What Do You Possess?

Monday, October 25, 2010, 17:02

What do you possess? A short Hassidic story by Osho conveys the truth.

There was once a small city with small houses and just three fools living in it. However it was believed by the citizens that it was a great one with houses that were almost skyscrapers with millions of inhabitants.

The first inhabitant was absolutely blind however he was a meta-physician, a philosopher who could talk about anything. He could see nothing that was right before him, however he could count the legs of the ants on the moon!

The second fool was stone deaf but claimed that he could hear the noise in the other spheres. The third fool was stark naked, as he possessed nothing but carried a sword with him out of fear that he may be robbed.

Once it was believed that a crisis befell the city. The first fool said, “I can not only see an army advancing towards the city but also count the number of soldiers."

The second fool added, “I can not only hear them, but can also hear their heart"

The third fool drew his sword and said, “I am afraid we would be robbed!"

Osho points out that this is merely not the story of the three fools, but verily the story of man.

He says that man hides himself from the true state of things. A man who is ugly feigns to look beautiful, a man who is unhappy fakes a happy disposition and the man who is ignorant tries to look knowledgeable.

Unless one recognises the foolery that he is indulging into, he cannot go beyond them to realise the truth of being.

Man indulges in faking only for the fear of losing. Osho points out that one comes empty handed and goes empty handed, all the possession that he is fearing of losing is about that which appeared in between.

Osho thus ironically questions, “What do you possess when you don't even possess yourself?"