Me, My Guru - Buddha choosing what to receiving when others give!

(contd...)

Me, My Guru - Buddha choosing what to receive when others give!

“Once Buddha” started my Guru and continued, “while going around asking for Bhiksha (alms), stood in front of a palatial bungalow and said ‘Bhavathi Biksham Dehi’. (It is asking for alms in Sanskrit by monks and sanyasis). A well-dressed woman came out and started shouting ‘You are a young person with a strong and able body. Are you not ashamed of seeking alms? Why don’t you work and earn your bread? Shame on your creed!’

This was followed by a volley of words that were both cynical and insulting at times. Buddha stood there listening. When she completed and stood there exhausted, he smiled, bowed down and replied ‘Thank you’ and left.

His sishya who was with him was really hurt and couldn’t accept his Guru’s insult. So he burst out asking “Why did you not retort back at that woman? She doesn’t know your greatness. Why didn’t you let her know who you are?”

Buddha simply gave his Kamandalam (small pitcher to carry water) to his student and said “Please carry it on my behalf” and started walking. After some time, he suddenly stopped, looked at his student and asked “Whose Kamandalam is that?”.

The student said,  ‘Of course, it is yours Guruji”.

“Is it? Then how come you are carrying it?” asked Buddha who seemed lost.

“Because you asked me to carry it on your behalf” replied his student.

“Then it is yours from now on. I give it to you” said Buddha and started walking again.

A few minutes passed. They had walked a few hundred yards too! 

Suddenly, Buddha stopped pointing at Kamandalam and asked his student “Whose Kamandalam are you carrying?”

“Mine, of course!” replied his student perplexed at his Guruji’s ways.

Contd......

# me my Guru series, on choices, on fate and destiny, ego, soul journey, soul quality, ego, praise and insults, disturbed mind, disturbed emotions, 

also read suggested https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/2009/04/at-beginning-was.html