The elephant and the blind men
“Once upon a time, a clever king invited several people blind from birth to visit the palace. He brought out an elephant and asked them to touch it and then describe what the elephant was like. The blind man who rubbed its legs said that the elephant was like the pillars of a house. The man who stroked its tail said the elephant was like a feather duster. The person who touched its ears said it is like a winnowing basket and the man who touched its stomach said it was like a round barrel The person who rubbed its head said the elephant was like a large earthenware jar, and the person who touched its tusk said the elephant was like a stick. When they sat down to discuss what the elephant was like, no one could agree with anyone else, and a very heated argument arouse.”
Buddha said “What you see and hear comprises only a small part of the reality. If you take it to the whole of reality, you will end up having a distorted picture. A person must be humble, open heart, acknowledging that his understanding is incomplete. We should devote constant effort to study more deeply to make progress. Attachment to the present views as if they were absolute truth will only prevent us from realising the truth.”
