The "Safe" Route

Trey Smith

In one of yesterday's posts, I mentioned that I really don't think there is a way to avoid conflict...at least in human affairs. You could have two sagely individuals who are pure of heart and yet this in no way means that they will agree on everything!

In our lives, there are many acceptable routes or paths to take. Which path or route is taken often is taken out of personal preference, not moral superiority.

To illustrate my point, imagine a group of sages who, in olden times, went to visit a neighboring community. It is mid-autumn and all the sages agreed it was a good time to go before winter made the area tough to travel. A few days before they were set to return to their own village, a sudden snowstorm came up which deposited a foot or more of snow.

So now, the sages face a bit of a dilemma. They've learned that the main road is blocked by a huge avalanche. The question they discuss among themselves is: Should they go back to their own village and, if so, what alternate route should be taken?

Because these are sages, we're going to assume that each one is pure of heart and none of them will advance an idea based on self-interest or satisfying an egoic desire. Each sage equally is concerned with the health and safety of each member of the group.

One sage suggests that they wait out the winter in the neighboring village. He is concerned that alternate routes will be fraught with danger and doesn't want to take the chance of any of his fellow sages becoming injured or losing their lives. He understands the townspeople from their home village will be worried about them, but he believes the most prudent choice is to stay put.

Another sage suggests that they follow the shore of the great river and, at one of the narrow places, they cross it to make their way home. She is concerned that their friends and neighbors from their home village will send out search parties to look for them and she wouldn't want any ill to come to them.

A different sage agrees with the previous sage's assessment, but he suggests they scale the large mountain which will lead them to a bridge that crosses the raging river. He is worried that some of the sages who are not good swimmers may drown in the fast flowing stream.

"I recognize that is a danger," says the second sage, "but I fear that some of our brethren who are not as strong as the others may fall to their deaths trying to scale the big mountain."

Which answer is right and which ones are wrong? Should the sages stay put or choose one of the alternate routes? Should they each retire by themselves to meditate and, when this activity is concluded, will they all arrive at the same solution?

In my mind's eye, there is no one right answer. Each has its pluses and minuses. Though each individual sage is pure of heart, I would be profoundly shocked if all of them came to the same conclusion. My bet is that a few will favor each option and they will have to work together to come to a consensus opinion. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the one group splintered into three smaller ones who each adopted one of the suggestions.

Since I've never met a sage who is pure of heart, when we choose to adopt one position or another, they tend to conflict with one another. I think it's always been that way and will forever be.