The search for truth can be a path filled with enigmas and challenges. In King Alden’s realm, the wisdom of Hermit Eryon offered a unique perspective on self-knowledge and personal evolution. Through an unforgettable lesson on truth, Eryon showed that understanding oneself is the first step toward a fuller and more authentic existence.
Self-Knowledge: The Key to Personal Evolution
Once upon a time, there was a kingdom where its sovereign, King Alden, found himself in a whirlwind of thoughts. For days, he had wandered through the long halls of his castle, his eyes lost on the horizon, with a dilemma swirling in his mind: why couldn’t human beings be intrinsically good?
Finding no answers, Alden remembered hearing about a hermit named Eryon, who lived in the tranquility of a nearby forest, immersed in deep meditations. It was said that Eryon had reached unsuspected levels of wisdom.
With some initial reluctance, the hermit was brought to the castle. His bare feet, unaccustomed to the palace’s cold mosaics, echoed in the silence of the hall.
“My king, what do you seek from this humble servant?” Eryon inquired.
King Alden, with solemnity, expressed, “I have heard about your ascetic life, your renunciation of worldly pleasures. It is said that you possess a deep understanding of truth and human behavior. How can I make my people better?”
Eryon contemplated the king for a moment and then said, “Rules and laws, your majesty, cannot change the hearts of men. Only through self-knowledge and the pursuit of a higher truth can they truly evolve.”
Confused and somewhat defiant, Alden replied, “But I can at least make them truthful, can’t I?”
Eryon simply smiled and did not respond.
Intrigued by the challenge, the king devised an experiment: on the main bridge leading to the kingdom, he would install a gallows. Everyone wanting to enter would be questioned. If they told the truth, they could pass; if they lied, they would be executed.
The first light of dawn found Eryon, who after a long night of reflection, walked toward the city, leaving behind the forest that had given him refuge for years. Upon reaching the bridge, the captain of the guard approached and asked his purpose.
With serenity, Eryon replied, “I have come to be hanged.”
Perplexed, the captain responded, “I don’t believe that to be true.”
“If I have lied, then you should hang me,” Eryon challenged. “But if you actually hang me, then I would have told the truth, and you should not execute me.”
The captain, overwhelmed by the hermit’s cunning, understood the lesson. Truth is elusive, subjective, and at times, an enigma in itself.
Thus, Eryon, with his subtle wisdom, taught the kingdom that truth transcends the mere veracity of words. It is not something that can be imposed, but something that must be understood from within.
The Master says: “Rigid perspectives are mental barriers that hinder true introspection.”
Eryon demonstrated that truth is more than just a statement of facts; it is a process of self-discovery and evolution. Through his interaction with King Alden, we learn that only through self-knowledge can we truly understand human nature and live in harmony with ourselves and others. Eryon’s lesson on truth invites us to reflect and seek a deeper understanding of our being and our purpose.
