DOING OUR KARMA AND DOING OUR DHARMA





Pic.: Azriel D'Souza


Years ago, when I had decided to do something about my poor English, one of the things I did – and found very effective – was telling a nice story in two tenses… the Present and the Past. Over the years, I have helped hundreds of people, who were earnest about improving their English, with the same method… Yes, write a nice story down in both the tenses… and, then, tell it to someone!

This little Zen story has always calmed me down whenever I have struggled to understand
the good and the bad in me… and in the people around me…


DOING OUR KARMA
AND DOING OUR DHARMA

PAST:

One day, a monk was bathing in a river. He saw a scorpion drowning and instinctively placed his hand under the water and gently lifted the creature on his palm. But, the scorpion started jumping and stinging and, soon, fell into the river…

The monk, once again, took his hand under the water to save the drowning scorpion. But, the creature continued to be restless… It continued to attack the monk.

A bystander, who was watching the drama, was shocked… “Sir, why are you trying to save that creature?” he cried, “It is so thankless… Look, at your hand… It is bleeding!”

“My friend, the creature is doing its karma,” the monk explained with a smile, “I am doing my dharma!”


PRESENT:

One day, a monk is bathing in a river. He sees a scorpion drowning and instinctively places his hand under the water and gently lifts the creature on his palm. But, the scorpion starts jumping and stinging and, soon, falls into the river…

The monk, once again, takes his hand under the water to save the drowning scorpion. But, the creature continues to be restless… It continues to attack the monk.

A bystander, who is watching the drama, is shocked. “Sir, why are you trying to save that creature?” he cries, “It is so thankless… Look, at your hand… It is bleeding!”

“My friend, the creature is doing its karma,” the monk explains with a smile, “I am doing my dharma!”


GERALD D’CUNHA

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