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I AM MAHĀVĪRA
38
THE ELEPHANT AND THE BLIND MEN
Jain Education International
10
Once, i reached the city of Campā (Bihar) while wandering-on-foot. This city was ruled by Kuņika Ajātaśatru. He came to listen to my sermons.
He asked me. "There have been many great men in the world. They have postulated their own, but different doctrines. However, the truth is one. I am unable to understand these different doctrines to illustrate the singleness of truth. Please explain this point to me."
In response, I told a parable to him. "Once, there were six blind men on a trip. They found an elephant in the way. One of them caught him by his feet. He said, "Oh, the elephant is like a pillar."
The man, who caught the elephant by his ears, said, "The elephant is just like a winnower fan." Later each one of them described the elephant according to the body parts he touched. Everybody became insistent on his statement and they began quarreling with each other."
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