One day, several young men were brought to the patriarch of the Immortal clan who wanted to experience the “taste of the fruit from the tree” and asked to give them a test. The wise man ordered to dig several holes near his home and place the subjects there. A snake was thrown into each hole. After some time, the Wise One and his disciples went to look at the young men.
In the first pit sat a young man with a pale face petrified with fear. He pressed his back against the earthen wall, and nothing could make him move. Looking at the subject, the Wise One said to his disciples:
- This person will not be able to comprehend the teaching of the calm, since by nature he is a victim and will always surrender to the mercy of the winner. He will have to spend a lot of effort before he teaches his thoughts to command his body.
The second pit turned out to be empty, since the young man who had been tested jumped out of it in fear and ran away. Looking into the pit, the Wise One said:
“The one who sat here will not be able to comprehend the teaching of the calm, since by nature he is a coward and cowardly thoughts control his body.” Such a person cannot even be a warrior.
In the next pit, the Wise One and his disciples saw a triumphant young man sitting proudly over a killed snake. The wise one sadly shook his head and said, turning to his students:
“The one who sits in this pit has committed the act of a warrior, but he is not yet ready to comprehend the wisdom of the calm, since his body is controlled by the thoughts of a predator, and he is not able to see the picture of the world.
In the fourth pit the subject sat with a detached face, and a snake crawled not far from him.
“This young man,” said the Wise One, “sees a picture of the world, but he has the mind of an ascetic, which means he will not be able to live in harmony with his surroundings.” It is too early for him to comprehend the teaching of tranquility, since he neglects life and does not care about the body.
- Will none of the subjects be able to follow the path of Truth? - asked one of the students.
“You shouldn’t ask,” answered the Wise One, “when you know what to answer, for this leads to laziness of the mind and helplessness in life.” You should not interfere with the natural course of things, because by showing impatience, you lose your picture of the world.
With these words, the Wise One rushed to the last pit, in which he saw a young man without a shadow of confusion on his face and with a slight smile on his lips. The snake also did not show any signs of concern, although it was not far away. The Wise One silently walked away from the pit, and only after entering the house did he speak to his disciples.
- Seeing the picture of the world and living in harmony with it, not hindering the course of things, but controlling their flow - isn’t this the origins of peace? Tomorrow morning, the one who passes the test will become your brother.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru