The story of how to remove the anger

Told by V.Vachiramedhi Bhikkhu (The monk inBuddhism)

Once upon a time, there was one forest monk, before he went into the monkhood; he was a boxer with big muscles. One day he was going to build a temple, so he ordered several things from a construction shop and the shop owner made late delivery. He was point accusing fingers at shop owner’s face; shop owner was very angry, they were going to fight with each other. Suddenly, monk’s conscious had come, he thought that he was no longer a boxer, so he lowered his first and stepped back to sit on the chair. The shop owner confused, so he sat too. He asked the monk, why not you punched me. The monk replied if I fought with you, both of us would be hurt, and when will this over? So, I decided to give in and there was no fighting. Both of they chose to become friends instead.

Buddhism has one doctrine stated that there is no one able to scold other people for all seven days and no storm will blow for the whole seven nights. So it is impossible that they will scold you all day and night. If you are not reacting, someday, they will stop that.

This is the art of step back for a further step ahead.

The story of behind the obstacle

Once upon a time, there was a merchant who was a leader of caravan carrying 500 carts to sell in abroad. One day, the caravan stopped right in the middle of desert, lacked of food and water. The merchant ordered his men to dig the hole. Perhaps, middle of the desert could possibly have some pond. Those men went to several ways, dug the hole and found nothing.

The merchant kept walking until he found a small bunch of grass. He thought, if the grass can survive, below this must be some water. So he ordered his men to dig, they were kept digging until they found one big stone across. The merchant told them to try to drill that rock; maybe next the rock is a big pond.

No one believed him. But since the merchant told them they kept digging the rock for whole one day. Finally, the rock went thru the bottom and they could see mouth of a spring. Fresh and pure water went out and everyone was so happy, they drank and had a shower. Eventually, they could survive from desert crisis.

This story teaches that: “If you find any obstacle, think like the merchant. Perhaps, behind the obstacle will mean that success is waiting for you.”

The story of the truth is true.

In Japan there was a monk and nearby the temple there was a small house of an old lady who lives with her very beautiful daughter. Everyday her daughter will send a tiffin carrier for the monk.

One day, her daughter became pregnant and she thought that if she could not find the baby’s father, the gossip will start. So, when anyone asked who’s the father of the baby? She said the monk, maybe. Everyday, villagers came and asked the monk about this. Only response from the monk was, “is that so?”

Why wasn’t the monk surprise at all?

Because he believed in the truth, for 3-4 months when he was blamed being a father of the baby, he simply acknowledged without any surprise.

Didn’t that woman feel guilty?

At first, she did not care. She just wanted to create a diversion and made other confused, taking attention from her to the monk instead. Later, she could not eat or sleep because of the anxiety and guilt so she went to see the monk and apologized. She said to the monk that “I would like to offer my sincerest apology to you for which I had lied that you were the father of the baby.”

The next morning, villagers already knew the truth that the monk is innocent.

This story teaches that: Being a human, you cannot live above gossips, you simply have to focus and use the truth as your principle. It is not necessary to care what others say.

The story of a grateful day

Question:

“Master, it’s getting closer to family day. I don’t know what to do for my parents so that they will be proud of me.”

Answer by V.Vachiramedhi (Monk in Buddhism)

“Being grateful to father and mother does not have to wait until the family day. Everyday that parents still be with us, it is a family day. Let me tell you one true story.”

There was a man who lived with his father. One day his father was sick at night, he knew that his father was sick, but he did not really care. But this does not mean that he did not love his father. In the morning, he woke up drowsy because he heard his father called, saying that “here son, I am very hungry. Please go and buy porridge for me.” He took money from his dad and walked to the road to buy porridge for him. 

Father was waiting for his son going to the market. He went to buy porridge, then sat back and relaxed, walked like no one was waiting for him. When he reached home, he simply put porridge in a cup without took it off from the plastic bag. Then he just laid that at the father’s bed head. He thought “why I could not hear father’s snore’s voice.” This time father did not only sleep, he slept and never awake any more because of the fever, hungriness and without energy to wake up. The son was very shocked due to his father’s death. He could not do anything except shaking his father and crying right there.

This story teaches that if we still be with our father and mother and think of doing something good. Do it right away because if we wait until the important days. Sometimes, when important days come but this does not mean that our parents still with us.

So, during this time will be a grateful day. If you want to do something good to your parents, you have to hurry to do that. Since our parents still be with us, any day we do good to them that day would be a grateful day.