. Their descriptions were superficial, based on perceptions of previously touched items. They did not even know how real baskets look like, much less elephants! Physical blindness in the parable represents spiritual blindness. There are many ways one can be blind, with none as blind as those who will not see. Our lack of complete insight into reality means we are sIn the Tittha Sutta, some monks remarked to the Buddha that there are many followers of other teachings with differing opinions, who bicker with one another on what is and is not the truth. The Buddha described the situation with a story... Once, a king gathered men blind from birth before an elephant. To some, he "showed" a tusk, and to others the trunk, body, foot, hind, tail and tuft. Next, he asked what they "saw". Those who touched the head said it was like a winnowing basket, while the tusk was like an iron rod, the trunk like a plow pole, the body like a granary, the foot like a post, the hind like a mortar, the tail like a pestle, and the tuft like a broom. The blind men then argued and fought over their "views" of what the elephant was really like. The Buddha remarked that those who are blind to the Dharma (the truth, or the way to the truth) do not know what is beneficial or harmful - thus do they argue over it.

To argue with animosity is harmful. It makes one blind to the truth to be seen with calm and clear introspection. The Buddha himself discusses the Dharma peacefully, even with the quarrelsome. Arguments often arise over varied perspectives. Two blind men might even "see" the same part of an elephant differently. The views of the blind men were partially correct, not totally so. This means they were also subjectively (in other ways) and objectively wrong. In truth, elephants have no parts made of baskets and such. Their descriptions were superficial, based on perceptions of previously touched items. They did not even know how real baskets look like, much less elephants! Physical blindness in the parable represents spiritual blindness. There are many ways one can be blind, with none as blind as those who will not see. Our lack of complete insight into reality means we are st

t, hind, tail and tuft. Next, he asked what they "saw". Those who touched the head said it was like a winnowing basket, while the tusk was like an iron rod, the trunk like a plow pole, the body like a granary, the foot like a post, the hind like a mortar, the tail like a pestle, and the tuft like a broom. The blind men then argued and fought over their "views" of what the elephant was really like. The Buddha remarked that those who are blind to the Dharma (the truth, or the way to the truth) do not know what is beneficial or harmful - thus do they argue over it.

To argue with animosity is harmful. It makes one blind to the truth to be seen with calm and clear introspection. The Buddha himself discusses the Dharma peacefully, even with the quarrelsome. Arguments often arise over varied perspectives. Two blind men might even "see" the same part of an elephant differently. The views of the blind men were partially correct, not totally so. This means they were also subjectively (in other ways) and objectively wrong. In truth, elephants have no parts made of baskets and such. Their descriptions were superficial, based on perceptions of previously touched items. They did not even know how real baskets look like, much less elephants! Physical blindness in the parable represents spiritual blindness. There are many ways one can be blind, with none as blind as those who will not see. Our lack of complete insight into reality means we are s

hat the elephant was really like. The Buddha remarked that those who are blind to the Dharma (the truth, or the way to the truth) do not know what is beneficial or harmful - thus do they argue over it.

To argue with animosity is harmful. It makes one blind to the truth to be seen with calm and clear introspection. The Buddha himself discusses the Dharma peacefully, even with the quarrelsome. Arguments often arise over varied perspectives. Two blind men might even "see" the same part of an elephant differently. The views of the blind men were partially correct, not totally so. This means they were also subjectively (in other ways) and objectively wrong. In truth, elephants have no parts made of baskets and such. Their descriptions were superficial, based on perceptions of previously touched items. They did not even know how real baskets look like, much less elephants! Physical blindness in the parable represents spiritual blindness. There are many ways one can be blind, with none as blind as those who will not see. Our lack of complete insight into reality means we are s

fully, even with the quarrelsome. Arguments often arise over varied perspectives. Two blind men might even "see" the same part of an elephant differently. The views of the blind men were partially correct, not totally so. This means they were also subjectively (in other ways) and objectively wrong. In truth, elephants have no parts made of baskets and such. Their descriptions were superficial, based on perceptions of previously touched items. They did not even know how real baskets look like, much less elephants! Physical blindness in the parable represents spiritual blindness. There are many ways one can be blind, with none as blind as those who will not see. Our lack of complete insight into reality means we are s. Their descriptions were superficial, based on perceptions of previously touched items. They did not even know how real baskets look like, much less elephants! Physical blindness in the parable represents spiritual blindness. There are many ways one can be blind, with none as blind as those who will not see. Our lack of complete insight into reality means we are still blind to some extent. But we can always learn to see better. This requires diligent spiritual cultivation.

The parable seems to hint that many might be preaching different parts of the same truth, while some mistaken individual parts to be complete. It is simplistic to take sides without reflections on the possibility of being blind to one's own blindness. One might not be totally blind, but with certain blindspots.

In business and life in general, we usually get dogmatic to our own ideas and viewpoints too. It is crucial to maintain an open-minded to rid ourselves of the blindness that most businessmen are afflicted with. But, at the same time, once we have realised the "truth" in business, when we have realised that it is futile to continue arguing about certain business actions or decisions, we should take the bold step ahead.

You may notice that the successful businessmen sometimes do not spend time on arguing but rather taking actions.