114. The Story of a Proper Thinking Fish

At one time when Buddha was living at Jetavana monastery the Buddha disclosed this story about two old monks. These two old monks went to observe rainy season retreat in a remote village. Their donors there offered them all necessary requisites as much as they wanted. The two monks enjoyed the three months of the rainy season retreat. As it was so comfortable there, they stayed there continuously without coming to see the Buddha through the next rainy season as well. And after that they left for the city of Sāvatthi to see the Buddha.

Upon seeing these two monks, the other monks who were friends of theirs questioned, “Why did you venerable ones delay in coming to see the Buddha?” They said, “It was very good where we were. It was comfortable because everything was available to us there. So we were there for a second rainy season also.”

On that day, all the elderly monks assembled to listen to the Buddha’s evening Dhamma sermon were talking about this matter regarding the failure of these monks in coming to see the Buddha.

When the Buddha came in and sat on his prepared seat, addressing the monks, he asked, “Oh monks, what were you talking about before I came in?” And the monks said, “Venerable sir, we were talking about those two old monks and their laziness to fulfill their monks’ duties after the termination of the rainy season retreat.”

Then the Buddha said, “Monks, not only today, but also formerly they both were lazy.” And then the monks invited him to disclose the story of old about these two monks’ laziness. The Buddha disclosed the following:

In an ancient time, there was a king called Brahmadatta ruling Benares. At that time, upstream in the river there were three fish known as Thinking-Too-Much, Thinking-Little, and Proper-Thinking. They were living close to a village where people lived. One day Proper-Thinking said, “We live close to people. It is dangerous to live so close to them. Therefore, let us go somewhere else.” The other two fish said, as they were greedy and liked eating the plentiful food that was upstream, craving it, “Let us go today or tomorrow.” And saying so, they postponed their departure. They spent over three months without leaving.

One day fishermen came and spread their nets across the river. The two fish, Thinking-Too-Much and Thinking-Little, carelessly swimming ahead did not smell the net. And they got trapped in it. Proper-Thinking, swimming behind, smelled the net and went through the far side. He did not get trapped in it. Seeing the other two foolish fish, he thought, “They did not listen to me. Not listening to me, but instead going boldly and greedily, they got trapped in the net. It is my duty to save them.” Thinking this, he performed a trick by going out of one side of the net and into the other side, splashing. The fishermen thought, as big fish were trapped in the net, “No doubt the net has been torn as there were many big fish trapped in it.” And they hauled in the net by one side, and took it up. When they took it up, these two fish easily escaped. All three were saved.

The Buddha, connecting this old story to the present incident, explained the disadvantages of craving. He preached, expressing the four noble truths. Listening to this particular Dhamma sermon of the Buddha, these two old monks attained the stream entrance state of mind, which is endowed with a thousand different ways of understanding the law, becoming Sotāpanna-s.

“The two fish, Thinking-Too-Much and Thinking-Little, were these two monks at that time. And the Proper-Thinking fish was I who have become the Buddha today.”

The moral: “Proper thinking leads you to success and happiness. Procrastination due to greed leads to ruin.”

114. The Story of a Proper Thinking Fish

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2025/03/18/114-the-story-of-a-proper-thinking-fish/

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