66, 251 The Wisdom of Queen Tenderhearted[Lust]

Once upon a time, the Enlightenment Being was born into a rich high-class family in Kasi, in northern India. He grew to young manhood and completed his education. Then he gave up ordinary desires and left the everyday world. He became a holy man and went to live by himself in the Himalayan forests. He meditated for a long time, developed high mental powers, and was filled with inner happiness.

Having run out of salt, one day he came down to the city of Benares. He spent the night in the royal garden. In the morning he washed himself, tied his tangled hair knot on top of his head, and dressed in a black antelope skin. He folded up the robe made of red bark, which he usually wore. Then he went to the city to collect almsfood.

When he arrived at the palace gate, King Brahmadatta was walking back and forth on his terrace. When he saw the humble looking holy man, he thought. There is such a thing as perfect calm, this man must have found it!" He had his servants bring him into the palace.

The holy man was seated on a luxurious couch and was fed the very best foods. He thanked the king. The king said, “You are welcome to live in my royal garden permanently. I will provide the ‘Four Necessities’ — food, clothing, shelter and medicine. In so doing I may gain merit leading to rebirth in a heaven world."

The holy man accepted this kind offer. He spent the next sixteen years living in the royal garden of Benares. During that time he taught all in the king’s family, and received the Four Necessities from the king.

One day King Brahmadatta decided he must go to a frontier area and put down a revolt. Before leaving he ordered his queen to care for the needs of the holy man. Her name was Queen Tenderhearted.

She prepared food every day for the holy man. Then one day he was late in arriving for his meal. While waiting, Queen Tenderhearted refreshed herself in a perfumed bath, dressed in fine clothes and jewellery, and lay down on the couch.

Meanwhile the Enlightenment Being had been meditating in a particularly joyful mental state. When he realised what time it was, he used the power of his mental purity to fly through the air to the palace.

When Queen Tenderhearted heard the rustling sound made by his bark robe, she rose up suddenly from her couch. In so doing, her blouse accidentally slipped down for a moment — and the holy man glimpsed her from the window as he entered. He was surprised by the unusual sight of the queen’s great beauty.

Desire, which had been subdued but not erased, rose within him. It was just like a cobra rises, spreading his hood, from the basket in which it is kept. His desire lost its purity. He was wounded, like a crow with a broken wing.

The holy man could not eat his food. He took it back to his temple dwelling in the royal garden, and put it under his bed. His mind was enslaved by the sight of the beauty of Queen Tenderhearted. His heart was burning with desire. He remained on his bed, without eating or drinking, for the next seven days.

Finally the king arrived home again. He circled the city and then went directly to see the holy man in the garden temple. Seeing him lying in bed, he thought he was sick. He cleaned out the temple and sat down next to him. He began massaging his feet, and asked, “Reverend sir, what happened to you? Are you sick?"

The holy man replied, “Oh great king, my sickness is that I am caught in the chains of desire." “What is it you desire?" asked the king. “Queen Tenderhearted, my lord." “Your reverence," said the king, “I will give Tenderhearted to you. Come with me."

When they arrived at the palace, King Brahmadatta had his queen dressed in her finest clothing and jewellery. Then he secretly told her to help the unfortunate holy man regain his purity. She replied. “I know what to do, my lord, I will save him." Then the king gave her away and she left the palace with the holy man.

After they passed through the main gate she said, “We must have a house to live in. Go back and ask the king for one." He returned and asked the king for a house. The king gave them a tiny run-down hut that people used as an outhouse.

The holy man took the queen to their new home, but she refused to go inside. He asked her why. She said, “Because it’s filthy! Go back to the king and get a shovel and basket." He obeyed and when he returned she ordered him to do all the cleaning. He even had to plaster the walls and floor with fresh cow dung!

Then she commanded him to go to the palace and get her a bed. Then a chair. Then a lamp, bed linen, a cooking pot, a water pot. She ordered him to get all these things one at a time, and he obeyed dutifully. She sent him to get water for her bath and many other things. He set out the water for her bath and then made up the bed. Finally they sat down next to each other on the bed. Suddenly she grabbed him by the whiskers, shook him back and forth, pulled him towards her and said, “Don’t you remember that you are a holy man and a priest?"

Only then was he shocked out of his mad infatuation and made to realise who he was. Having regained his self-awareness, he thought, “Oh what a pitiful state I have fallen into. I have been blinded by my desire into becoming a slave. Beginning with only the sight of a woman, this mad craving could lead me into a hell world. My body was burning, as if I’d been shot in the heart with an arrow of desire. But there was no bleeding wound! Not seeing her body as it really was, my own foolishness caused all my suffering!"

Then he spoke out loudly, “On this very day I will return the wise Queen Tenderhearted to the noble King Brahmadatta. Then I will fly back to my forest home!"

After taking her back, he said to the king, “I don’t want your queen anymore. Before I had her, she was my one desire. After I got her, one desire led to another endlessly, leading only to hell."

The wise Queen Tenderhearted, by using her intelligence and knowledge of life, had given a great gift to the holy man. Rather than taking advantage of his weakness, she had restored his purity.

In perfect calm the Enlightenment Being rose into the air, preached to the king, and then magically flew to the Himalayan forests. He never again returned to the ordinary world. After meditating for years in peace and joy, he died and was reborn in a high heaven world.

The moral is: Desire enslaves, wisdom liberates.

INTERPRETER’S INTRODUCTION – BUDDHIST TALES FOR YOUNG AND OLD, VOLUME 1, STORIES 1-50

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2023/11/28/66-251-the-wisdom-of-queen-tenderheartedlust/

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64, 65 Country Man and City Wife [Adultery]

Once upon a time, there was a well-known teacher who taught in and around Benares. He had over 500 students. One of these was from the distant countryside. Knowing little about the ways of city folks, he fell in love with a Benares girl and married her. After the marriage he resumed his studies with the famous teacher. But he started missing classes, sometimes staying away for two or three days at a time.

His wife was used to doing whatever she wanted. Even though she was married to the student, she was not loyal and faithful. She still had secret boy friends.

It just so happened that after she had been with a boy friend, she acted very humble with her husband. She spoke softly and tried very hard to please him. But on other days, when she had done nothing wrong, she was rude and domineering. She yelled at her husband and nagged him. This drove the man crazy. He was completely confused by how differently she acted from one day to the next.

The countryman was so disturbed that he stayed away from classes. And while he remained home he discovered that his city wife was unfaithful. He was upset that he missed school for seven or eight days.

When he finally showed up, the famous teacher asked, “Young man, you have been away so long. What was the matter?" He replied, “Sir, my wife is cheating on me very much, and acts as humble as a servant. But on other days she is arrogant and domineering, rough and rude. I can’t figure her out. I don’t know what to do or where to go for help. That’s why I couldn’t attend your classes."

The teacher said, “Young man, don’t worry. Rivers can be bathed in by anyone, rich or poor. Highways too are open to all. Generous people build roadside rest houses to gain merit, and anyone can sleep there. Likewise, all are welcome to take water from the village well.

“So too, there are some women who won’t be faithful to one man. They love to keep their secret boy friends. That’s just the way some people are. It’s hard to understand why they act the way they do. But why get angry about what you cannot change?

“On the days when your wife has been with a boy friend, those are the days she acts meek and mild. But on the days when she has done nothing wrong, those are the days she acts rough and rude. That’s just the way some people are. So why get angry about what you cannot change?

“Accept her the way she is. Treat her in the same understanding way, whether she is kind or mean to you. Why get angry about what you cannot change?"

“The student from the countryside followed the famous teacher’s advice. His city wife’s behaviour no longer upset him. And when she realised that her actions were no longer secret, she gave up her boyfriends and changed her ways.

The moral is: Understanding relieves anger.

Country Man and City Wife [Adultery]

Link:https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2023/11/21/country-man-and-city-wife-adultery/

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The Wicked Lady and the Buttermilk Wise Man[Seduction]

Once upon a time, a very rich man was living in Benares, in northern India. He had a daughter who was one of the most beautiful women in the city. Her skin was as soft as rose petals, her complexion was like lotus blossoms, and her hair was as black as midnight. But unfortunately her beauty was only skin deep. For, on the inside, she was very cruel. She insulted her servants and even enjoyed beating them. She became known as the ‘Wicked Lady’.

One day she went down to the river for her bath. While she bathed, her servant girls played and splashed in the water. Suddenly it became dark and a heavy rainstorm came upon them. Most of the attendants and guards ran away. The servant girls said to each other, “This would be a perfect time to get rid of the Wicked Lady once and for all! So they deserted her there, still bathing in midstream. The storm became more and more terrible as the sun set.

When the servant girls arrived home without the Wicked Lady, the rich man asked them, “Where is my precious daughter?" They replied, “We saw her coming out of the river, but since then we haven’t seen her. We don’t know where she went." The rich man sent out relatives to search for her, but she was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile the Wicked Lady had been swept downstream by the ferocious flooded river.

There just so happened to be a holy man living in the forest next to the river. In this peaceful area he had been meditating for a long time, until he had come to enjoy the inner happiness of a high mental state. Because of this happiness, he was quite sure he had left the ordinary desires of the world behind.

At about midnight the Wicked Lady was carried past the holy man’s hut by the raging river. She was crying out and screaming for help. When he heard her, the holy man realised a woman was in danger. So he took a torch down to the river and saw her being swept along. He dived in and saved her. He comforted her, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll look after you."

He carried her into his hut and made a fire to dry her off and warm her up. He gave her fruits to eat. When she had eaten her fill, he asked, “Where do you live? How did you fall in the river?" She told him about the storm and how her servants deserted her. He took pity on her and let her sleep in his hut for the next couple of nights. He himself slept under the stars.

When she had recovered her strength, he told her it was time to return home. But she knew that he was the type of holy man who promised never to live with a woman, as husband and wife. That was why he had slept outside while she slept in the hut.

Just to prove her own power and superiority over him, she decided to seduce him into breaking his religious promise. She refused to leave until she had tricked him into falling in love with her.

The Wicked Lady used the poses and tricks and flatteries that women learn. The holy man was not yet strong enough to resist her tempting ways. After a few days she succeeded in seducing him into breaking his promise. They began living together in the quiet forest as if they were husband and wife. He lost the inner happiness he had gained by years of meditating.

But soon the Wicked Lady grew bored with forest life. She missed the noise and excitement of crowded city life. So she cooed and coaxed until she got her way, and they moved to a nearby village.

In the beginning, the holy man supported her by selling buttermilk. Later on, the villagers came and asked him for advice. They soon realised that listening to him brought good fortune. So they started calling him ‘the Buttermilk Wise Man’, and gave him a hut to live in.

Then one day a gang of bandits attacked the village. They robbed all the valuables and kidnapped some of the villagers, including the Wicked Lady. When they got to their forest hide-out they divided up the loot. When they began dividing up the prisoners, the bandit chief was attracted by the Wicked Lady’s great beauty. So he took her for himself as a wife.

All the other prisoners were soon released. When they returned to the village, the Buttermilk Wise Man asked what happened to his wife. They told him she had been kept as wife by the bandit chief. He thought, “She will never be able to live without me. She will find a way to escape and come back to me." Deciding the village was now unlucky, all the others left it. But the Buttermilk Wise Man remained in his hut, convinced that his wife would return.

Lo and behold, the Wicked Lady enjoyed the exciting life of bandits. But she worried that her husband would come and take her back. She thought, “Then I would lose all my newfound luxuries. I would be safer if I got rid of him. Therefore, I will send him a letter, pretending to be deeply in love with him. Just as before I will use my power of seduction to cause his downfall. But this time he will meet his death, and I will remain the bandit queen!"

When the Buttermilk Wise Man received the letter he believed every word. He rushed into the forest and ran to the gang’s hide-out. When he called out to her, the Wicked Lady came out and said, “Oh my lord and master, I’m so happy to see you. I can hardly wait to escape with you. But now is not a good time. The bandit chief could easily follow us and kill us both. So let us wait until nightfall." She took him inside, fed him, and hid him in a closet.

When the chief returned in the evening he was drunk. The Wicked Lady asked him, “My lord and chief, if you saw my former husband now, what would you do?" “I would beat him up and kick him from one side of the room to the other!" he bragged, “Where is he now?" “He is much closer than you think," she said, “In fact, he is right here in this closet!"

He opened the door and dragged out the Buttermilk Wise Man. He proceeded to beat him up and kick him around the room, just as he had boasted. His poor victim did not cry out. He only muttered — “Ungrateful hater, Lying traitor."

That was all he said. It seemed he was finally learning a lesson — but so painfully!

Eventually the drunken bandit got tired of beating him. He tied him up, ate dinner, and passed out into drunken sleep.

The next morning, after sleeping off his drunkenness, the bandit chief woke up sober. He began beating and kicking his tied up victim again. Still the Buttermilk Wise Man did not cry out, but kept on muttering — “Ungrateful hater, Lying traitor."

The bandit thought, “While I keep punishing this man, why does he keep saying the same thing over and over?" Seeing that his wife was still fast asleep, he asked him what he meant.

The Buttermilk Wise Man replied, “Listen and I will tell. I was a forest holy man, peacefully enjoying a high state of mind. One night I heard this woman crying out as she was being swept down river in a storm. I saved her life and brought her back to health. Meanwhile she seduced me and I lost all my inner calm and happiness. We went to live in a village and I led a very ordinary life. Then you kidnapped her. She sent me a letter saying she suffered living with you, and begged me to rescue her. So you see — she enticed me into this disaster. She put me at your mercy. That is why I say: “Ungrateful hater, Lying traitor."

The bandit chief was not stupid. He thought, “This man was such a good provider, and yet she has put him in this plight. What would she be capable of doing to me? It would be better to finish her off!"

He untied the Buttermilk Wise Man and comforted him, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll look after you." He awakened the Wicked Lady and said, “My darling, let us kill this man right next to his own village." He took them to the boundary of the deserted village. He told her to hold her former husband. Then he raised his mighty sword and came down with it. But at the last instant he sliced the Wicked Lady in half!

Even someone as wicked as this murderous bandit can change his ways. He began by nursing his former rival back to health. After a few days of rest he asked, “What are you going to do now?"

The wise man replied, “I don’t want to live as householder anymore. I want to return to my old forest and meditate."

The bandit said, “I too would like to be ordained and learn to meditate in the forest." After giving up all his stolen goods, he went and lived in the forest with the Buttermilk Wise Man as his teacher. After much effort, they both attained a high state of inner happiness.

The moral is: Seduction can be dangerous to men and women both.

The Wicked Lady and the Buttermilk Wise Man[Seduction]

Link:https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2023/11/14/the-wicked-lady-and-the-buttermilk-wise-manseduction/

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62. The Priest Who Gambled With a Life [Misguided Morality]

Once upon a time, there was a king who loved to gamble with his royal priest. When he threw the dice, he always recited this lucky charm:

“If tempted any woman will, for sure, give up her faithfulness and act impure."

Amazing as it may seem, by using this charm the king always won! Before long, the royal priest lost almost every penny he owned.

He thought, “I have lost almost all my wealth to the king. It must be because of his lucky charm. I need to find a way to break the spell and win back my money. I must find a pure woman who has never had anything to do with a man. Then I will lock her up in my mansion and force her to remain faithful to me!"

This seemed like a good plan to him. But then he started having doubts. He thought, “It would be nearly impossible to keep a woman pure after she had already become accustomed to men. Therefore I must find the purest woman possible – one who has never even seen a man!"

Just then he happened to see a poor woman passing by. She was pregnant. The royal priest was an expert in reading the meaning of marks on the body. So he could tell that the unborn baby was a girl. And the thought occurred to him, “Aha! Only an unborn baby girl has never seen a man!"

The royal priest was willing to do anything to beat the king at dice. So he paid the poor woman to stay in his house and have her baby there. When the wonderful little girl was born, the priest bought her from her mother. Then he made sure she was raised only by women. She never saw a man — except of course the royal priest himself. When she grew up, he still kept her completely under his control. It was just as if he owned the poor girl!

The cruel priest did all this only because of his gambling habit. While the girl was growing up, he had avoided playing dice with the king. Now that she was of age, and still his prisoner, he challenged the king to a game of dice once again.

The king agreed. After they had made their bets, the king shook the dice and repeated his favourite lucky charm:

“If tempted any woman will, for sure, give up her faithfulness and act impure."

But just before he threw down the dice, the priest added:

“Except my woman — faithful evermore!"

Lo and behold, the king’s charm didn’t work. He lost that bet, and from then on the priest won every throw of the dice.

The king was puzzled by this turn of events. After considering, he thought, “This priest must have a pure woman locked up at home, one who is forced to be faithful to him alone. That’s why my lucky charm doesn’t work anymore."

He investigated and discovered what the cruel priest had done. So he sent for a well-known playboy character. He asked him if he could cause the lady’s downfall. He replied, “No problem, my lord!" The king paid him handsomely and told him to do the job quickly.

The man bought a supply of the finest perfumes and cosmetics. He set up a shop just outside the royal priest’s mansion. This mansion was seven stories high, with seven entrance gates — one on each floor. Women guarded each gate, and no man except the priest was allowed to enter.

Only only one servant waited on the priest’s lady. She carried everything in and out, including perfumes and cosmetics. The priest gave her money for her purchases.

The playboy saw the servant going in and out of the priest’s mansion. Soon he realised she was the one who could get him inside. So he devised a plan and hired some cronies to help him.

The next morning, when the serving lady went out to do her shopping, the playboy dramatically fell to the ground before her. Grabbing her knees he tearfully cried, “Oh my dear mother, it’s so wonderful to see you again after such a long time!"

Then his cronies chimed in, “Yes, this must be she! She looks the same – her hands and feet and face and type of dress. Yes, this must be she!" They all kept saying how amazing it was that her looks had changed so little in all that time.

The poor woman must have had a long lost son, for soon she was convinced this must be he. She hugged the king’s clever playboy, and both sobbed tears of joy over their miraculous reunion.

In between bouts of sobbing, the man was able to ask her, “Oh dear mother, where are you living now?" “I live next door," she said, “in the royal priest’s mansion. Night and day I serve his young woman. Her beauty is without equal, like the mermaids sailors love to praise."

He asked, “Where are you going now, mother?" “I’m going shopping for her perfumes and cosmetics, my son." “There’s no need, mother," he said, “from now on I will give you the best perfumes and cosmetics free of charge!" So he gave them to her, along with a bouquet of lovely flowers.

When the priest’s lady saw all these, much better quality than usual, she asked why the priest was so happy with her. “No," said the serving woman, “these are not from the priest. I got them at my son’s shop." From then on she got perfumes and cosmetics from the playboy’s shop, and kept the priest’s money.

After a while the playboy began the next part of his plan. He pretended to be sick and stayed in bed.

When the servant came to the shop she asked, “Where is my son?" She was told he was too sick to work, and was taken to see him. She began massaging his back and asked, “What happened to you, my son?" He replied, “Even if I were about to die, I couldn’t tell you, my mother."

She continued, “If you can’t tell me, whom can you tell?" Then, according to his plan, he broke down and admitted to her, “I was fine until you told me about your beautiful mistress — ‘like the mermaids sailors love to praise’. Because of your description, I have fallen in love with her. I must have her. I can’t live without her. I’m so depressed, without her I’ll surely die!"

Then the woman said, “Don’t worry, my son, leave it up to me." She took even more perfumes and cosmetics to the priest’s lady. She said to her, “My lady, after my son heard from me about your beauty, he fell madly in love with you! I don’t know what to do next!"

Since the priest was the only man she had ever seen, the lady was curious. And of course she resented being locked up by force. So she said, “If you sneak him into my room, it’s all right with me!"

The woman guards at the seven gates searched everything the servant took in and out. So she had to have a plan. She swept up all the dust and dirt she could find in the whole mansion. Then she began taking some of it out each day in a large covered flower basket. Whenever she was searched, she made sure some of the dust and dirt got on the guard women’s faces. This made them sneeze and cough. Pretty soon they stopped searching her when she went in and out.

Finally one day she hid the playboy in her covered flower basket. He was trim and fit, not heavy at all. She was able to sneak him past all seven guarded gates, and into the priest’s lady’s private chamber. The two lovers stayed together for several days and nights. So the playboy was able to destroy her perfect faithfulness, which had been forced on her by the cold-hearted priest.

Eventually she told him it was time to go. He said, “I will go. But first, since the old priest has been so mean to you, let me give him one good blow to the head!" She agreed and hid him in a closet. This too was part of his secret plan.

When the priest arrived, his lady said, “My lord and master, I’m so happy today! I’d like to dance while you play the guitar."

The priest said, “Of course, my beauty." “But I’m too shy to dance in front of you," she added, “so please wear this blindfold while I dance." Again he agreed to her request and she put a blindfold over his eyes.

The priest played a pretty tune on his complicated Indian guitar, while his lady danced. After a bit she said, “As part of my dance, won’t you let me give you a tap on the head?" “As you wish, my dear," he said.

Then she motioned to the playboy, who came out of the closet, snuck up from behind, and hit the old priest on the head! His eyes nearly popped out, and a bump began rising from the blow. He cried out and the lady put her hand in his. He said, “Such a soft hand sure can deliver a wallop, my dear!"

The playboy returned to the closet. The lady removed the priest’s blindfold and put some ointment on his bump. When he had left, the serving woman hid the playboy in her flower basket and smuggled him out of the mansion. He went immediately to the king and told him the whole story, in a very boastful way of course.

The next day the royal priest went to the palace as usual. The king said, “Shall we gamble on the throw of the dice?" The priest, expecting to win once more, agreed. Just as before, the king recited his lucky charm:

“If tempted any woman will, for sure, give up her faithfulness and act impure."

As usual the priest added:

“Except my woman — faithful evermore!"

But lo and behold the dice fell in the king’s favour and he took the priest’s money.

The king said, “Oh priest, your woman is no exception! True faithfulness cannot be forced! Your plan was to snatch a newborn baby girl, lock her up behind seven gates guarded by seven guards, and force her to be good. But you have failed. Any prisoner’s greatest wish is freedom!

“She blindfolded you and then her playboy lover gave you that bump on your old bald head – which proves your gates and guards were useless!

The priest returned home and accused his lady. But in the meantime, she had come up with a plan of her own. She said, “No, my lord, I have been completely faithful to you. No man has ever touched me except you! And I will prove it in a trial by fire. I will walk on fire without being burned to prove I speak the truth."

She ordered the old servant woman to fetch her son, the playboy. She was to tell him to take the lady by the hand and prevent her from stepping in the flames. This the woman did.

On the day of the trial by fire, the priest’s lady said to the crowd of onlookers, “I have never been touched by any man except this priest, my master. By this truth, may the fire have no power over me."

Then, just as she was about to step into the fire, the playboy leaped from the crowd and grabbed her hand. He shouted, “Stop! Stop! How can this priest be so cruel as to force this tender young lady into a raging fire!"

She shook her hand free and said to the priest, “My lord, since this man has touched my hand, the trial by fire is useless. But you can see my good intention!"

The priest realised he had been tricked. He beat her as he drove her away forever. At last she was free of him and mistress of her own fate.

The moral is: You can’t force someone to be good.

The Priest Who Gambled With a Life [Misguided Morality]

INTERPRETER’S INTRODUCTION – BUDDHIST TALES FOR YOUNG AND OLD, VOLUME 1, STORIES 1-50

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2023/11/07/the-priest-who-gambled-with-a-life-misguided-morality/

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61.Two Mothers[Renunciation]

Once upon a time there was a very well known teacher in the city of Takkasila, in northern India. He taught religion, as well as all other subjects. His knowledge was enormous and his teaching ability made him world famous.

At that time a son was born to a rich family in Benares. The family kept a holy fire burning constantly from that day on. When the son turned 16, they gave him a choice. They said, “This holy fire has been burning since your birth. If you wish to be reborn in a high heaven world, take it into the forest and worship the fire god.

“However, if you wish to live the home life of a family man, you must learn how to manage the wealth of our family in the affairs of the world. If that is the life you choose, go and study under the world famous teacher of Takkasila."

The young man said, “I don’t want to be a holy man. I would much rather be a family man. Then I will be happy for the rest of my life." So his parents sent him to the world famous teacher. They gave him a thousand gold coins to pay for his lessons.

After several years the man graduated with honours and returned home to Benares.

Meanwhile, his parents had come to wish more and more that he would become a holy man in the forest. This was just as they had wished on the day he was born. His mother wanted the best life possible for her son. She thought, “My son wants to marry and raise a family. He does not realise how dangerous a wicked woman can be to a man. I must find a way to get his teacher to teach him this."

So the wise woman asked her son, “Did you earn only the Ordinary Degree without also obtaining the higher Unhappiness Degree?" Her son replied, “I have earned only the Ordinary Degree."

His mother said, “How can you be called educated in the ways of the world if you have learned nothing about unhappiness? Return to the great teacher and ask for the Unhappiness Degree." The son dutifully followed his good mother’s advice and returned to Takkasila.

It just so happened that the world famous teacher had a mother who was 120 years old. She was blind and very weak. The teacher bathed and fed and cared for her with his own hands. Since it took more and more of his time, he was forced to give up teaching. He and his mother moved into a forest hut, where he looked after her, night and day.

When the young student arrived from Benares he found that his old teacher was no longer at the college. Hearing that he had retired to the forest, he went and found him there.

After greeting each other, the teacher asked him, “Why have you come back so soon?" He replied, “Honourable professor, you did not give me the Unhappiness Degree." “Who told you about that degree?" asked the teacher. “My mother, sir," he said.

The teacher thought, “I’ve never heard of such a degree! No doubt his wise mother wanted me to teach him how wicked some women can be. For they bring great unhappiness to men."

He said, “All right, I will teach you so you can earn this high degree. The course is a work-study program. Your lessons will consist of taking care of my old mother for me. You will bathe, feed and care for her tenderly with your own hands.

“While you are washing and massaging her body, you must say, ‘Dear lady, even in your old age your skin remains fair and beautiful.’ You must constantly exaggerate her beauty in this way, saying, ‘When you were young, you must have been even more beautiful!’ And if she says anything to you, you must tell me without shame, whatever it is, hiding nothing.

“If you do these things correctly, you will earn the Unhappiness Degree. Then your mother will be proud of you."

The student agreed and began tending to the 120-year-old lady. He bathed and fed her with his own hands. He massaged her arms, legs, back and head. While doing this he said, “Madam, it is marvellous indeed! Even in such great old age, your arms and legs are so very beautiful! I can guess how beautiful you were in your youth!" In this way he exaggerated her beauty again and again, for many days.

Gradually, desire began to arise in the old lady’s mind. Even though she knew she was blind and her body was rotten from old age, she thought, “No doubt this young man would like to live with me like a husband." So she asked him, “Do you want to be with me, just like a husband and wife?"

The man replied, “Oh yes of course, madam. I want to very much. But how can I? Your son is my teacher and he is very respectable. It would cause such a scandal! I will not dishonour my teacher."

Then the teacher’s mother said, “Well in that case, if you really want to be with me, then kill my son!"

The student said, “How can I kill him when I have been studying with him for so long? How can I kill him just because of this desire for you?" Then she said, “If you will stay with me and not desert me, I will kill him myself!"

As he had agreed, the student went to the world famous teacher and told him all that had taken place. Amazingly, the teacher did not seem surprised. He said, “You have done well to tell me this, my pupil. I appreciate your good work."

Then he examined his mother’s horoscope and discovered that this was to be the day of her death. He said, “I will arrange a test for her."

The teacher carved a statue from the softwood of a tree limb. He made it look exactly like himself, life-size. He laid it in his own bed and pulled the sheet up over it. He attached a long string to it and gave it to his pupil. He told him, “Now take this string and axe to my mother. Tell her it is time to do the killing."

Obediently the student returned to the blind old lady. He said, “Madam, my master is sleeping in his bed. If you follow this string it will lead you to him. Then kill him with this axe, if you really can do such a thing!"

She replied, “If you do not abandon me, I will do it." He said, “Why should I abandon you?"

Then she took the axe in her hands. She trembled as she stood up. Slowly she followed the string to her son’s bed. She felt the statue and thought she recognised her son. She pulled down the sheet from the head and raised the axe. Thinking to kill him with one blow she struck the neck as hard as she could with the axe. But it made a thumping sound, so she knew it had struck wood.

The teacher asked, “What are you doing, my mother?" Suddenly she realised she had been deceived and discovered. The shock was so overwhelming that she dropped dead on the spot! This time the horoscope had been correct.

The world famous teacher respectfully burned his mother’s body and offered flowers on her ashes.

Then he said to his pupil, “My son, there really is no such thing as the ‘Unhappiness Degree’. Wicked women cause unhappiness. You are fortunate to have such a good and wise mother. By sending you here to earn the Unhappiness Degree, she wanted you to learn how evil some women can be.

“You have seen with your own eyes how my mother was filled with craving and vanity. She has taught you this lesson. Now return to your wise mother, who cares so much for your well-being."

When he arrived home his mother asked, “My dear son, have you finally earned the high degree in the subject of Unhappiness?" He replied, “Yes mother."

Then she said, “I ask you again, my son, do you wish to leave the worldly life and go into the forest to worship the fire god? Or do you wish to marry and lead the family life?"

Her son replied, “I do not wish to lead the family life. I have seen with my own eyes how evil some women can be. There is no limit to their craving and vanity. Therefore I want nothing to do with family life. I will seek peace as a forest monk."

He respectfully took leave of his parents. After many years of peaceful meditation in the forest, he eventually died and was reborn in a high heaven world.

The moral is: Wickedness between women and men brings unhappiness to both.

INTERPRETER’S INTRODUCTION – BUDDHIST TALES FOR YOUNG AND OLD, VOLUME 1, STORIES 1-50

60.Two Mothers[Renunciation]

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2023/10/31/60-two-mothersrenunciation/

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59,60. Two Ways of Beating a Drum[Excess]

Once upon a time there was a drummer living in a small country village. He heard there was going to be a fair in the city of Benares. So he decided to go there and earn some money by playing his drums. He took his son along to accompany him when playing music written for two sets of drums.

The two drummers, father and son, went to Benares Fair. They were very successful. Everyone liked their drum playing and gave generously to them. When the fair was over they began the trip home to their little village.

On the way they had to go through a dark forest. It was very dangerous because of muggers who robbed the travellers.

The drummer boy wanted to protect his father and himself from the muggers. So he beat his drums as loudly as he could, without stopping. “The more noise, the better!" he thought.

The drummer man took his son aside. He explained to him that when large groups passed by, especially royal processions, they were in the habit of beating drums. They did this at regular intervals, in a very dignified manner, as if they feared no one. They would beat a drum roll, remain silent, then beat again with a flourish, and so on. He told his son to do likewise, to fool the muggers into thinking there was a powerful lord passing by.

But the boy ignored his father’s advice. He thought he knew best. “The more noise, the better!" he thought.

Meanwhile, a gang of muggers heard the boy’s drumming. At first they thought it must be a powerful rich man approaching, with heavy security. But then they heard the drumming continue in a wild fashion without stopping. They realised that it sounded frantic, like a frightened little dog barking at a calm big dog.

So they went to investigate and found only the father and son. They beat them up, robbed all their hard-earned money, and escaped into the forest.

The moral is: Overdoing leads to a downfall.

59,60. Two Ways of Beating a Drum[Excess]

INTERPRETER’S INTRODUCTION – BUDDHIST TALES FOR YOUNG AND OLD, VOLUME 1, STORIES 1-50

Link:https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2023/10/24/5960-two-ways-of-beating-a-drumexcess/

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55. Prince Five-Weapons and Sticky-Hair [The Diamond Weapon]

Once upon a time, the Enlightenment Being was born as the son of the King and Queen of Benares. On the day of his naming, 800 fortune tellers were invited to the palace. As presents, they were given whatever they desired to make them happy for the moment. Then they were asked to tell the fortune of the newborn prince. This was so they could find a good name for him.

One of the fortune tellers was an expert in reading the marks on the body. He said, “My lord, this is a being of great merit. He will be king after you."

The fortune tellers were very clever. They told the king and queen whatever they wanted to hear. They said, “Your son will be skilled in five weapons. He will become famous as the greatest master of all five weapons throughout India." Based on this, the king and queen named their son ‘Prince Five-Weapons’.

When the prince turned sixteen, the king decided to send him to college. He said, “Go, my son, to the city of Takkasila. There you will find a world famous teacher. Learn all you can from him. Give him this money as payment." He gave him a thousand gold coins and sent him on his way.

The prince went to the world famous teacher of Takkasila. He studied very hard and became his best pupil. When the teacher had taught him all he knew, he gave the prince a special graduation award. He gave him five weapons. Then he sent him back to Benares.

On his way home he came to a forest which was haunted by a monster. The local people warned Prince Five-Weapons, “Young man, don’t go through the forest. There is a monstrous demon called Sticky-Hair living there. He kills everyone he sees!"

But the prince was self-confident and fearless like a young lion. So he pushed on into the forest, until he came to the dreadful monster. He was as tall as a tree, with a head as big as the roof of a house and eyes as big as dishes. He had two big yellow tusks sticking out of his gaping white mouth filled with ugly brown teeth. He had a huge belly covered with white spots, and his hands and feet were blue.

The monster roared and growled at the prince, “Where are you going in my forest, little man? You look like a tasty morsel to me. I’m going to gobble you up!"

The prince had just graduated from college and had won the highest award from his teacher. So he thought he knew just about everything, and that he could do just about anything. He replied, “Oh fierce demon, I am Prince Five-Weapons, and I have come on purpose to find you. I dare you to attack me! I will kill you easily with my first two weapons — my bow and poison-tipped arrows."

Then he put a poison arrow in his bow and shot it straight at the monster. But the arrow just stuck fast to his hair, like glue, without hurting him at all. Then the prince shot, one after another, all the rest of his 50 poison-tipped arrows. But they also stuck fast to the hair of the one called Sticky-Hair.

Then the beast shook his body, from ugly rooftop-sized head to blue coloured feet. And all the arrows fell harmlessly to the ground.

Prince Five-Weapons drew his third weapon, a 33-inch-long sword. He plunged it into his enemy. But it just stuck fast in the thick coat of sticky hair. He threw his fourth weapon, his spear, at the monster. But this too just stuck to his hair.

Next he attacked with the last of his five weapons, his club. This also stuck fast onto Sticky-Hair.

Then the prince yelled at him, “Hey you, monster — haven’t you ever heard of me, Prince Five-Weapons? I have more than just my five weapons. I have the strength of my young man’s body. I will break you in pieces!"

He hit Sticky-Hair with his right fist, just like a boxer. But his hand just stuck to the hairy coat, and he couldn’t remove it. He hit him with his left fist, but this too just stuck fast to the gooey mess of hair. He kicked him with his right foot and then his left, just like a martial arts master. But they both stuck onto him like his fists. Finally he butted him as hard as he could with his head, just like a wrestler. But, lo and behold, his head got stuck as well.

Even while sticking to the hairy monster in five places, hanging down from his coat, the prince had no fear.

Sticky-Hair thought, “This is very strange indeed. He is more like a lion than a man. Even while in the grasp of a ferocious monster like me, he does not tremble with fear. In all the time I’ve been killing people in this forest, I’ve never met anyone as great as this prince. Why isn’t he afraid of me?"

Since Prince Five-Weapons was not like ordinary men, Sticky-Hair was afraid to eat him right away. Instead he asked him, “Young man, why aren’t you afraid of death?"

The prince replied, “Why should I be afraid of death? There is no doubt that anyone who is born will definitely die!"

Then the Enlightenment Being thought, “The five weapons given to me by the world famous teacher have been useless. Even the lion-like strength of my young man’s body has been useless. I must go beyond my teacher, beyond my body, to the weapon inside my mind – the only weapon I need."

The prince continued speaking to Sticky-Hair, “There’s one small detail, oh monstrous one, I haven’t told you about yet. In my belly is my secret weapon, a diamond weapon you cannot digest. It will cut your intestines into pieces if you are foolish enough to swallow me. So if I die — you die! That’s why I’m not afraid of you."

In this way the prince used his greatest inner strength in a way Sticky-Hair could easily understand. He knew this greatest of all weapons, the one inside his mind, was the precious diamond gem of his own intelligence.

Sticky-Hair thought, “No doubt this fearless man is telling the truth. Even if I eat as much as a pea-sized tidbit of such a hero, I won’t be able to digest it. So I will let him go." Fearing his own death, he set Prince Five-Weapons free.

He said, “You are a great man. I will not eat your flesh. I let you go free, just like the moon that reappears after an eclipse, so you may shine pleasantly on all your friends and relatives."

The Enlightenment Being had learned from his battle with the monster Sticky-Hair. He had learned the only worthwhile weapon is the intelligence inside, not the weapons of the world outside. And with this diamond weapon he also knew that destroying life brings only suffering to the killer.

In gratitude, he taught the unfortunate demon. He said, “Oh Sticky-Hair, you have been born as a murderous blood sucking flesh eating demon because of unwholesome deeds in your past. If you continue killing in this way, it will lead only to suffering for you — both in this life and beyond. You can only go from darkness to darkness.

“Now that you have spared me, you won’t be able to kill so easily. Hear this — destroying life leads to misery in this world, and then rebirth in a hell world, or as an animal or a hungry ghost. Even if you were lucky enough to be reborn as a human being, you would have only a short life!"

Prince Five-Weapons continued to teach Sticky-Hair. Eventually the monster agreed to follow the Five Training Steps. In his way he transformed him from a monster into a friendly forest fairy. And when he left the forest, the prince told the local people about the change in the one-time demon. From then on they fed him regularly and lived in peace.

Prince Five-Weapons returned to Benares. Later he became king. Finally he died and was reborn as he deserved.

The moral is: The only weapon you need is hidden inside you.

55. Prince Five-Weapons and Sticky-Hair [The Diamond Weapon]

Link:https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2023/10/17/55-prince-five-weapons-and-sticky-hair-the-diamond-weapon/

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58. A Prince of Monkeys [Carefulness]

Once upon a time there was a cruel monkey king who ruled in the Himalayas. All the monkeys in his band were his own wives and children. He was afraid that one of his sons might grow up and take over as king. So it was his policy to bite each son just after he was born. This altered him so he would be too weak to ever challenge his father.

A certain wife of the monkey king was pregnant. Just in case the unborn one was a son, she wanted to protect him from the cruel policy of her husband. So she ran away to a forest at the foot of a distant mountain. There she soon gave birth to a bright little baby boy monkey.

Before long this baby grew up to be big and strong. One day he asked his mother, “Where is my father?" She told him, “He is king of a band of monkeys living at the foot of a far-off mountain. That makes you a prince!"

The prince of monkeys said, “Kindly take me to my father." His mother said, “No my son, I am afraid to do so. Your father bites all his sons in order to weaken them for life. He is afraid one of his sons will replace him as king." The prince said, “Don’t be afraid for me, mother. I can take care of myself." This gave her confidence, so she agreed and took him to his father.

When the cruel old king saw his strong young son, he thought. “I have no doubt that when this my son grows stronger he will steal my kingdom from me. Therefore I must kill him while I still can! I will hug him, pretending it is out of love for him. But really I will squeeze him to death!"

The king welcomed his son, saying, “Ah, my long lost son! Where have you been all this time? I have missed you dearly." Then he took him in his arms and hugged him. He kept squeezing harder and harder, trying to squeeze the life out of him! But the prince of monkeys was as strong as an elephant. He hugged his father right back. He squeezed him tighter and tighter, until he could feel the old king’s rib bones starting to crack!

After this terrible greeting, the monkey king was even more terrified that one day his son would kill him. He thought, “Nearby there is a pond possessed by a water demon. It would be easy to get him to eat my son. Then my problems would be over!"

The monkey king said, “Oh my dear son, now is the perfect time for you to come home. For I am old and I would like to hand over my band of monkeys to you. But I need flowers for the coronation ceremony. Go to the nearby pond and bring back two kinds of white water lilies, three kinds of blue water lilies and five types of lotuses."

The prince of monkeys said, “Yes my father, I will go and get them."

When he arrived at the pond, he saw that there were many kinds of water lilies and lotuses growing all over it. But instead of jumping right in and picking them, he investigated carefully. He walked slowly along the bank. He noticed there were footprints going into the pond, but none coming out! After considering, he realised this was a sure sign the pond was possessed by a water demon. He also realised his father must have sent him there to be killed.

He investigated further, until he found a narrow part of the pond. There, with great effort, he was able to jump from one side clear across to the other. In the midst of his leap he reached down and picked flowers, without actually getting into the water. Then he jumped back again, picking more flowers. He continued jumping back and forth, collecting lots of flowers.

Suddenly the water demon stuck his head up above the water. He exclaimed, “In all the time I’ve lived here I have never seen anyone, man or beast, as wise as this monkey! He has picked all the flowers he wanted, without ever coming within the grasp of my power, here in my kingdom of water."

Then the ferocious demon made a path for himself through the water and came up onto the bank. He said, “My lord, king of monkeys, there are three qualities that make a person unbeatable by his enemies. It appears that you have all three — skill, courage and wisdom. You must be truly invincible! Tell me, mighty one, why have you collected all those flowers?"

The prince of monkeys replied, “My father wants to make me king in his place. He sent me to gather these flowers for the coronation ceremony."

The water demon said, “You are too noble to be burdened by carrying these flowers. Let me carry them for you." He picked up all the flowers and followed him.

From a distance, the monkey king saw the water demon carrying the flowers and following the prince. He thought, “I sent him to get flowers, thinking he would be eaten by the demon. But instead he has made the water demon his servant. I am lost!"

The monkey king was afraid all his unwholesome deeds had caught up with him. He went into a sudden panic, which caused his heart to break into seven pieces. Of course this killed him on the spot!

The monkey band voted to make the strong young prince the new king.

The moral is: It pays to be careful.

A Prince of Monkeys [Carefulness]

Link:https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2023/10/17/a-prince-of-monkeys-carefulness/

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57, 224 Mr Monkey and Sir Crocodile[Good Manners]

Once upon a time, Mr. Monkey was living by himself near a riverbank. He was very strong, and he was a great jumper.

In the middle of the river there was a beautiful island covered with mango, jackfruit and other fruit trees. There happened to be a rock sticking out of the water halfway between the bank and the island. Although it looked impossible, Mr. Monkey was used to jumping from the riverbank to the rock, and from the rock to the island. He would eat fruits all day and then return home by the same route each evening.

A high-class couple was living next to the same river — Sir Crocodile and Lady Crocodile. They were expecting their first brood of baby crocks. Because she was pregnant Lady Crocodile sometimes wished for strange things to eat. So she made unusual demands on her faithful husband.

Lady Crocodile had been amazed, just like the other animals, by the way Mr. Monkey jumped back and forth to the island. One day she developed a sudden craving to eat the heart of Mr. Monkey! She told Sir Crocodile about her desire. To please her, he promised to get Mr. Monkey’s heart for her in time for dinner.

Sir Crocodile went and laid himself down on the rock between the riverbank and the island. He waited for Mr. Monkey to return that evening, planning to catch him.

As usual, Mr. Monkey spent the rest of the day on the island. When it was time to return to his home on the riverbank, he noticed that the rock seemed to have grown. It was higher above water than he remembered it. He investigated and saw that the river level was the same as in the morning, yet the rock was definitely higher. Immediately he suspected the cunning Sir Crocodile.

To find out for sure, he called out in the direction of the rock, “Hi there, Mr. Rock! How are you?" He yelled this three times. Then he shouted, “You used to answer me when I spoke to you. But today you say nothing. What’s wrong with you, Mr. Rock?"

Sir Crocodile thought, “No doubt on other days this rock used to talk to the monkey. I can’t wait any longer for this dumb rock to speak! I will just have to speak for the rock, and trick the monkey." So he shouted, “I’m fine, Mr. Monkey. What do you want?"

Mr. Monkey asked, “Who are you?"

Without thinking, the crocodile replied, “I’m Sir Crocodile."

“Why are you lying there?" asked the monkey.

Sir Crocodile said, “I’m expecting to take your heart! There’s no escape for you, Mr. Monkey."

The clever monkey thought, “Aha! He’s right — there’s no other way back to the riverbank. So I will have to trick him."

Then he yelled, “Sir Crocodile my friend, it looks like you’ve got me. So I’ll give you my heart. Open your mouth and take it when I come your way."

When Sir Crocodile opened his mouth, he opened it so wide that his eyes were squeezed shut. When Mr. Monkey saw this, he immediately jumped onto the top of Sir Crocodile’s head, and then instantly to the riverbank.

When Sir Crocodile realised he’d been outsmarted, he admired Mr.Monkey’s victory. Like a good sport in a contest, he praised the winner. He said, “Mr. Monkey, my intention towards you was unwholesome — I wanted to kill you and take your heart just to please my wife. But you wanted only to save yourself and harm no one. I congratulate you!"

Then Sir Crocodile returned to Lady Crocodile. At first she was displeased with him, but when the little ones came they forgot their troubles for a time.

The moral is: A good loser is a true gentleman.

57, 224 Mr Monkey and Sir Crocodile[Good Manners]

INTERPRETER’S INTRODUCTION – BUDDHIST TALES FOR YOUNG AND OLD, VOLUME 1, STORIES 1-50

Link: https://hhdorjechangbuddhaiiiinfo.com/2023/10/10/57-224-mr-monkey-and-sir-crocodilegood-manners/

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