A man sincerely searching for the meaning of life traveled the world, studying with spiritual masters of all different religions. Each had partial answers, but none completely satisfied the seeker. But the more masters he met, the more he heard mention of one holy man who could help him, in a remote cave high in the Caucasus mountains. This sage’s name was Mullah Nasrudin. But no one was sure of his exact location.
So for 12 years the seeker traveled, gathering leads, learning languages, collecting fragments of information, making maps, equipping himself for the journey. He hired a guide, who led him through deserts, over mountains, valleys and rivers, through rain, sleet and snow, eventually arriving at the foot of the ascertained mountain. The trail up was so dangerous the guide himself tragically lost his footing and fell to his death. But the seeker persisted. At last, oxygen-deprived, starving and half frozen, he located a cave, just below the summit. Inside was a holy man, sitting in front of a small fire. The seeker fell to his knees in reverence, weeping with gratitude.
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He said, “Oh master, my whole life I have sought only the truth! Your reputation for wisdom and knowledge is known to be unequaled among the wisest of the wise, with whom I have studied. Now, at last I have finally found you. Please, I beg… can you tell me, “what is the meaning of life?”
The Mullah turned inward and pondered deeply. He then gazed into the seeker’s eyes in silence for a full minute. Then he said, “Life…is a fountain.”
“You mean all this time I’ve sailed the seas, learned languages, studied scriptures, endured privations, suffered hunger and thirst, crossed mountain ranges and burning deserts… I finally find you, and you tell me, “life is a fountain?!”
The Mullah replies, “life isn’t a fountain?”