Parables of Rama

by Swami Rama Tirtha | 102,836 words

Stories in English used by Swami Rama to illustrate the highest teaching of Vedanta. The most difficult and intricate problems of philosophy and abstract truths, which may very well tax the brains of the most intellectual, are thus made not only simple and easy to understand but also brought home to us in a concrete form in such an interesting and ...

Story 125 - False Idea of Respect

A Preceptor and His Disciple

There was once a preceptor who being very tired, lay down on a sofa and asked his disciple to come and massage him by treading on his legs. (That is a practice, most frequently followed in India.) But the boy said, "No, no, master, never will I do that; your body is too sacred, your personality too holy. I dare not put my feet on your body, that would be sacrilege; I will not commit such a sacrilege; I will do anything for you. I will give my life for you, but I will not tread on your body" The preceptor said, "O son, come I am very tired, come, come and massage my body." The boy began to weep but could not be persuaded to commit such a sacrilege. The preceptor said, "O foolish boy, you do not want to tread upon my body limbs, you do not want to insult my body, but you trample upon my sacred lips, you trample upon my sacred face; which is more religious* Is it more sacrilegious to trample upon the word of the master or to massage his body?"

People will very readily trample upon the sacred Scriptures of Jesus or Mohammad or of the Vedas, but will regard this flesh and blood as sacred and holy.

MORAL: Paying respect to the personality alone but not minding its orders and sayings is a false idea of respect.

Vol. 1 (336-337)

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