Reverence for Life

Once upon a time, there was a lion living in a jungle of happiness. He had no sense of his lionly existence. He, in fact, never tried to kill any creature, however, he survived, and was conscious about his consciousness. Survival for him was not an issue to ponder upon; in fact, survival is not an issue for someone who is ready to sacrifice every accumulated thing for the vibrance of life. He was neither an emperor nor a poor creature. He was life; full of ecstasy and joy of existence. 

In neighborhood, a group of lions was informed about the story of that calm lion. They didn't believe the story, and sent one of them to know if this story is true. One of the lions from the neighborhood approached his door, and asked if he could provide him shelter for a day? The host lion agreed. Both went near a river where other animals used to come in search of water. The host lion was silent, watching the flow of river without uttering any sound. The guest lion was intrigued; he never thought that a fellow lion will behave like a calm saint, who has compromised his aggressive nature. The guest lion asked, "What worth your life has since the pride of lion and agility of spirit have already withered away from your life? You seem to me a weak creature, who has no sense of awareness about his own nature". 

The host lion smiled and asked, "Who has taught you this lesson"?

The guest lion replied, "I belong to a proud lion's community in neighborhood. We are taught, how to hunt and survive. We are adventurous and united for the cause of lionly pride. Why don't you join us"?

The host lion replied, "I have not been taught by any fellow creature, how to behave and what to eat. I don't even know if I am a lion or the flowing river? I am only aware about life. I don't have pride for anything. I know, the source of water is not proud for its creation. Earth, equally, is not proud for its motherly affection towards life. Everything is flowing like water. Everything is finding its opposite and returning to its genesis". 

The guest lion never heard anything like this before. He replied, "Without knowing who you are, you will keep behaving like a meek creature. Look at yourself; you're no longer a lion. You are already dead".

The host lion replied, "I know, but I don't identify myself with anyone. I don't compete against anyone. It's futile to waste my energies in proving who am I, since I am barely aware about the genesis of life. The moment I will identify with something or someone, I will cease to exist. 'I' for me is not a question to answer. 'I' is here and now, everywhere; look at the clouds, the sound of river, the fragrance of flowers, the ecstasy of surroundings. Where to go and what to search? I'm the life, alive as ever before". 

The guest lion was not amused with his answers. He left the place immediately and informed his community about the conversation which took place between them. 

They felt that this lion is out of mind. We need to teach them what is good for him. It is, in fact, in the larger interest for the lion's community. They invited the strange lion for a few days, and started teaching him what really it means to be a lion. He observed everything, but didn't utter a single word. His calmly presence made other lions jealous. They were attached to their own identity, and couldn't understand what was happening with that lion. The emperor of the lion's community requested him to give them a chance to stay with him for a few days. The lion agreed, and all proceeded towards the jungle of happiness.

The first day in that jungle, everything appears in harmony. Other creatures were living and cooperating to each-other. It appears, as if, they had already sacrificed their ego in the reverence of life. Once the news reached to them about new guests. They visited the place where the guest lions were staying. All the creatures from the jungle assembled to welcome them and sang a beautiful song composed by a deer. They asked their well-being, and about anything they could offer to them. The community of lion replied, "We are hungry. All you need to do is, to sacrifice a few animals every day to fulfill the desire". Other animals happily agreed, and a few of them came forward voluntarily to fulfill the demands of the guests. The emperor of the lions couldn't believe what was happening there. He requested not to come forward, rather he asked the animals to come tomorrow. 

In that evening, every guest lion was silent and thinking about this new experience. Before that they always witnessed some wild chess and competition to hunt the healthiest animal, to fulfill the hunger, but never ever experienced anything like this. Cooperation and co-existence with the life was new to them. They had one and only goal to survive. But to see the complete surrender before the existence, the lions could not experience anything like this before.

The emperor of the lion asked to the host lion, "What's happening here? I am unable to understand".  

There was unique calmness at the face of host lion. He replied, "When one realizes life inside the mansion of ego, it mirrors in everything. One cannot discriminate if there is anything like I or you. There is reverence for everything. These fellow creatures are finding their self in you. They cannot see you unhappy". 

The emperor lion asked, "Who is the teacher of such strange ideas"?

The host lion replied, "life". "Education is needed for someone who has no eye to see and experience what is there before the senses. Those who are open to the existence is the sincere student of life". 

The emperor lion, along with follow companions, felt ashamed for their education and nurturing, and left that place with a commitment that they won't return, unless they unlearn the savagery they were taught, so as to be open for the new possibilities, the life offers to them.