Once, Sakyamuni Buddha was frequently targeted by a man who spewed jealousy and insults at him. Yet the Buddha remained calm and silent.
One day, after the man exhausted himself from his tirade, the Buddha smiled and asked:
“Friend, if someone offers a gift that is refused, to whom does the gift belong?”
The man snapped: “Obviously, it remains with the giver!”
Sakyamuni replied: “Exactly. Until today, you’ve hurled insults. If I do not accept them, to whom do they belong?”
The man froze, speechless. From that day on, he never dared insult the Buddha again.
Philosophical Notes
Ownership of Karma:
The Buddha’s analogy reveals that insults, like gifts, only bind the receiver if accepted. By refusing to “receive” hatred, he demonstrates that emotional harm depends on the recipient’s consent.
Lesson: As the Dhammapada states: “Hatred never ceases by hatred, but by love alone.”
The Power of Non-Reaction:
The Buddha’s silence is not passivity but wisdom in action. By not internalizing the insults, he liberates himself and exposes the futility of the man’s anger.
Chan Insight: True peace comes not from controlling others but mastering one’s own mind.
The Illusion of Control:
The man’s rage stems from a delusion that his words can inflict suffering. The Buddha’s refusal to “claim” the insults dismantles this illusion, revealing all suffering is self-created.
Compassion as Strategy:
The Buddha’s question — posed gently after the man’s exhaustion — shows skillful means (upāya). He educates without shaming, turning hostility into a teaching moment.
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