The Same Atman In All

By Staff

Friday, February 6, 2009, 15:46

In an old monastery at the end of Shivnagar village there lived a monk who begged his bread in the neighbouring village. On one such occasion as the monk was on his way back to Shivnagar, came upon Sripati, the landlord of the neighbouring village thrash a thief black and blue. The monk taking pity on the thief getting beaten ruthlessly, interceded and tried to stop the landlord from further beating him.

Sripati, the landlord brought out his fury in the form of severe blows on the monk for interfering. The monk fell unconscious to the ground. In a short while with the news reaching the monastery, the brother monks and a few villagers rushed to the spot and carried the monk to the monastery. By then Sripati was out of sight. After several hours of attending and nurse, the monk who was beaten up opened his eyes to the relief of all.

The villagers of Shivnagar were furious and wanted to take out their fury on the one who had brutally beaten the monk. They hence enquired the monk of the person responsible for the heinous act. The monk who had realised the oneness and recoganised the same atman in all said with a smile : “The one who is nursing me now is the one who beat me then !"