, striving for more money and the next toy to buy.
The happiness we seek is already here, within us. We only need to recognise, experience and appreciate it, instead of trying to substitute the feeling of true happiness with that which we derive from our incessant acquisition as fueled by the media and our current culture of excessive consumption!
True lasting happiness comes with letting go of our desires and wants, appreciating whatever is already here within us.
A Sufi Master once saw a dog chewing the dry bone of a buffalo. The bone has jagged edges and sharply cut the tongue, gums and mouth of the dog. Blood flowed and the dog licked and chewed even harder. The blood and flesh it was tasting were its own but the dog believed they were from the bone. The dog did not ever bother to question whether or not this was true.
The dog vigorously continued to chew this bone with its sharp canine holding it with its hefty forelegs, even though it hurts itself more the longer it does so. The bone was dry. The marrow had gone. There was no flesh around. The bone possessed nothing but a rotten smell. But its impact on the dog was tempting. It was not ready to leave the bone and was clinging on to it hard.
Pondered our world and its mendacity, its temporality, its tribulation, and its temptations. Is the world not like a bone to the dog?
Man bears and nurtures first. Then he snatches, tears, levels, and captures. He thinks of getting luxuries, comforts, and enjoyment. A dry bone to a dog!
And what do you think would happen if another dog entered the story and demanded the bone from the first dog? Would it give the bone knowing that it was bare and dry or would it fight for it?
The peace, joy and happiness we seek are already inside us all this while. We were born into this world with them. but we keep hunting for them outside...
The worldly things we pine for so desperately and accumulate so avariciously wound us in the same manner the bone cuts the dog, but we believe the pleasure we derive is from those material objects and cling to them more ferociously, fighting with whoever crosses our path.
Blood drip from our wounds and stain our path of life. Still we continue with apparent relish, striving for more money and the next toy to buy.
The happiness we seek is already here, within us. We only need to recognise, experience and appreciate it, instead of trying to substitute the feeling of true happiness with that which we derive from our incessant acquisition as fueled by the media and our current culture of excessive consumption!
True lasting happiness comes with letting go of our desires and wants, appreciating whatever is already here within us.
~ A Sufi Parable
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