Buddha’s Lesson – Never Judge By Appearance | Story By Mahath,10, Vijaywada

Once upon a time, when Siddharth – The great Buddha as he was known to the world, was conquering the world with peace, there lived three girls named Meena, Ina and Mynah.

These three girls were from rich families. They were friends. When they grew up, they became very rich merchants. One day Meena said, “I am going to Africa for trade.”

Ina and Mynah wondered who will take care of her money while she was gone.

“I am giving that job to Deekshan,” replied Meena.

“What? You are giving that duty to Deekshan, the poor man? We are your best friends right? You can leave the responsibility to us,” they both exclaimed.

Then Meena said, “No. I will leave the responsibility to him because he is honest and I trust him and don’t judge him because of his appearance.”

Hearing this, Ina and Mynah went to Buddha – The Great. There they narrated what had happened a few minutes ago.

Buddha said, “I know you won’t understand when I just say it. So I will clearly explain it with a story.”

He started the story.

Once upon a time there lived a king named Vishnu. He had many elephants and a beautiful, vast garden. Everyone in the kingdom loved the ancient blossom tree and elegant elephants very much. But no one noticed the little grass which was near the old blossom tree.

One day, king Vishnu saw a crack in the celing of his palace. He immediately ordered everyone in the palace to go out. Then he summoned the wood cutters and told them to find the tree with the largest trunk in his garden and make a pillar out of it.

Then the woodcutters went to find the finest tree which can be used as a pillar for the palace.

They returned sadly and said to the king, “We’re sorry, your Majesty. We went to find the finest tree which is suitable as a pillar but none of them have the finest wood except the ancient blossom tree.”

The King was so sad to lose his friend, the blossom tree but he couldn’t risk the people’s lives. He gave permission to cut down the tree.

The wood cutters went the next day and were surprised to see that the trunk of the blossom tree was rotten. They cut another tree in its place.

After the woodcutters left, the tree turned normal! The spirits of all trees wondered how that had happened.

The blossom tree replied, “This was because of my dear friend, the grass. Originally, my trunk is not rotten. But the grass asked the chameleons to change their colour into the colour of rotten trunk. The woodcutters saw this and left thinking the trunk is rotten.”

The trees and plants in the garden cheered the grass for saving the life of the old blossom tree.

With this, Buddha ended the story.

“You both thought that he is poor. So you judged him. But in the story you have seen that the little grass has saved a big blossom tree. So, I think you have understood now about judging someone based on how they look?”

“Yes,” Ina and Mynah replied and went happily learning a new lesson.