Master Tells Stories

This is a Buddhist story. There was an elderly layman named Pong who had many possessions. One day, having met an enlightened master, he realized that possessions were poisonous. They could be harmful to a human being's nature and breed greed. Therefore, he packed all his belongings onto a large ship with the intent of throwing them into the sea. By the time he was ready to throw them, five hundred pirates appeared to plunder his ship. Pong was certainly not afraid, so he stood and waited for them. When they started to board the ship, Pong told them, "You want this. Come on, take it all!" The pirates were so surprised. Never had they seen this kind of voyager who, instead of being terrified, asked them to take away everything with pleasure. They asked him, "Why are you different? Why are you letting us take your possessions without a bit of attachment, sadness or fright?"

Pong replied, "What should I be attach to? What should I dread? I know they are nothing but poison and was ready to throw them into the sea. If you feel they can be of some benefit to you, I give them to you."

After listening to him, these five hundred so-called pirates were shocked awakened. They knelt down before him in repentance, and begged to be his disciples. Pong accepted them with open arms. He donated all his wealth to a temple as an offering for these five hundred "Arhans" (saints). Later on, they became monks, practiced spiritually, and attained the sainthood of Arhan.

Only Half Enlightened

We can learn from this story that it is not a bad thing to own a fortune. In the story, seeing Pong was about to throw all his wealth into the sea, we may think, "Wow! This is a true enlightened being! Marvelous!" However, at the end of the story, seeing him offer his wealth to the monks, and transform the pirates into monks, I think he acted in better way. It could be said that he was not wrong in throwing his wealth into the sea, but only half enlightened. It is because he was still judging what is good and what is bad with an attached frame of mind and a discriminating spirit. At that time, his thinking was rather extreme. He thought it was good to renounce everything and it was bad to keep a fortune. This kind of discriminating mind exposed the incomplete enlightenment of his spiritual level.

There is nothing bad to a truly enlightened being. He can make use of everything. Without encountering the five hundred pirates on the sea, he wouldn't have been fully enlightened. It seems as if it was Pong who delivered the five hundred pirates. In my opinion, it was the five hundred pirates who delivered him. (Laughter and applause) Why? Without them, Pong would still be stuck to the discrimination of the good and the bad. He thought he should forsake his wealth in order to be great and non-attached, to be a truly enlightened and righteous being who is free from the worldly desires and possessions. It was after encountering the five hundred pirates that he was awakened and realized that there is no good and no bad in having a fortune. It could even help five hundred people practice spiritually. Isn't that better? Consequently, it is not evil to possess a fortune. It depends on how we use it.

If we have many belongings without knowing how to make use of them, we wouldn't be better than the pirates. For instance, if a rich man of high position takes advantage of his power to harm or oppress others, that is outrageous. There are some who damage others' property because of poverty, no money or being in an oppressed situation. Maybe they are forced by an overwhelming pressure that triggers an outburst of their anger. They are not worse than the former. Thus, we have to discern with insight the different backgrounds and situations. The rich or the powerful are not always the good or the blessed. The poor, the oppressed or the needy are not the bad ones. This is why Shakyamuni Buddha could transform two so-called felons into spiritual practitioners, and why Pong could transform the five hundred pirates into monks.

Everything Is Useful

If you read "The Adventures To The West" you will know that the eminent monk Tang was a virtuous and majestic master with three scary-faced disciples. One was long-nosed and large-eared. Another one was hairy, while the other had skulls strung together as his rosary. Ordinary people would be frightened to death at the first glance. However, Tang was not afraid of them. He even took them as disciples. This is why they supported Tang and succeeded in bringing back the holy scriptures. Without these three so-called bad disciples, Tang might not have reached the western land. Everything is useful! Since their appearances were so scary, the devils feared them. Even devils fear other devils. (Master and audience laugh.) Hence, if we realize the law of the universe, the secret of creation, we can make everything become useful.