The seven blind men and the elephant
Once the Tathagata Buddha went to a town called 'Sravasti' with his bhikkhus. He stayed there for a few days with a bhikkhu to preach to the people of Sravasti. The bhikkhus used to walk around the city every day for Pindapata, to collect food. While walking in the city, the bhikkhu realized that there are people of different thoughts living in the city of Sravasti. These people always argue and fight with each other on various topics.
These stubborn people believe that their own words are true and others are false without listening to others. Without thinking, they hurt each other by speaking bitterly. Seeing the constant quarrels and debates of the people of the city, a bhikkhu said to the fellow bhikkhu, "I don't know why these people always fight with each other like this?" Why do you insist unnecessarily that what you say is true?" The second bhikkhu said, "You are right. Seeing the constant bickering of these people, I also wonder this question.
We should talk to Buddha about this. We should listen to what they have to say." Then all the monks went to the Buddha. He told all the facts to the Buddha and requested him to guide him. Explaining the condition of those who stick to their own sayings and express their opinions without listening to others, the Buddha said, Bhikkhus, in this Sravasti once became a king. Once he ordered his servant and said, "Find and bring together the people in your city who are born blind and bring them before me."
According to the king's order, the servant found seven congenitally blind persons in the city the next day and presented them before the king in the court. The king was pleased to see the seven born-blind persons whom the servant had found and brought, and said to the servant, "Now you show these seven an elephant." The mahout came with the elephant to the open space outside the palace. The king, the chief, the court minister and the seven blind men went there. According to the king's order, the servant placed an elephant among the seven born-blind persons and asked them to touch the elephant.
All the seven blind men touched only one part of the elephant's body. Some have the round head of an elephant, some have big feet. When the corn was long, someone touched the tip of the tail. The seven blind men stood in a row on one side touching the different parts of the elephant. They all imagined what the elephant would be like based on their touch.
After a while the king said to the seven blind men, “Just now you all touched the elephant. Now tell me, how is the elephant?” Hearing the king's question, everyone rushed to answer. The first blind man who touched the round head of the elephant came forward and said, “Sir, I have touched the elephant. An elephant is like a great mountain.” Hearing his answer, the court minister and six other blind men started laughing loudly. He didn't know why everyone was laughing.
At that moment, the other blind man who had touched the elephant's tusk came forward and said, “My lord, this one is lying. I have touched the elephant. An elephant is like a big nail.” Again everyone started laughing loudly. Immediately the third blind man who had touched the trunk of the elephant said, “You two are mad. My lord, I say. An elephant is exactly like a ploughshare.” When he had finished speaking, the fourth blind man, who had touched his ear, said, 'Do not listen to him, my lord.
I say, an elephant is like a big snake.” Immediately the fifth blind man who touched the foot of the elephant came forward and said, “Sir, these are all fools. What do they know? I have touched the elephant. An elephant is like a big pillar.” He could not finish speaking, but the sixth blind man who touched the elephant's belly said angrily to everyone, “Enough. Stop lying. I say, listen to me. An elephant is like a sack full of grain.” At last the seventh blind man, who touched the tuft of the elephant's tail, shouted loudly, "Don't say what you think about the elephant."
I have touched the elephant. Oh, he's like Kersuni." In this way each hastily and insistently presented his case to the king. After that, everyone started fighting with each other. All seven blind men literally fell on each other. Everyone started saying that the elephant is as I say it is, not as others say it is. Everyone insisted to the king that what he said was true.
Seeing their confusion in the court, the king said to his chief, "Prahdanji, who among these seven is speaking the truth and explain why all of them have caused this confusion." Pradhan slowly came forward. Saluting the king, he said to the seven blind men, "All seven of you are mistaken." Each of you touched only one part of the elephant.
You felt as if the one limb you touched was a whole elephant. So the one who touched the head of the elephant felt like an elephant head, the one who touched the tusks felt like a nail, the one who touched the trunk felt like a ploughshare, the one who touched the ear felt like a snake, the one who touched the feet felt like a pole, the one who touched the belly felt like a sack full of grain and the one who touched the tail felt like a kerosene. Hence the confusion
You have acted stubbornly without listening or understanding what others have to say, that is where you made your biggest mistake.” After listening to Pradhan's speech, all the seven blind men realized their mistake. After narrating this incident, Tathagata Buddha Bhikkhuna said, “Bhikkhuna, do you see? How deceived are those who consider only one side and do not listen to others! The seven blind men who did not listen to others and spoke without thinking because of their haste started to blame others when they themselves were at fault.
Every blind man felt that a limb of an elephant he touched was as if it were a whole elephant. So they started to think that their truth is others' lies. This was their biggest mistake. Everyone fell on each other to judge others wrong without realizing their mistake. People who unnecessarily insist that what they say is true without listening to others, without considering all sides, act as if they are blind despite having eyes. So we should check where we are going wrong.
Bhikkhus, consider as many aspects of things and situations as possible to reach the truth. Don't blindly accept what others say, don't reject it. Think from all sides when expressing your opinion. Instead of acting rashly, listen calmly to what others have to say. Don't rush, blindly insist that what you say is true.' Hearing the Buddha's guidance, the bhikkhu got answers to the questions in his mind. All the bhikkhunis saluted him and agreed not to act rashly.
Implications – Don't jump to conclusions based on insufficient information. Do not pretend that your own words are true, do not act stubbornly. The opinion of others should also be respected.
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