The Blind Men and the Elephant

Dadi: "Guddu, have you ever argued with your friends about something, and each of you was sure YOU were right?"

Guddu: "Yes, Dadi! Last week Ravi said cricket is better than football, and I said football is better, and we argued for sooo long!"

Dadi: "*laughs* And who won the argument?"

Guddu: "Nobody! We both still think we're right!"

Dadi: "Well, beta, today I'll tell you an ancient story that the Buddha himself told about exactly this kind of situation. It's called the story of the Blind Men and the Elephant."

Guddu: "Blind men? And an elephant? How strange!"

Dadi: "It happened in the city of Savatthi. A king decided to do an experiment. He gathered all the blind people in the city and brought them to the palace."

Guddu: "Why blind people, Dadi?"

Dadi: "You'll see, beta. The king brought in a huge elephant and asked each blind person to touch a different part of it. "This is an elephant," he said to each one. "Touch it and tell me what an elephant is like.""

Guddu: "Oh! So each person touched only ONE part?"

Dadi: "Exactly! One man touched only the elephant's head. Another touched only the ear. Someone else touched the tusk, another the trunk. Others touched the body, the foot, the tail, the back..."

Guddu: "And they couldn't see the whole elephant!"

Dadi: "Not at all. So the king asked them, "Tell me - what is an elephant like?""

Guddu: "What did they say?"

Dadi: "The man who touched the head said, "An elephant is like a big round jar!" The one who touched the ear said, "No no, an elephant is like a flat winnowing basket!" The one who touched the tusk said, "You're both wrong - an elephant is like a ploughshare, hard and pointed!""

Guddu: "*giggles* They were all so different!"

Dadi: "The man who touched the trunk said it was like a long plough pole. The one who touched the big body said it was like a storeroom. The one who touched the foot said it was like a post. The one who touched the tail said it was like a pestle. And the one who touched the little tuft at the end of the tail said, "An elephant is just like a broom!""

Guddu: "A broom! That's so funny, Dadi!"

Dadi: "Now here's the important part, beta. Each man was ABSOLUTELY SURE he was right. And do you know what happened?"

Guddu: "What?"

Dadi: "They started fighting! Actually fighting with their fists! "An elephant is like THIS!" "No, it's like THAT!" They couldn't agree at all. And the king... the king just watched and smiled."

Guddu: "Why did the king smile?"

Dadi: "Because he could see the whole elephant, beta. He knew that each blind man was touching something real - a real part of a real elephant. But each one thought HIS part was the WHOLE truth."

Guddu: "Oh! They were all right, but also all wrong!"

Dadi: "Exactly, my smart boy! The Buddha told this story to his monks because he saw that many religious teachers in Savatthi were doing the same thing. They would argue and fight, each claiming "MY teaching is true, everyone else is wrong!""

Guddu: "But they were all only seeing part of the truth?"

Dadi: "*nods* Like the blind men, beta. Each might have understood SOMETHING real, SOMETHING true. But they couldn't see that others might also have pieces of the truth. Instead of learning from each other, they fought."

Guddu: "That's silly! If they shared what they knew, they could understand the whole elephant together!"

Dadi: "*hugs Guddu* You've understood the lesson better than many grown-ups, beta! The Buddha said that people become deeply attached to their own views, and when we only see one side of things, we end up in quarrels and disputes."

Guddu: "Dadi, does this happen today too?"

Dadi: "All the time, beta. People argue about politics - each side sure they're completely right. People fight about religion - each believing only their path is true. Even in families, people argue because they see situations differently."

Guddu: "So how do we avoid being like the blind men?"

Dadi: "First, by being humble. Remember that you might only be touching one part of the elephant. Second, by listening. When someone sees things differently, maybe they're touching a different part that you haven't felt yet."

Guddu: "And third?"

Dadi: "Third, by asking questions instead of just arguing. The blind men could have asked each other, "What part did you touch? What did it feel like?" Then they could have put their knowledge together and understood the whole elephant."

Guddu: "Like a puzzle where everyone has different pieces!"

Dadi: "Perfect example, beta! No one piece is the whole picture, but together they make something beautiful."

Guddu: "Dadi, next time I argue with Ravi about cricket and football, I'll remember this story!"

Dadi: "And what will you say to him?"

Guddu: "I'll say, "Maybe we're both right! Cricket is great for patience and football is great for running. We're just touching different parts of the elephant!""

Dadi: "*laughs* He might be very confused, beta! But yes, that's exactly the spirit. Both cricket and football are wonderful games - there's no need to fight about which is "the only right one.""

Guddu: "Truth can have many parts, and we need each other to see the whole thing!"

Dadi: "That's my wise little philosopher. Now come, let's have some prasad. I made your favorite - coconut laddoo!"

Guddu: "Yay! That's the BEST part of visiting you, Dadi!"

Dadi: "*winks* Or is it just ONE part of what makes visiting me special?"

Guddu: "*laughs* Okay okay, there are MANY good parts!"