THREE QUESTIONS
It once occurred to a certain king, that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid; and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.Four different answers to the first Question
One must draw up in advance, a table of days,months and years, and must live strictly according to it.
One should always attend to all that wasgoing on, and then do what was most needful.
He should have a Council of wise men, whowould help him to fix the proper time for everything.
In order to know the righttime for every action, one must consult magicians.
Different answers to the second Question
The people the King most needed were the
v The Councillors;
v The Priests;
v The Doctors
v The Warriors
Different answers to the third Question
The most important thing in the world
§ Science
§ Skill in warfare
§ Religious worship
The king went in disguise.
The hermit was digging the ground.
The king helped him with the digging.
The king asked him the three questions.
The hermit did not answer him.
A bearded man with a bleeding stomach came.
There was a large wound in his stomach.
There was a large wound in his stomach.
The king washed the wound as best as he could and bandaged it with a towel.He took great care of him. He did not sleep and looked after him, while the bearded man slept soundly.
When he woke up, he asked the king for forgiveness. The king did not understand anything. Then the bearded man told the whole story.
He had come to kill the king because he had executed his brother and seized his property. But the king’s bodyguards recognized him and wounded him.
But now the king himself had saved him. He felt very thankful.
But now the king himself had saved him. He felt very thankful.
The king too was glad. He forgave him.
The king looked for the hermit. He was sowing seeds. He asked for the answers to his three questions.
The hermit said that he had already been answered. He explained it with the help of the bearded man’s incident-
THE HERMIT’S ANSWERS TO THE THREE QUESTIONS:-
The most important time was when you were digging the beds.
The hermit himself was the most important man.
To do him good was his most important business.
He explained again….
· The most important time was when the king was attending to the bearded man to save his life.
· The bearded man was the most important man at that time.
· What he did to save his life was the most important business.
The hermit concluded….
Ø THERE IS ONLY ONE TIME THAT IS IMPORTANT- NOW! BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY TIME WHEN WE HAVE ANY POWER.
Ø THE MOST IMPORTANT MAN IS HE WITH WHOM YOU ARE-FOR NO ONE KNOWS WHETHER HE WILL EVER HAVE DEALINGS WITH ANY ONE ELSE.
Ø THE MOST IMPORTANT AFFAIR IS TO DO HIM GOOD BECAUSE FOR THAT PURPOSE ALONE WAS MAN SENT IN TO THIS LIFE!
