The Atheist Fish meets the Natural Fish

One evening there was a small incident in the ocean. The sun had set and just a moment before, a fish had been very happy and joyous dancing in the sun rays in the infinite vastness of the ocean. She was dancing, swimming. The fish was so natural and innocent. There was not a slightest trace of doubt in her mind.

But a moment later she met an atheist fish who said to her: "What are you dancing for? Why are you so happy? Why are you celebrating? It seems you are also a blind believer like those other ordinary fish. There is no joy and this ocean that you think you are in - where you are dancing and swimming and enjoying in - there is no such thing. Have you ever seen an Ocean?"

The young fish became afraid. She had heard of this Ocean but she had never seen it.

When someone is born in the Ocean, when someone grows in Ocean and has never gone out of the Ocean, then there is no way to see the Ocean. To see, some distance is needed, some separation, some gap is needed.

The fish had heard that there is an Ocean, but she had never seen it. Her eyes were also created from this Ocean, she was surrounded by it but never seen it.

The atheist fish started laughing, "Just like men who blindly believe in God, the fishes believe that there is an Ocean. But there is no god and there is no ocean. Look! All around, a great emptiness surrounds us. Nothing is real except death."

The young fish looked all around. All around there was the blueness and it seemed like an empty sky. And in the distance, as far as the eyes could see, the blue ocean was deep in darkness. Everywhere a dark night was falling.

In her mind also the question arrived, "Where is the Ocean?"

She looked down into the fathomless emptiness. She became afraid, her whole body trembled, every cell of her body was worried. If she fell down into this emptiness then who would save her? She totally forgot that until now she had been swimming in this 'emptiness' and she had never fallen. She totally forgot that a moment before she had been happy, joyous and that this emptiness had never disturbed her. But that day, she became frightened and like a paralyzed person she could no longer swim even if she had wanted to.

The Ocean was watching silently all this. He laughed and said, "Silly fish, can't you see the ocean? You are part of the ocean. Listen! you have never fallen down before - who was supporting you? Why should you fall down today?"

The idea of falling down is an intrinsic part of doubt. Trust saves you, invisible hands support you from all around. When doubt arises, all these supporting hands seem to disappear and an infinite abyss seems to open.

To the unknown voice, the afraid fish said, "Who are you? There is no ocean, its only the blind faith of fishes."

The Ocean laughed and said, "There is only the Ocean, fishes come and go. The believers, the non-believers, the doubters they all come and go, but the Ocean always remains. The momentary has the idea that it exists, and it doubts the eternal!

If you want to doubt something, then doubt yourself. Once you were not here and one day you will no longer be here. The Ocean has always been here and will always be here. Doubt the momentary and trust the eternal.

- the story is adapted from Osho's book Showering Without Clouds

wa Huwa ma'akum ayna ma kuntum.

and The Divine Essence is with you wheresoever ye may be.
- The Quran 57:4

fa aynama tuwallu fashamma wajhu Allahi.

wheresoever ye turn, there is God's Countenance.
- The Quran 2:115

kullu man aalayha fanin,
wayabqa wajhu Rabbika Zul Jalali waal-Ikram.

everything on this planetary existence is ephemeral,
only the Majestic and Glorious Countenance of Your Sustainer is Eternal.
- The Quran 55:26,27



Technology of the Heart: The Atheist Fish meets the Natural Fish
The Atheist Fish meets the Natural Fish
Technology of the Heart