The 6 blind wise men and the elephant
This more than 2,000-year-old parable has, over time, shared its underlying wisdom and invitation to deep thought in various cultures, religious and philosophical traditions.
Originally from India, it is part of the Jain, Buddhist, Sufi and Hindu heritage and in its different versions also widely known in the modern world.
The original version exposes the limits of perception and the importance of context.
Let’s see what this is about:
“They say that in Hindustan six blind wise men decided to study the animal then unknown to them, an elephant.
-We can’t see, of course, but can judge! – they said.
The first approached the elephant, which was standing. He touched its tall and hard flank, felt it well and declared ” The elephant is just like a wall! “
The second, touched the pointed tip of a tusk, and without further ado said “ It’s very clear! My opinion is already formed: I see that the elephant is the same as a sword. ”
The third explored its trunk and immediately in this way spoke to the others “ It is long, round, somewhat repellent. The elephant, he declared, is an immense serpent! ”
The fourth, by one leg climbed, daring and courageous. “ Oh, what a great log! he exclaimed. And then he says to the others “Friends, the elephant is like an ancient tree! ”
The fifth touched an ear and exclaimed “ Come on, folks, you’re all wrong in your deep judgments! I tell you that the elephant is like a huge hand fan! ”
The sixth, at last, grabbed the tail, held on tight, and climbed up on it. “ Come on, come on, no one in his judgment is right. The elephant is… touch it! A rope…Yes, a rope! “
The blind wise men of Hindustan disputed and quarreled, each one was sure that they had done their test well.
Each one is right on some level: the elephant, which they never saw, is a little bit of everything they discuss, judge, and define, without further ado: wall, sword, snake, ancient tree, large fan, and rope.
The Jain version is known for the way the king resolves the conflict. It is used to illustrate the principle of living in harmony with people who have a different belief system, and that the truth can be told in different ways, making reference to one of the fundamental ideas of its philosophical doctrine: Anekantavada.
The king says:
“You are all right. The reason each of you are saying different things is that each of you touched a different part of the elephant. Therefore the elephant has all the characteristics that you mentioned.”
The conflict of perspectives
In general, the blind men discover their discrepancies, they suspect that the others are not telling the truth and they enter the conflict of perspectives. To solve it, they stop talking, start listening and collaborate to “see”, to understand the whole elephant. There are also versions where a sighted man enters the parable and describes the entire elephant from various perspectives. The blind men then learn that they were all partially right and partially wrong.
As noted by E. Bruce Goldstein in his Encyclopedia of Perception, this parable has been used to illustrate a number of truths and fallacies. Generally speaking, the parable implies that one’s subjective experience may be true, but that such experience is inherently limited by one’s inability to account for other truths or a totality of truth. At various times, the parable has provided insight into relativism, the opacity or inexpressible nature of truth, the behavior of experts in the fields of contradictory theories, the need for deeper understanding, and respect for different perspectives on the same object of observation.
Something else
To the common interpretation I like adding that not even the most accurate description of the elephant can really describe the entire elephant; only what is perceivable of it to each person. What’s hidden to the eyes is only becomes evident to those of us who are curious, intrigued and sometimes intrepid enough to explore it in depth. This requires patience and motivation. And those of us who are splinters from that tree, we eventually realize that we never really get to know the elephant at all…in any case, it is the journey, the exploration that counts, not the goal.
It’s a story I frequently mention to emphasize the importance of being open to different points of view for cementing healthy relationships, detachment from control on the path toward inner peace.
When we cling to our way of seeing things, we limit the picture to exactly that: just our perspective.
Like in the case of domesticated horses as their peripheral vision is eliminated with eye patches, we sometimes innocently or with blind arrogance insist on our truth, often without even considering other possibilities. In this way giving up our ability to experience the WHOLE in its completeness. What a loss!
For many years I practiced deep meditation. For several hours, every day, with dedication, structure and discipline. This expanded state of consciousness, with practice, became a wonderful way to collect jewels like this one:
“The ability to really get to know something lies first in accepting the possibility of its existence and approaching it in this way.
As long as we insist on the fact that “it does not exist”, its nature and characteristics cannot be revealed to us.”
Please read it again, but this time let it really sink in.
The measure and quality of what we perceive of this wonderful and magical existence that surrounds us depends on each of us as individuals.
Our perception is shaped by our subconscious programming; which in turn is continually reinforced by our experiences; our perception of them. A tangled hierarchy, just like the dilemma of the chicken or the egg…
And that is where the relevance of this story to hypnotherapy lies: the possibility of implementing new, positive perception filters, detecting, correcting or replacing negative or counterproductive ones, resulting in a life experience firmly planted in your general well-being.
The control is actually in your hands!
Can I show you how to find it?