Three travelers met on a road beneath a tree. All three had set out on a long journey.
To rest for a while, they sat down in the dense shade of the tree.
Each of the three carried two bags: one hung in front of them, and the other hung behind.
The three sat together and began making small talk—asking questions such as: "Where are you from?" "Where are you headed?" "How far is the destination?" "Who is waiting for you at home?" These were the kinds of questions strangers often ask to get to know one another.
Physically, the three travelers were of similar build, yet the expressions on their faces differed greatly.
One appeared deeply weary and despondent, as if the journey itself had become an unbearable burden.
The second was tired, but did not appear weighed down; the third, however, was filled with immense joy. Seated at a distance, a sage watched them and smiled.
Just then, the three travelers noticed the sage; approaching him, they asked why he was smiling. In response to their question, the sage posed a question of his own: "Each of you carries two bags.
Suppose you were to use one bag to hold the good qualities of others, and the other to hold their faults—how would you choose to arrange them?"
The first traveler replied, "I would place the faults in the bag hanging in front of me, so that I may keep them at a distance throughout my life.
I would keep the good qualities in the bag behind me." The second traveler said, "I would place the good qualities in the bag in front, so that I may strive to emulate them; I would keep the faults behind me, so that I may strive to be better than them."
The third traveler replied, "I would place the good qualities in the bag in front, so that I may remain content in their presence.
As for the faults, I would place them in the bag behind me—and then I would poke a hole in that bag. That way, the burden of those faults would gradually diminish, leaving only the good qualities to remain with me." In other words, he wished to simply let go of and forget the faults.
Upon hearing this, the sage spoke: "The first traveler—the one who appears weary and despondent from his journey, and who chose to keep faults in plain sight—is weary of life itself, much like he is weary of this journey. This is because his outlook is negative; consequently, life feels like a struggle to him."
"The second traveler—who is tired but not despondent, and who chose to keep good qualities in front—grows weary in his constant effort to surpass the faults of others. He exhausts himself by engaging in a needless competition." The third person—who prioritizes the good, while leaving the bad behind with the intention of forgetting it—is content and enjoying life. In this way, he remains happy throughout his journey of life.