 There was once a stone cutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life One day he passed a wealthy merchant's house and through the open gateway saw many fine possessions and important visitors How powerful that merchant must be thought the stone cutter He became very envious and wish that he could be like the merchant Then he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stone cutter to his great surprise He suddenly became the merchant enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever dreamed of and Detested by those less wealthy than himself But soon a high official passed by carried in a sedan chair Accompanied by attendance and escorted by soldiers beating gongs Everyone no matter how wealthy had to bow low before the procession how powerful that official is he thought I wish that I could be a High official Then he became the high official carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair feared and hated by the people all around Who had to bow down before him as he passed It was a hot summer day and the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair He looked up at the Sun. It's shown proudly in the sky unaffected by his presence. How powerful the Sun is He thought I wish that I could be the Sun Then he became the Sun shining fiercely down on everyone Scorching the fields cursed by the farmers and laborers But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth so that his light could no longer shine on everything below How powerful that storm cloud is he thought I wish I could be a cloud Then he became that cloud Letting the fields and villages shouted out by everyone But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force and realized it was the wind How powerful it is he thought I wish I could be the wind Then he became the wind blowing tiles off the roofs of houses Uprooting trees hated and feared by all below him But after a while he ran up against something that would not move no matter how forcefully he blew against it a huge Towering stone how powerful that stone is he thought I wish I could be a stone Then he became the stone more powerful than anything else on earth But as he stood there he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into solid rock and felt himself being changed What could be more powerful than I the stone he thought he looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stone cutter I think the message of this parable is that you are already perfect in a state of perfection No matter how great famous Wealthy or powerful you seek to become you are already everything you need yourself to be right now Who are you going to be five seconds from now that choice is completely up to you? The key is becoming aware of your own divinity and knowing what you want to do with it namaste