Agnostic.com

3 8

I'm reminded of this whenever I think the answers are somewhere else "out there."

bleurowz 8 June 6
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

3 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

0

Alternately, I think it's fine to say "I don't know" rather than making up some unsubstantiated, mystical "energy" mumbo-jumbo and pretending to know

2

I like it, though I heard a simplified and different version.

4

The Buddha spoke of a group of blind wise men traveling the Indus valley. The men happened upon a sick elephant lying silently in the road and sought to identify the animal. The first felt only the animal's leg and thought it a tree. The second patted it on the side and thought it a hut. The third grabbed the trunk and declared it a large snake while the fourth felt the ears and thought it a plant. Only the 5th was wise enough to use the limited answers as clues. What we personally observe is often not enough. We need to take advantage of all the clues around us ... even those that are the result of NO answer.

I've been familiar with this poem since a child. Didn't know he got the idea from the Buddha, but I don't doubt it. --Wallace

It was six men of Indostan, to learning much inclined,
who went to see the elephant (Though all of them were blind),
that each by observation, might satisfy his mind.

The first approached the elephant, and, happening to fall,
against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl:
'God bless me! but the elephant, is nothing but a wall!'

The second feeling of the tusk, cried: 'Ho! what have we here,
so very round and smooth and sharp? To me tis mighty clear,
this wonder of an elephant, is very like a spear!'

The third approached the animal, and, happening to take,
the squirming trunk within his hands thus boldly up and spake:
'I see,' quoth he,the elephant is very like a snake!'

The fourth reached out his eager hand, and felt about the knee:
'What most this wondrous beast is like, is mighty plain,' quoth he;
'Tis clear enough the elephant is very like a tree.'

The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said; 'E'en the blindest man
can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an elephant, is very like a fan!'

The sixth no sooner had begun, about the beast to grope,
than, seizing on the swinging tail, that fell within his scope,
'I see,' quothe he, 'the elephant is very like a rope!'

And so these men of Indostan, disputed loud and long,
each in his own opinion, exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!

So, oft in theologic wars, the disputants, I ween,
tread on in utter ignorance, of what each other mean,
and prate about the elephant, not one of them has seen!

John Godfrey Saxe

@Wallace excellent! thank you for sharing that. I like adding to my koans.

You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:100656
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.