Once, there lived a beggar in north India. He used to see other people living a prosperous life and always wondered if there is any reason he was poor and how he can become prosperous. One day he heard that Gautam Buddha arrived in a nearby village. The beggar thought that he could ask this question to Buddha and can easily get an answer from such an enlightened person.
He started his journey towards Buddha. He became hungry while travelling. He saw a palace in front of him. He went near the palace and begged for food. The king was very kind and he himself came and arranged a seat for beggar to sit and eat as much as he wished. The beggar was very pleased to see the kindness of king. He thanked the king. The king asked the beggar if he is going somewhere. The beggar explained that he is going to ask Buddha regarding his poverty and when it will end. The king said, "Due to the busy schedule, I never get a chance to leave my kingdom. If possible, please do me a favor. I have one daughter. She cannot speak from birth. We showed him to different doctors and they did not find any issue. Can you please also ask Buddha how she would speak?" The beggar agreed and moved ahead.
Going further, he saw a mountain range which he must cross to reach the village. He became worried. When he reached near one of the hills, a magician came flying near him on a magical broom. The magician asked the beggar if he was going somewhere. The beggar told him about his journey and said that he was worried that he might not reach the village on time as he had to now cross the mountains. The magician offered to take the beggar across mountains on his broom. The beggar accepted the offer and sat behind the magician on broom. The magician started flying with the beggar. On the way, the magician said to the beggar, "I am doing a yagna (worship) to reach heaven. However it has been more than five hundred years and by my calculations, I should have reached heaven. If you wish, can you please ask Buddha that how will I reach heaven?" The beggar agreed. The magician left the beggar on other side, and beggar moved ahead with his journey.
After travelling a little ahead, he found a deep river. He started worrying as Buddha was residing at a hut across the river and he must cross the river to meet Buddha. While he was worrying, a big turtle came near. The turtle saw the beggar and asked for the reason of his worry. The beggar explained him everything. The turtle said, "I can take you to the other side on my back." The beggar was relieved and sat on the back of turtle. The turtle said, while crossing the river, "I am living from thousand years and I should have got transformed into a dragon. Can you please ask Buddha why I am not becoming a dragon?" The beggar agreed.
He entered the hut where Buddha was sitting on meditation. The beggar sat quietly near him. After sometime, Buddha opened his eyes and smiled at the beggar as if he already knew that beggar was sitting there. The beggar said, "Respected great soul, I have come from the nearby village and I humbly request you to answer my few questions." Buddha said, "Sure, I can answer but only three questions." The beggar started thinking of questions as he had four questions, including his own question. He first thought about the question of king, 'The king is living such a sad life where his own daughter never spoke. He trusted me so much and if I do not ask his question, it would be injustice to him.' Then he thought about magician that the magician had waited more than five hundred years and then about the turtle that the turtle waited even longer. Now he thought about his own problem, 'I am still living, even though in poverty, but my problem is so small with respect to the king, the magician and the turtle. I should ask three questions of them as that would completely change their life for good.' Thinking this, he asked questions of the king, the magician and the turtle. Buddha listened to each of them and answered. When the beggar was leaving, Buddha said, "You put the problems of others ahead of yourself. You would get your solution while solving their problems." The beggar did not understand it completely but was happy that he now can help all three of them.
When he reached near the river, the turtle was waiting for him. The turtle took him on his back and started swimming to other side. The beggar told him the answer on the way, "Buddha told that you have become so attached to your shell, that you do not want to leave it. This has become your comfort zone. You will have to leave the comfort of your shell and you would transform to dragon." The turtle was pleased to listen this. After reaching the other side, the turtle came out of shell and as Buddha told, he transformed to a dragon. The shell was filled with precious gemstones that the turtle acquired from different water bodies. The turtle gave the shell to the beggar and thanked him for resolving his problem.
The beggar happily moved ahead with the shell. The magician was waiting for him near the mountain range and both of them sat on broom and started flying across the mountains. The beggar told the magician, "Buddha told that you can easily reach heaven, but you are not willing to leave your broom. Whenever you will accept to leave broom, you will ascend to heaven." The magician was happy. After reaching the other side, he left the broom and gave it to the beggar. As Buddha had said, he ascended to heaven happily.
The beggar now had shell filled with precious gemstones and magical broom. Now he reached near the palace and the king was waiting for him to return. The king welcomed him and offered food. The beggar started eating and said, "Buddha told that your daughter will start speaking on seeing her life partner." His daughter entered the room. To the very surprise of everyone, she said pointing towards the beggar, "Father, please introduce this handsome man to me." The king was amazed and asked the beggar if he accept to marry his daughter. The beggar agreed. The king announced the marriage of his daughter with the beggar and designated him as heir to the kingdom.
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