Histoires bouddhiques : La racine de lotus – Partie 4/6

All right, so even though they went into the forest, to hide away from the world, and to detach themselves from all the worldly concerns, but they were renowned now. They became renowned now, famous. So not only he was renowned in the world, but now the lord of the gods, the Śakra, the one, the lord of the thirty-three gods, also heard of this holy family. Oh, now we are going to have trouble. So, the Śakra god, seeing their disposition to meditation, their freedom from bad habits of all cravings and their remarkable calm, his high opinion of them increased. Well, thank God, thank You, making him all the more intent on testing them. He increased respect for them, but he is more intent on testing them. This god. OK. For so it is that those who are free from desire, those who dwell in the depths of the forest, intent solely on calmness of the mind always cause reverence to arise in the hearts of the virtuous. At that very moment, Śakra caused the first share to vanish from the lotus leaves. For when trouble arises, he thought, for when trouble arises, and satisfaction disappears, the constancy of the virtuous is best measured. Meaning, when you are in need, when you’re short of basic things, then people will know whether you’re really virtuous or not, and how deep is your virtue. So he wanted to measure it in this situation. Already didn’t have anything, just some lotus roots, and he still had to come and make trouble like that. In the same manner, Śakra concealed the Bodhisattva’s portion on the second day again, the third, the fourth, the fifth. But the effect was always the same. The great being remained calm and completely untroubled. So now all the brothers came and maybe also the servants and the friend also came there and listened to his sermon on the fifth day. They saw him very, very, kind of haggard, skinny, lost weight, and the splendor of his face had faded even, and his voice had lost its strength. Still, no matter how emaciated, he was as lovely as a crescent moon, for his virtues, wisdom, constancy and tranquility had not diminished. So then one brother, next eldest after the Bodhisattva, the second brother, revealed both his alarm and his innocence by this extraordinary protestation: “May whoever took your lotus root, oh, Brahmin, win a house, displaying signs of wealth, and a wife who suits his heart’s desire. And may he have many children and grandchildren.” That’s their curse on them, not say you go to hell or anything, but may you have a big house, a lot of wealth and have children and have wife. But this is even worse curse, no? So said the sixth brother: “May the person who was more eager to possess your lotus roots than your qualities, become a famous teacher, well-versed in the Vedas, enjoying the worship of many followers who view him as a great ascetic.” How ascetic, you know. Said the friend, now it’s his friend, also chipped in. My God, the poor Śakra. He deserves it. The Śakra doesn’t know what he is into. He got more than his bargain. And mind you, these ascetics, they are powerful, because they renounced everything already. They have nothing to lose. And they want nothing. And they practice sincerely, purely, every day, one pointedly, just for liberation, for spiritual elevation only. Therefore they are very powerful. So this poor Śakra, even if he is a god, even if he is a god of the gods, he is going to have it.