The great Khan went to a spiritual gathering in the city
below the mountains where his village was, high up in the clouds. The spiritual
gathering was being addressed by a great holy man who had traveled from a long
way off. The great holy man and his disciples had been strictly instructed to
be careful of the crazy people from high up in the mountains who would have
crazy questions. It would be better if the great holy man would not waste time answering
them, and should just try and prevent them from entering the gathering.
The great holy man did not want to do so, but did not want to disappoint or anger his hosts, from the army regiment in the village in the plains. So, he asked his disciples to be at the gates and ask a simple question to the people from the high mountains, and allow them to enter only if they gave good answers.
Thus, when the great Khan came to the spiritual gathering, the disciples of the great holy man explained that new rules were in place to ensure that only those who would deserve spiritual blessings would be allowed. Since all army men fought for their country, they were all automatically allowed to enter, as they needed spiritual blessings. Second, since all officers and elected people served the nation, they were also automatically allowed to enter. Because nobody knew what the people in the hidden villages of the high mountains did, they would have to answer some simple questions.
The great Khan agreed to be questioned. The first question was asked - "Name two days of the week that begin with “T”. The army men, officers and elected people from the plains knew the great Khan very well, and were terrified of him. But, they knew that he was a very simple person, and were curious to know how he would answer. The senior army officer protested with the great holy man, saying that it was a very easy answer. The great holy man replied, "let's see... if the great Khan would give a simple answer or a profound answer."
The great Khan thought for a few minutes, and answered, since he had heard his grandson, from his sixth son, a smart boy, read and explain his textbooks to his mother, and said "There are two days of the week that begin with "T" and they are, - Today and Tomorrow."
The great holy man was very happy and satisfied. He turned to the army men and said, "see... that is a very complex answer. It could have been very simple. He could have just said, Tuesday and Thursday... instead... he captured the essence of the mythical nature of time... and said, that there is only - Today, and Tomorrow."
The great Khan was not done, though. He insisted with the great holy man that it was the turn of the senior army officer to also answer a profound question. The senior army officer agreed... for, he knew, that if he would refuse, the great Khan would keep talking about this day for several days to come. The great holy man would have returned, but, the great Khan would always be there, in the villages hidden in the high mountains, telling his tale to all his brothers and relatives, and they would all be laughing.
So, the great holy man asked the senior army officer - "Ok... I will ask another simple question... How many seconds are there in a year?"
The senior army officer was puzzled. Would he have to count the seconds? 60 seconds made a minute, and 60 minutes made an hour... hmmmm.... he thought... No. There would have to be a profound answer. He remembered that he had heard his grandson, a smart boy, read and explain something from the internet, and said, "O Holy Man, there are 12 seconds in a year."
"Explain..." said the holy man... and all the learned men waited with eager expectation, to hear this great wisdom, and so did the great Khan...
The senior army officer answered, "Well, January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd, etc…”
The holy man smiled...
The great holy man did not want to do so, but did not want to disappoint or anger his hosts, from the army regiment in the village in the plains. So, he asked his disciples to be at the gates and ask a simple question to the people from the high mountains, and allow them to enter only if they gave good answers.
Thus, when the great Khan came to the spiritual gathering, the disciples of the great holy man explained that new rules were in place to ensure that only those who would deserve spiritual blessings would be allowed. Since all army men fought for their country, they were all automatically allowed to enter, as they needed spiritual blessings. Second, since all officers and elected people served the nation, they were also automatically allowed to enter. Because nobody knew what the people in the hidden villages of the high mountains did, they would have to answer some simple questions.
The great Khan agreed to be questioned. The first question was asked - "Name two days of the week that begin with “T”. The army men, officers and elected people from the plains knew the great Khan very well, and were terrified of him. But, they knew that he was a very simple person, and were curious to know how he would answer. The senior army officer protested with the great holy man, saying that it was a very easy answer. The great holy man replied, "let's see... if the great Khan would give a simple answer or a profound answer."
The great Khan thought for a few minutes, and answered, since he had heard his grandson, from his sixth son, a smart boy, read and explain his textbooks to his mother, and said "There are two days of the week that begin with "T" and they are, - Today and Tomorrow."
The great holy man was very happy and satisfied. He turned to the army men and said, "see... that is a very complex answer. It could have been very simple. He could have just said, Tuesday and Thursday... instead... he captured the essence of the mythical nature of time... and said, that there is only - Today, and Tomorrow."
The great Khan was not done, though. He insisted with the great holy man that it was the turn of the senior army officer to also answer a profound question. The senior army officer agreed... for, he knew, that if he would refuse, the great Khan would keep talking about this day for several days to come. The great holy man would have returned, but, the great Khan would always be there, in the villages hidden in the high mountains, telling his tale to all his brothers and relatives, and they would all be laughing.
So, the great holy man asked the senior army officer - "Ok... I will ask another simple question... How many seconds are there in a year?"
The senior army officer was puzzled. Would he have to count the seconds? 60 seconds made a minute, and 60 minutes made an hour... hmmmm.... he thought... No. There would have to be a profound answer. He remembered that he had heard his grandson, a smart boy, read and explain something from the internet, and said, "O Holy Man, there are 12 seconds in a year."
"Explain..." said the holy man... and all the learned men waited with eager expectation, to hear this great wisdom, and so did the great Khan...
The senior army officer answered, "Well, January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd, etc…”
The holy man smiled...
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