Stories for children of all ages
translated by GB Talovich
Edited by Silent Voices
More than 3,500 years ago, there was a very kind and wise emperor. He was called Cheng Tang. Every year he traveled around his empire to visit all of his people and see if there was anything the government could do for them.
One beautiful day, the birds were singing and the animals were enjoying the nice weather. The Emperor smiled as he heard their pleasant calls. Then he saw huge nets spread where all the animals would get caught. He heard a trapper praying in a loud voice and this is what the trapper prayed：
"May all the birds in the sky;
May all the animals on the ground;
May all the beasts from north, east, west and south,
Come into my net;
Let not one of them escape!"
Emperor Cheng Tang was upset to find such a greedy, heartless trapper, but he was also a very wise monarch. He did not command the trapper to stop hunting. Instead, with his own imperial hands, he took down three sides of the nets, leaving only one side.
The trapper wondered what was going on, but he couldn't just go up and punch the Emperor. Then he heard Emperor Cheng Tang praying out loud and this is what the Emperor prayed：
"May all who wish to dodge to the left, dodge to the left；
May all who wish to dodge to right, dodge to the right;
May all who wish to go over the nets, go over the nets;
May all who wish to duck under the nets, duck under the nets;
May only those who do not wish to live any more enter my nets."
With this, the trapper realized that he had been greedy and mean. He told everyone how kind their Emperor was, so all the people trusted Cheng Tang. The dynasty that he founded, ruled China for over 600 years.
related post: 《The Love of Life》- Tzu Chan and The Fish
Source Of Information:
《Wisdom of the Buddhas》, by Venerable Wu Ling, based on the Talks of Venerable Master Chin Kung, translated by Silent Voices, published in August, 2012, distributed by Amitabha Buddhist Society Malaysia (92, Jalan Pahang, 53300 Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
*** The information provided above does not contain personal opinion of this blog.
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