Self Obsessed Man

Once a man went to the dwelling-place of a Sage and said to him: "I want to discuss my problem with you.'

'And I', said the Sage, 'do not want to discuss it.'

The man was annoyed. 'How can you decide that, when you do not know my problem?'

The Sage smiled. 'Why should you bring a problem to me if I do not know about it, and do not have perception greater than others?'

Now the visitor was both confused and anxious. "Tell me what my problem is, then, and that will convince me' he said.

'O human being!' said the Sage, 'you are almost completely awry. If I show you that I know what is in your mind, I shall divert your attention to "the miraculous", and fail in my duty of Service as against theatrical performance.'

'Well, then, 'said the man, 'give me the solution to the problem, alone, thus fulfilling the requirement of Service.'

'But I cannot understand you at all said the visitor; 'I am not aware that you have given me any solution.'

'Then go on your way, and seek the answer elsewhere.'

For months after tat, this man travelled, and he talked to many people, describing his encounter with the Sage.

One day it dawned on him that his problem had been self-centeredness, and that the Sage had been pointing this out. This was his real problem, and not the one which he had imagined was his. Not long afterwards, in a city distant from the first encounter, he saw the Sage again. He said:

'I have now realized the wisdom of your speech, and I seek to recompense you for your service to me.

'You have already done so said the Sage, for, in telling everyone of our conversation, you have been helping to teach, though not of our conversation, you have been helping to teach, though not desirous of doing so, with yourself as the living illustration of ignorance and perplexity, like a man with an arrow stuck in his head which all but he can see, and with a headache which he alone attributes to the difficulties attending deep thought.

'This was your service. But, though in appearance and conviction you were trying to serve yourself, you were in reality serving wisdom, as I have indicated. In consequence, wisdom has partly manifested, to enable you to see yourself a little better.

'You have, however, served not only wisdom, but also obsession, not yourself. In fact, anyone can make you serve anyone or anything, by the simple method of convincing you that you are serving yourself if you take a course of action which is in fact designed to serve some other end. Who is gainer from such a transaction?"