Interetesting Parable
Here it goes: In one of the Indian islands, the inhabitants of a
state agreed that each year they would appoint a stranger as their
ruler. When his year was over, they would banish him, and he would
return to the status he had prior to his appointment. Once they
appointed over them a fool, who was unaware of their secret plan
for him. He accumulated much money, built palaces which he
fortified, but he sent nothing out of the country. On the contrary,
whatever he had abroad - his money, his wife and children - he
brought into the country. When his year was over, the citizens sent
him out, stripped of everything and deprived of all that he had
build or acquired from the beginning of his term until its end, so
that when he left he had nothing of all that had been his inside
the city and outside of it. He regretted and grieved for the
trouble he had gone to and the effort he had expended in building
and accumulating what was then passed on to another. Then, the
people decided to appoint as their ruler a stranger who was wise
and discerning. When appointed, he chose one man among them, showed
him favor, and asked him about the customs of the people and their
laws [which had formed the basis of their relationship] with his
predecessors. This man revealed to him their scheme, what they
intended to do to him. Once he knew this, he devoted himself to
none of the pursuits that had preoccupied his predecessor. Rather
he labored and strove to take everything that was valuable in the
state to another state; all that was precious and dear to him he
put in a different place. He placed no trust in the adulation and
honor that they showed him. He fluctuated between grief and joy the
whole time that he was in the country. He grieved that he was soon
to depart, and that the precious things he had managed to take out
were few. For if he could have stayed longer, he would have been
able to bring out more. But he was glad that he would soon leave
and settle in the place where he had secured his valuables, where
he would be able to use them and enjoy their various benefits and
pleasures with people of mind, confidents spirit, and without
interruption. When his year had ended he was not troubled at
leaving, but hastened to it with heartfelt joy and calm, applauding
[himself for] his action and efforts. He went on to abounding good,
great honor, and continuing joy. So he had happiness in both
situations, and attained his wishes in both places. The mind: You
have just given, in the parable you related, a picture of your
state in this world and shown that your condition in it is like
that of the kings you mentioned. It is now clear to you that you
are a stranger [here] and will soon depart. You should therefore
act as the wise and discerning ruler did, so that your condition
may be like his. Should you deviate from this course, my worlds
will be of no use to you, my fine language will bring you no
advantage. The soul: If I had no desire in this matter, I would not
have troubled to investigate what is hidden from me of [the nature
of] my being.