[无量香光 · 显密文库 · 手机站]
fowap.goodweb.net.cn
{返回首页}


The God in the Banyan Tree [A Bad Promise]
 
{返回 Buddhist Tales For Young & Old 文集}
{返回网页版}
点击:1867

The God in the Banyan Tree
[A Bad Promise]

In the past, and even in some places today, people have had superstitions. One such is that a large or unusual tree is inhabited by a tree god, or some kind of spirit. People think that they can make a promise to this tree god, so he will help them in some way. When they think the god has helped them, then they must keep their promise.

Once upon a time, in the city of Kasi in northern India, a man came upon a large banyan tree. He immediately thought there must be a god living there. So he made a promise to this tree god that he would perform an animal sacrifice, in return for a wish being granted.

It just so happened that his wish was fulfilled, but whether by a god or a demon or by some other means - no one knows. The man was sure the tree god had answered his prayer, so he wanted to keep his promise.

Since it was a big wish, it called for a big sacrifice. He brought many goats, mules, chickens and sheep. He collected firewood and prepared to burn the helpless animals as a sacrifice.

The spirit living in the banyan tree appeared and said, "Oh friend, you made a promise. You are now bound by that promise. You think you must keep the promise in order to be released from the bondage to it. But if you commit such terrible unwholesome acts, even though promised, the unpleasant results will put you in much greater bondage. For you will be forced to suffer those results in this life, and even by rebirths in hell worlds! The way to release yourself into future deliverance is to give up unwholesome actions, no matter what!

"And furthermore, since you think I'm a true god, what makes you think I eat meat? Haven't you heard that we gods eat better things, like 'ambrosia' or stardust or sunbeams? I have no need of meat or any other food offerings." Then he disappeared.

The foolish man understood the mistake he had made. Instead of doing unwholesome deeds that would force unhappy results on him in the future, he began to do only wholesome deeds that would benefit himself and others.

The moral is: Keeping a bad promise is worse than making it.


{返回 Buddhist Tales For Young & Old 文集}
{返回网页版}
{返回首页}

上一篇:The Monkey King and the Water Demon [Attentiveness]
下一篇:The Goat Who Saved the Priest [Ignorance]
 The Heaven of 33 [Chapter 3. Merit]..
 A Priest Who Worshipped Luck (Super..
 The Shovel Wise Man (Renunciation)..
 A Man Named Bad (Self Acceptance)..
 Salty Liquor [Foolishness]
 Watering the Garden [Foolishness]..
 The Happy Monk [Joys of the Spiritu..
 Two Mothers (Renunciation)
 The God in the Banyan Tree [A Bad P..
 The Careless Lion (Cirumspection)..
全文 标题
 
【佛教文章随机阅读】
 擐甲精进 依法为师[栏目:静思晨语·证严上人]
 金翅雀[栏目:智空和尚讲禅]
 安那般那手册 IV. 身念先于止和观[栏目:安那般那手册·雷迪尊者]
 中国佛教哲学要义 第四章 中国佛教的因果报应论 第二节 报应说的新论证[栏目:中国佛教哲学要义]
 杂阿含经卷第十五(三九二)[栏目:杂阿含经]


{返回首页}

△TOP

- 手机版 -
[无量香光·显密文库·佛教文集]
教育、非赢利、公益性的佛教文化传播
白玛若拙佛教文化传播工作室制作
www.goodweb.net.cn Copyrights reserved
(2003-2015)
站长信箱:yjp990@163.com