Please excuse the long lag. The studies continue. But i thought you might enjoy this little story. I have no idea of it’s source or validity. But it amuses.
Long ago in India a mighty Monarch was to be honoured in the great banquet hall. The Ministers were seated on the right, the provincial Kings on the left. The Noblemen, Generals and other titled dignitaries were assembled in all their ceremonial robes according to rank. All was in readiness–only the central seat was vacant–everyone waited for the Monarch’s entrance..
At that time the door opened and a wandering ascetic came in off the street. He was dark and dusty. His hair was long and matted and his clothes were in tatters. But his eyes were bright and he walked up the red carpet with such an air of authority that no-one dared challenge him. Who was he after all?
The stranger walked right up to the Monarch’s vacant seat and sat down!
By this time the Chief Minister came to his senses and leaned over to inquire…
“Sir, I do not recognize you–are you a noble-man?”
“No,” said the ascetic, “I am more than that.”
“Are you perhaps a King from the out-lying districts?”
“No, I am more than that.”
“Are you the Monarch himself?”
“No, I am more than that.”
The Chief Minister was getting annoyed. “Do you think you are Almighty God!?”
“No, I am more than that.”
The Chief Minister was red in the face. “What! Nothing is greater than God!”
“Yes,” said the ascetic, “I am that nothing.”
[NOTE: see my comment on Nothing vs Fullness below]
That is an amusing story. 🙂 Such joy comes when we stop striving to be “someone” and just rest in being the great Nothing that we truly are.
Hi Tina
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, just being.
It’s worth noting that in spite of the ascetics state, he still does not describe the highest value. As long as he is still seeing That as Nothing, he is not fully seeing.
Deeper still is seeing the Nothing as a Fullness rather than an emptiness. And deeper still, seeing that the Fullness includes and contains everything, even what was previously seen as separate or non-That. This is called Brahman or Totality.
Of course, words are difficult tools to describe That which is before all words. But as words are contained within it, they can sort of approximate. (laughs)