Stories about selflessness
2 Buddhist wisdom stories about selflessness from Buddhist teachers, each linked to the original talk.
- 'Take her, take that little kid'Story · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A woman volunteered for a year with an aid organisation in a drought-stricken African country. Each morning she had to go outside the camp and choose perhaps 20 of the hundred…
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There was was one story I haven't told for a long time of a woman who had a year she wanted to do something for the world. She volunteered for for something. I forget what the organization was. And they sent her to some country in Africa where there was a poverty caused by a drought. And her job, she was given the job of going outside the camp every morning with a number of people she could let come in to survive. Maybe 20 cuz that's all the medication and supplies which this camp had. She could only allow say 20 people in and there's maybe a hundred outside. Every morning who just survived the night before. And she had to choose which 20 came in. And you think that was such a terrible job to do. But then she said the attitude of the people who came in or was waiting outside, it was not like take me, take me. What? It was take her, take that little kid. It inspired her just with the the compassion and the selflessness of the people who were waiting outside. By saying take him, don't take me. They knew they were going to die that day. They knew that's the best they could do. And she said that was one of the most inspiring years of her life. I remember the monk who told me this in England. Then I asked her, "What are you doing now?" She said, "I'm I'm working in my usual job in the civil service in UK." "What's that like?" "Now that really is depressing."
- The tree and the childStory · Ajahn Brahm
In brief: A tree gives a boy twigs for a treehouse, fruit for university and a wedding, branches for a house, then its trunk for a carpentry business; years later the old man returns only…
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There was this huge tree: mature, big, full of green leaves, in a forest close by to where a child lived. And the child would spend many days on the weekend and holidays climbing up that tree because it had these low branches you could climb up very easily, sitting in the tree, sort of playing games in the tree because he went up into that tree so often, the tree actually... I'm always a poser. (LAUGHTER) Thank you. The tree...(LAUGHTER) You may as well have fun in life. The nuns, as well! You want one just of me? I'm just fed up now. (LAUGHTER) So the tree, you know, many times I've taught retreats and a couple of times on the retreat, there have been supermodels... It's true. I was teaching this retreat over in Kuala Lumpur, and they told me this very famous Malaysian supermodel was on my retreat. And, you know, she looked really nice apparently, but she got very fed up at the end of the retreat, and she complained at the end of the retreat because at the end of the retreat, no one wanted to take a photograph of her; they only wanted to take photographs of me. (LAUGHTER) I don't know why she got upset of that. That's true story; they told me she was really pissed off. And I can't understand why people want to take photographs of me Anyway, but never mind there we go. Anyway back to the tree. So there was this tree and the kid used to love climbing it and one day, the little child thought it would be nice if I could do something more in this tree and you know, this tree trees are beings, you can't just say that, you know, haven't got any consciousness; the tree could communicate with this little kid and say why don't you take some of my branches and build a little treehouse? And the kid got this idea and built this really nice little tree house up in the tree. And even though it meant breaking off twigs, the tree was actually quite happy that, you know its friend—this little kid— could make a wonderful tree house in the top of the tree or in the middle of the tree. He could spend even more time in the tree because the tree actually loved this little kid. And so the kid would play and spend a lot of time in the little tree house. And after awhile, you know, the kid had to go to school and he spent less and less time in the tree, and the tree house started to fall apart, and the tree was actually quite sad. Then, one day, the kid came back again, but now he was a teenager and the tree said, "Oh, thank you, you're coming back again. Look! Even the old tree house is falling apart, but there's many other branches; you can make another tree house; a bigger one now you've grown up." And the kid said to the tree —the tree could understand the kid— He said, "No, I don't need a tree house anymore; I'm too big for that now. I'm going to university soon and I can't really afford it. I don't know what to do." And the tree said, "Look, there's lots and lots of fruit coming soon because I'm coming to that point where I'm going to make lots of fruit. I'm going to make lots for you so please take the fruit, and go and sell it, and with the money you make from the fruit you can actually go and pay your university fees." So the tree put forth extra effort that year and got so much fruit and the kid collected all of it, picked every last fruit, and went to sell it, and that was how he managed to get into that first year of university. And every year afterwards, the tree got more fruit every year, really putting more effort, and that's the way the kid got through university. And that really tired out the tree. And after the fourth year, the kid came back again and the tree said, "Do you want some more fruit?" He said, "I'm in big trouble now," He said, "I'm going to get married and I don't know how on earth I'm going to pay for all of this." And the tree said, "Look, we're friends. I've known you since you were small. I'm going to get double fruit this year. You just come back in a few weeks and just see." And this poor tree put every bit of energy and effort and life it had to get so much fruit, and it almost killed it to produce so much fruit. But the kid came along and it was so much fruit, he collected it all, sold it all and had enough money to actually to get married. And afterwards, the poor tree was actually badly injured, wounded; it lost all its energy just working so hard to make more fruit than it really should have done. But nevertheless, the tree was happy; it helped its friend. But as for the kid, didn't come back again for two or three years. When he did come back, he said, "I need something more now: I'm going to have a baby soon, I need a house. And the tree said, "I can't produce any more fruit; I was damaged producing that double fruit last time," "But," said the tree, "I've got these very big branches, take those branches and build yourself a house." And the kid thought, "But it will really damage you," He said, "No, no, I really would want you to have these branches. Come tomorrow with a saw; take this one and this one—these are very big branches lots of very strong wood; you can build a wonderful house. So the kid came the next day and saw most of the big branches off the tree. Without those branches couldn't have any twigs, couldn't have any leaves, couldn't have any fruit— that almost killed that tree. But the tree was very happy; managed to supply this beautiful wood so the friend could build a house for their family. Never saw the kid for another four or five years, and the tree was half-dead, anyway. But the kid came back again, now about 30, and said, "Tree, I hate to say this but I need something more from you: I'm starting a business now, carpentry business, making furniture— can I please take your trunk?" And the tree said, "That's all I've got left, but I'll be so happy to give it to you because I really care for you; I want you to do well in life. You got a kid. You got a family. You do need something to feed your kids and look after your family and buy things for them and send them to good schools. Come and take my trunk; it's very good; it's really strong inside." So the next day, the kid sawed the trunk of the tree, took it away and started his business. And the tree never saw him for about 30, 40 years. You know just because you take the trunk down doesn't mean the tree dies. You know we had a Bodhi Tree at Bodhinyana, and we had a big fire in 1991, and we thought the tree had died. For 3 years, nothing was happening, and I really thought it had gone. And after 3 years being dormant, it started to put forth shoots; the roots underground was very obviously damaged by the huge bushfire, but was still alive, still had a bit of energy left, and built up that energy, waiting for the 3 years before it could put forth shoots. The tree's still there now many years later. So, many years later, the old child came again; he was an old man now. And he said, "I've just come back here for nostalgia; remember all those wonderful days I had when I was a young, kid climbing up you. I remember all those wonderful things which you helped me with: you gave me your twigs to make a nice little tree house —I had so much fun making the tree house and living in you; I remember all the fruit you gave me to go to university; the incredible amount of fruit you gave me, which almost killed you, so I could get married; and the branches which I made my house out of and even the trunk which made me have a business which was quite successful." He said, "But now I haven't come to ask you for anything." The tree said, "Pretty good job because there's nothing else to give." (LAUGHTER) "But, I just come to say thank you; I've had a wonderful life thanks to you." And the old tree said, "Actually, I have still got something to give you: you're very old now and you need to rest. Lay down your head on my roots and I can just support you just for a few more times." So the kid, now an old man, laid his head on the roots of this tree, which had helped him all his life, and fell into a nice, quiet sleep, and the tree was so happy. That is a simile— the tree stands for your parents, your mom and dad, who will give everything for you, Just like the tree gave little twigs so the kid could build a little tree house— how many of you have had little children and they climb all over you, pulling your hair, putting their feet in your mouth or whatever it is, and you love it; you're just so happy to have your kids just play with you. And then, later on, when they go to university you just work so hard, saving money, getting loans from the bank which you can't really afford, just to make sure they get a good education. When they get married— last Sunday, I performed two marriage services, and you see the parents just so proud; they'd give anything just to see their daughter, their son, just so happy. And the tree would give just twice as much fruit as it could possibly afford because it just loved seeing the children happy. And, of course, building a house— where did your deposit come from for many of you? Your mom and dad, even though it's their superannuation they cash it in for you, help you with your business all your life. And in the end, all they really want is for you to lay down your head on their lap because they will love you forever; no matter what you ask for, even if it kills them, they give it to you. That tree are your parents and you are that little boy; you are that student; you are that boy about to get married, wanting a house, starting a job, Just wanting a rest— they're just so happy just to see you. That is my wonderful simile of giving. What did the tree get out of that? It just get cut down and killed but did the tree ever want anything else? Just to be able to give. That is my answer when people say, "Oh, I don't get anything back in return except shit when I give." Exactly! That is why we give; that is a joy of giving; that is the wonderful thing about sacrificing, giving to people you love, you care for —and that can be anyone— you don't expect anything back in return; in fact, if you do get something back in return, it's not giving, it's business