The Wise King and the Stubborn Warhorse

Long ago, in a prosperous kingdom, the Bodhisatta served as the king’s trusted advisor, renowned for his deep wisdom and insight. Among the many prized possessions of the royal court was the king’s mighty warhorse, a thoroughbred known for its unmatched strength and elegance. It lived a life of unparalleled care and prestige, and even its daily rituals, like bathing, were treated as sacred.

One day, trouble arose when the warhorse refused to enter the water at its regular bathing spot. The horse’s caretaker tried coaxing it in, but the animal remained stubborn, snorting in defiance. The king, perplexed and frustrated, summoned the Bodhisatta to uncover the reason behind the warhorse’s unusual behavior.

The Warhorse’s Problem

The Bodhisatta arrived at the bathing site and carefully examined the warhorse. Finding nothing physically wrong, he pondered the situation further. Observing the horse’s proud demeanor, the Bodhisatta suspected the issue was not physical but psychological.

Turning to the caretaker, he asked, “Has anything unusual happened at this bathing spot recently?” The groom hesitated before admitting, “Yes, a few days ago, another horse was washed here.”

The Bodhisatta smiled knowingly. “The warhorse is behaving this way because its pride is wounded. It does not want to bathe where an ordinary horse has been. Vanity often causes even the best of us to act irrationally.”

The Wisdom of Adaptation

Rather than forcing the warhorse to bathe, the Bodhisatta suggested a simple yet thoughtful solution: take the animal to a new bathing spot. “Change,” he explained, “can often bring fresh perspective and calm even the most restless of minds.”

The groom followed the Bodhisatta’s advice, and as expected, the warhorse entered the new bathing spot willingly, its pride restored. Pleased, the king commended the Bodhisatta’s wisdom and used the lesson as a reminder to approach problems with understanding rather than force.

The Buddha’s Teaching

Centuries later, in the lifetime of the Buddha, one of his disciples struggled with the meditation on impurity. Even after months of effort and guidance from Sariputta, he remained unable to make progress. The Buddha, understanding the disciple’s unique mental block, created a pond and instructed him to focus on the beauty of a lotus flower blooming at its center.

As the disciple stared at the flower, the Buddha made it decay before his eyes, turning its once-vivid petals into a withered mass. This gradual transformation allowed the disciple to grasp the impermanence and impurity of all things. The realization freed his mind, and he attained arahantship.

Later, when the Buddha heard his disciples praising this perfect teaching, he recounted the story of the warhorse to show that he had always possessed the ability to understand others’ states of mind and guide them accordingly.

Moral

Pride and stubbornness often cloud judgment, but patience and understanding can lead to harmony. Change, when embraced, can dissolve barriers and inspire growth.