THE POISON OF YOUR ABUSE BELONGS TO YOU









Pic.: Avinash Mantri



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…

Not to let the poison of a vindictive person’s words affect you, calls for true inner strength… a spiritual strength… What we call a high self-esteem is a reflection of this strength…

I love this Buddha story…



THE POISON OF YOUR ABUSE BELONGS TO YOU


PAST:


One day, in the midst of Gautama Buddha’s teaching, an angry bystander started abusing Gautama. It was too ugly, too offending… and too provocative. However, the Buddha remained unaffected. He heard him out patiently till the angry man vented out all his venom. After that, the Master continued his teaching.

“If a man offers you a gift, and you refuse to accept it,” the Buddha asked the group gently, “whom do you think the gift belongs?”

The answer was obvious. “To the man who offers the gift,” the group replied.

“Any fool knows that… What is great in that wisdom?” the angry man was still venting.

“The wisdom, my friend, is: you have agreed that the poison of your abuse belongs to you… not me.”



PRESENT:

One day, in the midst of Gautama Buddha’s teaching, an angry bystander starts abusing Gautama. It is too ugly, too offending… and too provocative. However, the Buddha remains unaffected. He hears him out patiently till the angry man vents out all his venom. After that, the Master continues his teaching.

“If a man offers you a gift, and you refuse to accept it,” the Buddha asks the group gently, “whom do you think the gift belongs?”

The answer is obvious. “To the man who offers the gift,” the group replies.

“Any fool knows that… What is great in that wisdom?” the angry man is still venting.

“The wisdom, my friend, is: you have agreed that the poison of your abuse belongs to you… not me.”



GERALD D’CUNHA


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