(Photo by Chen Ya Yin)
It is not unusual for our minds to be filled with worries. Such needless worries can bewilder and confuse our minds which in turn disrupts the normal pace of our life. The purpose of practising dharma is to gain “mindful awareness”, which is the ability to maintain mindfulness at every moment, to let go of our worries and not be burdened by troubling thoughts.
What is “willingness to give”? It means to be willing to let go of one’s possessions to help others. With a giving heart, we can readily offer loving kindness to those around us. By doing so, we not only gain the respect of others but also relieve the sense of burden and troubles on ourselves.
However, some people are very “obstinate”; they are determined to seek benefits first before they are willing to give. Such is the root cause of trouble and misery. If we can leave our troubles behind and seek nothing in return for what we give, we can achieve real happiness in life.
During the days when Buddha was around, there lived a poor ascetic in the kingdom of Kosala. As he went around practising his cultivation, his family would come along, as this was a widespread practice for non-Buddhist practitioners then.
The wife of this non-Buddhist practitioner was pregnant at that time, and before giving birth, she said to him, “Although we are penniless, you will need to prepare some sesame oil according to our tradition as this is our firstborn. We cannot do without it. So please prepare some in advance.”
This family was so impoverished that there was not even a single drop of oil left at home. Yet, time and again, his wife would remind him to get the sesame oil ready for her childbirth. Hence, he was deeply distressed by his inability to provide for his wife and felt that he had failed her terribly.
At that time, there was news that the King of Kosala, a devoted follower of Buddha, would regularly open up the granary every month to make offerings to all ascetics & monks. The granary was well stocked with all sorts of food supplies and all religious practitioners were welcomed to seek alms. However, the King had one condition, and that was for the receivers to consume what was required right away, and no food could be brought home, including oil.
Therefore, the impoverished ascetic, in his urgent need for the sesame oil, thought of an idea: He would drink the oil to his fill and then spit them all out for his wife’s use during confinement. He thought that he had conceived a brilliant plan and granary. Without setting his eye on anything else, he drank as much oil as he could.
He drank on an empty stomach in order to consume as much oil as he could and only stopped when he could not take in anymore. On his way home, his stomach started to ache and followed by diarrhoea as it could not endure the excessive oil. He was in excruciating pain and struggled throughout his journey home. Predictably, the ascetic did not manage to bring any sesame oil back to his wife eventually. Instead, he had to go through a painful ordeal.
Buddha heard this story and quoted it as an example to enlighten his followers. Buddha explained to his disciples that this is what “obstinance” is about; the ascetic was too obsessed about obtaining the sesame oil that he adopted the wrong approach in seeking for it without giving much thought and ended up inflicting harm on himself. Hence, when one lacks wisdom, he will be bound by conventional thinking and rules, which deter him from resolving and freeing himself from troubles and worries.
May everyone unlock their wisdom and cultivate a giving heart. Do not seek and bring worries to oneself. Instead, be willing to give up all possessions in order to attain ultimate wisdom.
Translated by Kerri Loh
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