A Speaker’s Wish
“Wisdom in Dialogue: Somyananda’s Encounter at the Study Circle Meeting.”
Somyananda was the speaker at a study circle meeting. After his address, one of the listeners asked him foolish and snobbish questions, which annoyed the scholar’s friends. However, Somyananda tried to address the inquiries with patience.
Once the meeting concluded, one of his friends approached him and said, “Somyananda, that fellow’s questions were simply foolish; am I right?”
“Yes,” replied the scholar.
“Then why did you tell that fellow that you wished you met a dozen listeners like him every year? Wasn’t that a lie? How can you genuinely wish to encounter more of such vain individuals who just want to show off?”
Somyananda explained, “What you must understand is that I meet no less than a hundred such irritating fellows every year. I wished that I met a dozen—and no more!”