THE OATH

A man who was troubled in mind once swore that if his problems were solved he would sell his house and give all the money gained from it to the poor.
The time came when he realized that he must redeem his oath. But he did not want to give away so much money. So he thought of a way out.
He put the house on sale at one silver piece.Included with the house, however, was a cat. The price asked for this animal was ten thousand pieces of silver.
Another man bought the house and cat. The first man gave the single piece of silver to the poor, and pocketed the ten thousand for himself.
Many people's mind work like this. They resolve to follow a teaching; but they interpret their relationship with it to their own advantage. Until they overcome this tendency by special training they cannot learn at all.


REFERENCE: TALES OF THE DERVISHES BY IDRIES SHAH