In one monastery school there was a very strict teacher. Among other students he had two boys: Maun Suta and Maun Bala.
Maun Suta was distinguished by his zeal and diligence, and even during the time allotted for rest, he swept the monastery courtyard, cut the grass, walked on water and cleaned the teacher’s dress.
Maun Bala, on the contrary, was known as a frivolous fellow. During lessons he slept, answered prompts, and when everyone started cleaning, he tried to hide somewhere in a secluded place and sleep. And there was no question of cleaning the monastic robe. I once met Maun Bala in the garden of Maun Sutu and said:
- Come on, Maun Suta, tell me, how much is one plus two?
- Three.
“Even though you are constantly sucking up to the teacher, but there is no benefit from it,” continued Maun Bala, “you don’t know anything.” One plus two equals two!
Maun Suta began to prove that he was right, and in the end the boys came to blows. Just at that time the teacher passed by.
- What's happened? he asked.
- Oh teacher! – answered Maun. Suta. – Maun Bala asked me how much one plus two is. I answered three, but he insisted that one plus two equals two.
So we quarreled - Is Maun Suta telling the truth? – the teacher sternly asked Maun Balu.
“Yes,” he readily confirmed.
Then, taking a large palm branch in his hands, the teacher gave Maun Suta a thorough whipping.
“I’m telling the real truth, I counted correctly.” Why are you punishing me? - Maung Suta whined.
“There are people who simply make mistakes,” the teacher said instructively. - And there are stubborn people, fools. But even more intolerable are those who try to argue with them. For example, although you are convinced that you are right, you still entered into an argument with Maun Bala. Which of you is more stupid?
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru