A Flock of Fools: Ancient Buddhist Tales of Wisdom and Laughter from the One Hundred Parable Sutra by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2009-06-20T08:34:00+00:00

THE KING'S BEARD Long ago there was a king who had only one loyal retainer. This man was so faithful and courageous that he had risked his life in battle to save the king. The king was extremely grateful and said to the man, "You may have whatever you wish. Please feel free to ask for anything"

The retainer thought it over and then replied, "Your Majesty, all I ask is that when you wish to be shaved, you allow me to do it." The king was surprised by the retainer's response, but he said, "If this small request suits you, then I will grant your wish."

When people heard this story, they laughed that the king's retainer could he such a fool. He could have become a minister or even received half the country, yet he chose to ask for such a common task.

Fools are like this. For eons the Buddhas performed severe practices and, as a result, they became Buddhas. To meet with a Buddha or to encounter his dharma, and at the same time to have a human body, is rare indeed. It is like the story of the blind tortoise that swam in the boundless sea but ended up putting his head through a hole In a floating log. It is almost impossible for these two things to come together, and yet they have.

But foolish minds are weak; they keep the lesser teachings and are content, never seeking further. As a result, their minds don't develop and they practice mistaken and misguided acts. They don't even consider pursuing the excellent and inconceivable Nirvana and, consequently, it remains beyond their reach.

ASKING FOR NOTHING A long time ago, two men were traveling together on the open road. They came upon a man who was trying to pull a cart tilled with sesame seeds up a steep hill, but the poor man wasn't able to budge the cart even one inch. When the man saw the travelers, he called, "Help! Give me a hand pushing this cart up the hill." But before either of the travelers would move a muscle, they demanded, "What will you give us if we help?" The man with the cart replied, "I will give you nothing."

So the two men bent their shoulders to the task and helped push the cart to the top of the hill where it could stand on level ground. After catching their breath, the two men said, "Now give us what is ours," but, of course, the man replied, "I promised to give you nothing, and that is what I have to give."

Hearing this, one of the travelers said, "Well, come on, then, give us our nothing."

The other traveler smiled at his companion and said, "He hasn't agreed to give us anything. Why are you complaining?"

The other man stood his ground and answered, "Because I want my nothing, that's why. There must he something called nothing."

At this the other man just laughed. Then he said, "Nothing is just two words put together to make another word.

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