Once, a rich man became a monk. He retired to the forest and started practising Samadhi. Soon, he had 500 followers. His assistant was a disciple, who was always smiling. One day, the monk and his disciples went to live in the royal garden. When it was time to return, the king requested the head monk to stay back at the palace, as he was old and weak. A few days later, the assistant returned to meet the head monk. He sat at his feet saying, “What happiness!” Coincidentally, the king was also visiting the head monk right then. He became angry, as the assistant had not greeted him first. The head monk understood the king’s jealousy and said, “This assistant was a king once. He feels that his old happiness is nothing compared to the present joy.” The king realised that the monks’ inner peace was way above his own position and so he honoured them.
Moral: True happiness is in non-attachment.
