The Parable of the Perfectionist Sculptor
Once, a man visited a temple that was still being constructed. Inside, he saw a sculptor diligently crafting an idol of God. To his surprise, he noticed another idol of the same deity lying nearby. Curiosity piqued, he asked the sculptor, who remained engrossed in his task, why he was creating two statues of the identical idol.
Without lifting his gaze, the sculptor responded, "No, we only need one. The first one was damaged during the final stages of its creation."
Intrigued, the gentleman inspected the idol but could not find any visible signs of damage. Perplexed, he inquired, "Where is the damage that you speak of?"
Pointing out the flaw, the sculptor replied casually, still focused on his work, "There is a scratch on the nose of this idol."
Curiosity still lingering, the gentleman questioned the sculptor about the intended location for the idol's installation.
With a sense of purpose, the sculptor revealed that the idol would be placed atop a twenty-foot pillar.
Doubt crept into the gentleman's mind as he contemplated the significance of the scratch on the idol's nose. He questioned, "If the idol is to be installed so high, who would ever notice a scratch on its nose?"
Pausing his work, the sculptor looked up, smiled at the gentleman, and replied, "I know it, and God knows it too!"
I have come across this story a few times, with different sources each time. Once it was Mark Twain. Once it was RK Narayan. And once it was from the travel records from a traveller to Ancient South India. I wasn’t able to find out the ‘actual’ source and frankly don’t care. It’s a great story and that is all that matters.
The Story of Sculptor’s Son
Once there was a boy who had a deep passion for sculpting. Every day, he would pour his heart into creating sculptures and eagerly ask his father, who was a renowned sculptor, for feedback. At first, his father would praise his work for a while before offering constructive criticism. Sometimes he would point out that the eyes were not realistic, and other times he would mention that the nose appeared too crooked.
Undeterred by the critiques, the boy would diligently work on his sculptures the following day, incorporating his father's suggestions. He would proudly present his improved creations to his father, who would acknowledge the progress and then find new aspects to critique.
As time passed, the son's talent blossomed, and he became the greatest sculptor the world had ever seen. However, he still felt compelled to show his father every new piece he created. Meanwhile, his father was growing older, and the son pondered why, despite receiving widespread acclaim, his father always managed to find something to critique.
One day, filled with curiosity, the son decided to conduct an experiment. Instead of revealing that he had made a sculpture, he presented one that he had crafted a week earlier, but claimed it was made by a friend. To his surprise, his father showered praise upon the sculpture. Overwhelmed with frustration, the son couldn't contain himself and exclaimed, "Father, this is the sculpture I showed you a week ago. You criticized its eyes back then, yet now, when I said a friend made it, you praised it. Why?"
His father looked dejected and replied, "Because the only way we improve is by receiving critique and acting upon it. The moment you reject criticism, you halt your growth and stop learning."
I have scoured the internet for the source of this story however, I failed to find this. I have been told this tale by my parents who don’t claim to have wrote this story but then I don’t have the source, so that’s 2/2 for stories about sculptors without source….
The Pidgeon’s Tale
Once, Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, was taking a break in his abode, observing a pigeon pecking at grains. He found amusement in the scene and laughed.
Curious about Brahma's amusement, Garuda, the majestic giant eagle, asked, "What is amusing about the pigeon?"
Brahma replied, "It's strange to see the pigeon carelessly eating grains without realizing that its fate is sealed for tomorrow."
Garuda disagreed, suggesting that if the pigeon made different choices, it might live longer. This led to a bet between them.
Without informing Brahma, Garuda picked up the pigeon and carried it to a cave nestled in the Himalayan hills, assuring Brahma, "No predator can harm the pigeon here."
The next day, Brahma appeared concerned, prompting Garuda to inquire about the reason. Brahma replied, "I was thinking about our bet and feeling worried. The pigeon's fate was sealed by frostbite in a Himalayan cave. I just can't fathom how it will end up there."
Garuda suddenly realized how he had unwittingly played into the hands of destiny.
While I am not a believer that destiny is pre written and cannot be changed, in moments of immense stress, it can be comforting to know that maybe some hands above us are guiding the lines of fate and that everything will turn out right. This story is from the Purans, an Hindu text.
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