A Buddhist story

[IMA_FARANG]

This topic seems to be getting a little to argumentative so I decided to give everyone a story to Think about.

It goes like this:

A monk and some of his followers were traveling in the country. It was getting late so they looked for a place that would let them spend the night.

There were no Wats or temples in this country for them to ask shelter in so they found a large elegant house and knocking on the door they roused the house owner and politely asked if they could shelter in his large house for that night.

"Of course not!" answered the owner angrily, "this is my house and not for others to live in".

"That is indeed amazing", said the senior monk, "that a young man like you could be rich enough to buy this large house. You must be very wealthy to have such a posession".

"Well truthfully, " said the house-owner, "I did not really buy this house but inherited it from my father who left it to me as my inheritance".

"Ah then, "said the senior monk, "so this is not truly your house that you own, but it was given to you by your father"

"Tell me then", the monk continued, " who the gave this magnificent house to your father?"

"Why it was passed on to him from my grandfather," the householder told him, "and my grandfather was also given this house by his father before that"

"So that has been for many generations," the householder continued, "generation after generation this very house has been passed down from one to another in my family".

"Indeed", said the householder, "when I die and pass on, I will also pass this house on my next of kin, just as it has been passed on to me."

"Indeed then", said the senior monk, " as you have yourself just told me, you do not own this house, you received it from many others, who themselves had to allow you it's use even though they did not truly own it."

"Therefore", said the senior monk, "I ask you again if you may allow me and my companions to humbly spend a night here in the courtyard of this magnificent house tonight.... exactly as you spend a night here by the kind permission of may others who lived and passed through here before you."

When he heard that, the homeowner understood the senior monk's point, and he allowed the monk and his companions to stay that night.

The moral and point of the story is that no man really owns any of his so-called property which is really only borrowed from others who went before him and left those things to him on his or her departure,

And as the senior monk showed him to understand that fact is a great wisdom.

[RichCor]

A monk and some of his followers were traveling in the country. It was getting late so they looked for a place that would let them spend the night. There were no Wats or temples in this country for them to ask shelter in so they found a large elegant house and knocking on the door they roused the house owner and politely asked if they could shelter in his large house for that night.

"Of course not!" answered the owner angrily, "this is my house and not for others to live in".

As I was reading, I imagined the Monks coming up to a large elegant house house of a TVF Member. So had a laugh when I read the homeowner's first response, though can't imagine the conversation with a typical member going beyond the bit I just quoted.

...if you thought some previous topic seems to be getting a little to argumentative, just try the above in real life.

Still laughing.

The story makes a great point for a Dharma talk.

[EmptyHead]

We don't even own our bodies.

[faraday]

Very nice story, & it also demonstrates understanding & compassion.

Two things that we all need more of.

[sensei]

Eyes rolling...

I thought bible stories were dumb...

[VincentRJ]

What a sturdy dwelling, passed on from generation to generation. Doesn't that tend to contradict the Buddhist idea of 'impermanence'?

[mikebell]

I would n't let a bunch of free-loaders stay at my house either. They would just clutter the place up with their Ferraris and Gucchi handbags. The courtyard would be full of them counting wads of donated money like the Pattaya extortionist. They may even resort to slapping my face like that monk on the BTS did.

I cannot take this form of religion seriously whilst it has temples dripping with gold leaf amid the poverty of its congregation.

[AYJAYDEE]

What a sturdy dwelling, passed on from generation to generation. Doesn't that tend to contradict the Buddhist idea of 'impermanence'?

no, it is impermanent

[VincentRJ]

I cannot take this form of religion seriously whilst it has temples dripping with gold leaf amid the poverty of its congregation.

Remember, gold is one of the most permanent substances we have. It doesn't corrode or tarnish and can last indefinitely. Since Buddhists are very aware of the principle of impermanence, gold must be a great attraction for them, since it's relatively permanent.

[VincentRJ]

What a sturdy dwelling, passed on from generation to generation. Doesn't that tend to contradict the Buddhist idea of 'impermanence'?

no, it is impermanent

Aren't there various degrees of impermanence? Is it not useful to be aware of such different degrees of permanence? Don't we appreciate things that are more permanent than those things which are less permanent? Can't something which is permanent for several lifetimes, or even hundreds of millions of years, be considered to be effectively permanent?

[AYJAYDEE]

What a sturdy dwelling, passed on from generation to generation. Doesn't that tend to contradict the Buddhist idea of 'impermanence'?

no, it is impermanent

Aren't there various degrees of impermanence? Is it not useful to be aware of such different degrees of permanence? Don't we appreciate things that are more permanent than those things which are less permanent? Can't something which is permanent for several lifetimes, or even hundreds of millions of years, be considered to be effectively permanent?

we may, but we shouldnt. and no it cant.