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"Motivational stories inspired from the lives of saints."

Buddhist Monk and Prostitute

Friday 31 March 2017


Once upon a time, a lady prostitute stopped a young Buddhist monk and invited him to stay with her for the entire rainy season (lasting for three months). The monk said, "I have no hesitation in accepting your invitation but I can not accept it before taking permission from my master." The prostitute inquired, "Do you think he will not allow you?" The monk replied, "Although I know that my master would not stop me, but it is imperative for me to seek his permission as I am his disciple."

The monk returned to his monastery and asked Buddha, "Respected Master! I have received invitation from a prostitute to stay with her in her house during rainy season. I have come here to seek your permission." Buddha said, "It would be indeed wrong to decline any such invitation. You have my permission to go there and return to me after your stay gets over." Many of Buddha's disciples became puzzled and asked for the clarifications. They contested that it would corrupt the monk's mind and would breach the code of conduct set for monks. However, Buddha explained, "It does not matter what you think or believe in. The truth would be shining in three months of time, and would need no explanation from me."

During the time the monk was staying in house of the prostitute, few of the disciples used to spy around the house. They sometimes heard the music coming out of house, at other times sounds of prostitute's dancing and singing used to come. They went near Buddha and told him everything. Buddha remained silent.

Three months passed and the monk returned to the ashram with the prostitute following him. All other monks were disturbed seeing the prostitute accompanying the monk. They complained that prostitute would destroy the purity of ashram's environment. However, Buddha said, "Your worries hold no importance to me. When this nature and environment does not discriminate between me and her in bestowing all gifts, then who am I to stop someone from entering the ashram." Buddha then turned towards prostitute and said, "What do you want to say?"

The prostitute said, "I don't know if I had made mistake by entering ashram and if I did, I beg your forgiveness. I have heard you only look at human beings irrespective of what they have been doing. I was very proud of my beauty. The day I saw your monk, I thought that I can easily make him forget all your teachings using the power of my beauty. And I am very thankful that you allowed him to stay with me. No matter what tactic I tried, it could not disturb your monk's peace. Nothing seemed to work on him. Neither my beauty nor my songs nor my dancing. Nothing. He remained in a state of pure bliss. This has destroyed all my ego. I want to learn the knowledge from you so that I can also achieve the state of peace and happiness in which this monk is. Please be kind enough to forgive all my sins and accept me as your disciple."

Buddha smiled and said, "You are now my disciple."

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