QUOTE 3 EXCERPT:
Quote:
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Originally Posted by The Cobbler's Apprentice
Various views were expressed showing just how a simple story can be understood in more than one way.
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First of all, I agree completely with your point that "a simple story can be understood in more than one way". Zen Buddhist stories in particular are often understood differently by different people.
That reminded me of a time when some one brought up the subject of the Greek mythical stories with my teacher and she responded that even those stories have "occult" (hidden) meanings if one studies them carefully. When I questioned that position, my teacher gave me an assignment for the week .... pick a Greek myth and report back the following week on the occult meaning.
I picked the Greek myth about Theseus, the Minataur, the Labyrinth, and Ariadne's thread. I meditated on it throughout the week and I came up with what I thought was a very plausible "occult" meaning for the myth. As I presented it to the assembly, I was pleased (EGO
) to see approving glances and signs from virtually everyone. When I finished, I asked my teacher if that was a "correct" interpretation. I was obviously fishing for compliments (EGO
).She smiled and responded to me with four simple words: "That's one possible interpretation".
She did not feed my ego.
There can indeed be many different understandings of a story and a wise storyteller can create stories that can be interpreted on many levels beyond the obvious.