One of those following the path of truth, passing through the city, decided to give a performance in the market square in order to earn his livelihood for the next few years. Having attached a knife to the traveling staff instead of a tip, the wanderer made a homemade spear and began to show all sorts of tricks. Soon a large crowd gathered around him, and some of the local daredevils even tried to compete with him in military skills, but no matter how they attacked him, with or without weapons, he easily defeated them, holding the spear shaft with only three fingers, and rewarded the attackers with offensive blows, or even tickling or hitting them with the tip.
When the day began to approach evening and the wanderer decided to end his performance, a young man came out from the crowd of spectators and addressed him with these words:
“Truly, you have no equal in your ability to handle a spear, and I have long been looking for a teacher who would agree to teach me this art.”
The young man was from a rich family. His beautiful clothes and proud appearance spoke about this. While waiting for his interlocutor's decision, he showed obvious signs of impatience and could not hide the spark of arrogance that flashed by chance in his narrowed eyes. Seeing that the wanderer was slow to answer, the young man hurried to continue his speech, promising him a good tuition fee, and offered him an overnight stay in his house with his servants. The wanderer did not want to make powerful enemies for himself, but he really wanted to continue his journey. So he said to the young man:
“I am an insignificant person, not a great master, and everything you saw was just a manifestation of the power of the magical power of this spear,” he pointed to the staff with a knife attached to it and continued: “All I have been trained in is the ability to serve it.”
The greedy lights that lit up in the young man’s eyes revealed his desire to take possession of the magic spear. In a disdainful tone, in which there was not a shadow of respect for the wanderer, the young man said:
“My father will buy a spear from you, and you will get whatever you want for it.” If you resist this, the spear will be taken from you by force.
Smiling, the wanderer replied:
“I am not the owner of the spear, but it is my master; it cannot be bought, stolen, or taken away by force.” You can only go into his service and learn to fulfill his whims. If anyone tries to take possession of it in another way, he will bring misfortune upon himself, and the magical power of the spear will be transferred to some other body.
“So that’s why,” exclaimed the young man, “this spear has such a nondescript appearance.” Magical power does not want to attract the attention of the uninitiated. Teach me to show him honor and carry out his orders.
“If you want to learn to serve him and enjoy his protection,” the wanderer answered, “you will first have to pay for the position of an official at the spear, training and maintenance for a year in advance, and then go on a journey to the holy mountains after the spear, for that is where it is heading.”
By the evening of the same day everything was settled, and the wanderer with the young man and the spear set off on their journey.
Days passed, seasons changed, and the young man turned from a willful, pampered and capricious teenager into a mighty warrior.
One day, when the companions ascended a high pass, the wanderer threw a spear into a deep gorge and with difficulty held back the young man, who almost rushed down after him.
“You have mastered high skill, but have not learned the roots of life,” the wise wanderer addressed his young friend, “not a single thing in the world is worth risking your life for.” As for the magical power of the spear, while you were learning to control it, predicting its desires, it all passed into you.
After these words, an epiphany descended on the young man.
“Oh, Great One,” he turned to the sage, “take me as a student and set the tuition fee.”
“They don’t take bribes for true knowledge, because you’re already giving your life to it,” answered the wanderer.
- Why did you then demand payment at our meeting? - asked the young man.
“People don’t value what they get for free, and they have made gold the measure of all virtues.” But true values are always with you and around you, it is yourself, what you breathe, what you stand on, what quenches your hunger and thirst, and what warms you. No other wealth can compare with them. However, you would never have gone with me on the day we met if I had told you about it. The people of the world value power most of all, and you were like that too. But I saw a thirst for truth in you and began to teach you to love life. On the day we met, I took you as a student, you found out about this only now,” the wanderer smiled, looking at the student, and went his way.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru