Parable of the Horse (Maybe)

The "Parable of the Horse" (also known as the Parable of the Chinese Farmer) is a classic Taoist story that teaches acceptance, the unpredictability of life, and the folly of prematurely judging events as strictly "good" or "bad" Once upon the time there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically.   "Maybe," the farmer replied.   The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed.   "Maybe," replied the old man.   The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune.   "Maybe," answered the farmer.   The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.   "Maybe," said the farmer.     The Moral for Kids Life is full of unexpected twists. When something goes wrong, it is easy to feel upset, and when something goes right, we get excited. This parable helps children understand that good and bad things are often connected. Instead of jumping to conclusions or worrying too much about what happens, it is always better to wait and see how things unfold.

So, my question is, if we can't tell if an event will have positive or negative outcomes, how can we determine the best goal / outcome to work towards? Is it a question of intention and karma? Or perhaps that we should conduct ourselves as wisely as we can but keep in mind we don't have omniscience or absolute knowledge of what our actions will cause?

The Farmer and His Horse: A Parable for Kids ...
This ancient Chinese parable expresses the balance between good luck and bad luck or happiness and unhappiness.

See Comic of the Chinese Fable: The River Crossing

Zen Stories to Tell your Neighbours

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