Magic of Patience

(This is one of the stories from Jataka tales which teach about patience and how to take control of oneself before reacting to any situation or person. Patience is considered as one of the greatest virtues to possess the expression of forbearance, tolerance, serenity, persistence etc. The one who is able to hold on to his patience is often a half winner in the course of life and he is able to maintain his dignity. Also, the fact of what ‘you give to others is what you usually get back’. This is a story about one of the Bodhisattva Jataka tales).

Once, Lord Buddha was born in the form of a Buffalo. He lived in an old dense forest in the ancient times along with many other animals. The buffalo was dark and dirty-looking. But he was a good animal, kindhearted and never troubled anyone. He always believed in righteousness and exerted his best to uphold the value of a good conduct. The buffalo minded his own business all the time and hardly ever disturbed anybody in the forest.

Just above the tree where the buffalo used to stay and take his shed, there was a very wicked monkey living upon the tree. The monkey was very mischievous among all the other animals in the forest. The monkey loved to play trick and pranks on all the other animals for one or the other reason. Every day, he used to trouble the buffalo either by pulling his tail or throwing nuts on his head. The monkey always caused trouble to the kind buffalo by teasing and bullying him.

Whenever the monkey saw the buffalo was sleeping, he would jump over his back from above the tree, he would leap and keep annoying him.

Sometimes he would catch hold of the buffalo’s tail and swing it in the air or swing down by holding his tail. Sometimes he would climb on the buffalo’s head by holding his horn and also pull his horns. Sometimes he would obstruct the buffalo from grazing the grasses. He would even mount on the buffalo’s back with a brandishing stick to counterfeit him. Every day, the monkey would think of new ways to create the trouble for the other animals too. All the other animals were extremely irritated with the truant behaviour of the monkey.

The buffalo was fed up with the monkey’s prank, but even though it caused pain to the buffalo, he was very kind and still dealt with patience. He would be silent and never said anything to the monkey. He used to forgive the monkey and would never complain. The buffalo always went about doing his own work. The gentle buffalo bore all the unbecoming behaviour of the monkey patiently.

The other animals of the forest wondered why the buffalo tolerated all the annoyance without scolding the monkey or even losing his patience. All were resented by the monkey’s act of irritability. Unable to hold back his curiosity, one day the elephant asked the buffalo, “Why don’t you punish the bothersome monkey for his mischievous acts? You are so big and strong that you can teach him a good lesson. I never saw you complaining. Why is that? Why are you so quiet?

The buffalo smiled and said, “Because the monkey’s tricks are teaching me patience. And patience is the purest form of bliss and gives you peace. I am thankful to the monkey for teaching me how to be patient. I don’t want to give pain to anyone, but the day will not be far when there will be punishment for all the bad deeds. One day the monkey would also have his lesson, and then he would be saved from the guilt of inflicting any pain on the other”.

The monkey had been hearing the buffalo speaking to the elephant from the treetop and he felt ashamed of his immature deeds. He climbed down and regretfully asked for forgiveness to the buffalo, “Sorry my dear friend for all the trouble I gave you.” Thereby both the buffalo and the monkey became good friends.

Since that day, the monkey never played tricks on any of the animals in the forest. He practised the virtue of forbearance and he learned to give love, happiness, respect for others.

Moral: Patience can overcome anything.

Reference: Various.

Other Short Stories for Children:

The Two Pots

Honesty is the best Policy

The Peacock and the Crane

Magic of Patience

The Ant and the Dove

The Fox and the Grapes

The Foolish Bear

Two Silly Goats

The Ant and the Grasshopper