The Four Learned Brahmins

Once four young Brahmins were disciples of a learned guru.  They spent years learning all the scriptures.  And then one day, they were ready to leave their teacher's hermitage.  The teacher advised the Brahmins, "Knowledge is power.  Use it wisely.  Never use your powers in vain."

The four young Brahmins were excited that they had completed their schooling.  They were eager to test their skills.  As they were going through the forest they saw the bones of a lion lying on the ground.  "Look at that!  They look like the bones of a lion.  Let's try our skills on these bones." said one of the Brahmins.

The four young Brahmins agreed to test their knowledge.  The first Brahmin decided to put the bones together and recreate the skeleton of the lion.  "There you see!  This is a perfect skeleton of the lion!" said the first Brahmin.

The second young Brahmin eager to test his knowledge and skills decided to give the skeleton flesh and skin.  As the others watched he created a perfect life-like lion.  "Doesn't it look perfect?  A pity it is not alive!" said the second Brahmin.

The third young Brahmin was the cleverest of them all.  He decided to try and breathe life into the body of the lion.  He said, "Our guru taught me the special skill of giving life."

But the fourth Brahmin who was not as clever as the others felt that they were using their powers in vain.  When the others would not listen to him, he climbed onto the branch of a tree before his friend gave life to the lion.  He told the others "I think I'll stay on this tree while you test your skills."

The fourth Brahmin watched from the tree as his friend uttered spells and sprinkled water on the lion.  As soon as the lion came to life, it sprang up and killed the three young Brahmins.

The fourth Brahmin was horrified and filled with sorrow.  His three friends would have done so well in life if only they had learnt to act wisely and not just cleverly. He sighed "How I wish they had remembered the guru's final advice!"

Moral:

• Wisdom is knowing what to do with what you know.