Long time back, there was a Religious School. It used to give three year intensive training to disciples. After which, the disciples would go to the different parts of the world and preach good practices.
This is a story of one such disciple. He took three year intensive training. After the completion of the training, the Guru gave him blessing for success in fulfilling his duties. He was about to cross the gate and enter into the real world, when a thought came to his mind and he ran back to his Guru.
He asked: "Guruji, while I was here, I had no worry for money, food or shelter. I had all the basic facilities. But once I go into this world, I will have to have money for at least food." The Guru said: "Yes, my dear boy. Your concern is correct. You don't have to beg. Bring me a piece of paper." On that piece of paper the Guru writes a 1 and tells the disciple that this piece of paper will give you Re 1 every day for your food and you don't need shelter as you are a Yogi.
With this piece of paper, the disciple goes on to his journey. But he is not satisfied with Re 1 every day. He wants a little more.
One day, he finds another great Guru in one village. So he shows the piece of paper to this guru. This Guru, being very kind, adds a 0 next to 1 to make it 10. The disciple gets very happy and goes away doing his own work.
After a while, he finds one more Guru in nearby village. So he goes to meet this guru and tell him his story. He says that Guru ji, I am not able to spread the message of my school because I don't have money to live. So, this Guru adds one more 0 to make 100 on that piece of paper.
Third Guru adds one more 0 to make it 1000.
Now this disciple gets Rs 1000 every day and becomes very rich in some days. But now his focus shifts from preaching good practices to managing his money. He hires a few people to manage his wealth. But all the time he keeps on thinking about his money. Now he has developed a fear of losing it. “What if someone would steal my money?” is the constant thought in his mind. He hires security guards to protect it. He invests his money somewhere to earn returns. Now his mind is into getting the maximum return on his investment.
The original purpose of his life is lost! But the greed comes in. He thinks that he is now rich and big person so that he can buy anything, anyone.
In such thoughts, he goes to visit his original Guru in the Religious School. He goes there taking a big convoy with horses and elephants to carry him and his men. There was one music band playing music and some singers praising the disciple. These people were making themselves very visible in every possible way.
With such grandiose, the disciple reaches the Guru. He proudly tells the Guru about his wealth in details. He talks everything about his great money management and how he turned Re 1 of the Guru into Rs 1000 every day. He offers some money to the Guru for the renovation of the school.
After patient listening to the talk of the disciple, the Guru asks him for the piece of paper and with a smile he says, now you don’t need this 1, so let me take it back. Thus, the Guru erases 1 from the paper and the disciple is left with only 0’s!
Moral of the story is, no matter how much you think about yourself, the bottom line is our life, the ONE, is with God. If He takes that back, there is nothing left with us.
This is a story of one such disciple. He took three year intensive training. After the completion of the training, the Guru gave him blessing for success in fulfilling his duties. He was about to cross the gate and enter into the real world, when a thought came to his mind and he ran back to his Guru.
He asked: "Guruji, while I was here, I had no worry for money, food or shelter. I had all the basic facilities. But once I go into this world, I will have to have money for at least food." The Guru said: "Yes, my dear boy. Your concern is correct. You don't have to beg. Bring me a piece of paper." On that piece of paper the Guru writes a 1 and tells the disciple that this piece of paper will give you Re 1 every day for your food and you don't need shelter as you are a Yogi.
With this piece of paper, the disciple goes on to his journey. But he is not satisfied with Re 1 every day. He wants a little more.
One day, he finds another great Guru in one village. So he shows the piece of paper to this guru. This Guru, being very kind, adds a 0 next to 1 to make it 10. The disciple gets very happy and goes away doing his own work.
After a while, he finds one more Guru in nearby village. So he goes to meet this guru and tell him his story. He says that Guru ji, I am not able to spread the message of my school because I don't have money to live. So, this Guru adds one more 0 to make 100 on that piece of paper.
Third Guru adds one more 0 to make it 1000.
Now this disciple gets Rs 1000 every day and becomes very rich in some days. But now his focus shifts from preaching good practices to managing his money. He hires a few people to manage his wealth. But all the time he keeps on thinking about his money. Now he has developed a fear of losing it. “What if someone would steal my money?” is the constant thought in his mind. He hires security guards to protect it. He invests his money somewhere to earn returns. Now his mind is into getting the maximum return on his investment.
The original purpose of his life is lost! But the greed comes in. He thinks that he is now rich and big person so that he can buy anything, anyone.
In such thoughts, he goes to visit his original Guru in the Religious School. He goes there taking a big convoy with horses and elephants to carry him and his men. There was one music band playing music and some singers praising the disciple. These people were making themselves very visible in every possible way.
With such grandiose, the disciple reaches the Guru. He proudly tells the Guru about his wealth in details. He talks everything about his great money management and how he turned Re 1 of the Guru into Rs 1000 every day. He offers some money to the Guru for the renovation of the school.
After patient listening to the talk of the disciple, the Guru asks him for the piece of paper and with a smile he says, now you don’t need this 1, so let me take it back. Thus, the Guru erases 1 from the paper and the disciple is left with only 0’s!
Moral of the story is, no matter how much you think about yourself, the bottom line is our life, the ONE, is with God. If He takes that back, there is nothing left with us.
