The Magic of Patience

The Bodhisattva came back as a buffalo in one of his rebirths and lived with a mischievous monkey in the forest. The monkey used to trouble the buffalo every day by either pulling the buffalo’s tail, throwing nuts on the buffalo’s head or jumping from the treetop on to the buffalo’s back. Though disturbed by the monkey’s pranks, the buffalo bore everything patiently without complaining. The other animals of the forest saw this and wondered why the buffalo tolerated all the mischief without losing his patience or scolding the monkey.

Unable to hold back his curiosity, the elephant one day asked the buffalo why he never punished the truant monkey. At this the buffalo smiled and said that he was thankful to the monkey for teaching him how to be patient. The monkey who was sitting on the tree heard this and was ashamed of himself. He came down at once to seek the buffalo’s forgiveness and thereafter they became good friends.

-Buddha