Healing Over Answers: Life Lessons from The Story of the Poisoned Arrow
Self-inflicted Delay in the Tale of the Poisoned Arrow In the Buddhist tale "The Poisoned Arrow," a man suffers a wound from a poisoned arrow during a battle. Writhing in pain and nearing death, he arrives at a healer, who begins preparing to remove the arrow and treat the injury. However, before the healer can proceed, the man interrupts with a barrage of questions. The Questions That Obstruct Healing Immediately, he demands to know who shot him and why. Curiously, he asks the attacker’s caste, their upbringing, and place of origin. Then, he questions the type of bow and
Letting Go: Lessons from the Two Monks and the River
Once, two monks—an older and a younger one—travelled together. Along their journey, they came to a river with a strong current. A woman stood by the river, unable to cross alone. She asked the monks if they could help her. Without hesitation, the older monk picked up the woman, carried her across the river, and gently set her down on the other side. However, this action shocked the younger monk. They were, after all, monks who had taken vows not to touch women. He held his tongue initially but couldn't stop thinking about it as they continued their journey.
