For the longest period, stories, metaphors have been used to bring home the forgotten wisdom. These are impactful, for they touch the deepest wisdom hidden within us all.
This story reminds us the of the impermanence of everything of this Earthly experience. Look at us – from a tiny little embryo into this face which has been changing every day since the time we are born. This body is not the same as it was as an infant, as a child, as a teenager, as an adult to old age and then finally to death. Yet we forget such a simple fact of life as we lead our normal day to day “routine”. We somehow look for stability, permanence – trying to hold onto / cling to life, to relationships, even to our routine, how we like to keep certain things in a certain manner, and our idea how things should be done or not done. We forget that happiness, sadness are all to be faced and nothing is really permanent – it all passes away eventually.
Sogyal Rinpoche in The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying explains it
“Let’s try an experiment. Pick up a coin. Imagine that it represents the object at which you are grasping. Hold it tightly clutched in your fist and extend your arm, with the palm of your hand facing the ground. Now if you let go or relax your grip, you will lose what you are clinging onto. That’s why you hold on. But there’s another possibility: You can let go and yet keep hold of it. With your arm still outstretched, turn your hand over so that it faces the sky. Release your hand and the coin still rests on your open palm. You let go. And the coin is still yours, even with all this space around it. So there is a way in which we can accept impermanence and still relish life, at one and the same time, without grasping...”
There is a beautiful Persian story of a king and the wise man.
“Once a king called upon all of his wise men and asked them,” Is there a mantra or suggestion which works in every situation, in every circumstance, in every place and in every time. In every joy, every sorrow, every defeat and every victory? One answer for all questions? Something which can help me when none of you is available to advise me? Tell me is there any mantra?”.
All the wise men were puzzled by the Kings question. They thought and thought. After a lengthy discussion, an old man suggested something which appealed to all of them. They went to the king and gave him something written on paper, with a condition that the king was not to see it out of curiosity. Only in extreme danger, when the King finds himself alone and there seems to be no way, only then he can see it. The King put the papers under his Diamond ring.
Sometime later, a neighbouring king attacked the Kingdom. King and his army fought bravely but lost the battle. The King had to flee on his horse. The enemies were following him. And, they were getting closer and closer. Suddenly the King found himself standing at the end of the road – that road was not going anywhere. Underneath there was a rocky valley thousand feet deep. If he jumped into it, he would be finished and he could not return because it was a small road the sound of enemy’s horses was approaching fast. The King became restless. There seemed to be no way. Then suddenly he saw the Diamond in his ring shining in the sun, and he remembered the message hidden in the ring. He opened the diamond and read the message. The message was “THIS TOO SHALL PASS”.
The King read it . Again read it. Suddenly something struck him- Yes! This too will pass. Only a few days ago, I was enjoying my kingdom. I was the mightiest of all the Kings. Yet today, the Kingdom and all my pleasure have gone. I am here trying to escape from enemies. Like those days of luxuries have gone, this day of danger too will pass. A calm came on his face. He kept standing there. The place where he was standing was full of natural beauty. He had never known that such a beautiful place was also a part of his Kingdom. The revelation of the message had a great effect on him. He relaxed and forgot about those following him. After a few minutes he realized that the noise of the horses and the enemy coming was receding. They moved into some other part of the mountains and were near him. The King was very brave. He reorganized his army and fought again. He defeated the enemy and regained his empire.
When he returned to his empire after victory, he was received with much fanfare. The whole capital was rejoicing in the victory. Everyone was in festive mood. Flowers were being showered on King from every house, from every corner. People were dancing and singing. For a moment King said to himself. I am one of the bravest and greatest King. It is not easy to defeat me. With all the reception and celebration he saw an ego emerging in him. Suddenly the Diamond of his ring flashed in the sunlight and reminded him of the message.
He opened it and read it again: THIS TOO SHALL PASS. He became silent. His face went through a total change -from the egoist he moved to a state of utter humbleness. If this too is going to pass, it is not yours. The defeat was not yours, the victory is not yours. You are just a watcher. Everything passes by. We are witnesses of all this. We are the perceivers. life comes and goes. Happiness comes and goes. Sorrow comes and goes.”
When going through the storms of life, remember “This too shall pass”. Since nothing lasts forever, its a simple reminder not to take things for granted. Express gratitude for whatever comes – happiness or sadness. Its all part of experience of life. It comes and goes. Life is all creative – do not restrict the experience of it by holding onto memories, ideas…remember we do not take with us anything except for the energy of our experiences.