The Buddha once told his disciples about a former life, when he and another man were sent to Hell. A cruel guard was in charge of them. He had a sharply pointed trident in his hand, and would jab the two men with it, to make them work even harder. One day, the guard treated […]
One day, the Buddha was sitting with his disciples when a sad farmer passed by. A disciple asked him why he looked so sad. The farmer said, “I had 12 cows, but they all ran away. I have a few acres of sesame seed plantation, but the insects have eaten up everything. I feel like
Charles Robert Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England, on the 12th of February 1809 and passed away on the 19th of April 1882. Do you know that Darwin had embarked on a 5-year survey voyage around the globe on the HMS Beagle that eventually led to the development of the theory of evolution? A naturalist
Mohenjo-Daro was an ancient urban settlement built in Sindh, Pakistan, around 2500 BC. While Mohenjo-Daro (Mound of the Dead) was the name given to the city in modern times, the original name remains unknown. The city was highly planned-out with an organized street grid having proper drainage systems, public baths, granary, guard towers and many
Ludvig van Beethoven, popularly known simply as Beethoven, was born on the 17th of December 1770 in Belgium and passed away on the 26th of March 1827. Do you know that in spite of being a great composer, Beethoven could not add or multiply as a result of having quit formal education at the age
Once, there was an old beggar woman who wanted to make an offering to the Buddha. She only had one small coin, so she used it to buy some oil. She then took it to the monastery, lit a lamp, and placed it before the Buddha. “May I be blessed with the lamp of wisdom?”
Napoleon Bonaparte, also known as Napoleon-I, was born on the 15th of August 1769 in Ajaccio, Corsica, and passed away on the 5th of May 1821. Do you know that it was during his military campaign in Egypt, in 1799, that the Rosetta stone was discovered, which provided the key to crack ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics,
Once, a wise Monkey King noticed a mango tree growing at the riverside. He thought, ‘If humans find out about these mangoes, they will drive us away from here.’ So, he ordered all the mangoes to be removed. However, a mango fell into the river. It flowed downstream into the hands of the Human King.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on the 27th of January 1756, Salzburg, now in present-day Austria and passed away on the 5th of December 1791. Do you know that Mozart was a child prodigy? At the age of 5 he was composing his own music, and at the age of 8 years, he wrote his
George Washington was born on the 22nd of February 1732 in Virginia, U.S.A., and passed away on the 14th of December 1799. Do you know that George Washington was made an honorary citizen of France, and that before he fought against the British, he actually fought for them? One of the Founding Fathers of the
Once, a thief entered the home of Zen Master Shichiri Kojunw, while he was meditating. When the thief demanded money, the Zen master said, “Don’t disturb me. The money is in the drawer. You can take it.” The thief was surprised, but quickly emptied the drawer. The Zen master then said, “Leave me some money
Fasil Ghebbi was a fortress city built in Ethiopia in the 17th and the 18th century. Fasil Ghebbi, literally meaning ‘Royal Enclosure’, was home to the Ethiopian emperors. Built across 70,000 square metres, the fortress was enclosed by a curtain wall with twelve gates. The architectural style displayed is a diverse blend of influences including
Once, the Buddha’s disciples asked, “Why do the scholars and the hermits in Savatthi always argue about the eternal nature of the world, the soul and so on?” The Buddha explained, “Imagine what would happen if we gathered a group of blind men and tried to show them an elephant. Each one would be able
The people in King Brahmadatta’s kingdom were very superstitious. When they prayed to God, they always offered animal sacrifice, along with flowers and perfumes. They believed that God would not hear their prayers without the sacrifice. The king’s eldest son was very wise. He was a Bodhisattva in previous birth. He thought, ‘I must stop
Once, a farmer and a soldier became friends. The soldier asked the farmer, “What do you do all day?” The farmer replied, “I plough the fields and grow crops. When the time is ripe, I get busy with harvesting.” The soldier said, “That does not seem to be so challenging. Look at me. I go