Interdependence

In a clearing, deep in the forest, the trees were having a pre-dawn discussion.

“Animals come and rest in our shade but they leave a mess behind,” said the Jamun. “The smell on some days is unbearable!”

“They show no concern for us because we’re silent,” said the Sal. “But I’ve had enough! I’ve made up my mind to drive away any animal that comes here!”

“That may not be a wise thing to do,” said the Peepul, the oldest and biggest tree there. “The animals are a nuisance, I agree, but they serve a useful purpose. We are all inter-dependent—trees, animals, men . . .”

“I’m sorry,” interrupted the Sal. “I’ve great respect for your views but in this matter I will not listen to anyone. I won’t allow animals here any more!”

True to his word when a leopard came to rest in the shade later that day, the Sal began to shake violently from side to side. The leopard, frightened out of his wits, jumped up and ran. The Sal drove away all the animals that came to the clearing that day and in the days that followed. In course of time animals stopped coming to that part of the forest.

The Sal became a great hero to the younger trees in the neighbourhood and even some of the older ones began bowing to him when the Peepul was not looking.

Then one day two woodcutters came to the clearing.

“Men!” gasped the Sal. “Why have they come here? They’ve never come here before.”

“If they’ve never come here before it was because they were afraid of the animals,” said the Peepul. “Now the absence of the leopard and the tiger has made them bold.”

The Sal began to tremble with fear and with good reason. It was the first tree the woodcutters chopped down.

The Power of a rumour

A hare resting under a banyan tree had a premonition of doom.

“What would happen to me if the earth were to break up?” he wondered. Suddenly, there was a ‘thud’ followed by a rumbling sound.

“It’s happened,” thought the hare, “the earth’s breaking up!”

He jumped up and ran.

“Why are you running?” asked a hare who crossed his path.

“The earth’s breaking up!” shouted the hare. “You’d better run too.”

The second hare ran so fast he overtook the first.

“The earth’s breaking up, the earth’s breaking up!” he shouted to other hares he passed. Soon thousands of hares were scampering through the forest.

Other animals got caught up in the panic. The word spread from mouth to mouth, and soon everyone knew: the earth was breaking up.

It was not long before the whole jungle was on the move. Reptiles, insects, birds and four-footed animals fled in wild disorder, and their cries of terror filled the air.

A lion standing on a hillock, saw the animals coming and wondered what was going on. He hastened down and positioning himself in front of the horde called for it to stop.

His commanding presence stemmed the rising tide of panic among the animals.

“The earth is breaking up!” shrieked a parrot, alighting on a rock near him.

“Who says so?”

“I heard it from the monkeys."

The monkeys said they had heard it from the tigers, who said their informants were the elephants, who gave the buffaloes as their source.When the hares were finally implicated they pointed one to another until the one who had started it all was identified.

“What makes you think the earth is breaking up?” the lion asked him.

“I heard it cracking with my own ears, sire,” squeaked the hare, trembling in fear.

The lion investigated the sound the hare had heard and found that it had been caused by a large coconut falling from a tree. It had landed on a pile of rocks, causing a minor landslide.

“Go back to your homes,” said the lion to the animals who had been running away, and who were now looking very foolish. “The earth’s safe. Next time, check a rumour before acting on it.”

The Future Buddha as Judge

The Future Buddha as Judge

A woman, carrying her child, went to the future Buddha's tank to wash. And having first bathed the child, she put on her upper garment and descended into the water to bathe herself.

Then a Yaksha, seeing the child, had a craving to eat it. And taking the form of a woman, she drew near, and asked the mother, "Friend, this is a very pretty child. Is it one of yours?" And when she was told it was, she asked if she might nurse it. And this being allowed, she nursed it a little, and then carried it off.

But when the mother saw this, she ran after her, and cried out, "Where are you taking my child to?" and caught hold of her.

The Yaksha boldly said, "Where did you get the child from? It is mine!" And so quarreling, they passed the door of the future Buddha's Judgment Hall.

He heard the noise, sent for them, inquired into the matter, and asked them whether they would abide by his decision. And they agreed. Then he had a line drawn on the ground; and told the Yaksha to take hold of the child's arms, and the mother to take hold of its legs; and said, "The child shall be hers who drags him over the line."

But as soon as they pulled at him, the mother, seeing how he suffered, grieved as if her heart would break. And letting him go, she stood there weeping.

Then the future Buddha asked the bystanders, "Whose hearts are tender to babes? Those who have borne children, or those who have not?"

And they answered, "Oh sire! The hearts of mothers are tender."

Then he said, "Who, think you, is the mother? She who has the child in her arms, or she who has let go?"

And they answered, "She who has let go is the mother."

And he said, "Then do you all think that the other was the thief?"

And they answered, "Sire! We cannot tell."

And he said, "Verily, this is a Yaksha, who took the child to eat it."

And he replied, "Because her eyes winked not, and were red, and she knew no fear, and had no pity, I knew it."

And so saying, he demanded of the thief, "Who are you?"

And she said, "Lord! I am a Yaksha."

And he asked, "Why did you take away this child?"

And she said, "I thought to eat him, Oh my Lord!"

And he rebuked her, saying, "Oh foolish woman! For your former sins you have been born a Yaksha, and now do you still sin!" And he laid a vow upon her to keep the Five Commandments, and let her go.

But the mother of the child exalted the future Buddha, and said, "Oh my Lord! Oh great physician! May your life be long!" And she went away, with her babe clasped to her bosom.