Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, was walking along the seashore lost in high thoughts. Suddenly he came upon a man who was trying to empty the ocean into a pit he had dug, with the help of a spoon. He became curious and asked, "Brother, what are you doing?"
The man replied, "If you have eyes you can see. It is as clear as day. I mean to empty this ocean into this pit."
Aristotle laughed and said, "Is it not madness? Are you in your right senses? Can oceans be measured by spoons? Can pits be filled by spoons?
Why waste your life in senseless tasks?"
The man laughed and said, "I thought it was you who is mad, because aren't you engaged in filling the infinite with your spoonful of thoughts?" It is said that Aristotle tried to locate that man later but he never found him.
The man was correct: how small is a thought, how vast existence! How will you measure this vast existence with your measuring spoon? Where will you keep it? Your head is so small, the universe so vast. Look at your arms, how short they are -- how far can they reach? You are engaged in a worthless task. Perhaps that man may have succeeded in emptying the ocean, because the ocean is finite. A spoonful of water does make the ocean less by a spoon, but the infinite you can never attain through thoughts.
It's through the thought-less, relaxed state of meditation you can approach the infinite. Therefore, by silencing the thought, the beggar becomes a king as soon as he becomes silent. The depths of the depth less become known, the unknown becomes familiar, the stranger becomes the beloved, and the blind find their way.
Source: “The True Name”, Vol 1 Osho
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=82u7ac4rA-cC&pg=PT131&lpg=PT131&dq=spoon+ocean+aristotle+water&source=bl&ots=BCpcR1uGQp&sig=67jpBMFdBXpjXb5TM44gfajdWDI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=RB_xUoHTBqHQiAfty4HwBQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=spoon%20ocean%20aristotle%20water&f=false
Earlier, Aristotle was a serious scientific thinker.. constantly working with 5 senses basis alone was totally changed after meeting this Awakened One and amalgamated subtler spiritual truths in every of his scientific exploration..the seriousness of him changed into a simple superb smile. BEST WISHES - Dr. Hari Kumar
The man replied, "If you have eyes you can see. It is as clear as day. I mean to empty this ocean into this pit."
Aristotle laughed and said, "Is it not madness? Are you in your right senses? Can oceans be measured by spoons? Can pits be filled by spoons?
Why waste your life in senseless tasks?"
The man laughed and said, "I thought it was you who is mad, because aren't you engaged in filling the infinite with your spoonful of thoughts?" It is said that Aristotle tried to locate that man later but he never found him.
The man was correct: how small is a thought, how vast existence! How will you measure this vast existence with your measuring spoon? Where will you keep it? Your head is so small, the universe so vast. Look at your arms, how short they are -- how far can they reach? You are engaged in a worthless task. Perhaps that man may have succeeded in emptying the ocean, because the ocean is finite. A spoonful of water does make the ocean less by a spoon, but the infinite you can never attain through thoughts.
It's through the thought-less, relaxed state of meditation you can approach the infinite. Therefore, by silencing the thought, the beggar becomes a king as soon as he becomes silent. The depths of the depth less become known, the unknown becomes familiar, the stranger becomes the beloved, and the blind find their way.
Source: “The True Name”, Vol 1 Osho
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=82u7ac4rA-cC&pg=PT131&lpg=PT131&dq=spoon+ocean+aristotle+water&source=bl&ots=BCpcR1uGQp&sig=67jpBMFdBXpjXb5TM44gfajdWDI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=RB_xUoHTBqHQiAfty4HwBQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=spoon%20ocean%20aristotle%20water&f=false
Earlier, Aristotle was a serious scientific thinker.. constantly working with 5 senses basis alone was totally changed after meeting this Awakened One and amalgamated subtler spiritual truths in every of his scientific exploration..the seriousness of him changed into a simple superb smile. BEST WISHES - Dr. Hari Kumar
Wonderful story and example...
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