A mystic used to live under a tree. He saw for years an old woodcutter coming everyday, an old man. The whole day he would cut wood and sell the wood, and then even it was difficult to feed himself, his wife and children.

One day the mystic asked the woodcutter, " I want to reduce your work, I will tell you a secret, will you listen to me?"

The woodcutter used to respect the mystic. In the early morning when he came, he would bow down to the mystic, and when by the evening he would take the wood back home, he would again bow down to the mystic.

The mystic said, "Listen , don't waste your life cutting wood. Just go a little ahead and you will find a copper mine, and that will be enough. You do one day's work and for seven days it will be enough to keep your family comfortably. There will be no need for you to work every day.''The man did not believe. "What can this mystic know about the copper and the mines? He had never seen him leave his tree. Under the tree he is always sitting there with closed eyes--what can he know?" But then he thought, "What am I going to lose? Let me give it a try.''

He went ahead and found a copper mine, and he was immensely pleased. Now he used to work only one day and for the remaining week there was no need to work. It was enough to feed his family, not only to feed but even invite guests. Friends and all were surprised that he had become rich suddenly.

Later one day the mystic said, "You are such a fool! Just go a little further and you will find a silver mine. Then you can work for one day and for six months you need not work at all.

The woodcutter was perfectly happy with the copper mine and he did not believe the mystic again! But he said, "every time he turned out to be right, so who knows? Let me give it a chance." So he found the silver mine, and he was immensely happy. One day he would work and for six months he would live in luxury. One day he came and the mystic said, "But you are such a fool ! You just go ahead a little bit more and you will find a gold mine!"

Now this was too much ! The woodcutter could not believe that this could be his fate -- impossible! But again he was seduced by the idea-- He went and found the gold mine. Now he become so rich that for years he would not come, and even if he came he wouldn't bother even to bow down to the mystic. ''Who cares about this fool? He just goes on sitting under the tree, and he knows where the gold mine is, still he has not bothered---"

One day the mystic called him and he said, "You don't come to see me any more, you don't bow down to me. I am now getting old and I cannot wait any more. Just a little ahead there is a diamond mine-- and why are you wasting your time with gold? You can find diamonds!''

And the man found the diamonds. Now for years he would not come. one day the mystic sent a message, "Come quickly because I am on my death bed and I have to reveal you the last secret." He could not believe that there could be more than diamonds. ''That is the end! There can be nothing, there cannot be anything more." But he came. He asked, "What is the matter? Now you are again trying to tell me go ahead?''

He said,"Yes, because if you go a little bit further you will find a treasure which is inexhaustible. This mine will be exhausted soon.''The woodcutter said, "I don't believe you any more. And I am perfectly happy -- why should I go? And if you know that there is some inexhaustible treasure, why do you go on sitting under this tree? The mystic said, "That inexhaustible treasure is within me, and that's what I have called you for , to tell you just go a little further ahead. If you go a little you will find yourself, and that's the real treasure ."

But it was too much for the poor woodcutter even to understand. He laughed at the whole ideal and he said, ''You must have gone crazy! I am perfectly happy.''

The mystic died. After many years the woodcutter thought his death was also coming closer--"May be he was right, I should go a little further. "He went a little further and he found such a beautiful forest that he wanted to close his eyes, and sit under a tree." And it was so tremendously peaceful and silent that he started sinking within himself. he found the treasure the mystic was talking about, it was found within himself.

The seer of the Isa Upanishad has said :

"May we not be diverted from our goal..

For with all devotion we submit ourselves to Thee.."

This is what happens to most of us . We keep on running, after 'this' and 'that' and are never satisfied. What we all want is right' here ' 'within us' but we go on looking outside. A little understanding and awareness is needed and life can be so beautiful.