The Story of the Frog

A little frog lived in a well.

The little frog was born in the well and had never ventured from it, so the little frog naturally thought that the universe was his well. One day the little frog heard a voice coming from above. The little frog thought that the voice must be God calling! What else could it be, but some greater being speaking down from above?

The voice was the little frog’s wake-up call and he jumped and jumped and jumped up the side of the well to the ledge near the top. When he reached the ledge all he could see was another frog sitting upon the top of the well.

“Are you God?” the little frog asked.

“No, not at all," said the other frog. "I am a traveller seeking truth.”

“Where are you traveling to?"  asked the little frog. "And what are you seeking?”

“I am traveling to the coast to see the ocean.”

The little frog was bewildered by the visitor’s answer. “What do you mean by ocean?”

“The ocean is a huge expanse of water.”

The little frog thought for a while. “Ah, the ocean is like a big well.”

“Yes, I suppose you could say the ocean is like that, but the ocean is, of course, very much larger.”

“I see," said the little frog. "The ocean is much larger than my well. Is it ten times bigger than my well?”

“No, it is much bigger.”

“Is it a hundred times bigger?”

“No, it is much larger than a hundred times bigger than your well.”

“This is all beyond my understanding." The little frog was now even more bewildered. "What you are saying is that this ocean you talk of, is maybe, even a thousand times bigger than my well, possibly even ten thousand times. I don’t think I want to hear anymore. I could get lost in such a big well.”

“Well, I’ll be on my way," said the other frog. "I have a long and tiring journey ahead of me. Good day to you.”

“Good bye,” said the little frog. And he scrambled back down to the safety of his own well, of his own world.

I’ve been blessed to meet an enlightened Master, thought the little frog, who has explained to me that the place beyond my well is a large place the size of which I can't even imagine. My mind cannot cope with such immensity, it's not something I can make any sense of. He has to be divine, and it has to be heaven that he speaks of.