The King and the Four Ministers

A wise king asked his four ministers, "Who am I?" The first minister said, "You are your body, O King — strong and tall." But the king replied, "My body changes every moment. In sleep, I forget it entirely. I am not the body." The second said, "You are your senses — eyes, ears, tongue." The king replied, "A blind man still exists. I am not my senses." The third said, "You are your mind and thoughts." The king shook his head: "In deep sleep, the mind is silent, yet I still exist." The fourth minister, a philosopher, smiled and said, "You are the witness of all these — the pure awareness that observes body, senses, and mind. You are the Atman." The king bowed in recognition, for he had finally met his true self.