Dhamma Talks - A Mean Man :: Buddhapadipa Thai Temple

There was a saying, “A mean man should not be promoted to the high rank, because he has not been grateful to those, who promoted him”, as the following story:

In the jungle, there was one hermit, who could bring a dead being to life. One day he saw a baby mouse which he had raised it from very young and fell down from the roof. He pitied it and wanted to bring it to life again. And then he thought that if he brought it to life as a mouse again, it would be bullied by a cat so he thought that he would bring to life as a cat. He thought again that if he brought the mouse’s life as a cat, the dog would bully it so he would bring it to life as a dog. While he was thinking, one thought took place that if he brought the mouse’s life as a dog, the tiger in this jungle would bully it so he brought it to life as a tiger.

When the mouse had a new life as a tiger, it thought that it was very powerful and the hermit gave it life, if other beings knew that it came from the mouse’s life, on animals were afraid of it so it thought that it would get rid of the hermit. While it was thinking, the hermit knew its thought so the hermit said, “You had no kind hearted mind on me who gave you a new life, so now you go back to the mouse’s life as you were.” After a word of the hermit, the tiger became the mouse as before.

This story reminds us that those, who have no gratitude, should not be supported because they have never thought of what we have done for them. Of course, when we do some thing for some one, we should not hope something in return, but at least he/she should not harm us who have done good thing for them.