This Issue
Children's Corner

Peace and Contentment

Gautama, the Buddha , was passing through a forest when he saw a cool stream. He stopped, washed his feet and hands. After drinking some water, he walked across to the shade of a large tree and sat down, thinking about the Supreme Divinity.

The king of that place was going on horse-back along the same way. As he was always engaged in war with other kings to enlarge his own kingdom, his heart was full of hatred, fear and jealousy. Seeing that a Sanyasin was sitting idle with closed eyes under a tree, he got down from the horse’s back and started shouting angrily at Buddha. "Oh, Sanyasin, open your eyes and see who is in front of you. Even a king like me does not sit idle. You Sanyasins feed yourself on other’s labour and preach idleness to others as well." Speaking in this tone, he went on pouring hot words of anger and abuse on Gautama till he himself felt tired and exhausted.

Gautama who was calm all the time slowly opened his eyes and, with a smile, said to the king, "Sit down, my son. Surely you are tired and thirsty. May I fetch you some cool water from that stream?"

The king was stunned by these soft and sweet words of love. He immediately felt that this Sanyasin must be the great Prince Siddharta who had left the pleasures of the palace in search of peace and then became Gautama Buddha or Gautama the Enlightened One. So, he fell at the Sanyasin’s feet and said, "Please forgive my mistake. Tell me how, in spite of all my anger and abuse, you are so quiet and calm and even so loving towards me."

"My son," said Buddha, "Suppose you offer a plateful of sweets to another but he does not accept it. Where does it go then?" Prompt came the answer from the king, "Of course, it goes back to the giver." "Then, don’t you see that I have not accepted a single word of all that you said? How, then, can those words hurt me?"

The king now felt sure that this Sanyasin was no other than the Buddha himself. Bowing down his head, he said again. "Oh Enlightened One, please show me the way to real happiness."

Buddha’s eyes gleamed with the light of God’s wisdom. "My son," he said, "Anger, greed, jealousy, fear and all such passions rob man of all his happiness. Contentment, peace and love are the basis of true happiness in life. He who has no contentment and peace is a beggar. He who does not help and serve others with love is an idler. He who always wears the crown of contentment, peace and love for all is the king of kings because he alone has found the true happiness in life."

The king gratefully prostrated before Buddha and said, "Accept me, Oh Buddha, as your disciple. From today, you are my Master. You lead and I follow." a
The parrot and the treasure of love

Once upon a time in a faraway land was a forest of peepal and fig trees. And in the trees lived thousands of parrots and their king and queen. Soon the king and queen had a baby parrot who was more beautiful than all other parrots.

Time flew by and the king and queen parrots grew old. On seeing his aged parents, the parrot prince said to them: "My dearest parents, you have looked after me and brought me up, giving me food and shelter. Now it is my turn to look after you. You do not have to worry. I will bring you food everyday.’
Every morning as the sun was rising, the magnificent parrot flew high in the sky away to the rice fields to find food. The flock would go with him. On returning he would fill his beak with food to bring back for his parents.
One day the parrots discovered a rice field, greener and more fertile than any other. So from that day on, they went to feed from that particular field only. The man who tended the field went to tell his master that a large flock of parrots came to eat his rice everyday. "Among them" explained the labourer, "is the most gorgeous bird you have ever seen. Every day this beautiful creature flies away with its beakful." The landowner was filled with a longing to see this wonderful bird. He asked his man to lay a fine net in the field as a trap. The next day as the birds were eating the rice, the parrot prince caught his delicate foot in the net. He stopped himself from calling out because he did not want to disturb the rest of the flock before they had finished their meal. As soon as the other birds had eaten their fill, the parrot prince called for help. His companions were so frightened by the news that he was caught in a trap, that they all flew away. The poor parrot prince was left alone, sad and afraid. Before long, the labourer came and was over-joyed to find that he had caught exactly the bird he had wanted. Gently he freed the parrot’s foot and carried him to his master. On seeing the beautiful bird, the rich man was thrilled and asked him, "Oh beautiful one, why do you take so much rice away with you every day?"

The parrot replied, "A duty I fulfil everyday, a treasure do I store away." The landowner then asked ,"Explain what you mean. What is your duty and the treasure you store away? "My duty;" replied the parrot, "is to feed my aged parents. The treasure is the treasure of love, whereby the weak are helped and the hungry are given food."

Delighted by these noble words, the rich man told the parrot prince that the field now belonged to the parrots and they should come to eat everyday. So the young parrot flew away to take food to his parents. a