Long ago lived a rich but rapacious old man. He craved pleasure but couldn’t bear to part with his money. One evening in his garden, the old miser was utterly overcome by a hankering for lamb. But how could he eat lamb without spending a dime? Suddenly, he had a cunning idea.
The old man told his servants to call for his sons. When his sons arrived, they found their father prostrating in front of a tree. “Tree Spirit! Tree Spirit! Please bless this house! Please bless us! Please bless us!” he chanted. Turning around he said, “Verily! My sons, this old tree is the source of our blessings. We would have nothing without it. You must sacrifice a lamb to it every year!” The young men followed their father’s instructions and slaughtered a lamb in sacrifice. They also built a shrine for this purpose. As he had intended all along, the old miser was soon supping on lamb to his heart’s content.
Year after year, the old man grew weaker. At last, he fell gravely ill. Just before the end, he dreamt a herd of sheep came and demanded his life. Thus, in his next life, he was reborn as a sheep.
When the day came to sacrifice a lamb, the young men happened to choose the sheep that was once their father. Only then, did remorse enter the old man’s heart. “My sons! There is nothing special about this tree! I lied to satisfy my appetite. Please do not keep on doing wrong or else there will be no end to this suffering.” The sons were on the verge of cutting their father’s throat when an arhat passed by begging for alms.
“Do not kill it!” cried the arhat. “That lamb is your father!” With his divine power, he showed the young men the causality behind their father’s rebirth. Realizing the truth, the sons could not contain their tears. They swore an oath: “From now on, I will never kill! I will perform all wholesome deeds, plant the field of merits, and make offerings to the Three Jewels.
REFLECTION
In the cycle of samsara, one can never be separated from the principle of causality. Buddhism teaches that all sentient beings were once our parents, siblings, and friends. When we see animals in this light, how can we not be compassionate?