To his puzzled disciples the Master later
said, "How much time does it take to catch
sight of the moon?"

"Then why all these years of spiritual endeavour?"

"But surely I am not responsible for being
born a woman?"

"When you see." the Master said.

"See what?"

"Trees and flowers and moon and stars."

"But I see these everyday."

"No. What you see is paper trees, paper
flowers, paper moons and paper stars. For
you live, not in reality, but in your words
and thoughts."

And, for good measure, he added gently,
"You live a paper life, alas, and wiil die
a paper death."

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"Do you promise to do whatever I tell you?"
said the Master gravely.

"I swear I shall do anything."

"Very well. How many animals do you have?"

"A cow, a goat and six chickens."

"Take them all into the room with you. Then
come back after a week."

The disciple was appalled. But he had promised
to obey! So he took the animals in. A week later
he came back, a pitiable figure moaning,
"I'm a nervous wreck. The dirt! The stench!
The noise! We're all on the verge of madness!"

"Go back," said the Master, "and put the
animals out."

The man ran all the way home. And came back
the following day, his eyes sparkling with joy.
"How sweet life is! The animals are out. The home
is a paradise-so quite and clean and roomy!"

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When the disciples returned,
the bitter gourd was cooked and served as
sacramental food.

"Strange," said the Master slyly after
he had tasted it, "the holy water and
the shrines failed to sweeten it!"

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"Wait a minute." said the
Master. "What you plan to tell us,
is it true?"

"I don't think it is."

"Is it useful?"

"No, it isn't."

"Is it funny?"

"No."

"Then why should we be hearing it?"

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Tha Master listened carefully

The following day he said,
"An ideology is as good or
bad as the people who make
use of it. If a million
wolves were to organise for
justice would they cease
to be a million wolves?"

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