BUDDHA WAS WALKING through a forest. The woodcutters who were cutting wood nearby ran to him and said, `Stop, please stop! There is a terrible demon in the forest. He is a cannibal who eats human flesh! After eating a person, he cuts of the thumb and keeps it safe. In this way, he has so far collected 999 thumbs. He needs just one more to make it 1000. His plan is, once the final thumb is collected, to string them all up and wear them around his neck! So please do not go into the forest. If you go, it would be a big problem for you!'
To that, Buddha replied, `I would get no better opportunity than this!' and entered deep into the forest. As expected, the demon felled a huge branch of a banyan tree and appeared in front of Buddha in a cloud of dust. But Buddha did not run away like others in fright. He stood strong, firm and said, `if killing gives you pleasure, you please do so! I accept the fact that you are really strong. But one thing….Though you have the strength to break the branch of a banyan tree, you can never attach it back to that tree. It is very easy to destroy…but difficult to join!'
`You know the art of destroying; I know the art of joining!' Buddha replied. More than his words, the truth and compassion touched the demon deeply. After that, he became the disciple of Buddha. He was Anguli Mala.
The truth of the tale is very simple. The demon was not a `problem' for Buddha; instead it was an opportunity to protect the villagers from further misery. That is all!
Life is not something that happens according to a planned agenda. It is a procession of unexpected opportunities! In fact each problem is an opportunity for us.
For some, even small matters appear to be giant problems. There are many who view even a small matter through a magnifying glass and get terrified.
A woman approached a Monk and said, ` My son refuses to listen anything that I say. If this continues, he may not even marry the girl I choose for him!' He asked the woman to bring her son next day and as asked the son was brought. That little boy was refusing to eat… he was drawing pictures when asked to write A…B…C.' her question was, as he was not obeying her in such trivial matters presently, how could she expect him to listen her words when he grew up into adulthood?
The farsighted fear was her problem! There are also other types of people…those who do not stop at viewing the problem with fear; but also magnify it out of proportion. It is like a monkey which, when bruised, does not leave the bruise alone. It continues to scratch till the bruise turns into a big wound; some even die from such wounds.
It is true we may face problems at times, in our lives, unlike the aforesaid examples. During such moments, there are two possible ways out for us. One, catch the bull by the horn and directly confront a problem. We may come over the problem or the problem could overcome us!
View the problem as it is. Don't inflate it by your fear thoughts. Do not consider the problem as a punishment. You will definitely suffer. Take it as a challenge. You will be energized!
Have a great day
Dr.E.S.Maheswar
Vijayawada; India
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Challenges of Life
Awesome documentary by BBC
Click here to watch this video
http://www.nidokidos.org/threads/212606
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