The Parable of the King's Diamonds

Chester was sipping his coffee as the Master walked in to join him for the morning meal. The Master pulled up a chair an sat down at the bamboo breakfast table. A large bowl of fruit was in the center. The peels of an orange lay scattered before Chester. The Master started peeling a banana. "How are your studies and contemplation's?"

Chester put down his coffee and shook his head. "I've been going over in my head what you were telling me about the soul. Those books you gave me to read haven't helped me much either. I read what they are saying but I don't understand. To me it doesn't make any sense."

After swallowing his bite of banana the Master pointed at Chester's head. "What is troubling your head?"

Chester scratched his head in reply. "Well, you say, and the books say, that everyone has a soul, but Buddha said that even the soul was an illusion. You explained that all souls are identical and thus not separate. At the core of who we really are is the same spirit. My soul is a part of God and every other soul is a part of God. God is God and there is no other. Yet if we are all the same then why are we all different?"

The Master mumbled around his banana, "Karma."

Chester frowned. "If Karma is what makes us different then what do you call that which is the same in all of us?"

The Master started peeling a grape. "Truth."

Chester was growing frustrated but he knew better than to lose his cool with the Master. He tried a different tack. "Okay, if I recite what you asked me to memorize, will you please explain it to me?"

The Master smiled. His pleasure showed on his face. His student was learning self control even when frustrated. The man that used to shout and argue had come a long way. The Master cocked his head in a half nod toward Chester and peeled another grape.

Chester closed his eyes and starting reciting in his deeper voice, "There is self and there is truth. Where self is, truth is not. Where truth is, self is not. Self is the fleeting error that creates the endless cycle of births and deaths; it is individual separateness and egotism which begets envy and hatred. Self is the yearning for pleasure and the lust after vanity. Truth is the correct comprehension of things; it is the permanent and everlasting, the real in all existence, the bliss of righteousness, and the purity that is Eternal Brahma.

The existence of self is an illusion, and there is no wrong in this world, no vise, no evil, except what flows from the assertion of self.

The attainment of truth is possible only when self is recognized as an illusion. Righteousness can be practiced only when we have freed our mind from the passions of egotism. Perfect peace can dwell only where all vanity has disappeared.

Blessed is he who has understood the Dharma. Blessed is he who does no harm to his fellow-beings. Blessed is he who overcomes wrong and is free from passion. To the highest bliss has he attained who has conquered all selfishness and vanity. He has become the Buddha, the Perfect One, the Blessed One, the Holy One."

Chester opened his eyes to see his master smiling. "Very good. I will now explain this as my Master explained it to me. He called it The Parable of the King's Diamonds."

Chester poured himself some more coffee from the urn on the table. As he stirred in sweetened cream he commented, "Well, a diamond is forever."

The Master settled back in his chair. "Once there was a King who owned the most perfect diamonds in the world. His diamonds were perfect and flawless in every way. Each diamond was priceless. Each was the size of a man's fist, and would sparkle a rainbow of shimmering hues from just the glow of a candle. Each of the King's diamonds were identical to every other diamond, yet were precious and sought after, for they were life.

If the King gave a diamond to one of his subjects, he or she was free to travel where ever they wanted without fear. The diamonds were magical and could never be lost or stolen. When his subjects were done with their travels, they were to bring their diamond back to the King and tell him of their travels and what they had learned.

The King gave two brothers each a diamond, and gave them leave of his palace to travel as far and as wide as their hearts desired. Each brother took leave of the King and went their separate ways. One brother went to the north and one went to the south. The brother who went to the north cared for his diamond every day and made sure it was washed in pure water every night before bed. He protected the diamond and didn't let even a speck of dust linger on the King's precious gift for more than a moment. He traveled far and wide and shared the story of the King's gift and brought the light of truth to all he met.

His brother went south and was proud of his gift of the diamond yet cared for it not. He traveled far and wide and let the dust of his travels coat the diamond. His sweat dried on the diamond and mixed with the dust to form a haze that blocked the beauty of the gift. He was a violent man and the blood of those he killed stained the diamond further. He stole from others and had to hide in caves. Mud from the wet dark caves covered the diamond further until it was a black rock of dried mud and blood. He grew afraid. Even though he could not lose the diamond, he hid it from others for he was ashamed of its appearance.

One day the word went out throughout the Kingdom that the King was bringing all of the diamonds back to the palace for an accounting. Both brothers obeyed their King and returned as instructed. The first brother who went north gave the diamond to the King and told him of his travels. The King blessed him for the wise and special care he took of the King's gift and gave him a position of authority and power over many more diamonds.

The brother who went south handed the king the diamond that was caked with dried blood and the filth of his travels. The King was angry and threw the evil brother into a deep dungeon and he was not allowed out until he could deliver the diamond back to him in its pristine form. The evil brother only had his tears to wash the diamond with, and he suffered for many, many years. Finally he was able to bring the diamond back to the King in its original form. The King forgave his servant but never trusted him again with another of his diamonds."

When the Master was finished, Chester just shook his head. "Was that supposed to make it easier to understand the soul. I'm more confused than ever."

The Master smiled and leaned forward. "We all have a soul that is like a diamond from the King. God is the King and we are the diamonds that can never be harmed or lost. Yet our deeds are carried with the diamond. As long as we do evil, our diamond is covered in its filth. Until we can clean our diamond completely, we are not allowed back in the Kings palace. Good Karma is like washing the diamond with pure water and bad karma is like the blood and mud. Bad karma causes suffering and good karma causes blessing. Even though we are all the same inside, our deeds are what make us different. Some have very dirty diamonds and some have very clean diamonds. Buddha learned how to clean his diamond completely by removing the lust, envy and hatred that covered his diamond. The truth that we are all part of God can be blocked by the illusion of separateness called the ego. All souls are identical but not all have the same baggage.