We must learn to heed past lessons and cultivate a spirit of acceptance

Aeons ago, an old farmer lived in ancient China. He was once a brawny grazer and a propertied landlord. Because of certain misadventures, and fallacious decisions taken by him in his profession and personal life, the agriculturist fell into bad times.

A man of little use

One fine day, the son got so frustrated by the turn of events that he constructed a wood coffin. Virtually dragging the coffin over to the porch, he commanded his father to get into it. The nonchalant father climbed into the coffin and mentally prepared himself for the end. The son then dragged the coffin to the edge of a high cliff.

The prescient peasant

Just as he was about to drop the coffin, the son heard a light tapping on the lid from inside the coffin. Opening the coffin, he found his father wearing a beatific smile. Looking up to his son he ventured to add, "As I approach the end of my life, in all humility I wish you to do something at my bidding, which in your present mental state you may loath to do." 

"What is it?" the exasperated son questioned. 

"Throw me over the cliff, as you have predetermined," said the father, "but save this sturdy wood coffin. You and your children might require it during trying times."

Learning the lessons

We must accept people and situations as they are. This is a percipient aphorism given to humanity by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in various Art of Living courses. Human beings are plumb judgmental by nature. By dwelling on this sutra, we can trigger efficacious emotions such as compassion and love in the mind. 

Another noteworthy and pithy observation by Gurudev is that it is the very nature of human mind to cling on to the coattails of negativity. An individual would be eulogised by his kith and kin, friends, acquaintances, peers and colleagues for his karmic deeds, but one negative act is all that it takes for those very people to drop him like a hot potato. 

Normally, antipathetic tendencies arise in individuals singularly on account of two cardinal factors. One, the prana or energy levels are woefully low and second, humans do not live in the present moment and are unable to accept people and situations as they are. 

Sagacity of the Deadwood

Yet the father was perspicacious enough to impart wisdom to his son, urging him to think about the financial utility of the wood and how serviceable and handy it would be to the family during vexatious times. 

The dead horse theory

Generation after generation of Dakotan Indians have passed on their wisdom, "When you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount." However, modern management and several corporate organisations advocate a different approach to extract work in such a case.

It would be prescient to perhaps adopt a stronger whip or change the riders to garner extra mileage. One could even examine the true potential of the animal and set different goals altogether. It would be worthwhile to examine the conditions and mark their performances. 

Thus, it is easy to jettison, but a wise one uses the wisdom of supposedly deadwood. This is what the son ought to have done with his father. "A family is a place where minds meet one another. If these minds love one another, the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden," said Gautama Buddha.

(The writer is the CEO of Chhattisgarh East Railway Ltd.and Chhattisgarh East West Railway Ltd. He is a faculty of the Art of Living; views are personal)