The Elephant and the Fly

A disciple and his teacher were walking through the forest.
The disciple was disturbed by the fact that his mind was in
constant unrest.

He asked his teacher: "Why are most people's minds
restless, and only a few possess a calm mind? What can one
do to still the mind?"

The teacher looked at the disciple, smiled and said: "I
will tell you a story. An elephant was picking leaves from
a tree. A small fly came, flying and buzzing near his ear.
The elephant waved it away with his long ears. Then the fly
came again, and the elephant waved it away once more."

This was repeated several times. Then the elephant asked
the fly: "Why are you so restless and noisy? Why can't you
stay for a while in one place?"

The fly answered: "I am attracted to whatever I see, hear
or smell. My five senses, and everything that happens
around me, pull me constantly in all directions, and I
cannot resist them. What is your secret? How can you stay
so calm and still?"

The elephant stopped eating and said: "My five senses do
not rule my attention. I am in control of my attention,
and I can direct it wherever I want. This helps me to get
immersed in whatever I do, and therefore, keeps my mind
focused and calm. Now that I am eating, I am completely
immersed in eating. In this way, I can enjoy my food and
chew it better. I control my attention, and not the other
way around, and this helps me stay peaceful."

Upon hearing these words, the disciple's eyes opened wide,
and a smile appeared on his face. He looked at his teacher
and said: "I understand! My mind will be in constant
unrest if my five senses and whatever is happening in the
world around me are in control of them. On the other hand,
if I am in command of my five senses, able to disregard
sense impressions, my mind will become calm, and I will
be able to disregard its restlessness."

"Yes, that's right," answered the teacher," The mind is
restless and goes wherever the attention is. Control your
attention, and you control your mind."

Author: Remez Sasson