Buddhist Story: The Shepherd's Marriage. Once upon a time, there was a shepherd who had many sheep but was very stingy by nature. A cunning man wanted to take advantage of the shepherd. He befriended him and said, "A girl is very beautiful. I'll be your matchmaker." The shepherd was glad and gave him sheep and treasures as a reward. Soon after, the man told the shepherd, "Your wife has had a son." Not knowing what his wife looked like, the shepherd, happier on hearing it, promptly gave the man more livestock and treasures. Later, the man told the shepherd, "Your son died soon after he was born." On hearing this, the shepherd burst into loud wails and was extremely sad. Words of Wisdom: The non-existent wife and child got the shepherd into this farce. Like today's fraud gangs that exploit people's greed to do as they please. Shouldn't we take it as a warning?
|