THE DHAMMAPADA: THE WAY OF THE BUDDHA, VOL. 9-12 The ...

THE DHAMMAPADA: THE WAY OF THE BUDDHA, VOL. 9-12 17
don’t know and yet you believe. Remember, belief is irrelevant when you don’t know and belief is irrelevant when
you do know. When you don’t know, your belief is false, rooted in ignorance. When you know, there is no need
to believe you know already.
Do you believe in the sun, in the moon? Does anybody ask you, ”Do you believe in the earth?” Nobody asks
such questions. People ask, ”Do you believe in God? Do you believe in astrology? Do you believe in life after
death?” These questions seem to be relevant because nobody seems to know.
I don’t believe in anything. And remember, if you start believing, then there is no end to it; you can believe in
any nonsense. Once you believe, there is no problem.
Harry came home from work earlier than usual one afternoon. ”Darling, I’m home,” he cried and rushed
upstairs to the bedroom, where he found his wife lying on the bed, a surprised look on her face. The curtains
were drawn, the sheets and blankets were in disorder. ”Is everything all right?” he asked.
”Why, yes... yes, of course, dear,” she replied uncertainly.
Taking off his jacket he went to the wardrobe and to his surprise found a man crouching inside.
”Hello, what are you doing here?” said Harry in astonishment.
”Oh... I... I’m the gas man.... I’ve, er... come to check the gas meter.”
”Hmm, I see,” said Harry and hung up his jacket.
Then reaching under the bed for his slippers, he found another man lying there.
”Well... and who are you?” he asked.
”Ah, yes... well.... I’m the, er... the electrician... I’ve come to fix the wiring.”
”I see,” said Harry. ”All right then.”
Then, taking off his tie and shirt, he remarked, ”I say, dear, it is a bit dark and stuffy in here, don’t you think?”
and drawing back the curtain he saw a man perched outside on the window ledge.
”Hello,” said Harry, ”and what are you doing here?”
”Well,” said the man, ”if you believed those other guys actually, I’m waiting for a bus.”
The eighth question:
Question 8
BELOVED MASTER, IS IT REALLY BAD LUCK TO HAVE A BLACK CAT CROSS YOUR PATH?
Narendra, it depends on whether you are a man or a mouse!
The last question:
Question 9 BELOVED MASTER, WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS LAUGHING AT THE KNOWLEDGEABLE
PEOPLE?
Govindo, what should I do? Should I cry and weep over spilt milk? If you cannot laugh at knowledgeable
people, at whom are you going to laugh? They are the most stupid people in the world, the most ridiculous.
A British couple after a few years of marriage finally had a child. As the child’s hair was completely red
and both parents’ hair was brown, things looked a little suspicious. The bewildered wife, upset at the obvious
insinuations, suggested that they both go to see a doctor.
The doctor, after taking note of the unusual phenomenon, looked even more puzzled than the couple. ”According
to the laws of genetics,” he explained, ”it is impossible that a man and a woman with brown hair can give birth
to a child with red hair.” The doctor decided to make inquiries in another direction. ”How frequently do you have
sexual intercourse?” he asked.
The answer was a British embarrassed silence.
”Once a day?” encouraged the doctor.
”Well, not really,” was the embarrassed answer of the couple.
”Well, once a week then?” asked the doctor.
”Ahem, I wouldn’t say that,” answered the man.
”Once a month?” probed the doctor.
”Well, ahem, we don’t not that often,” was the reply.
”Aha!” cried the doctor. ”Now I get it! Nothing to be worried about it’s only rust!”
Enough for today.
The Dhammapada: The Way of the Buddha, Vol. 9
Chapter 3 Buddhas only point the way
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I SHALL ENDURE HARD WORDS AS THE ELEPHANT ENDURES THE SHAFTS OF BATTLE. FOR
MANY PEOPLE SPEAK WILDLY.