Way of Virtue

Everything was set for the funeral. Disapamok longed to have his little son back, but he knew it was inevitable.

Later towards evening, when all rituals were over, Disapamok summoned Aravinda.

“All my students were in a gloomy mood, but except for one. Did you spot him?”

“Yes, I did. I was surprised to see him unperturbed.”

“That boy is Dharmapala. People of his tribe never die young, I heard.”

“Is that so?”

The following day Aravinda and Disapamok set off to visit Dharmapala senior. Following a long journey, they could at last reach Dharmapala senior’s place. Disapamok feigned sad when he encountered him.

“I’ve something terribly sad to tell you. Your son has passed away.”

The father smirked.

“You are mistaken, great sir. It must be someone else, not my son.”

Then Disapamok untied a bag of bones.

“That must belong to someone else, great sir. Not my son.”

He searched Dharmapala senior’s face for any clue of grief. But there was not any. Is he in denial, Aravinda wondered.

“You are right Dharmapala. Your son is keeping well. We have come here to ask the secret formula of your long life.”

“Long and happy life, great sir. We try to follow virtues.”

“Would you care to explain it?”

“Why don’t you talk to my second son? He practises them to every detail.”

“I have doubts,” the second son chipped in, “I had to divide the lands of my elder and younger brothers equally. There was one spot, which I knew to be a crab’s lurk-hole. If I post the stick beyond that spot, my elder brother will lose a bit of his share. If I post it behind, my younger brother will lose. I could not see any crab either. So I placed the stick on the hole. Right at that moment...” the son paused for a while, “it was so faint, but I heard it. A crab was crying! The stick must have hurt the crab, or killed it. I dreaded to see the bleeding crab, fearing it will be already dead. Now I’m disappointed in myself.”

Disapamok’s face had a puzzling look.

“You had no wish to kill the crab. If you are that thoughtful, how can you say you have violated virtues?”

“But you better go to my mother. She is so careful in her virtues.”

Aravinda and Disapamok had the shock of life when they saw Dharmapala senior’s mother. She looked even healthier and happier than her son and grandsons.

“I have two daughter-in-laws: elder one well off, and the other one not quite so. I gave a larger portion of my jewellery to the younger daughter-in-law, while a smaller portion to the elder one. Now I wonder if I have robbed my elder daughter-in-law of her share. No, I don’t fit to be called virtuous.”

To this, Disapamok replied:

“You have not robbed, but you have given what you have. Besides, you have given more to the one who is in need. Sister, you are perfect in your virtues.”

“But my younger daughter-in-law is better in virtues, I think.” When they approached the young lady, she nodded in disapproval.

“The very first day I saw my husband’s younger brother, I noticed how handsome he is. For a moment I thought what if I strike up a relationship with him.

In a little while, though, an alarming thought went through my mind. I must not entertain such thoughts about my husband’s brother. That’s adultery.”

“But you have not done it, so you are perfect in virtue.”

“May be,” added she, “but my elder brother-in-law looks after precepts very carefully.”

“No, I don’t think I do,” denied the elder brother-in-law, “because of what happened some time ago.”

“Let’s have it,” Disapamok said, eager to listen to his story.

“My father wanted me to fetch some wood from the jungle. Several other things kept me busy too, and worse, I was captivated by the beauty of sundown and got late. Only when I saw father at a distance did I remember what he wanted me to do. I was thinking of something to tell him as an excuse, but in a flash I remembered I’m supposed to keep the virtue.”

“But you did not lie to your father,”

“No, but my younger brother keeps every virtue. You better see him.”

“I was quite tired that day, helping out my brother all day along. For a moment I thought why not have some strong drink to ease off tiredness. But soon I remembered I’m supposed to keep my precepts.”

“But you did not have a strong drink.”

“No, but I think our father is virtuous in every aspect. Why don’t you see him?”

Quite inspired, Aravinda and Disapamok met Dharmapala once again.

“We had a splendid time with your family, Dharmapala.”

Dharmpala smiled.

But Aravinda had a question: “So that means when you keep virtue, you are sure to have a long life?”

“No,” the reply came, “the long life depends on what you have done in the past.”

“Then how were you quite sure that your son is still alive?”

“When parents keep virtues to the word, and when they pass it down to their children, do you think they will die young?”

Aravinda did not reply, but he knew the answer.

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