2006-03-09

Difference between education and wisdom

Here is a story that I heard long time back:

There once was a king who had a very able advisor. This advisor was well educated in all matters, both earthly and spiritual. The king relied heavily on the priest in running the kingdom. Once, the king noticed that the advisor was quite unhappy. The king asked him why. The advisor replied with a deep sigh "Dear Sir, my son is a very well educated man. He is an excellent student and has excelled me in all aspects of education. But he is an idiot and an utter fool."

The king was completely shocked! He couldn't imagine someone beating his advisor in all educational aspects and yet not be the smartest man on eath! So, he said to his advisor "Sir, you have been invaluable in the matters of my kingdom for many years. Perhaps your son is not as dumb as you are fearing. Why don't you tell him to meet me tomorrow and perhaps I can find him a good position in my administration." The advisor was happy to hear such a remark and promised that he would send his son the next day.

The next day, as the son was entering the throne room, the king removed a ring from his finger and hid it in his fist and said "What do I have in my fist?" The son was very well educated in the arts of prediction and said "It is round in shape". The king said "Yes".

"It is made of gold."
"Yes."

"It has a circular hole in the middle."
"Yes."

The advisor's son thought hard and said "Dear Sir, you have a millstone in your fist."

Sadly, the ranks of our "leaders" is full of "millstone-in-the-fist" wisdom...

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