The Lion and Tiger: Wisdom of the Bodhisatta

In a time long ago, the Bodhisatta was an ascetic, living a simple life at the foot of a great mountain. Nearby, in a cave, lived two unlikely companions: a lion and a tiger. One day, the two creatures found themselves in a heated debate. They were arguing over the coldest time of the lunar cycle. The tiger, believing the dark half of the month to be the coldest, argued fiercely, while the lion, confident that the light half of the month was colder, disagreed just as strongly. Unable to settle their disagreement, they decided to seek the wisdom of the Bodhisatta.

The Bodhisatta listened to their arguments, then spoke calmly, “Both of you are right. The cold is caused not by the phases of the moon, but by the wind.” With this simple but profound answer, the Bodhisatta helped the lion and the tiger realize that their disagreement was based on misunderstanding, and they made peace with each other.

Moral:
Wisdom often lies in understanding the true cause of a problem, not in clinging to surface disagreements. Peace comes when we seek knowledge and clarity beyond our differences.