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Stories of Wisdom
A teacher and his disciple were walking through the forest. The disciple was disturbed by the realization that his mind was in a constant state of unrest. He asked: "Why are most people's minds restless, and only a few possess a calm mind? What can one do to still the mind?"
The teacher smiled and said: "I will tell you a story. An elephant was plucking leaves from a tree. A small fly came, flying and buzzing near his ear. The elephant waved it away with his long ears. Then the fly came again, and the elephant waved it away once more."
This was repeated several times. Then the elephant asked the fly: "Why are you so restless and noisy? Why can't you stay in peace for a while in one place?"
The fly answered: "I am attracted to whatever I see, hear or smell. My senses pull me constantly in all directions, and I cannot resist them. But how do you stay so calm?"
The elephant answered: "My five senses do not rule my attention. I can direct my attention wherever I want. This helps me to stay immersed in whatever I do, and therefore, my mind is focussed and calm. Now that I'm eating I am immersed in eating. In this way, I can enjoy my food better."
The disciple saw light. "I understand! My mind will be in constant unrest if my five senses control it. If I am able to disregard sense impressions, my mind would become calm, and I will be focussed."
Moral: The mind is restless and goes wherever the attention is. Control your attention, and you control your mind.
~ Adapted from Inspiring Stories by Remez Sasson
