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amulI had another one of those I wasn't raised like other Americans thoughts today. I used to read these Hindu comic books that were sort of Aesop's Fables style.
One of them, I remember, was about this man who couldn't find work. While he was standing outside, he heard some field workers complain about how hot it was. He took a bucket full of water and a cup, went to the road by the field, and sold drinks of water for a few pennies a cup to the farmers as they walked home. That night, he made enough money to buy a big pot. He showed up at the field, and sold water to them while they worked. He had some water left over, so he went to the brick layers building a new temple, and sold the rest to them. The next day, he brought a (I'm translating here) candy bar and told them, "Today I have a little food, too. Only a bite for each, but if you buy it tomorrow I can bring more." The workers, so thankful for the water and dreaming of a luncheon break tomorrow, readily agreed. Eventually, the water carrier married a woman who was a good cook, and together they expanded their business to provide nutritious meals to all the laborers in the fields and brick-layers of the temple. Their business was based on filling a deeply needed unnoticed niche, and in addition to prosperity they were well loved by their fellows for providing such fine quality.
Always, I would next read this other comic book, which was about a water carrier who worked hard but rarely could make ends meet. I remember thinking how the man of the previous story had grown so successful, that water carrying had become such a glutted industry that it was no longer profitable (I was probably 10 at the time). Anyway, this water carrier managed to earn a little extra one day, and hid his extra coins behind a brick in the South Gate of his city. Months later, he and his wife discovered a traveling circus was in town, and they spoke about how much fun it would be to go, if only they had the money. This, the man decided, was a worthy thing to spend his savings on, so he told his wife, and they both agreed that spending the money on time together at such a novel experience was worth their little savings.
So the man was off, running across the city with a song in his heart, unmindful of the burning heat of midday. The king saw him, and wondered over the strange fellow who sang as he ran during an hour when the king could not even get his ministers to peek out of the shade and perform their duties.The king had his soldiers fetch him, and learned his story. The king, impressed, asked how much money he was running for. A dollar, the water carrier replied (again, I'm translating).
"A dollar? Don't trouble yourself with a run across the city for such, I will give you a dollar from my own coffers so that you may treat your wife well." Thank you, kind sir, but I will still fetch my money from behind the wall. "I will give you two dollars, please do not exert yourself in this terrible heat." Give me all the money you wish, sir, but today I will spend my hard earned money on making my wife & I happy. I will still go get my savings. Frustrated, the king again offered more, and again was told the same. Higher and higher the king went, until finally he said, "I will give you half my kingdom if only you will not go!" This, the water carrier agreed to.
They held the ceremony quickly, so that the man could still take his wife to the fair, which was the point of all of this in the first place. When they came to the end of the ceremony, the king asked his newly forged equal, "Which half of my kingdom do you wish?" After a moment's thought, the reply came. I want the South half.
Do you understand? These are the stories I was raised on. These are the fables upon which my imagination was fed. Hard work to fill an honest need brings fortune, respect, and piety. There is no greater good than to spend your money on a loved one. These were the lessons of my childhood! Is it any wonder, I started saving for a home when I was fourteen? Is it any wonder I bought a house to try to make My Ex happy? That I long for a career with some meaning?
I was surrounded by doctors and lawyers as a child, by big businessmen working as cogs in giant corporations. Water carriers, all of them. How could you be satisfied, knowing thousands of graduating students knew of your profession and wanted to replace you? How could I be satisfied doing things that had already been done? Even my father often told me how he choose his specialty because there were so few urologists. It was a need left unfilled.
I wanted more. I wanted to forge paths. I wanted to break new ground and better the world. Like Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, Neil Armstrong and Chuck Yeager, I wanted to take novelty and forge it into industry. I wanted to be the front runner in the race to the future.
It's why I dropped out of school to program HTML when Netscape went public. It's why I've hated every job I've ever applied for. It's why I love the idea of inspiring children, of creating art that shows who we are, now that I feel the rich vibrant promise of Future was a lie. It's why I can't stand how dreadfully commonplace the problems that broke up My Ex & I were.
There is a school of Hindu belief which says that trying your hardest is a form of religious devotion. Too late in life did I learn the other half of this philosophy: try your hardest and be content in knowing you did your best, never minding the results. I do not know the trick of it. I try, and fail, and think myself a failure, an impious failure because of it.
One of them, I remember, was about this man who couldn't find work. While he was standing outside, he heard some field workers complain about how hot it was. He took a bucket full of water and a cup, went to the road by the field, and sold drinks of water for a few pennies a cup to the farmers as they walked home. That night, he made enough money to buy a big pot. He showed up at the field, and sold water to them while they worked. He had some water left over, so he went to the brick layers building a new temple, and sold the rest to them. The next day, he brought a (I'm translating here) candy bar and told them, "Today I have a little food, too. Only a bite for each, but if you buy it tomorrow I can bring more." The workers, so thankful for the water and dreaming of a luncheon break tomorrow, readily agreed. Eventually, the water carrier married a woman who was a good cook, and together they expanded their business to provide nutritious meals to all the laborers in the fields and brick-layers of the temple. Their business was based on filling a deeply needed unnoticed niche, and in addition to prosperity they were well loved by their fellows for providing such fine quality.
Always, I would next read this other comic book, which was about a water carrier who worked hard but rarely could make ends meet. I remember thinking how the man of the previous story had grown so successful, that water carrying had become such a glutted industry that it was no longer profitable (I was probably 10 at the time). Anyway, this water carrier managed to earn a little extra one day, and hid his extra coins behind a brick in the South Gate of his city. Months later, he and his wife discovered a traveling circus was in town, and they spoke about how much fun it would be to go, if only they had the money. This, the man decided, was a worthy thing to spend his savings on, so he told his wife, and they both agreed that spending the money on time together at such a novel experience was worth their little savings.
So the man was off, running across the city with a song in his heart, unmindful of the burning heat of midday. The king saw him, and wondered over the strange fellow who sang as he ran during an hour when the king could not even get his ministers to peek out of the shade and perform their duties.The king had his soldiers fetch him, and learned his story. The king, impressed, asked how much money he was running for. A dollar, the water carrier replied (again, I'm translating).
"A dollar? Don't trouble yourself with a run across the city for such, I will give you a dollar from my own coffers so that you may treat your wife well." Thank you, kind sir, but I will still fetch my money from behind the wall. "I will give you two dollars, please do not exert yourself in this terrible heat." Give me all the money you wish, sir, but today I will spend my hard earned money on making my wife & I happy. I will still go get my savings. Frustrated, the king again offered more, and again was told the same. Higher and higher the king went, until finally he said, "I will give you half my kingdom if only you will not go!" This, the water carrier agreed to.
They held the ceremony quickly, so that the man could still take his wife to the fair, which was the point of all of this in the first place. When they came to the end of the ceremony, the king asked his newly forged equal, "Which half of my kingdom do you wish?" After a moment's thought, the reply came. I want the South half.
Do you understand? These are the stories I was raised on. These are the fables upon which my imagination was fed. Hard work to fill an honest need brings fortune, respect, and piety. There is no greater good than to spend your money on a loved one. These were the lessons of my childhood! Is it any wonder, I started saving for a home when I was fourteen? Is it any wonder I bought a house to try to make My Ex happy? That I long for a career with some meaning?
I was surrounded by doctors and lawyers as a child, by big businessmen working as cogs in giant corporations. Water carriers, all of them. How could you be satisfied, knowing thousands of graduating students knew of your profession and wanted to replace you? How could I be satisfied doing things that had already been done? Even my father often told me how he choose his specialty because there were so few urologists. It was a need left unfilled.
I wanted more. I wanted to forge paths. I wanted to break new ground and better the world. Like Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, Neil Armstrong and Chuck Yeager, I wanted to take novelty and forge it into industry. I wanted to be the front runner in the race to the future.
It's why I dropped out of school to program HTML when Netscape went public. It's why I've hated every job I've ever applied for. It's why I love the idea of inspiring children, of creating art that shows who we are, now that I feel the rich vibrant promise of Future was a lie. It's why I can't stand how dreadfully commonplace the problems that broke up My Ex & I were.
There is a school of Hindu belief which says that trying your hardest is a form of religious devotion. Too late in life did I learn the other half of this philosophy: try your hardest and be content in knowing you did your best, never minding the results. I do not know the trick of it. I try, and fail, and think myself a failure, an impious failure because of it.
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no subject
Date: 19 Mar 2005 10:42 (UTC)no subject
Date: 20 Mar 2005 06:29 (UTC)no subject
Date: 19 Mar 2005 14:35 (UTC)"Too late in life did I learn the other half of this philosophy: try your hardest and be content in knowing you did your best, never minding the results. I do not know the trick of it. I try, and fail, and think myself a failure, an impious failure because of it."
You make this sound as if it's too late to incorporate this knowledge into your life. You are probably one of the smartest and most self-aware people I know. All I can say is that from my experience, at the age of 40, once you become aware of this (as I recently have), b inevitably follows a. In other words, because you are so self-examining and aware, this knowledge must undeniably become integrated in the way you live. Because your desire for a life of meaning is possibly the core motivator for everything you do.
no subject
Date: 20 Mar 2005 05:50 (UTC)I actually laughed out loud at the end of the second one.
Anyway, nothing of use for me to say as usual, but thanks.
no subject
Date: 20 Mar 2005 06:28 (UTC)Their ads show parents trying to read their children bedtime stories, only to learn that the kids know the stories better than the parents. I've been trying to get my hands on a complete set for Carter's twins.
I'm glad I could make you laugh, makes me want to tell you about the whole series of Monkey versus Crocodile stories. "Oh, silly Crocodile! Whoever heard of a monkey keeping his heart in his chest? If THAT's the only part of me you want to eat, let me go & I'll fetch it for you!" Oooh, Mrs Croc will be furious!
no subject
Date: 22 Mar 2005 19:17 (UTC)no subject
Date: 22 Mar 2005 20:31 (UTC)http://www.amarchitrakatha.com , if you aren't seeing the embedded link.
I particularly recommend the Panchantra. Also, under Mythology: The Churning of the Ocean (which tells the story of how the Devas became immortal), any of the Pandavas stories. Teachers & Saints: Adi Shankara & Bhudda.
I need to find the out what the monkey stories are called.