What Ignorance Can Do

In a dark house there was an elephant. It was brought there by some Hindu merchants for exhibition.

Unfortunately, it was an overcast night, and the multitudes of people gathered to view the exhibition were left with no choice but to view it in the dark.

Funny enough, as observation with the naked eye was not possible, the people went about feeling the object with their palms. Each person ran his palm on some part of the elephant and formed an opinion.

The hand of one fell on its trunk. He was delighted and concluded: “This creature is like a waterpipe.”

To another who touched the animal’s ear it appeared to be “an enormous oriental fan.”

Another eager one’s hand fell on the elephant’s leg. His discovery was even greater: “This is a huge pillar in living form.”

Then came one who had felt the huge back of the elephant and cried out loudly: “Surely this thing is like a throne!”

Similarly, each one’s opinion of the elephant was just what he had felt and touched. He could not think further.

This is a wonderfully graphic and powerful simile applying to those unfortunate observers who, in their ignorance or pride or self-sufficient obstinacy fail to grasp the truth, because they fail to go about the right way to discover things.

A steady flow of light or a soft candle would have been sufficient for them, but when three darknesses – the darkness of the object, the darkness of the place and the darkness of the night – are piled up on each other, such abnormal opinions become the trend of the day.

(Mathnawi – Awake Article Edited)