Sumana meets the Buddha

Sumana was the name of the royal gardener. He was a duty-minded person of the palace. The king liked Sumana as he looked after his function perfectly. His main function was to bring flowers from the royal park to the royal palace in the morning hours. He used to spend more time plucking and gathering various types of flowers and putting them into baskets and making them into garlands and bouquets. But there happened to be days when the duty failed to be fulfilled.

One severe problem was the seasonal changes that created impediments in the plucking and gathering process. But the king was serious about this matter. The king wanted to fulfil his worshipping duties to guardian deities and purify his mind. As soon as the king gets up in the morning, Sumana would be the first person to meet him. This was also an auspicious moment for the king. He was looking forward to seeing Sumana in the morning.

Then came a severe drought. The flower plants failed to fulfil blossoming of flowers. Sumana found it difficult to gather flowers. He looked at the sky. Then he looked at the ponds. He thought, if at all I can find some flowers I would be the luckiest person on earth. I will search for flowers all over the region thought the gardener Sumana. He went further away into the forest with the intention of seeing flowers. But to his dismay he did not see a single wild flower.

"Oh what an unfortunate gardener am I!" thought Sumana, as he was walking in the forest. One whole night was spent on walking from place to place in search of flowers. Sumana was tired. Then all of a sudden he found a dried lotus pond by the side of a grove of mangoes. Unexposed by the rays of sun there was just a little lotus bloomed in a corner.

"If I pluck this lotus I will be a lucky person for I can explain to the good king that this is the only lotus found in the entire region," thought Sumana. So Sumana waded through the lake and plucked the only lotus with much care. He was feeling happy. He felt as if he had won a magic award. He kept his lotus in his hand and went off with the intention of handing it over to the king, saying 'oh great majesty this is the only flower I could find in the whole region As such the flower is perhaps magical' a thought stream sprang up in his mind.

In the rush he met a rich Brahmin who was on his way to the holy shrine of gods.

"From where did you get that lotus?" asked the Brahmin.

"From a far off place," said the gardener Sumana.

"Can't you give the lotus to me?" asked the Brahmin.

"I am on my way to the royal palace to hand this lotus to my king,"

"But I will pay you hundred gold coins for the lotus," said the Brahmin.

Sumana was perplexed. How can I give this lotus? I will be punished by the king.

"Can you give me that lotus?" asked the Brahmin.

"No I can't, for the king will punish me for not bringing any flowers and that is my main function."

"But I will pay you two hundred gold coins," said the Brahmin, "Will you give me the flower?"

"No I cannot give you I am sorry,"

"All right, I will give you five hundred gold coins." said the rich Brahmin. Sumana the gardener was simply surprised.

"Five hundred gold coins for a lotus? But I am the royal gardener. How can I do that? King will drive me away."

The gardener refused to hand over the lotus although the bargain looked lucrative.

"I can be a rich man instantly if I sell this flower to the rich Brahmin, but if I do that I look a coward good for nothing human being," on walking further, Sumana found himself tired. The morning hours were gradually waning off. The king could be angry and punish him for not fulfilling the royal duties punctually. Sumana wanted to rest for a while and think of what had happened. Then all of a sudden he saw a halo of light appearing in the sky. He also saw some bright rays of colour illuminating the area. The image of a serene face appeared before him.

"Oh this is no other person than the Buddha," Sumana saw thousands of gods in the sky trying to worship the Buddha.

"I have come at the right time. This indeed is the time when the Buddha watches the world to see who needs the helping hand and to whom he should talk to."

"You are the gardener who takes flowers to the royal palace?"

"Yes I am."

"What can I do for you Sumana?" Asked the Buddha. Then Sumana felt that it is the right time to worship the Buddha with the only lotus he held in his hand. Sumana placed the lotus at the foot of the Buddha and worshipped the Buddha.

"Do you feel tired Sumana?" asked the Buddha.

"Yes I am tired looking for flowers."

"Calm down Sumana. There is time for you to go to the palace. Rest a while and listen. Gathering flowers is like gathering good merits. Time has come for you to gather those good merits."

Sumana knew that this is the right time to listen to the Buddha instead of going to the palace in a hasty mood.

"Where are you taking that lotus?" Asked the Buddha.

'To the palace."

"Didn't you meet a rich person who wanted to buy the lotus?"

"Yes I met a rich Brahmin," said Sumana.

"Do you feel you are a loser in the bargain?"

"No I do not feel"

"So, if so what do you expect from me?'

"I feel happy by placing the lotus at your holy feet. I wish to be one of your disciples."

"It can certainly be done! You have the right kind of mind for that. Follow me and enter the temple premises and join the congregation there."

Then Sumana joined the retinue who followed the Buddha and listened to the Buddha. Sumana felt that he is unburdening himself from material fetters and entering into a higher state of mind free from all bonds.