Leadership

Alexander the Great led a forced march across a hot and desolate plain. On the eleventh day, he and all the soldiers still with him were near death from thirst. Alexander pressed on. At midday two scouts brought him what little water they had been able to find - it hardly filled the bottom of the helmet. Their throats burning, Alexander's men stood back and watched him enviously. Alexander did not hesitate. He turned the helmet over and poured the water on the hot sand at his feet. Then he said, "It's of no use for one to drink when others are thirst." They desperately needed water - plenty of it. Alexander gave his men the only thing he had - inspiration. 

Leadership is not only about teaching but by living the way of a leader.

The Fowler and The Viper

A fowler, taking his bird-lime and his twigs, went out to catch birds. Seeing a thrush sitting upon a tree, he wished to take it, and fitting his twigs to a proper length, watched intently, having his whole thoughts directed towards the sky. While thus looking upwards, he unknowingly stepped upon a viper asleep just before his feet. The viper, turning about, stung him, and falling into a swoon, the man said to himself, “Woe is me! that while I purposed to hunt another, I am myself fallen unawares into the snare of death.”

-Based on Aesop's Fable

The Last Hurdle

When Mahavir left this world, Gautam, his closest disciple, was out of the town. On returning, Gautam was informed that Mahavir has passed away. All his life Gautam was near Mahavir, but he was not there at the last moment of Mahavir's life. He felt he was very unfortunate. He began to cry and said, "I didn't attain nirvana (salvation) while He (Mahavir) was alive. How do I attain nirvana now?" He then asked, "Did he leave any message for me?"

"Yes, Mahavir's last message was - Gautam, you have renounced everything. When will you renounce me?"

It is said that Gautam attained nirvana at that very moment.