THE WAY OF THE BUDDHA

A long, long time ago there was a high class rich man, as he grew older
he realized that the suffering of old age was about the same for the rich and
poor alike. So he gave up his wealth and class position venturing into the
forest to live as a poor monk. He practiced meditation, developed his mind,
free himself from unwholesome thoughts and became contented and happy.
His peacefulness and friendliness gradually drew 500 followers to his side
during that ancient time most monk usually appeared quite serious.
However, there was one monk who even though quite dignified always
wore at least a little smile on his face no matter what happened, he never lost
this glimmer of inner happiness. On happy occasions, he had the broadest
smile and the warmest laughter of all. Sometime monk as well as others
would ask him why he was so happy and always wore a smile?
He chuckled and said, if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me and if you
thought I spoke a lie, it would be a dishonor to my master. The wise old
master knew the source of the happiness that could not be wiped from his
face and so he made this happiest monk his No. 1 assistant.
One year after the rainy season, the old monk and his 500 followers went
to the city. The king permitted them to live in his pleasure garden for the
springtime. This king was a good man who took his responsibilities as a ruler
seriously.
He tried to protect the people from danger and increase their prosperity
and welfare. He always had to worry about neighboring kings some of
whom were unfriendly and threatening. He often had to make peace
between his own rival ministers of state, sometime his wives fought for his
attention and for the advancement of their sons occasionally a dissatisfied
subject even threatened the life of the king himself and of course he had to
worry constantly about the finances of the kingdom. In fact he had so much
to worry about the he never had time to be happy. As summer approached,
he learned that the monks were preparing to return to the forest.
Considering the health and welfare of the old leader the king went to him
and said: “your reverence, you’re now very old and weak, what good does
it do to go back to the forest? You can send your followers back but you
remain here, the chief monk thought about it then called his number one
assistant and said: “you are now to be the leader of the other monks while
you all live in the forest as I am too old and weak, I will remain here as
offered by the king.”.
So the 500 returned to the forest and the old one remained. The number
one assistant continued practicing meditation in the forest, he gained so
much wisdom and peace that he became even happier than before. His
missed his old master and wanted to share his happiness with him so he
returned to the city for a visit. When he arrived, he sat on a rug at the feet of
the old monk, they didn’t speak very much but every so often the No. 1
assistant would say what happiness, oh what happiness. The king also came
to visit, he paid his respects to the chief monk, however the one from the
forest just kept saying what happiness, oh what happiness. He did not even
stop to greet the king and show proper respect, this disturbed the king and
he thought with all my worries as busy as I am looking after the kingdom, I
take our time for a visit and this monk does not respect me enough to even
recognize me, how insulting it is. He said to the senior of the two monks.
Venerable sir this monk must be stupid from over reading, that must be
why he’s so full of happiness. Does he lie around here so lazy all the time?
The head monk replied: “oh king, have patience and I will tell you the source
of his happiness not many people know it.
He was once a king just as rich and mighty as you, then he was ordained
a monk and gave up his kingly life. Now he thinks his old happiness was
nothing compared to his present joy before he was surrounded by armed
men who guarded and protected him. Now sitting alone in the forest with
nothing to fear he has no need for armed guards, he has given up the burden
of worrying about wealth that has to be protected instead free of the worry
of health and the fear of power.
His wisdom protects himself and others, he advances in meditation to
such inner peace that he cannot keep from saying what happiness oh what
happiness. The king understood it once hearing the story of the happy monk
made him feel at peace, he stayed for a while received advice from both of
them then honored them and returned to the palace. Later the happy monk
who once had been a king paid his respects to his master and returned to the
lovely forest. The old chief monk lived out the remainder of his life died and
was reborn in a high heaven world. You see, in life if we stay unattached to
wealth and power our happiness increases. If we search for happiness in the
outer world and everything that isn’t within us already we will never retain
it, we will never find happiness because happiness is the way and the way
is within us no material possessions can ever guide us to happiness as much
as our inner happy self and our inner being those who hide behind wealth
and power will never find happiness. But if you are a master of our own fate,
a master of happiness you will find it even in the smallest of things in this
world.