One day Buddha and his disciples passed by a village in which opponents of Buddhists lived. The villagers rushed out of their houses, surrounded the Buddha and the disciples, and began to insult them. The disciples also began to get excited and were ready to fight back, but the presence of the Buddha had a calming effect. But the Buddha's words confused both the villagers and the disciples.
He turned to the disciples and said:
- You disappointed me. These people are doing their job. They are angry. It seems to them that I am an enemy of their religion, their moral values. These people insult me, and that's natural. But why are you angry? Why did you allow these people to manipulate you? You are now dependent on them. Aren't you free?
The villagers did not expect such a reaction. They were puzzled and quiet. In the silence that followed, Buddha turned to them:
-Have you said everything? If you haven’t said everything, you will still have the opportunity to tell me everything you think when we return.
The people from the village were completely perplexed, they asked:
- But we insulted you, why aren’t you angry with us?
“You are free people, and what you did is your right.” I don't react to this.
I am also a free person. Nothing can make me react and no one can influence or manipulate me. I am the master of my manifestations. My actions flow from my inner state. Now I would like to ask you a question that concerns you. The villagers next to yours greeted me, they brought flowers, fruits and sweets with them. I told them: “Thank you, but we already had breakfast. Take these fruits with my blessing for yourself. We can’t carry them with us, we don’t carry food with us.” Now I ask you: “What should they do with what I did not accept and gave back to them?”
One person from the crowd said:
“They probably took it home, and at home they distributed fruits and sweets to their children, their families.”
Buddha smiled:
- What will you do with your insults and curses? I don't accept them. If I refuse those fruits and sweets, they have to take them back. What can you do? I reject your insults, so you too take your load home and do with it whatever you want.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru