Nasruddin had barely finished his discourse when one of the scoffers in the crowd said to him, "Instead of spinning spiritual theories, why don't you show us something practical?"
Poor Nasruddin was nonplussed. "What kind of practical thing would you want me to show you?" he asked
Pleased that he had mortified the mullah and was making an impression on the crowd, the scoffer said, "For instance, show us an apple from the garden of Paradise."
Nasruddin immediately picked up an apple and handed it to the man. "But this apple is bad on one side, " said the man. "Surely a heavenly apple would be perfect."
"A celestial apple would, indeed, be perfect," said the mullah. "But given your present faculties, this is as near to a heavenly apple as you will ever get."
Can one expect to see a perfect apple with an imperfect eye?
Or detect goodness in others when one's won heart is selfish?
Anthony de Mello
Poor Nasruddin was nonplussed. "What kind of practical thing would you want me to show you?" he asked
Pleased that he had mortified the mullah and was making an impression on the crowd, the scoffer said, "For instance, show us an apple from the garden of Paradise."
Nasruddin immediately picked up an apple and handed it to the man. "But this apple is bad on one side, " said the man. "Surely a heavenly apple would be perfect."
"A celestial apple would, indeed, be perfect," said the mullah. "But given your present faculties, this is as near to a heavenly apple as you will ever get."
Can one expect to see a perfect apple with an imperfect eye?
Or detect goodness in others when one's won heart is selfish?
Anthony de Mello
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