Monday, October 31, 2011

Socrates and Buddha

Socrates sat in his jail cell, condemned to die. He overheard the prisoner next door reciting a poem. Socrates, impressed with the beauty of the recitation, asked the other prisoner to teach it to him.
"You only have a few hours to live, replied the man. Why do you wish to learn a new poem?"

"Before I die, replied Socrates, I want to learn one more thing."
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Siddhartha Gautama was seeking enlightenment. The quest seemed never ending. His followers lost patience, and abandoned him. Shortly thereafter, seated beneath a Bodi tree, enlightenment came to the newly enlightened one, the Buddha. 

He realized that his former followers deserved to know of his success. He found them, and said "you left one day too soon."

He began to speak, and taught them what had been revealed to him. They were amazed at what he said.

A follower asked: "Are you a God?" To which he replied "no".

"Then are you an angel?"  Again he replied, "no, I am neither a god nor an angel."

The follower persisted. "Then what are you?'

To which the newly enlightened one replied "I am awake".

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