It Requires a Purified Container

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Speaking Tree Website | May 16, 2016

A milkman, deeply influenced by Gautam Buddha insisted that Buddha visit him and share his nuggets of wisdom. In lieu of this, the milkman offered to present milk to Buddha. He agreed. When Buddha set out to visit the milkman he took with him a container in which he intentionally put some mud. The milkman took the container but just as he was about to pour milk into it, the milkman realized that the container had some impurity. The milkman cleansed the container and removed all the impurities. He then poured the milk into it and gave it to Buddha. Upon getting the container, Buddha got up to leave. Surprised, the milkman asked Buddha why was he leaving before imparting any wisdom. Buddha replied that he just had. Unable to comprehend it, the milkman urged Buddha to explain the learning to him. Buddha told the milkman that our heart is similar to the container and the thoughts that preoccupy us are like the impurities in the container. In order to attain wisdom, we must purify our mind and make it free of all impure thoughts. Buddha asked the milkman to cleanse himself of his thoughts for only then will he be able to imbibe any further learning.

What is this impurity? It is nothing but negative thinking. When man lives in a society, he repeatedly undergoes unwanted experiences that arouse negative thought within him. These negative thoughts bring about all kinds of evil in man like hatred, dishonesty, self-interest, revenge and finally violence. A person who remains engaged in these negative emotions is like a polluted container. Such a person cannot draw divine inspiration. Inspiration comes only to a purified soul. One who is not a purified soul would remain devoid of divine inspiration.

A physical illustration of this is the electricity supply from an electric powerhouse. Only that house which has the connection from the powerhouse become the recipient of its electricity supply. The house that does not have the connection may despite being in the neighbourhood of the powerhouse continue to remain dark.