The elephant picture

“I am going to the temple,” I said coming out of the house. I was not sure who heard what I was saying, as I was engrossed in a stream of questions I planned to discuss with my friend, the scholar monk of Naga Vihara. As I reached the edge of the lane, I saw a fairly old man seated down with a cluster of laminated pictures.

While I passed that spot, the man stood up and walked behind me in silence. I looked back to see the man, who was actually a seller of these laminated pictures. As I was pacing slowly in contemplation, the man overtook me and looked back.

“Sir, these are really good pictures. Look at this picture,” he said. I took a glance at the picture he showed me. That was a giant size picture of three elephants, a tusker who is the father, mother and the young elephant, the son. The three flanked a chaitya, presumably Jetavanarama with the pinnacle half fallen. I took a good look at the picture.

“Sir, keep this as a secret. If you hang this picture it will usher in glory and fortune.”

“How can that happen?”

“Keep it as a secret. That is the view of the prophets. Buy one and see for yourself. Why should I tell you a lie? I do not sell these things everywhere.”

I looked at the face of a man and sell a picture. I do only this trade. I do not cheat other, nor do I plunder others. I do not hate anyone on this earth. I sell these as a harmless trade. I have to look after a family.”

“Where do you live?”

“I live in Padukka.”

“That is far away, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but I have to sell these. I take my morning meal and the midday meal from a wayside hotel. I go home only in the night.”

Then he showed me some more laminated pictures. There was one picture of a baby and a very young monk. Then there was a beautiful picture of Sri Maha Bodhi.

“What about the picture of Sri Maha Bodhi?” I asked.

“It is a picture that will give you inner peace. We are not allowed to sell this picture in public places.”

“Why?” I asked.

“People do not like to pollute the precious and serene spiritual quality of a holy place.”

“Is there a difference in the prices?”

“No sir, each picture costs Rs 150.”

He did not insist me to buy. Instead he was looking at me at close quarters. I saw a weather-beaten rugged face in the trader.

“From where do you bring these pictures?” I asked.

“It is also a secret. I do not buy from all places. There ware a few skilled people who make these pictures. We have to honour them. I have a good friend in Grandpass who makes these pictures with utmost care.”

“But you must be selling quite a number of these pictures within a day!”

“It depends on the buyer sir. There are good buyers as well as bad buyers. I can look at the face of a buyer and say he or she is destined to help me.”

“Is there a good profit margin?” I asked. Then I felt a slight embarrassment of my own question. Why should I ask these nonsensical questions instead of buying one and help this man?

“To tell you the truth, I don’t have a big profit margin sir. I got to give Rs 120 from the Rs 150 I get from selling.”

I did not want to ask further questions. I was not really in need of buying one. But I have to be selective. “Which picture do you think goes with me?”

“I think you must buy the elephant family picture.”

I had to make sure the amount of money I had in my pocket. I had two 100 rupee notes. I took the two notes without much thought. This man needs some help. But don’t I need the picture of elephants too? I can pass on the picture to someone as a present. But who needs a picture of a family of three elephants? After all what is Rs 150? We spend so much of money on useless stuff.

Without further thought or talk, the trader gave me the balance of Rs 50 he pulled out of the short pocket. At the same time he pulled out a rubber band and rolled the picture. The rubber band held the picture tightly. Should the tale end there? He bowed his head in honour to me. He smiled with his teethless mouth.

I felt I had spent too much of time with the seller of pictures. But I was not worried as I learned quite a number of issues pertaining to our life of other human beings. I was hesitant as to whether I should walk up to the temple or not. I made up my mind to go the temple to meet the wise monk.