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Divinity
by Eric Butterworth
[parable]
According to an old Hindu legend there was a time when
all men were gods, but they so abused their divinity that Brahma, the
chief god, decided to take it away from men and hide it where they would
never again find it. Where to hide it became the big question.
When the lesser gods were called in council to consider this question,
they said,“We will bury man’s divinity deep in the earth.”
But Brahma said, “No, that will not do, for man will dig deep down
into the earth and find it.” Then they said, “Well we will
sink his divinity into the deepest ocean.” But again, Brahma replied
“No, not there, for man will learn to dive into the deepest waters,
will search out the ocean bed, and will find it.”
Then the lesser gods said, “We will take it to the top of the
highest mountain and there hide it.” But again Brahma replied,
“No, for man will eventually climb every high mountain on earth.
He will be sure some day ot find it and take it up again for himself.”
Then the lesser gods gave up and concluded, “We do not know where
to hide it, for it seems there is no place on earth or in the sea that
man will not eventually reach.”
Then Brahma said, “Here is what we will do with man’s divinity.
We will hide it deep down in man himself, for he will never think to
look for it there.”
Ever since then, the legend concludes, man has been going up and down
the earth, climbing, digging, diving, exploring, searching for something
that is already in himself.