The Invisible Rope !

This is one of the famous parables being handed down from generations to generations in Vedanta monastic orders especially in the Northern part of India

Parables, as they usually do, tell us some of the most important learning of life through stories as Jesus did in the Holy Bible or Lord Buddha did in Jataaka .Nonetheless, Sri Ramkrishna Paramhansa himself delivered all his discourses through parables that make a serious philosophy very lucid - easier to approach and assimilate. 

There was a nice picturesque little village at the foot of Himalaya where a washerman with his donkey used to visit from another village. Every other day he used to come to the village, knocking on the doors - collecting dirty linens. Then he used to go to a local pond while the donkey was used to carry the luggage of all collected linens. This is a short story about one such day when the washerman comes to the pond and unloads the luggage and take the donkey to the nearest tree to chain the innocent creature while he finishes washing those clothes. Then he suddenly realizes, he has forgotten to take the rope that he uses to chain the donkey to the tree. That indeed was a moment for great difficulty as by that time he can not afford to go back home as it is situated at a good distance. If he goes back to bring the rope the donkey may run away too. The same can happen if he allows the animal to roam free. He indeed keeps on looking for help and suddenly meets a wise man .. maybe sort of a teacher or priest. The teacher asks him why do you look so worried my dear. The washerman clarifies the trouble he has landed himself to. The teacher laughs out and says come on this cant be a problem. The washerman asks " how come ?"

The teacher says " see, you have been chaining the donkey for the last many years, right ? Even that animal knows which tree he is supposed to be chained with".

The washerman nodded but still could not understand how that can be a solution!

The teacher adds now " Pretend you are a having a rope and circle it in the neck of the donkey. Pretend you are chaining him with an imaginary rope with that very tree. He will keep on standing there as he is used to " 

Washerman thought this is impossible but what is the harm in trying as the suggestion comes from an erudite person. He tries the same method and BINGO! - it works. The donkey keeps on standing there like other days even not aware that there is no rope around him this time. He even does not try to run away

Washerman folded his hand and asks the teacher "Sir! this is wonderful ...how come do you know that this brainless animal can be tricked in such an easy way ?"

The teacher smiled.

He asked the washerman " my dear, are we not all like that poor animal limited by non-existent standards set by our mind, our self-created illusion? This samsara - this Maya does not exist but still we all are chained with this imaginary rope of our surroundings. This donkey's mind has told him there is a rope around its neck and his mind has been convinced he can not get away. Similarly, we say we can not do things as our mind tells we can not. We all are like that pathetic donkey bound with that imaginary rope "

This parable teaches us once again mind is that power that makes a heaven of hell and a hell out of heaven, like the great poet Milton said once in paradise lost

Let us make ourselves free of that imaginary rope and keep raising the bar for ourselves!!