The Third Lesson

'Tell me, O Master, of our history.'

'Do you have eternity to listen, My Dear Chela?'

'I don't understand, Master.'

'You will, my son.

'But in the near beginning: The Earth is a ship, sailing the seas of space.  Many seagoers have boarded it over the vast expanse of Time - relatively speaking - and left their mark.  The world that you see at this time, including its variety of races of Hu-man, is a cosmopolitan mixture of those encounters.  And we are now at the end of that near beginning, cosmologically speaking.  Does that answer your question, my son?'

'Well…but it brings up so many more questions, about - it; all.'

'Ah yes.  Of course.  The eternal questions…But really, all you need to know, is one thing.'

'And what is that, O Master?  Tell me.  Oh, that would be so much easier to know.  Please tell me.'

 'Are you ready for this, my son?'

'Yes yes.  Please tell me, the one simple thing that I need to know.'  

'All right.  That is:

'Tat tvam asi.'

'Tat tvam asi…that's it?'

'Yes, my son.'

'But - what does it mean, O my Master?'

'Ah.  That would be telling.'

'Please, please - a hint, O my Master!  A hint!'

'But you haven't even thought about it, my dear Chela.  You are very greedy.'

'I know, I know.  And that's what my Mother says.  But I just need a hint, and then I will let you go, for now, O my Master.'

'All right.  Then listen closely, my son.  And then, this lesson is over.'

'Yes yes - I will!  I will!  Please - tell me your just one hint, about It, All.  And then I will not bother you any longer, for this particular lesson.'

'My hint for the day is:

'We are…'

'Yes yes?'

'…the universe…'

'Yes yes?  Go on.  Go on!'

'…perceiving itself.

'Now go and get me my morning's bowl of porridge.'

'Yes yes, of course, O my Master…'

(murmuring to himself as he leaves the feet of his Master:)

'We are, the universe, perceiving itself…

'Sounds a bit nutty to me.  But then, what do I know.  I'm just the chela in this scenario.'