Buddhist Parables
The Wise Old Farmer
One day, an old farmer's horse escaped from the stable and ran away. The farmer depended on the horse to plow his fields. He told his neighbor, who exclaimed "Oh, that is terrible," but the old farmer was wise, and said "Who is to say what is good or bad. We will see what comes from this."
The next day, the old farmer's horse returned, and led three wild horses back to the stable. The neighbor congratulated the old farmer on his good fortune. The wise old farmer replied "We will see what comes from this."
The following morning, while attempting to tame one of the new horses, the old farmer's son was thrown and broke his arm. When the neighbor tried to console the farmer, the old man simply replied "We will see what comes from this."
A week later, a conscription officer from the imperial army arrived at the farm. When he saw the son's broken arm, he passed them by and did not draft the son into war. The neighbor hugged the farmer upon hearing the news, and shouted with relief. The old farmer smiled, and said "We will see what comes from this..."
Hell
In one of his former lives, the Buddha did something to cause terrible suffering to others and himself. His action was so awful that he was reborn into Hell. In that Hell there was another man, and a guard that pushed both of them to work endlessly, never allowing them to rest. The guard used a trident to prod Buddha and the other man in the back so they would constantly toil and suffer.
One day the guard prodded the other man brutally, causing blood to spill down his legs. The Buddha felt something rising within him, and he was compelled to speak out against the guard's cruelty. The Buddha knew that if he did, the guard would just focus the brutal treatment on him. The guard continued to torture the other man, until finally the Buddha was filled with so much anger and compassion that he turned around and yelled at the guard.
"Why do you keep hurting him? Why don't you let him rest? Don't you have a heart?"
The guard was so angry that he stabbed the Buddha's chest with the trident, killing him. The Buddha was instantly reborn as a human being with a compassionate heart.
The other man was shocked, and felt anger and loss. He also yelled at the guard, saying "My friend was right. You don't have a heart, you just hurt us and now you've killed him." The guard, enraged, silenced the other man by murdering him with the trident. The other man was also reborn as a human being.
The guard became very lonely all by himself. Eventually he realized that he was in pain, and that someone was behind him, prodding him in the back with a trident.
One day, an old farmer's horse escaped from the stable and ran away. The farmer depended on the horse to plow his fields. He told his neighbor, who exclaimed "Oh, that is terrible," but the old farmer was wise, and said "Who is to say what is good or bad. We will see what comes from this."
The next day, the old farmer's horse returned, and led three wild horses back to the stable. The neighbor congratulated the old farmer on his good fortune. The wise old farmer replied "We will see what comes from this."
The following morning, while attempting to tame one of the new horses, the old farmer's son was thrown and broke his arm. When the neighbor tried to console the farmer, the old man simply replied "We will see what comes from this."
A week later, a conscription officer from the imperial army arrived at the farm. When he saw the son's broken arm, he passed them by and did not draft the son into war. The neighbor hugged the farmer upon hearing the news, and shouted with relief. The old farmer smiled, and said "We will see what comes from this..."
Hell
In one of his former lives, the Buddha did something to cause terrible suffering to others and himself. His action was so awful that he was reborn into Hell. In that Hell there was another man, and a guard that pushed both of them to work endlessly, never allowing them to rest. The guard used a trident to prod Buddha and the other man in the back so they would constantly toil and suffer.
One day the guard prodded the other man brutally, causing blood to spill down his legs. The Buddha felt something rising within him, and he was compelled to speak out against the guard's cruelty. The Buddha knew that if he did, the guard would just focus the brutal treatment on him. The guard continued to torture the other man, until finally the Buddha was filled with so much anger and compassion that he turned around and yelled at the guard.
"Why do you keep hurting him? Why don't you let him rest? Don't you have a heart?"
The guard was so angry that he stabbed the Buddha's chest with the trident, killing him. The Buddha was instantly reborn as a human being with a compassionate heart.
The other man was shocked, and felt anger and loss. He also yelled at the guard, saying "My friend was right. You don't have a heart, you just hurt us and now you've killed him." The guard, enraged, silenced the other man by murdering him with the trident. The other man was also reborn as a human being.
The guard became very lonely all by himself. Eventually he realized that he was in pain, and that someone was behind him, prodding him in the back with a trident.