THE KIND ASCETIC
[ Based on The Amba Jathaka Story]
Long ago when Brhammadatta was the king of Benares Bodhisattva was born into a well known Brahmin family. The Bodhisattva was tired of the lay life; his life at home. It was always his desire to be an ascetic. Hence he left home with five hundred young men and lived in the Himalayan forest devoting his time for meditation.
There was a severe drought; a period of no rain, in the Himalayan forest at that time. It was a very difficult period for every living being there. The rivers, ponds and streams were all dry. Animals and birds suffered immensely without water. Some even died of thirst.
Meanwhile one of the young ascetics who lived with the Bodhisattva in the monastery wanted to help the poor animals. The monastery had a very deep spring well. It never went dry. The young ascetic made a large trough; a container for holding water, out of a log. Then he filled it with water from the deep well. It was really a tiring job. But he forgot his tiredness when he saw the poor thirsty animals drinking water to their fill.
One day after quenching their thirst, the animals talked to themselves:"friends, this kind ascetic uses his valuable time for quenching our thirst. He spends his whole day for us. He has no rest to eat or meditate. He has no time to go into the forest to look for food. So shouldn't we help this noble ascetic? How could we do that? Will someone among you suggest?"
Then they shouted in chorus "Let's bring him the best of fruits that grow in this forest when we come to drink water each day". So as they discussed each one of them brought the sweetest of the fruits and offered the young ascetic. Thus a large number of fruits gathered at the monastery each day. That was too much for the ascetic. The ascetic shared them with the other ascetics of the monastery. This in turn helped them to save time on looking for food and engage in their meditation.
One day the Bodhisattva humbly addressed the young ascetics and said, "Children now we have time for meditation. We don't have to go out for food. the grateful animals bring us all. This is because of the boundless kindness of just one among you. Bear in mind, children, good work is always rewarded."
No comments:
Post a Comment