Parables of Buddha
| 2 › 2 › 6 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Foreword
The Blessed One [Buddha] thought:"I have taught the truth . . . But simple as it is, the people cannot understand it. . . . I must adapt my thoughts to their thoughts . . . Therefore, I will tell them stories." |
A parable is a short fictitious story [narrative] that illustrates a moral attitude, a doctrine, a standard of conduct, or a religious principle, or it could help you to compare and contrast. Parables appear to tell simple stories, but they can be enigmatic.
The difference between a fable and a parable is that the fable tends to personify animal characters, while the typical parable uses human agents.
A parable illustrates by use of similarity. The parable may tell some fictitious story that is nevertheless thought to be true-to-life somehow, one way or another. Parables are usually brief and used as preaching devices. They have a considerable role also in Islamic mysticism, Hasidism (Jewish pietism) and rabbinic literature, and in original Christianity.
Many parables deal with inside changes of a person when he hears great words. Such words have vortexes that may penetrate the surface of habits and communal adjustments. - Tormod Kinnes
 |
|
Depressive message to five of ten virgins: "Knock, and it shall NOT be
opened to you." - Part of William Blake's (1757-1827) watercolour about the rather grotesque story about virgins (1822). |
1 a
The New Testament talks with two mouths, for in one place he says "Knock and it shall be opened to you" in another passage the odds for it to happen to "everyone" are not better than fifty percent."Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened [Matthew 7:7-8]."
However, in the Jesus parable his message to the unattentive half of the virgins is: "Knock and it shall NOT be opened to you." [see it in context: Matthew 25:1-13].
1 b
"I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret [John 18:20]." - Jesus said in Sanhedrin he had not taught in secret, which he really had done: "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them," he told his disciples [Matthew 13:11]. Double talk once again -And the Buddha says in the influential Mahaparinibbanasuttanta that "I have explained Truth without dividing it into an open and closed part. Who has arrived wholly into Truth (a Tathagatha) does not operate with any secret teaching. Who has entered and got established in Truth [Truthland], has no wish to lead the sangha (community) either." [Bsa 92, my translation]
2
Note that opposed to biblical parables the parables of Buddha are not meant for hopeless cases either. Buddha teaches by parables (stories) to offer great help. That is different from the design of Jesus: "This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand." In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving." [Matthew 13:13-14]."It is like giving people fruits they cannot eat or digest. So why make much of New Testement parables? Hats off for Gautama Buddha, then.
Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. [Winston Churchill]
3
Buddha seeks not to be confusing, and does what he teaches, he says in one place. Opposed to that you have Jesus matter:"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them," said Jesus. [See Matthew 5:17-19]. But he skipped the much enforced Sabbath rest of the Law of Moses anyway. True excellence is different, altogether different.
Jesus said he did not do away with the Mosaic Law, even though he did to a very central part of it: He let followers ignore Sabbath rest or Sabbath rules, and certain temple practices of the Law that Jewish authorities held dear.
Buddha Stories
The Parable of the Wealthy Man and the Poor Son
A POOR little boy ran away from his father when he was very young. He lived in another country for many years. He wandered about in all directions, seeking food and clothing. While wandering here and there, he happened to walk towards his home country.At that time his father stayed in a city of the country. He had been vainly looking for his son and thinking of his son ever since he had lost him. The father was now very rich. The poor son came to the city where his father was living and thinking, "I am old and decrepit. I have many treasures. But I have no son other than the missing one. When I die, yearning for my son, my treasures will be scattered and lost."
At that time the poor son happened to stand by the gate of the wealthy man's house. Seeing the rich man, the poor son was frightened and thought, "Is he a king or like a king?"
The rich man recognized him at first sight as his son. He was delighted. He immediately dispatched a man standing beside him to quickly bring back the poor son. The messenger ran up to the poor son and caught him, but the poor son was frightened and cried, "I have done nothing wrong. Why do you catch me?"
The messenger pulled him by force. The poor son thought, "I am caught though I am not guilty. I shall be killed." More and more frightened, the poor son fainted and fell to the ground.
Seeing all this in the distance, the father said to the messenger, "Drop that; do not bring him forcibly! Pour cold water on his face to awaken him!"
The father said this because he had realized that his son was too sullied to meet a noble man. He knew that the man was his son, but expediently refrained from telling others that this was his son.
Waking up, the poor son stood up and went to a village of the poor to get food and clothing. The wealthy man dispatched messengers in secret. He said to two men who looked worn-out, powerless and virtueless, "Go and gently tell the poor man that he will be employed here for a double day's pay. If he agrees with you, bring him here and have him work to clear dirt and that you two also will work with him."
The poor son drew his pay in advance, and cleared dirt. Seeing him, the father had compassion towards him and took off his necklace, his garment and other ornaments. He put on tattered and dirty clothing. He came to the workers and said, "Work hard! Do not be lazy!" And noting this poor man working hard, the father told him, "Do not hesitate to take trays, rice, flour, salt and vinegar, as much as you need! Make yourself comfortable."
Years later, the rich man gave him a name and called him son. The son was glad to be treated kindly, but still thought that he was a humble employee. Still more years passed. After that the father and the son trusted each other. Now the son felt no hesitation in entering the house of his father, but still lodged in his old place.
Now the rich man became ill. After a while the father noticed that his son had become more at ease and peaceful, that he wanted to improve himself, and that he felt ashamed of the thought that he was base and mean. The moment of death for the father drew near. The father told his son to call in his relatives, the king, ministers, and members of his household. When they were all assembled, he said to them, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is my son, my real son. I am his real father. He ran away from me when I lived in a certain city, and wandered with hardships for more than fifty years. His name is so-and-so. All my treasures are his now."
The son was very glad to hear this. He had the greatest joy that he had ever had. He thought, "I never dreamed of having this store of treasures myself. It has come to me unexpectedly."
The wealthy man is the Eternal Buddha while the poor son is ourselves who do not realize that we are Buddha's children. We often ask Buddha, "Give me this! Give me that!" It is a stage of being "outlandish", so to speak. However, if we put forth effort without giving up, we will be given precious Buddhahood.
[From the Lotus Sutra, chapter 4]
The Parable of the Elephant
 |
| Elephants |
There were some who said he was like a great thick snake; others said he was like a snake of medium size. The former had felt the trunk, the latter the tail.
Further, there were some who claimed that his figure was like a high column, others declared he was large and bulky like a big barrel, still others maintained he was smooth and hard but tapering. Some of the blind had taken hold of one of the legs, others had reached the main body, and still others had touched the tusks.
In the end they abused and scolded one another over their disagreements, and finally every one of them swore that everyone else was a liar and was cursed on account of his heresies.
Everyone of these blind men was honest in his contentions, sure of having the truth and relying on his own experience. But the elephant trainer knows that every one of them has a parcel of the truth, that every one is right in his way, but wrong in believing his outlook to be the whole truth.
Not one of these sectarians observed that the elephant was white, for all of them were blind who had investigated the truth to the best of their ability.
The master of the elephant is an Enlightened One. He has brought the white elephant of truth into the land of the blind, and he who listens to him well will understand all the claimants who have parcels of the truth. He who takes refuge in His doctrine will cease to bicker and quarrel."
- The purpose to which life is devoted, also gives worth to that life.
- Avoid wrong doings and let right and justice and loving-kindness prevail.
- "Let your heart be pure. / All Buddhas teach this; it will always endure." (Dhammapada 183)
The Treasure Tower
THERE was once a tower hovering in the air, and adorned with seven treasures. Gods of heaven rained down heavenly flowers on it. Then a loud voice came out from the treasure tower:Shakyamuni [Buddha],Believers saw the great treasure tower up in the air, marvelling at this. At that time there was a Great Joy of Preaching, and Buddha said into that one: " Great Joy of Preaching, the Buddha in the tower was originally carrying out the bodhisattva way."
You kept wisdom and a teaching to instruct,
Keep it well guarded
And kept in mind."
Great Joy of Preaching then said, "We wish to see the body of this Buddha."
Then Buddha emitted a ray of light of cleanness and purity and opened the door of the tower of seven treasures. A loud sound was heard, and at once all the members of the assembly caught sight of the "Many Treasures Buddha" that said, "Before long the Thus Come One [Buddha] will enter Nirvana.
Coming here for the sake of the Dharma [Law, also Teaching].[Retold from The Lotus Sutra, chapter 11; a very free rendition]
You people, why then do you not also
Strive for the sake of the Law
That is like a huge torch burning
In the darkness of the night?This Buddha
Journeys constantly throughout the ten directions
For the sake of this sutra.
All you good men,
Each of you must consider carefully!Embracing this sutra
And expounding it to even one person:
That will be difficult!Listening to and accepting this sutra
And asking about its meaning:
That will be difficult -
Upholding the Buddha's body.
Out of Confusion
Don't get confused by what you read in old works.
It could happen that deep, deep wisdom does not appear to make sense, or even appears confused
Man is the image of God inside. The heart is inside, and Heaven is inside the Right
One, that seeks to embody the Deep Word by clever practice.One should meddle little to come out clean.
Why Jesus spoke in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. [Matthew 13:11-17, excerpts] - That looks admittedly like a mean programme. Buddha, on the other hand, tells helpful parables.
The deeper wisdom of a helpful parable - there are many others - is found by focusing on the message in smart and basically realistic ways.
Stay away from scoundrels who are dishonest and strive to bring you down for not good enough reasons.
This world is a battlefield at times, especially when you get older, but good guys and followers are not to back up "conversion" with the sword.
One should bring good tidings to those who care.
We should keep our inner directions in life to avoid confusion and becoming humiliated.
(2)
For appearances to be all
right, try stauchness
Solid and all-round management is helped by good ideas put into service and system.
(4)Reap the benefits of appearances to celebrate the good things you own. That should be much all right.
Stay away from fools, for your own benefit, warns Buddha.
Comparisons halt, though.
Allow for that.
Angels can work as fishers, so being a fisherman can't be all bad - apostles were fishers
too. (5)The excellent aims are realistic ones.
There are very fine lessons in both the old and new testaments to share.
Calling a spade a spade is one hallmark of the good guy, and good guys may escape being harvested and burnt all too soon.
At least evil people will end up gnashing their teeth in a terribly hot place, it seems
safe to say. Have you lost your teeth? Don't worry about that - 
Don't be lost in the likeness. [All comparisons halt].
Both good guys and bad, evil guys are on earth. They should mingle little.
If you are among those who seek easy access to answers - like a child to look at, perhaps - you may or may not be immature, and may or may not be able to hold things inside. Those who manage to hold great ideas inside, may ease their way by them.
Tell solid, good tidings, and spread such tidings.
The highest "work of art" or masterpiece a man is capable of, is redupicating himself - having a child. You can let that too be your business, then - the highest end is not that difficult to attain to.
The house-owner has to be realistic to continue to thrive.
Being a house-owner takes time, as making things solid and keeping them well and organised, demands much.
A teacher of good scriptures may at times be likened to a a house-owner who gives forth both new and old things from his treasury.
It helps in the end to go about in righteous ways – Note some passages in Matthew 13:
One should avoid scrupulously to betray dignity, for dignified ways form parts of being a good guy too.
By integrating the wisdom of such as Buddha's parables with our everyday experiences, we
may rightfully gain. And in aiming at bringing out things, never forget sound temperance.
(8)
Summary
- He or she of deep wisdom is able to see through very bad programs, and preferably from the start.
- Go for making all your main efforts and all right appearances serve yourself and your next of kin, if you have any.
- Get realistic as soon as you can, so that you will not be tamed too easily by rubbish talk called godly or worse.
Let deep wisdom steer your main efforts so that you build as realistic an approach to this and that as you can.
Literature
Bsa: Lie, Kåre A, oms. Buddhas samtaler: De lange tekstene. Digha Nikaya. Bind 2. Det store bindet: Mahavagga. Oslo: Solum Forlag, 2005.
 |
 |
 |
 |
USER'S GUIDE to abbreviations, the site's bibliography, letter codes, dictionaries, site design and navigation, tips for searching the site and page referrals. [LINK]
DISCLAIMER: [LINK]
© 2001–2008, Tormod Kinnes. All rights reserved. [E-MAIL]