Mind Makes One Sick Mind Can Also Heal

One evening, a man was invited to the home of a friend. As he was about to drink a cup of tea that was offered to him, he thought he saw a baby snake in the cup. He did not want to embarass his hostess. So, he gathered his courage and swallowed the tea in one gulp. When the man returned home later that night, he began to feel severe pains in his stomach.

By the next day, the pains had grown worse. He consulted several doctors and tried many cured but none worked. The man who was then seriously ill thought he was about to die. Hearing of his condition, his friend invited him to visit her again. Sitting in the same place, he accepted another cup of tea. As the sick man lifted his cup to drink, he suddenly saw the snake again. This time he decided to speak up and draw his hostess's attention to it. Without a word, she pointed to the ceiling above her guest. He looked up. There, just above him, hanging from a beam, was a length of rope. The sick man realized all at once that what he had thought was a baby snake was simply the reflection of a rop. The two friends looked at each other and laughed. The pain of the sick man vanished instantly and he recovered perfect health.

Chicken or duck

This is a short story that I love dearly written by Ajahn Brahm who is the abbot of a monastery in Australia. In his book, “opening the door of your heart”, Ajahn Brahm relates wise teachings from his saint-like and renowned teacher, Ajahn Chah. I hope Ajahn Brahm don’t mind I put his story of timeless wisdom here.

This was a favourite story of Ajahn Brahm teacher, Ajahn Chah of northest Thailand. The title is named “The chicken and the duck”. A newly married couple went for a walk together in a wood, one fine summer’s evening after dinner. They were having such a wonderful time being together until they heard a sound in the distance: ‘Quack! Quack!’

‘Listen,’said the wife, ‘That must be a chicken.’
‘No,no. That was a duck,’ said the husband.
‘No, I’m sure that was a chicken,’ she said.
‘Impossible. Chicken go “Cock-a-doodle-doo”, ducks go “Quack! Quack!” That’s a duck, darling,’ he said, with the first signs of irritation.
‘Quack! Quack!” it went again.
‘See! It’s a duck,’ he said.
‘No dear. That’s a chicken. I’m positive,’ she asserted, digging in her heels.
‘Listen wife! That….is….a…duck. D-U-C-K, duck! Got it?’ he said angrily.
‘But it’s a chicken,’ she protested.
‘It’s a blooming duck, you,you….’
And it went ‘Quack! Quack!’ again before he said something he oughtn’t.
The wife was almost in tears. ‘But it’s a chicken.’
The husband saw the tears welling up in his wife’s eyes and, at last, remembered why he had married her. His face softened and he said gently, ‘Sorry, darling. I think you must be right. This is a chicken.’
‘Thank you, darling.’ She said and she squeezed his hand.
‘Quack! Quack!’ came the sound through the woods, as they continued their walk together in love.

The point of the story that the husband finally awakened to was, who cares whether it is a chicken or a duck? What was much more important was their harmony together , that they could enjoy their walkl on such a fine summer’s evening. How many marriages are broken over the unimportant matters? How many divorces cite ‘chicken or duck’ stuff.

When we understand this story, we will remember our priorities. The marriage is more important than being right about whether it is a chicken or a duck. Anyway, how many times have we been absolutely, certainly and positively convinced we are right, only to find out we were wrong later/ Who knows? That could have been genetically modified chicken made to sound like a duck!

( For the sake of gender equality and a peaceful life as a monk, each time Ajahn Brahm tell the story he usually swithch around the one who says it’s a chicken and the one who say’s it’s a duck)

From this story, I always remind myself not to spoil any relationship because ‘chicken or duck stuff’. The lesson from this timeless teaching can apply in us from all walks of life….