AT one
time there was a drought in a certain part
of the
country. The formers began to cut long
channels
to bring water to their fields. One fanner
was
stubbornly determined. He took a vow that he
would not
stop digging until the channel connected
his field
with the river. He set to work. The time
came for
his bath, and his wife sent their daughter
to him
with oil. "Father," said the girl, "it is already
late. Rub
your body with oil and take your bath."
"Go
away," thundered the farmer. "I have too
much to do
now." It was past midday and the
farmer was
still at work in his field. He didn't even
think of
his bath. Then his wife came and said:
"Why
haven't you taken your bath? The food is
getting
cold. You overdo everything. You can
finish the
rest tomorrow or even today after
lunch."
The farmer scolded her furiously and ran at
her, spade
in hand, crying: "What! Have you no
sense?
There's no rain. The crops are dying.
What will
the children eat? You'll all starve to
death. I
have taken a vow not to think of bath and
food today
before I bring water to my field." The
wife saw
his state of mind and ran away in fear.
hrough a
whole day's backbreaking labour the
farmer
managed by evening to connect his field
with the
river. Then he sat down and watched the
water
flowing into his field with a murmuring
sound. His
mind was filled with peace and joy. He
went home,
called his wife and said to her, "Now
give me
some oil and prepare a smoke." With
serene
mind he finished his bath and meal, and
retired to
bed, where he snored to his heart's
content.
The determination he showed is an
example of
strong renunciation.
Now, there
was another farmer who was also
digging a
channel to bring water to his field. His
wife, too,
came to the field and said to him, "It's
very late.
Come home. It is not necessary to
overdo
things." The farmer did not protest much,
but put
aside his spade and said to his wife, "Well I
will go
home since you ask me to." That man could
never
succeed in irrigating his field. This is the case
of
mild renunciation
