Once, Ananda the Blissful lived in a village of thirty families. He taught the villagers Pancha shila (five moral precepts). The people listened to him and followed him. Soon crime disappeared from that village. However, the village head was not pleased. As everyone became Ananda’s follower, the village head had no importance. So, he went to the king and complained that the village was being robbed. He also captured the heads of the thirty families and took them to the king as robbers. In dvesha (hate) the king ordered them to be trampled by elephants. However, these people were so full of metta (love) and mudita (selfless joy) that the elephants refused to trample them. Surprised, the king asked them, “What magic do you know?” The people talked about Ananda and his teachings. The king was so impressed that he set them free and punished the village head instead.
Moral: Virtue will always win over vice.
