Once a Bodhisattva lived as a spirit in a banyan tree. One day, a poor man came to pray to the tree. He had nothing to offer except a loaf of bread. So, when he saw others offering expensive gifts and sweets to the tree, he felt disheartened. He was about to turn back when suddenly he heard a voice, “My friend, I am hungry. Won’t you give me some bread to eat?” The man was astonished and looked around. The Bodhisattva had appeared from the tree. The poor man gave the bread to him. After eating it, the Bodhisattva said, “Dig the ground near the tree and you will find a pot of gold coins.” The poor man was honest. He dug out the coins and gave them to the king. The king was pleased with the man’s honesty and made him the royal treasurer.
Moral: Honesty always gets rewarded in the end.
