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| | | Book Name: The Dhammapada - The Way of the Buddha, Vol 8 | Previous Next | |
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to do with it?"
I had a friend, a doctor, and he was very much obsessed with crossword puzzles. Every month he would fill the crossword puzzles, and every month he would hope that this time he was going to get five lakh rupees, ten lakh rupees. I had been watching it for years. And the month would pass and nothing would happen, and he would start preparing for another crossword puzzle.
One day I was sitting in his dispensary, and I told him, "Look, you don't seem to have a great fate!"
He said, "What do you mean?"
I said, "I have been watching you for so many days, for so many years, and nothing happens. Join with me and this month you will get ten lakh rupees."
He was ecstatic. He said, "Why didn't you say it before?"
I said, "But there is a condition. The library of this city needs five lakh rupees. You will have to give five lakh rupees to the library. Then I can join with you. Then my fate will be with your fate -- and you know my fate!"
He said, "That I know!" But he said, "Five lakhs is too much." He started bargaining: nothing had happened yet, but he was so much disturbed! He started bargaining, "Five lakhs is too much, and I am a poor doctor, and you know how difficult it is and what great competition is there -- twenty doctors in this small town and I am the poorest. You are demanding five lakh rupees! Make it one lakh."
I said, "Okay, so it is agreed: one lakh I will get for the library, nine lakhs you get."
He said, "Yes." But he said yes in such a sad way: "One lakh rupees, just going like that!"
Twelve o'clock in the night he knocked on my door. It was summer and I was sleeping on the terrace so I asked from the terrace, "What is the matter? Who is there?"
He said, "I am your friend. I could not sleep, I had to come. One lakh is too much! This time just fifty thousand. Next month we join forces again and then I will give one lakh."
I said, "Okay -- because I don't want to disturb my sleep. You go away. Fifty thousand is okay, but now don't change it!"
Next morning he changed it. He said, "You know my situation. This time, let me keep the whole amount. Next month,
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