The Buddha looks for food at a village and teaches a lesson or two!
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”- Thomas Edison
Once upon a time, Buddha and his disciples went to a village that they hadn’t been to before. Buddha and his disciples never stay in one place for a long time. Staying for a long time would be considered a burden to the villagers as Buddha and his disciples depend on villagers for their food.
The day Buddha arrived at the village he had never before, he knocked on the door of one of the houses in the village with his begging bowl.
After some time, a lady came out and she became furious to see a monk with a begging bowl in his hand.
The lady started abusing Buddha, “You are looking fit enough to work. Then you want to have food without working”.
And she kept on abusing him. But Buddha stood still listening without any reaction and waiting for her to finish.
She paused to catch her breath. Then she asked, “Why are you simply standing like a stone? Say something.”
Buddha said, “Mother If an offer has come and if it is not accepted, to whom does it belong?”.
The lady replied, “I offer you nothing, just get out of my place”.
Buddha gently replied, “Mother, the time I met you, you have been offering me whatever you have?”.
The lady realized that Buddha was referring to the abuses, she had made on him, and she asked, “So, your question is, if the offer is not accepted, to whom does it belong”.
Buddha smiled back.
The lady realized her mistake and she bowed to Buddha for forgiveness.
Buddha finally said, “As a mirror reflects an object and as a standing still lake reflects the sky, take care of what you speak and how you act is always good. For goodness will always cast back goodness and for harm will always cast back harm”.
Then she bought some food for him. Buddha thanked her and he continued his journey.
There are several morals in the story, one of which is, remember, whatever you give to others, you will get the same in return.
We cannot control the way other people try to treat us or speak to us. We cannot control other people’s negativity. We can control how we treat ourselves and what we say to ourselves. We can control our emotions and feelings and be positive. Forward, always!