Two Great Stories

These are two very great stories and if we are able to learn just a tiny bit of it, we would be much happier. For those who can read Chinese, enjoy the stories (stories received via email).


大風無法撼動一座山！（很棒的觀念和想法）


當別人對你說了一些刺傷你的話，批評你、羞辱你，你會怎樣？你會火冒三丈，氣呼呼地罵回去，或是忍氣吞聲地強壓下來？然後呢？你是否會愈想愈氣，整個情緒都大受影響？


有天，佛陀行經一個村莊，一些前去找他的人對他說話很不客氣，甚至口出穢言。


佛陀站在那裡仔細地、靜靜地聽著，然後說：「謝謝你們來找我，不過我正趕路，下一村的人還在等我，我必須趕過去。不過等明天回來之後我會有較充裕的時間，到時候如果你們還有什麼話想告訴我，再一起過來好嗎？」
那些人簡直不敢相信他們耳朵所聽到的話，和眼前所看到的情景：這個人是怎麼回事？其中一個人問佛陀：「難道你沒有聽見我們說的話嗎？我們把你說得一無是處，你卻沒有任何反應！」佛陀說：「假使你要的是我的反應的話，那你來得太晚了，你應該十年前就來的，那時的我就會有所反應。然而，這十年以來我己經不再被別人所控制，我己經不再是個奴隸，我是自己的主人。我是根據自己在做事，而不是跟隨別人在反應。」


是的，如果有人對你生氣，那是「他的」問題；如果他侮辱你，那是「他的」問題；如果他粗暴無禮，那仍是「他的」問題。因為他要怎麼說，怎麼做，那是「他的」修養，你能怎麼辦？讓我再重複一遍上面故事中佛陀所說的話：「我己經不再被別人所控制，我己經不再是個奴隸，我是自己的主人。我是根據自己在做事，而不是跟隨別人在反應。」你是情緒的主人，而不是奴隸。


曾聽過一則故事─有個人每天都固定向某報攤買一份報紙，儘管這個攤販的臉一向都很臭，但他還是每次都對小販客氣地說聲謝謝。有一次和他同行的朋友看到這情形，便問他：「他每天賣東西都是這種態度嗎？」「是的。」「那你為什麼還對他如此客氣？」那人回答：「我為什麼要讓他決定我的行為？」


是啊！我們為什麼要讓別人的表現來決定自己的行為呢？


有看過「生命的答案，水知道」這本書嗎？水能夠對人的話與做出反應。當你的心中是喜悅、感恩的時候，水的結晶就是美麗晶透的；當你的心中是憤恨、仇怒的時候，水的結晶則是扭曲混濁的。


人的身體裡70%是水分，你可以想像到，當你在生氣、憤恨、痛苦、怨懟的時候，你身體裡70%的水分是以污濁的水溝水的狀況來呈現！那…身體又怎麼會健康呢！對吧！


看到這裡，你還要生氣嗎？？

Story - A Sack Of Potatoes

This is a story I love so much which I read in Dr. Ong's clinic one day. Dr. Ong was kind enough to email me the soft copy. We told the children this story during one of the sessions in Sunday Dhamma School.

One of my teachers had each one of us bring a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes. For every person we refused to forgive for whatever they did, we were told to choose a potato, write on it the name and date, and put it in the plastic bag.

We were then told to carry this bag with us everywhere for two weeks, putting it beside our bed at night, on the car seat when driving, next to our desk at work, etc.

The hassle of lugging this around with us made it clear what a weight we were carrying spiritually and emotionally, and how we had to pay attention to it all the time to not forget it and leave it in embarrassing places.

Naturally, the condition of the potatoes deteriorated. This was a great metaphor for the price we pay for nursing our grudges. Too often we think of forgiveness as a gift to the other person while it clearly is for ourselves!

So the next time you decide you can't forgive someone, ask yourself, Isn't your bag heavy enough?