Once, in a hermitage, there lived a master and his disciple. Unfortunately, the disciple was known for his laziness. He had a habit of procrastinating today’s work for tomorrow and then further delaying it. This tendency resulted in all his tasks being postponed, leading to subsequent regret.
Even in his studies, the disciple lagged behind the other students in the gurukul. The master, aware of this habit, grew concerned. One day, he decided to teach the disciple a lesson. The master approached his disciple, handed him a black stone, and said, “Son, take this stone. It is no ordinary stone; it is a philosopher’s stone. This stone has the power to turn any iron into gold when rubbed against it. I am entrusting it to you. You have until tomorrow evening to use it. I will return by then to take it back.”
With these words, the master turned to leave. After a brief moment, he added, “Remember, you have time until tomorrow evening.” Having said this, the master departed.
The lazy disciple was intrigued. He thought, “Now, I can make as much gold as I want.” Excited about the prospect, he considered where he could find enough iron. The disciple decided to go to the market, buy scrap iron, and transform it into gold using the philosopher’s stone. As the evening approached, he realized it was time for dinner and sleep.
While eating, he dreamed of becoming rich overnight. The disciple thought, “I have time until tomorrow evening; there’s no need to hurry. I’ll buy iron from the market in the morning.” Satisfied with this plan, he went to bed, anticipating a prosperous future.
The next morning, he woke up and thought about having breakfast before heading to the market. As time passed, he grew sleepy and decided to take a nap, thinking he could go to the market later. However, he overslept and woke up to find the sun setting. Panic-stricken, he rushed outside, only to encounter his master at the doorstep.
The master took back the philosopher’s stone and remarked, “Your time is up. A lazy person like you cannot achieve anything in life. You had a golden opportunity to make as much gold as you desired in 24 hours, but your laziness cost you. I won’t give you the stone even for a second. This is the consequence of your laziness.”
The disciple, embarrassed and regretful, pleaded with the master, but it was in vain. He had missed a chance to become wealthy due to his laziness. The disciple learned a valuable lesson that day – the importance of not squandering time and the consequences of procrastination.
In our own lives, we must reflect on these lessons. Laziness and procrastination can hinder our progress and cause us to miss significant opportunities. Time, once lost, cannot be reclaimed. Therefore, it is crucial to act promptly and not delay tasks that can be done today. The wheels of time never stop turning, and it is up to us to make the most of the time we have.