The Parable of the Great Problem

One day, as the Anointed One and her disciple were walking along a desert road together, he said to her, "Master, there are many religions and philosophies in the world, all claiming to be the path to which God is realized. My question is, which of them is the true path and how can we know for sure?"

The Master thought for a second, then she knelt down on the ground, placed a finger in the earth and drew the following:

3 + 4 =

"Write down the answer, beloved," she said to her disciple.

The disciple knelt down beside her and drew the following:

7

The Master nodded, pleased. Then she began to pick up small rocks from off the ground and place them in his hand. The disciple, still unsure of her purpose, was unable to hide his puzzled look. She smiled at him and said jokingly, "You are a rich man. You have fourteen rocks, and I have none."

The disciple smiled. "I am more than willing to share my bounty with you, Master."

"Give me what seems fair to you," she replied.

So he divided the rocks among them equally. The Messiah thanked him and placed them in her pocket; he did the same. Then she said, "There was once a man who had nine children, and one day a great wind came and toppled his house, killing one of his sons and one of his daughters. The father wept for many days after their passing, but at the same time, he gave thanks to God. Tell me, beloved, why would he do such a thing?"

"Because seven of his children had been spared," said the discipled.

"Well done," said the Messiah, and started walking again, "Now in what way are these three problems the same?

"The answer seven," replied the disciple. "It joins them all together."

"Well done, disciple of the Light," said the Master, "With this knowledge in your heart, may you find peace in the path you have chosen."

The disciple thought for a moment, then began to protest, "But Master, you chose "seven" even before you chose your problems, so that they would fit your purpose and prove your point. Is it not true that different problems lead to different answers?"

"God is the only Answer," said the Master. "Who or what is it that precedes her? She has been the Answer before the problem of human suffering every existed. Men and women hold Her in their hearts and forge their paths to Her, and verily and verily I say unto you, anyone who knows God as the finally Answer will never taste death."