Master Tells Stories
The King who Turned into a Big Fish to Rescue His People
Buddha was born a crown prince in the ancient city of Kapilavastu in India. His original name was Prince Siddhartha Gautama. Prince Siddhartha came to understand the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death, which led him to realise...
The Compassionate Old Monk
We must be compassionate to everyone we meet, regardless of how our paths have crossed. We may have good or bad experience with a person in the past, however, we should still be kind and compassionate towards that person in the hope of enlightening or lea
The King Who Realizes that Virtue and Malevolence both Arise from Our Thought
Kind thoughts and evil thoughts both arise within a split-second. When evil thought rises, troubles come with it and send people into deprivation. When kind thought rises, people are directed towards a bright path filled with beauty and kindness, and thus
The Extreme State of Riches and Poverty
When Buddha was in the Kosala Kingdom, he was often visited by King Pasenadi, the ruler of the Kingdom. One day, King Pasenadi came to Buddha to seek dharma. Upon arriving at the ashram, King Pasenadi panted heavily as he walked...
Letting Go of Fame and Fortune for Spiritual Cultivation
There was a cultivator whose father was a wealthy old man. The cultivator was raised in a family with material abundance and loving parents. Due to impermanence, his parents eventually passed away because of old age...
A Treasure Hunt by a Young Master
Once upon a time, there were two landlords who lived in a hill town. One of the landlords married a very young wife, and they were blessed with a son.
Gaining Little and Losing Big due to Greed
There was a village at the seaside. The villagers were farmers who sometimes fish from the sea. One day...
The story of a Golden Goose and a Greedy Widow
There was a poor family which the master of the household had passed away, leaving behind his wife and three daughters...
The Person in White who Cared for the Bird
There is a very old folklore in India about a man in white who rescued a little bird. Somewhere in a countryside, a group of workmen were resting under the shade after work, suddenly...
Wild Chestnut Tree
There is a fairy-tale in Japan about harmony in the animal kingdom. Somewhere in a forest high up in the mountain, there is a wild chestnut tree. One day, there was a sudden strong wind that blew the ripened chestnuts all over the ground...
The Poor Labourer’s Offering
The practice of giving is not only a privilege of the rich. As long as one has set one’s heart on doing so, one can similarly engage in the practice. The Buddha had said that the most meritorious act of giving is one that stems from a sincere and joyful..
A Thousand Pounds of Salt
A seed may appear insignificant, but once planted in soil, it has the potential to sprout and grow, and eventually become an adult plant that bears fruits. A tiny thought that arises in our mind is just like a seed ─ (it will bring about consequences...
The Most Auspicious Treasure
There was once a Brahmin that was very learned in many subjects and well-versed in the art of foretelling the future from the stars. One day, his 500 disciples gathered to have a discussion on the various auspicious treasures found in different countries
Seeking the Answers to Ignorance
In learning Buddhism, we must clearly understand how we came to this world and where we will go after death. The Buddha highlighted that we must first learn to calm and settle our minds. If we can do this, we will be able to clearly perceive everything...
The Story of Two Tigers and a Yakan
There is a story from the Buddhist sutras about two ferocious tigers, who were very close to each other and would hunt together every day. They were always followed by a treacherous yakan (a legendary wild fox), which fed on the remains of their prey.
Kisa Gotami’s Search for a Mustard Seed
Most people tend to love only the ones who are related to them in some way; this is the type of mundane love that the common man knows. The Buddha taught us to open our hearts wide and love all living beings. Yet in practice, this is easier said than...
The Beggar Made Wealthy by a Dead Rat
If one is willing to live by the Dharma, one will reap great benefits. And if we harbour a pure and simple mind in whatever we do, we will be able to carry out the task easily. Yet the minds of people are often stubborn and unyielding, and are thus...
Sunita, the Night Soil Man
When the Buddha was in Sravasti one day, he perceived that karmic conditions were ripe for Sunita, a member of the untouchable caste who worked as a night soil collector, to receive the Dharma. So he made his way to the city with a group of his disciples…
