PureInsight | April 25, 2010
[PureInsight.org] A long time ago, people were building a big temple in a city. Devout men and women invited a famous sculptor to carve a big Buddha statue. Two stones were already prepared. The sculptor chose the stone with better quality and started to carve. However, the stone couldn’t endure the pain. It implored the sculptor: “The pain is killing me. Please let me go.” The sculptor had no choice but to use the other stone. Although the quality of that stone was not as good as the former one, the stone firmly believed it was going to be a magnificent Buddha statue. Therefore, it had the unflinching will to endure all the pain and hardship of being sculpted. Soon, a solemn and magnificent Buddha statue impressively manifested in front of people. People put it on an altar with great respect and it started to enjoy people’s worship.
As the temple attracted more and more worshippers, for the convenience of worshippers, the stone which was afraid of pain was used to pave the road. In the past it couldn’t endure the hardship of sculpture, now it had to endure the hardship of being exposed to the sun and rain and being trampled on by vehicles and feet.
Heaven offered equal opportunities to the two stones. One stone gave up after the temporary pain and discomfort of being sculpted and missed the opportunity. In the end it didn’t escape the fate of being trampled underfoot and endless suffering. The other stone, however, believed in its bright future and endured the pain of the cutting and carving with an unflinching will. After the unneeded part was cut off, the stone became a great Buddha statue.
In fact, isn’t it the same thing in society? Some people are reluctant to give up the illusions of the human world and are wallowing in material desire. They experience the suffering of birth, old age, illness and death, the grief of separation, and joy in union. Some other people understand the truth of life. They endure all kinds of hardships to improve Xinxing and eliminate karma, let go of all attachments and desires, and finally reach consummation to become forever glorious enlightened beings. For example, Sakyamuni gave up his throne. He suffered numerous tribulations and experienced difficult environments throughout his life. In the end, he enlightened up to the level of Tathagata. In addition to his vast divine power in heaven and the ultimate life of leisure, which we cannot see, we know that his sarira are enshrined and worshiped at many temples all over the world. Which one lasts longer, the Vajra’s indestructible sarira or the throne?
Today the great law of Falun Dafa is spreading in the world. There might be some Falun Dafa practitioners near you or me. They are telling us the truth of life and the significance of life with great compassion. Although they have experienced all sorts of tribulations, humiliation and suffering in the human world, all this is for the everlasting glorious future!
Compare the two choices of suffering the same hardships in the human world: would you want to seek after endless desires and satisfaction, or let go of attachments and desires in the hope of becoming a higher life? The endings would be a world apart. My friends, do you understand?
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2010/3/3/64667.html
