The Foolish Son

Once, in the city of Vaisali there lived a royal barber who was a devoted follower of the Buddha. One day, he took his son along when he went to the palace to work. There, his son got attracted to a very beautiful girl all dressed up like a goddess and wanted to marry her.

His father told him to forget about the girl as she belonged to the royal family and would never agree to such a proposal. But the son refused to eat and drink until he got married to her. All his family members tried to reason with him, but failed. The young lover was so disappointed and heartbroken that he passed away.

After performing his son’s last rites, the father went to meet the Buddha. The Buddha told him, “Your son has died by setting his heart on something which he could never have.” The barber could say nothing but weep for his son’s foolishness.

-Buddha