In ancient times, two healers lived in the same mountain village. One of them was known as kind and dreamed of saving people from pain and suffering. Days and nights he diligently studied diseases, believing that this knowledge would help him get closer to his dream. Another healer was known as silent but wise. He devoted most of the day to meditation. When they asked him why he, like another healer, did not collect herbs or prepare medicine, he invariably answered:
— I am learning the art of being healthy.
And so time passed, and the good healer became quite skilled in his ability to treat diseases. The rumor about a kind and skillful healer spread far beyond the mountain village. Crowds of sufferers came to him to be cured of their ailments.
And the wise healer, as before, devoted most of his day to meditation. Many were already laughing at him and saying:
- Strange healer! What is the use of your meditation? It would be better if you, like everyone else, treated people!
“I’m learning the art of being healthy,” he invariably answered.
And then some more time passed, and people began to notice that, despite all the skill of the good healer, they had to turn to him again and again: they cured one disease - another appeared, cured another - a third appeared. And then, some out of curiosity, and some in the hope of finding healing, people reached out to the strange healer.
- Why did you come? - he asked. “I don’t collect herbs and I don’t have medicine.” All I can do is teach the art of being healthy.
And many suffering people sat down next to him and said:
- Teach! We want to be healthy!
“Fulfill the conditions necessary for health, and illnesses will leave you,” the healer began. – Turn your gaze inside yourself, and if you see hatred, jealousy, anger, resentment or malice in your soul, then know that it is they that are tormenting your body, and not pain in your limbs.
You can expel bad air from your lungs only by letting in clean air. And therefore, if anyone has discovered anger in himself, let him concentrate on goodness; if anyone has discovered hatred in himself, let him concentrate on love; if anyone has discovered resentment in himself, let him concentrate on forgiveness. This is what the wise healer taught.
And then some more time passed. The news of the wise healer spread far beyond the mountain village. More and more people came to him and said:
- Teach! We want to be healthy!
And the good doctor hated him.
- He's deceiving you! - he shouted at the house of the wise healer. – No one can cure without medicine! I spent thirty years studying diseases! I know!
The disciples of the wise healer tried to explain to the good healer the meaning of concentration that the Teacher preached, but everything was in vain.
And then one day the good doctor fell seriously ill. He tried every herb and every medicine he knew, but nothing helped him. In desperation, he decided to resort to concentration, which the disciples of the wise healer had told him about more than once.
- How can I get rid of the evil feelings that torment me and give me no peace? - he thought. - I will destroy them, cut them down at the root.
The good healer waged a long and painful struggle with his hatred, resentment and malice, but the disease continued to torment him. And then one day, gathering his last strength, slowly, leaning on his staff, he wandered to the house of the wise healer.
“I’ll die soon,” he said. “But I came to tell you before I die that you are a liar and a deceiver.” I tried every means I knew to rid myself of the disease, in desperation I even tried to apply the concentration that you preach, but you see, I am dying.
The wise healer paused and said quietly:
- You were just mistaken. You decided that I was telling you to stop breathing, and you stopped breathing. You began to destroy your vices instead of creating goodness.
And then the good healer began to cry like a child, and slowly sank to the ground next to the wise healer.
- Teach! I want to be healthy! - he said.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru