The Parable of the Sadhu

1TheParableoftheSadhuOnamountainclimbingexpeditiontotheHimalayas,BowenMcCoy,amanagingdirectoroftheMorganStanleyCompany,andhispartyfoundapilgrim,orSadhu,dyingofcold.Althoughtheclimbershelpedtheholyman,Mr.McCoyandhisteamultimatelypressedonwiththeirtrek,determinedtoreachthesummit.Thisunexpectedethicaldilemmaleftthemquestioningtheirvalues--andthevaluesofbusiness,whichoftenplacesgoalachievementaheadofotherconsiderations.Inthismovingarticle,whichreceivedtheHarvardBusinessReview’sEthicsPrizein1983,Mr.McCoyrelateshisexperienceinthedistantmountainofNepaltotheshortandlong-termgoalsofAmericanbusiness.Lastyear,asthefirstparticipantofinthenewsix-monthsabbaticalprogramthatMorganStanleyhasadopted,Ienjoyedarareopportunitytocollectmythoughtsaswellasdosometraveling.IspentthefirstthreemonthsinNepal,walking600milesthrough200villagesintheHimalayasandclimbingsome120,000verticalfeet.OnthetripmysoleWesterncompanionwasananthropologistwhoshedlightontheculturalpatternsofthevillageswepassedthrough.DuringtheNepalhike,somethingoccurredthathashadapowerfulimpactonmythinkingaboutcorporateethics.Althoughsomemightarguethattheexperiencehasnorelevancetobusiness,itwasasituationinwhichabasicethicaldilemmasuddenlyintrudedintothelivesofagroupofindividuals.HowthegrouprespondedIthinkholdsalessonforallorganizationsnomatterhowdefined.BowenMcCoyPhotosbyMikeBrozda2Sadhus,orholymen,roamthecountrysideofIndiaandNepal,beggingforfoodTheSadhuNepalexperiencewasmoreruggedandadventuresomethanIhadanticipated.Mostcommercialtrekslasttwoorthreeweeksandcoveraquarterofthedistancewetraveled.MyfriendStephen,theanthropologist,andIwerehalfwaythroughthe60-dayHimalayanpartofthetripwhenwereachedthehighpoint,an18,000-footpassoveracrestthatwe'dhavetotraversetoreachthevillageofMuktinath,anancientholyplaceforpilgrims.SixyearsearlierIhadsufferedpulmonaryedema,anacuteformofaltitudesickness,at16,500feetinthevicinityofEverestbasecamp,sowewereunderstandablyconcernedaboutwhatwouldhappenat18,000feet.Moreover,theHimalayaswerehavingtheirwettestspringin20years;hip-deeppowderandicehadalreadydrivenusoffoneridge.Ifwefailedtocrossthepass,Ifearedthatthelasthalfofouronceinalifetimetripwouldberuined.Duringthelateafternoon,fourbackpackersfromNewZealandjoinedus,andwespentmostofthenightawakeanticipatingtheclimb.Belowwecouldseethefiresoftwootherparties,whichturnedouttobetwoSwisscouplesandaJapanesehikingclub.Togetoverthesteeppartoftheclimbbeforethesunmeltedthestepscutintheice,wedepartedat3:30a.m.TheNewZealandersleftfirst,followedbyStephenandmyself,ourportsandSherpas,andthentheSwiss.TheJapaneselingeredintheircamp.Theskywasclear,andwewereconfidentthatnospringstormwoulderuptthedaytoclosethepass.At15,500feet,itlookedtomeasifStephenwereshufflingandstaggeringabit,whicharesymptomsofaltitudesickness.(Theinitialstageofaltitudesicknessbringsaheadacheandnausea.Astheconditionworsens,aclimbermayencounter3difficultbreathing,disorientation,aphasia,andparalysis.)Ifeltstrong,myadrenalinewasflowing,butIwasveryconcernedaboutmyultimateabilitytogetacross.AcoupleofourporterswerealsosufferingfromtheheightandPasang,ourSherpasirdar(leader),wasworried.Justafterdaybreak,whilewerestedat15,000feet,oneoftheNewZealanders,whohadgoneahead,camestaggeringdowntowarduswithabodyslungacrosshisshoulders.Hedumpedthealmostnaked,barefootbodyofanIndianholyman--aSadhu--atmyfeet.Hehadfoundthepilgrimlyingontheice,shiveringandsufferingfromhypothermia.IcradledtheSadhu’sheadandlaidhimoutontherocks.TheNewZealanderwasangry.Hewantedtogetacrossthepassbeforethebrightsunmeltedthesnow.HesaidLookI’vedonewhatIcan.YouhaveportersandSherpaguides.Youcareforhim.We’regoingon!Heturnedandwentbackupthemountaintojoinhisfriends.ItookacarotidpulseandfoundthattheSadhuwasstillalive.WefiguredhehadprobablyvisitedtheholyshrinesatMuktinathandwasonhiswayhome.Itwasfruitlesstoquestionwhyhehadchosenthisdesperatelyhighrouteinsteadofthesafe,heavilytraveledcaravanroutethroughtheKaliGandakigorge.Orwhyhewasalmostnakedandwithnoshoes,orhowlonghehadbeenlyinginthepass.Theanswersweren’tgoingtosolveourproblem.StephanandthefourSwissbeganstrippingoffouterclothingandopeningtheirpacks.TheSadhuwassoonclothedfromheadtofoot.Hewasnotabletowalk,buthewasverymuchalive.IlookeddownthemountainandspottedbelowtheJapaneseclimbersmarchingupwithahorse.Withoutagreatdealofthought,ItoldStephenandPasangthatIwasconcernedaboutwithstandingtheheightstocomeandwantedtogetoverthepass.Itookoffafterseveralofourporterswhohadgoneahead.Onthesteeppartoftheascentwhere,iftheicestepshadgivenway,Iwouldhavesliddownabout3,000feet,Ifeltvertigo.Istoppedforabreather,allowingtheSwisstocatchupwithme.IinquiredabouttheSadhuandStephen.TheysaidtheSadhuwasfineandthatStephenwasjustbehind.Isetoffagainforthesummit.StephenarrivedatthesummitanhourafterIdid.Stillexhilaratedbyvictory,Irandownthesnowslopetocongratulatehim.Hewassufferingfromaltitudesickness,walking15steps,thenstopping,walking15steps,thenstopping.Pasang4accompaniedhimallthewayup.WhenIreachedthem,Stephenglaredatmeandsaid:Howdoyoufeelaboutcontributingtothedeathofafellowman?Ididnotfullyc