Once, a curious man asked a sage, “Master, although people may appear similar in color, shape and nature. Why do some achieve great success while others fall into the depths of ruin?”
Sage replied, “Meet me by the pond tomorrow morning. I will answer your question then.”
Next morning, man arrived at the pond and saw the sage standing there, holding a water pot (kamandal) in each hand.
On closer inspection, he noticed that one of the pots was intact, while the other had a hole at the bottom.
Right before him, the sage threw both pots into the pond. The intact one floated on the water, while the one with the hole floated for a while but slowly began to sink as water entered through the hole eventually disappearing beneath the surface.
Sage turned to the man and said, “Both pots looked the same in shape and appearance. But the one with the hole sank.
Likewise, in the vast ocean of life, it is a person’s character that helps them stay afloat. If a person’s character has flaw – they are bound to sink. But a person with pure character rises and progresses in life.”
“A person’s true ornament is their character.”
In Essence:
Character is the most important virtue in life. Therefore, we must strive to be people of good character. Beauty, knowledge, and wealth are only meaningful when paired with good character.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on:
- What does “good character” mean to you and has that meaning changed over time?
- We often try to look perfect on the outside but what’s one thing on the inside you are truly proud of building?
Feel free to share your thoughts in comments below.
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