He had never considered stopping his war. Let go of this fool’s journey and you can rest right here and now.”Īlexander laughed uneasily. So why do all those things before you rest and find contentment? If rest is what you are ultimately looking for, then do what I did and give yourself what you are really seeking now. What you are really seeking is right here and available to you now. “In the end it makes no difference what you and your army have conquered. “Being emperor of the world is a fruitless journey?” Alexander asked, incredulous. “Because your bones are on a fruitless journey, the same journey as the bones inside my skin.” ”Why did you laugh?” Alexander asked again. Countless battles had taught him that all men’s skulls looked the same. Diogenese continued: ”Would you recognize his bones from the bones of this beggar?”Īlexander closed his own eyes and thought. This time it was Alexander’s turn to remain silent. “Tell me, is your father alive?” Diogenese asked, closing his eyes again at the emperor’s feet. Instead of being angered by the Greek’s laughter, Alexander found himself intrigued. Alexander noted that Diogenese’ eyes were a deep blue and utterly without greed. ”Then I should like to rest like you.”ĭiogenese laughed, a loud chaotic bray that seemed out of place by the peaceful river. “Then I will celebrate as emperor of the world,” Alexander said. “Until I have conquered all the countries.” “And how long will this campaigne continue,” Diogenese asked. “I will move on to conquer the next country.” “Such a long way to travel, and for what? What will you do there?” “Where are you going, Alexander the Great?” ”Can you teach me what you have found?” he asked the naked man at his feet. Indeed, the man seemed to be totally at ease. Alexander studied Diogenese, waiting for a response, admiring the relaxed calmness in his presence. Reclining peacefully, his eyes remaining closed, Diogenese made no effort to answer. Is this true? Have you found supreme joy?” ”I have heard,” Alexander continued, “that you have found true happiness and yet you do not posses a single thing, no clothes, not even so much as a begging bowl. Some men would think it an honor.” Diogenese smiled, but said nothing. ”Do you not know who I am? I have come a long way to see you. ”I am Alexander the Great.” The sunbather gave no sign of recognition. ”Who wants to know,” the man answered without so much as opening his eyes. ”I would like to meet such a man,” Alexander said, curious as to how such a thing could be possible.Īfter a little searching Alexander came to a man lying naked in the sun beside a river. The Yoga Sutra teaches that when we are content with this moment, our entire being radiates with an inexpressible joy.Īlexander’s army was marching toward India when he heard of a Greek man, Diogenese, who was said to have found true contentment living in Corinth without a single possession. The alternative is to always be greedy for the next moment and living in the poverty of constantly lacking what you are seeking. It is the experience of finding what you are seeking in the present moment and becoming rich in what you thought you were lacking, so rich that you can give what you were formally lacking. The art of contentment is the art of fulfillment. Santosâd anuttamaha sukha-lâbhaha – Yoga Sutra 2.42 ”Contentment brings unsurpassed joy.”
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